eBay Feedback -- Blackmail or Not?
Thursday May 31, 2007
From Mark O'Neill: "Tit-for-tat feedback is nothing more than kindergarten behavior".That's the perfect way to describe those special aucton sellers. You know the ones I mean, they tell you they won't leave feedback on your transaction until you leave feedback first.
Personally, I just don't leave even bother when I get a message like that. Yes, a good feedback rating is important, but not when I'm made to feel like I'm being blackmailed to get it. I never mind a friendly reminder, it's the blackmail techniques that get me going!
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Comments
EBAY IS A TOTAL FRAUD AND SCAM EVERY FEED BACK I HAVE GIVEN EBAY FEEDBACK IS TOTAL BS WAS BLACKMAILED OUT OF ME ALLOWING SELLERS TO FEEDBACK BUYERS IS WRONG
I agree 100%. I purchased an item recently on 4/30/07. Paid for it within 10 minutes of the end of the auction using Pay Pal. Received the “we will leave positive feedback when you do” from the seller. As a buyer I feel that I did what I needed to do to get positive feedback. This particular seller will leave an automatic negative if they receive a negative. I have been involve with ebay since it started and I doubt that they really care who or who doesn’t blackmail feedback, as long as they get their money. What should be done is someone should do research and create a website listing all the feedback blackmailers. Then people can decide if they want to play their game. I, too will not leave a positive to get a positive if it is not earned and deserved. I have at least one name that I can add to the list if it is ever compiled.
Bill Kauffman
As a buyer and seller on eBay (and an author on the topic), I believe feedback should be left after the transaction is complete. When I’m selling, I prefer that the buyer leave feedback letting me know they are pleased with the item before I respond. I’ve never seen it as blackmailing anyone, I just want to make sure everything is to their liking prior to leaving feedback. As a buyer, I leave feedback after I get the item in hand for the same reason. Even there is disappointment(and I’ve had that happen many times as a buyer!), situations that are handled appropriately can still lead to amicable feedback. IMHO, that is less likely to happen if you jump the gun and leave positive feedback prior to the buyer receiving the item.
Pam, I have no problem with waiting until both parties are satisfied. My problem is when a seller emails me and says I will NOT leave feedback until after you do, that’s what bothers me. I’ve even had a seller email me a month or so after a transaction and say something like “you haven’t left me feedback yet, so I haven’t done it for you either”.
I have written to eBay numerous times about this fairly new practice of leaving feedback for sellers first. Formerly, it was not the case. I always received feedback as soon as I paid for an item, which did end my responsibility.
I now find NO sellers who leave feedback first. I think the buyers are really hurt by this because most buyers who aren’t satisfied aren’t going to leave negative feedback, feeling they’ll get the same or some lame excuse from the seller.
I strongly feel the buyer needs feedback first!
Ebay feedback blackmail works against mom and pops (small scale) sellers as well. A buyer who is looking or prone to scam,sort of like someone who orders a meal at a restaurant, eats it all and then complains to get a free meal works on a seller the same way.
They order an item, complain that it never arrived, and even with a delivery confirmation they can complain they never received it. Threaten the seller with a negative feedback unless all $$ is refunded. The intentional scammers LOOK for a small time Ebay seller, or someone with a recent negative, knowing that ebay will restrict the seller if there are too many negatives.
The seller knows this as well which is why they generally have to offer the buyer a “free lunch.”
Now it’s only worse. I have a small comic book store, and people just keep blackmailing me with negative feedback if I don’t give them full refunds! I got so mad I just said go on I don’t care. But now it looks so bad. And I don’t know what to do. They didn’t want to send te comic book just their money back. Its sick! I’m leaving Ebay, it’s like myspace now lol