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Opinions about EBay changes?

Posts: 5173 Threads: 188

Hi.

I just heard about the changes coming to EBay. I must admit that I don't like what I have read. :(

As I understand it, the seller cannot leave retalitory negative or neutral feedback against a buyer, but...a buyer CAN leave neg/neut feedback to a seller???

So...if I am an unreasonable perfectionist collector and I buy a vintage set of drums that is advertised to be in "excellent" condition...but then I get the drums and I find a microscopic scratch on one of the lugs which doesn't jibe with my high standards, I can neg the seller and he can't do anything about it? Wow!

Oh...but wait! I also SELL drums, too. So, what's going to happen when I get an unreasonable perfectionist buyer?:confused:

It doesn't seem fair -especially to those people who sell vintage gear/antiques, etc.

There really is no way to accurately define the condition of vintage objects to any kind of specific degree...at least one that is universally agreed upon. Therefore, it doesn't bode well for sellers to sell to any buyers with low/zero feedback. I think what the result is going to be is that sellers will now require that "newbie" bidders will be excluded from auctions...and also that the term "newbie" will be applied to those bidders with fewer than 30 auctions in excess of $100.00!!...(or somethinmg like that)

I will say that, in some instances, I have avoided giving out negative feedback -even though I probably should have...because I was afraid of retaliatory feedback hurting my feedback rep.

Anecdote: I once sold a motorcycle helmet to a guy. I listed that the windscreen didn't fit and I also listed a flat rate S/H charge of "X" amount of money. I also listed that I didn't want any low/zero feedback bidders. He sniped the bid at the last second and he only had ONE other transaction to his name. Well...being the nice guy that I am, I go ahead and complete the transaction with him, anyway. We all have to start somewhere...right? The next thing I know, he has left a neutral feedback stating that the windscreen didn't fit and that he was charged too much for S/H!!!

You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him read!

So, of course, I returned the "favor" to him and left a neutral for him. Yes, it was retaliatory...but the guy was obviously a wanker...or a kid who shouldn't have been bidding to begin with. And that's not even close to the only time something like that has happened to me with buyers who don't read the terms. I mean, if I am going to go to the trouble of clearly listing my terms and then a buyer disregards them and ends up unhappy because of that disregard, then who's at fault? ME?

All I can do now is to increase the terms of bidding requirements and hope for the best.

Thoughts?

"God is dead." -Nietzsche

"Nietzsche is dead." -God
Posted on 16 years ago
#1
Posts: 1334 Threads: 235

Hi O-lugs,

Thoughts?...yep...I think it's very lop-sided and stupid re: the buyer being able to leave neg feedback but not the seller...I think that there are way more schmuck-buyers out there than schmuck-sellers...I think that sellers will eventually not care about feedback and at that point will not care to "make it right" re: the discrepancy...I know if I get a neg that is not justified I'm not going to go out of my way to take care of the "customer"...who dreams up this BS anyway? Sellers are the main business at eBay, what are these corporate nudeniks thinking about? I think it's a bad and ill-conceived idea...those are my thoughts.

Mike Curotto Lame Lame Lame Toilet Toilet Toilet

Posted on 16 years ago
#2
Posts: 3267 Threads: 715

Here is an article about the Ebay boycott Click Here

Here is a page that shows you all of the different auctions sites and the listings they have Click Here

I usually find good answers and information on the Ebay forums Click Here

I think that the sellers that need Ebay to keep money in their pockets will continue to sell and the sellers that don't will find another way to sell. I know Craig's list has its good and bad points...

David

Posted on 16 years ago
#3
Posts: 122 Threads: 12

I think eBay has it wrong. As stated earlier, buyers are not always fair and reasonable. When I was selling many of my vintage 78s, 45s and LPs, I always underated my item. I would say, some would call this record "Mint, I call it a VG+." That way, I was saying, look, the record is not new, it's been played and it might have ticks and pops or distortion here and there. I never had negative feedback over a record. With Drums and Jukeboxes I've been lucky too. I guess as a seller, be as accurate as possible and if anything underplay it. Never say mint or 100% restored, etc.

Matt

Ludwig-Zildjian-Aquarian
Posted on 16 years ago
#4
Posts: 1459 Threads: 87

Really don't understand the one sided reporting of feedback. Can you post a reply to a neg feedback still? Have had a couple of "richard-cranium" type buyers - no pleasing some buyers. Especialy those who don't read and then complain.

Posted on 16 years ago
#5
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