I've had plenty of transactions go awry from both the buyer and seller perspective. How I give feedback depends on the severity of the problem and how well they handled it. I allow room for mistakes and give them a chance to resolve an issue. If they do a great job with resolution (even if they made some mistakes), I'll usually give a positive. It's all about how they handle things.
I think we need to distinguish between REALLY picky collectors throwing a fuss over the tiniest of smudges on the wrap on a game, versus a reasonable expectation of getting the product in virtually the same condition as it is advertised. Perhaps some of Dave's comments are reasonable when you think about the former example, of a really really nit-picky buyer being a bit ridiculous about something not arriving with 100% perfection, but I don't think that's really what we're talking about here. Per ebay's own policies and guides, you are responsible as a seller for getting the item to the buyer as advertised. How you choose to do that exactly is up to you, but that is the standard that you agree to when using the platform.
I will agree that there are some buyers who are extremely needy and are a bit ridiculous at times, but that isn't the majority in my experience.
Thank you, this nicely sums up my feelings on the matter, all points mentioned. Edit: and for those who buy from me know, I ship things in a secure enough manner to get them worldwide undamaged. I sent a teapot to Norway once, from Taiwan, and also a guitar from Germany to the USA. Which remained perfectly in tune when it arrived. The way people pack things here is terrible, you guys would Leave negatives for everything I think
Never had a bad packing experience here, with 300 transactions. If I did I would give a negative here too.
I've had plenty of transactions go awry from both the buyer and seller perspective. How I give feedback depends on the severity of the problem and how well they handled it. I allow room for mistakes and give them a chance to resolve an issue. If they do a great job with resolution (even if they made some mistakes), I'll usually give a positive. It's all about how they handle things.
I think we need to distinguish between REALLY picky collectors throwing a fuss over the tiniest of smudges on the wrap on a game, versus a reasonable expectation of getting the product in virtually the same condition as it is advertised. Perhaps some of Dave's comments are reasonable when you think about the former example, of a really really nit-picky buyer being a bit ridiculous about something not arriving with 100% perfection, but I don't think that's really what we're talking about here. Per ebay's own policies and guides, you are responsible as a seller for getting the item to the buyer as advertised. How you choose to do that exactly is up to you, but that is the standard that you agree to when using the platform.
I will agree that there are some buyers who are extremely needy and are a bit ridiculous at times, but that isn't the majority in my experience.
Thank you, this nicely sums up my feelings on the matter, all points mentioned. Edit: and for those who buy from me know, I ship things in a secure enough manner to get them worldwide undamaged. I sent a teapot to Norway once, from Taiwan, and also a guitar from Germany to the USA. Which remained perfectly in tune when it arrived. The way people pack things here is terrible, you guys would Leave negatives for everything I think
Never had a bad packing experience here, with 300 transactions. If I did I would give a negative here too.
By here I meant Taiwan, if it weren't clear from my post.
Sorry that happened to your wife. Surprised eBay didn't remove it for the language alone.
Do people generally look at the comments under positives? I almost never do. I look at the negatives and the responses to see if there is some extenuating circumstances (though you have to take both at their word.) But I have no reason to look at positive comments on someone else's feedback.
Edit: that was meant for loxx. Didn't know there was a bunch of posts after his.
The way people pack things here is terrible, you guys would Leave negatives for everything I think
And they would likely be well-deserved negatives that would eventually lead to seller's doing a better job so that they still had a sufficiently good reputation to be able to sell online, at all.
You guys probably mentioned this already, but how do you feel about sellers retaliating because of negative feedback? I know that deters some people from leaving negative feedback.
A few years ago we tried buying some Rugrats DVDs of eBay for our daughter. After a few weeks of the item not being shipped the seller told us that they wouldn't be able to ship them for a while longer. We just said whatever and that we could wait. Then a bit later they messaged again saying the person who prints their movies couldn't get the stuff to them, saying that they were bootlegs. At this point we just asked for a refund because we didn't want bootleg DVDs (we could just do that ourselves). They started to get hostile and we opened a case for a refund. eBay refunded our money and we left a negative saying that the seller did not disclose they were selling bootleg products and refused to refund our money. Now, this person didn't leave a negative but rather left a positive calling my wife a liar and a skank and all this type of shit. We contacted eBay and we asked them to remove the feedback. The customer service person just asked what the problem with the comment was and they did not delete it. It turned my wife off of eBay and leaving feedback entirely.
For quite a few years now, sellers cant leave negatives on eBay. While I don't think seller retaliation is acceptable, you will also find many instances of buyers taking advantage of the system and the sellers.
The way people pack things here is terrible, you guys would Leave negatives for everything I think
And they would likely be well-deserved negatives that would eventually lead to seller's doing a better job so that they still had a sufficiently good reputation to be able to sell online, at all.
* There is no robotic, uniform method of feedback. It is subjective, based on the user's experience and what they deem to be appropriate or not. What earns a negative for one may not earn a negative for another. Maybe it's not always fair but there is simply no way to force people to all behave the same way in terms of feedback. It is about sharing your experience with the seller. Ebay is intentionally vague about specifying how you leave feedback. They do request that you try to contact the seller to try to resolve issues first, but other than that, they don't really provide any rules or even much guidance for when you should or should not leave a negative.
* Feedback is a form of accountability. While I try to only leave negative feedback as a last resort or a really bad experience, I think people are often very scared or refrain, for some other reason, from giving negative feedback when sometimes it may actually be appropriate given the situation. It is a way for buyers to share their experience with the seller. Other buyers use that information and it can be very helpful.
* 1 Negative feedback is not an ebay account killer. What I mean by this, is I think sometimes people put way too much emphasis on just 1 negative feedback. Obviously a lot of negative feedback can be damaging, especially if you are a new seller, but if you've got plenty of good trades under your belt, a neutral or negative here and there isn't going to be that big of a deal. Maybe other people are more picky, but I buy from people all the time who don't have 100% feedback. I look at the negatives, look for trends, look for certain things, and then decide. Usually I end up making the purchase without much reservation at all. Heck, if a seller has a lot of transactions, I bet I don't even look at feedback at all unless it is under 99%. I've bought from a seller with 94% and had a great experience, because I read through the feedback and wasn't worried.
If we look at the example of a shipping issue and a partial or full refund. Some people will be completely satisfied with a refund and give positive feedback. Some people, because of the hassle of dealing with issues at all, and potentially missing other items or whatever the case may be, may choose to leave a negative because they had to deal with delays and issues. There is no right and wrong here. This is a preference and is a decision at the individual level about how they feel about the seller and the transaction. Some people are very (and perhaps too) heavy handed with negatives, just as some are probably too nice and always leave positives.
When choosing appropriate feedback, one should consider everything. Mistakes will happen, it shouldn#39;t be the kiss of death for a positive. If a buyer pays immediately, do they deserve a positive (on platforms that allow positives and negatives for buyers)? What if they paid immediately, but then verbally harassed the seller, and acted like a wanker throughout the transaction? There is do much more than just paying, and receiving the item, when it comes to how both parties behaved.
Did I harass you or act like a wanker?Or, what did I do wrong causing you to avoid posting feedback for our transaction here on NA? I thought paid promptly, communicated politely and no more than necessary, and left good feedback for you right away upon receiving my purchase from you.
I feel a little silly calling you out and I had moved on, but you have said so much in this thread about a subject which, when I asked about it many weeks later, you informed me was unimportant.
I typically ask the seller before I buy the game if they'll ship in a box, unless it's an established seller that I've bought from before (and know they do already). If they don't reply, I just move on.
When choosing appropriate feedback, one should consider everything. Mistakes will happen, it shouldn#39;t be the kiss of death for a positive. If a buyer pays immediately, do they deserve a positive (on platforms that allow positives and negatives for buyers)? What if they paid immediately, but then verbally harassed the seller, and acted like a wanker throughout the transaction? There is do much more than just paying, and receiving the item, when it comes to how both parties behaved.
Did I harass you or act like a wanker?Or, what did I do wrong causing you to avoid posting feedback for our transaction here on NA? I thought paid promptly, communicated politely and no more than necessary, and left good feedback for you right away upon receiving my purchase from you.
I feel a little silly calling you out and I had moved on, but you have said so much in this thread about a subject which, when I asked about it many weeks later, you informed me was unimportant.
I never leave feedback for anyone, whether here or elsewhere. Sometimes on famicom world I might. But since it's just posting in a thread, it's as easy as posting a message.
Likewise, I never look at feedback when buying from people. As showcased by this thread, a lot if people leave negative feedback for sellers for things that are totally out of their control, or for honest mistakes due to having different mindsets on the value of something, ie granny and her game tapes.
I do transactions based on availability and also word of mouth, once in awhile I might get scammed, but we're talking maybe twice in five years, buying things from all across the globe. As far away as Saudi Arabia, Chile, Peru, and Russia.
The reason for my posts in this thread is because I get tired of seeing sellers always receiving negatives for petty reasons. Even some of the language, Arch had mentioned lazy sellers scrimping on packaging materials, for example, well I think it's not about being lazy, rather about saving money. So why use this term when cheap would have worked better. Or even thrifty.
If you honestly have an issue with me because of a feedback, I have no idea what to say, I'm actually lost for words. I wasn't even aware I hadn't left you a feedback, on the rare occasion that someone asks, I usually just go down the queue and leave positives for everyone , no idea there were still feedback to be left.
So yeah, call me out if you like, but I personally feel that when a member is around long enough, feedback isn't even important anymore. Anyone ever check dreamtrs feedback?
And if your still do upset with me (I had no idea you were fuming so much until your last post), resend me your addy and I'll send you a present for Christmas, I'm in a jolly mood this year.
Even some of the language, Arch had mentioned lazy sellers scrimping on packaging materials, for example, well I think it's not about being lazy, rather about saving money. So why use this term when cheap would have worked better. Or even thrifty.
It would definitely be CHEAP (i.e. inherent negative connotation) rather than THRIFTY behavior, since thrift implies you get a satisfactory result from the pinched pennies.
But it is definitely LAZY to not take the couple of minutes required to put a vulnerable item in a box with some padding.
Even some of the language, Arch had mentioned lazy sellers scrimping on packaging materials, for example, well I think it's not about being lazy, rather about saving money. So why use this term when cheap would have worked better. Or even thrifty.
It would definitely be CHEAP (i.e. inherent negative connotation) rather than THRIFTY behavior, since thrift implies you get a satisfactory result from the pinched pennies.
But it is definitely LAZY to not take the couple of minutes required to put a vulnerable item in a box with some padding.
I think although a very simple OP question, the answer is much more complicated and usually should depend on the context of the situation.
Positive and negative feedback shouldn't just be about receiving the package in "as described condition" or "not as described condition". If it's obvious that a seller packed in a negligent manner, and they marked the postage fee high, then they deserve a negative if item received as damaged by the buyer.
From my personal buying ans selling experience, here are some other factors to consider, to decide on how to give feedback:
- is buyer/seller experienced?
- is buyer/seller a hardcore collector?
- what's the feedback profile for the respective buyer/seller?
- communication polite? Trying to work a fair compromise?
- is it poor packaging? Or is it appropriate packaging but damaged during transit by postal service?
A lot of buyers who don't resell much, aren't aware of how hard it is to sell as a part-time hobby. Some expect top notch services from a plain hobbyist seller, which is probably unfair. Also, buyers need to know sometimes no matter how well the package is packed, postal damage can still occur depending on how often they get "kicked around" and depends on how brittle/flimsy the items are.
A lot of buyers who don't resell much, aren't aware of how hard it is to sell as a part-time hobby. Some expect top notch services from a plain hobbyist seller, which is probably unfair.
I don't think anyone said that they were expecting Amazon level service from a hobbyist. But even a hobbyist should know that a bubble mailer is inadequate to ship a collectable cardboard box.
A lot of buyers who don't resell much, aren't aware of how hard it is to sell as a part-time hobby. Some expect top notch services from a plain hobbyist seller, which is probably unfair.
I don't think anyone said that they were expecting Amazon level service from a hobbyist. But even a hobbyist should know that a bubble mailer is inadequate to ship a collectable cardboard box.
Exactly. I don't care if you're an expert or a novice. If you're selling me something that is advertised (and shown) as being in a certain condition, it better show up in that condition. In most cases, it's absolutely obvious when the seller didn't bother to make sure that something was packaged well enough to survive the trip. One time, years ago, a seller tried to ship me 15-20 RPG books (a mix of hard and soft covers, probably 4-5 lbs worth) wrapped up in only a paper grocery bag with the sides taped and the address written on top in Sharpie. Everything was lost and/or obliterated during shipping, with the Post Office attempting to deliver most of the top, bottom and one side of the bag that were still attached to one another, and nothing else; having a decent mail man at the time, he rang our bell and asked if I wanted to refuse delivery on it as he could tell that whatever I'd bought was clearly missing. I ended up having to fight with that guy for 2 weeks because he didn't bother to insure the package with the USPS and didn't want to take the loss despite taking basically zero steps to ensure everything arrived safely and undamaged. While it was processing by the USPS that led to the package coming apart and its contents being lost and/or destroyed, it clearly wasn't appropriate for what was wrapped up inside.
In the small handful of times that I've ever had an issue buying stuff online over the past 20 years, I always make sure to contact the seller first. In an even smaller number of cases (maybe 3-4, at most), I've had to leave negative feedback due to the seller being absolutely unwilling to take care of issues that they've caused; thankfully, eBay, Amazon, etc. have stepped in in each of those cases to make things right. If a buyer wants special packaging that a buyer isn't offering, yes, it's on them to request it--preferably before payment is made so that the seller doesn't automatically pack and ship the item (or just ship in cases where it's already sitting in a box/envelope just waiting on an address and postage) before the additional message is seen. However, it is 100% upon the seller to take appropriate/good faith steps to make sure whatever was purchased shows up in the same condition it was listed. I've had a handful of instances where the carrier (nearly exclusively USPS) has been the one to damage what was obviously a well packaged shipment; in those instances I've worked with the seller to both ensure I get a refund and also provide evidence/documentation of the damage to the package(s) so that they can complete their insurance claim with the carrier.
Folks who sell all the time, whether as a hobby or as their occupation, will normally pin all issues on the buyer. However, I've seen more than a few examples (my own plus friends and family) of sellers being cheap and inappropriately cutting corners when shipping stuff. It's one thing to flip a USPS or cereal box inside out and save on packaging costs--so long as that would be appropriate to preserve whatever's being shipped, it's being frugal. It's another to charge $20 flat shipping for a heavy item, pack it inside of an inside out cereal box then ship it Media Mail for under a buck and expect the buyer to say nothing when it arrives beat-to-Hell in packaging that was totally free to the buyer and at an actual cost that was 1/20th what they paid. Sure, there are some idiots out there, but they occur on both sides of the transaction more frequently than folks like to admit.
You guys probably mentioned this already, but how do you feel about sellers retaliating because of negative feedback? I know that deters some people from leaving negative feedback.
A few years ago we tried buying some Rugrats DVDs of eBay for our daughter. After a few weeks of the item not being shipped the seller told us that they wouldn't be able to ship them for a while longer. We just said whatever and that we could wait. Then a bit later they messaged again saying the person who prints their movies couldn't get the stuff to them, saying that they were bootlegs. At this point we just asked for a refund because we didn't want bootleg DVDs (we could just do that ourselves). They started to get hostile and we opened a case for a refund. eBay refunded our money and we left a negative saying that the seller did not disclose they were selling bootleg products and refused to refund our money. Now, this person didn't leave a negative but rather left a positive calling my wife a liar and a skank and all this type of shit. We contacted eBay and we asked them to remove the feedback. The customer service person just asked what the problem with the comment was and they did not delete it. It turned my wife off of eBay and leaving feedback entirely.
This scumbag is selling bootleg Rugrat DVDs and proceeded to call your wife a skank in your feedback and eBay still wouldn't remove it for you?? This kind of blows my mind
I guessing this person knew deliberately to leave the positive with a negative comment attached knowing you would have a hard time getting it removed. What a piece of human garbage...what was the username do you remember?
If the comment is still there I would push the issue with eBay citing the language. Maybe you just spoke with a shitty rep that was too lazy to do anything about it
It was a few years ago so I'm not sure if it even shows up in our feedback anymore. But yeah, my thinking was that he did leave positive feedback just to make that shitty comment. I also do not remember what the username was. Wish I did because I'd gladly share it. It had pictures of legit sets as well in the auction.
A lot of buyers who don't resell much, aren't aware of how hard it is to sell as a part-time hobby. Some expect top notch services from a plain hobbyist seller, which is probably unfair.
I don't think anyone said that they were expecting Amazon level service from a hobbyist. But even a hobbyist should know that a bubble mailer is inadequate to ship a collectable cardboard box.
I agree on most instances of the above, which is why I stated this prior to your selective quoting:
"If it's obvious that a seller packed in a negligent manner, and they marked the postage fee high, then they deserve a negative if item received as damaged by the buyer."
Honestly if a seller's an ass, then throw them a negative and don't be afraid! But what I was getting at is that both buyers and sellers need to be sensible about things. For example, I had sold a couple of Pal Megadrive games (nothing rare) to a local buyer. I usually pack them with good amounts of bubble wrap inside a parcel bag (no cardboard box). It's worked well for 100% of previous buyers, but the latest buyer upon receiving the package, stated that there was some box damage. Buyer did not show any proof of damage, but I was quick to apologise and stated my case that in the past, the packaging style for Megadrive games had worked ok for me. In short, buyer wanted roughly 40-50% partial refund, and I gave the buyer 30% partial refund. Buyer ended giving me neutral feedback. Was it fair? It's all really just subjective opinions. I wasn't too bothered with the result, it's really all part of the selling experience. For the buyer in the foreseeable future, will likely be selling off some of their games and will likely get some neutral feedback at some stage, and then will realize selling online isn't as easy as it seems.
Comments
I've had plenty of transactions go awry from both the buyer and seller perspective. How I give feedback depends on the severity of the problem and how well they handled it. I allow room for mistakes and give them a chance to resolve an issue. If they do a great job with resolution (even if they made some mistakes), I'll usually give a positive. It's all about how they handle things.
I think we need to distinguish between REALLY picky collectors throwing a fuss over the tiniest of smudges on the wrap on a game, versus a reasonable expectation of getting the product in virtually the same condition as it is advertised. Perhaps some of Dave's comments are reasonable when you think about the former example, of a really really nit-picky buyer being a bit ridiculous about something not arriving with 100% perfection, but I don't think that's really what we're talking about here. Per ebay's own policies and guides, you are responsible as a seller for getting the item to the buyer as advertised. How you choose to do that exactly is up to you, but that is the standard that you agree to when using the platform.
I will agree that there are some buyers who are extremely needy and are a bit ridiculous at times, but that isn't the majority in my experience.
Thank you, this nicely sums up my feelings on the matter, all points mentioned. Edit: and for those who buy from me know, I ship things in a secure enough manner to get them worldwide undamaged. I sent a teapot to Norway once, from Taiwan, and also a guitar from Germany to the USA. Which remained perfectly in tune when it arrived. The way people pack things here is terrible, you guys would Leave negatives for everything I think
Never had a bad packing experience here, with 300 transactions. If I did I would give a negative here too.
I've had plenty of transactions go awry from both the buyer and seller perspective. How I give feedback depends on the severity of the problem and how well they handled it. I allow room for mistakes and give them a chance to resolve an issue. If they do a great job with resolution (even if they made some mistakes), I'll usually give a positive. It's all about how they handle things.
I think we need to distinguish between REALLY picky collectors throwing a fuss over the tiniest of smudges on the wrap on a game, versus a reasonable expectation of getting the product in virtually the same condition as it is advertised. Perhaps some of Dave's comments are reasonable when you think about the former example, of a really really nit-picky buyer being a bit ridiculous about something not arriving with 100% perfection, but I don't think that's really what we're talking about here. Per ebay's own policies and guides, you are responsible as a seller for getting the item to the buyer as advertised. How you choose to do that exactly is up to you, but that is the standard that you agree to when using the platform.
I will agree that there are some buyers who are extremely needy and are a bit ridiculous at times, but that isn't the majority in my experience.
Thank you, this nicely sums up my feelings on the matter, all points mentioned. Edit: and for those who buy from me know, I ship things in a secure enough manner to get them worldwide undamaged. I sent a teapot to Norway once, from Taiwan, and also a guitar from Germany to the USA. Which remained perfectly in tune when it arrived. The way people pack things here is terrible, you guys would Leave negatives for everything I think
Never had a bad packing experience here, with 300 transactions. If I did I would give a negative here too.
By here I meant Taiwan, if it weren't clear from my post.
Do people generally look at the comments under positives? I almost never do. I look at the negatives and the responses to see if there is some extenuating circumstances (though you have to take both at their word.) But I have no reason to look at positive comments on someone else's feedback.
Edit: that was meant for loxx. Didn't know there was a bunch of posts after his.
And they would likely be well-deserved negatives that would eventually lead to seller's doing a better job so that they still had a sufficiently good reputation to be able to sell online, at all.
You guys probably mentioned this already, but how do you feel about sellers retaliating because of negative feedback? I know that deters some people from leaving negative feedback.
A few years ago we tried buying some Rugrats DVDs of eBay for our daughter. After a few weeks of the item not being shipped the seller told us that they wouldn't be able to ship them for a while longer. We just said whatever and that we could wait. Then a bit later they messaged again saying the person who prints their movies couldn't get the stuff to them, saying that they were bootlegs. At this point we just asked for a refund because we didn't want bootleg DVDs (we could just do that ourselves). They started to get hostile and we opened a case for a refund. eBay refunded our money and we left a negative saying that the seller did not disclose they were selling bootleg products and refused to refund our money. Now, this person didn't leave a negative but rather left a positive calling my wife a liar and a skank and all this type of shit. We contacted eBay and we asked them to remove the feedback. The customer service person just asked what the problem with the comment was and they did not delete it. It turned my wife off of eBay and leaving feedback entirely.
For quite a few years now, sellers cant leave negatives on eBay. While I don't think seller retaliation is acceptable, you will also find many instances of buyers taking advantage of the system and the sellers.
And they would likely be well-deserved negatives that would eventually lead to seller's doing a better job so that they still had a sufficiently good reputation to be able to sell online, at all.
* There is no robotic, uniform method of feedback. It is subjective, based on the user's experience and what they deem to be appropriate or not. What earns a negative for one may not earn a negative for another. Maybe it's not always fair but there is simply no way to force people to all behave the same way in terms of feedback. It is about sharing your experience with the seller. Ebay is intentionally vague about specifying how you leave feedback. They do request that you try to contact the seller to try to resolve issues first, but other than that, they don't really provide any rules or even much guidance for when you should or should not leave a negative.
* Feedback is a form of accountability. While I try to only leave negative feedback as a last resort or a really bad experience, I think people are often very scared or refrain, for some other reason, from giving negative feedback when sometimes it may actually be appropriate given the situation. It is a way for buyers to share their experience with the seller. Other buyers use that information and it can be very helpful.
* 1 Negative feedback is not an ebay account killer. What I mean by this, is I think sometimes people put way too much emphasis on just 1 negative feedback. Obviously a lot of negative feedback can be damaging, especially if you are a new seller, but if you've got plenty of good trades under your belt, a neutral or negative here and there isn't going to be that big of a deal. Maybe other people are more picky, but I buy from people all the time who don't have 100% feedback. I look at the negatives, look for trends, look for certain things, and then decide. Usually I end up making the purchase without much reservation at all. Heck, if a seller has a lot of transactions, I bet I don't even look at feedback at all unless it is under 99%. I've bought from a seller with 94% and had a great experience, because I read through the feedback and wasn't worried.
If we look at the example of a shipping issue and a partial or full refund. Some people will be completely satisfied with a refund and give positive feedback. Some people, because of the hassle of dealing with issues at all, and potentially missing other items or whatever the case may be, may choose to leave a negative because they had to deal with delays and issues. There is no right and wrong here. This is a preference and is a decision at the individual level about how they feel about the seller and the transaction. Some people are very (and perhaps too) heavy handed with negatives, just as some are probably too nice and always leave positives.
When choosing appropriate feedback, one should consider everything. Mistakes will happen, it shouldn#39;t be the kiss of death for a positive. If a buyer pays immediately, do they deserve a positive (on platforms that allow positives and negatives for buyers)? What if they paid immediately, but then verbally harassed the seller, and acted like a wanker throughout the transaction? There is do much more than just paying, and receiving the item, when it comes to how both parties behaved.
Did I harass you or act like a wanker?Or, what did I do wrong causing you to avoid posting feedback for our transaction here on NA? I thought paid promptly, communicated politely and no more than necessary, and left good feedback for you right away upon receiving my purchase from you.
I feel a little silly calling you out and I had moved on, but you have said so much in this thread about a subject which, when I asked about it many weeks later, you informed me was unimportant.
When choosing appropriate feedback, one should consider everything. Mistakes will happen, it shouldn#39;t be the kiss of death for a positive. If a buyer pays immediately, do they deserve a positive (on platforms that allow positives and negatives for buyers)? What if they paid immediately, but then verbally harassed the seller, and acted like a wanker throughout the transaction? There is do much more than just paying, and receiving the item, when it comes to how both parties behaved.
Did I harass you or act like a wanker?Or, what did I do wrong causing you to avoid posting feedback for our transaction here on NA? I thought paid promptly, communicated politely and no more than necessary, and left good feedback for you right away upon receiving my purchase from you.
I feel a little silly calling you out and I had moved on, but you have said so much in this thread about a subject which, when I asked about it many weeks later, you informed me was unimportant.
I never leave feedback for anyone, whether here or elsewhere. Sometimes on famicom world I might. But since it's just posting in a thread, it's as easy as posting a message.
Likewise, I never look at feedback when buying from people. As showcased by this thread, a lot if people leave negative feedback for sellers for things that are totally out of their control, or for honest mistakes due to having different mindsets on the value of something, ie granny and her game tapes.
I do transactions based on availability and also word of mouth, once in awhile I might get scammed, but we're talking maybe twice in five years, buying things from all across the globe. As far away as Saudi Arabia, Chile, Peru, and Russia.
The reason for my posts in this thread is because I get tired of seeing sellers always receiving negatives for petty reasons. Even some of the language, Arch had mentioned lazy sellers scrimping on packaging materials, for example, well I think it's not about being lazy, rather about saving money. So why use this term when cheap would have worked better. Or even thrifty.
If you honestly have an issue with me because of a feedback, I have no idea what to say, I'm actually lost for words. I wasn't even aware I hadn't left you a feedback, on the rare occasion that someone asks, I usually just go down the queue and leave positives for everyone , no idea there were still feedback to be left.
So yeah, call me out if you like, but I personally feel that when a member is around long enough, feedback isn't even important anymore. Anyone ever check dreamtrs feedback?
And if your still do upset with me (I had no idea you were fuming so much until your last post), resend me your addy and I'll send you a present for Christmas, I'm in a jolly mood this year.
It would definitely be CHEAP (i.e. inherent negative connotation) rather than THRIFTY behavior, since thrift implies you get a satisfactory result from the pinched pennies.
But it is definitely LAZY to not take the couple of minutes required to put a vulnerable item in a box with some padding.
It would definitely be CHEAP (i.e. inherent negative connotation) rather than THRIFTY behavior, since thrift implies you get a satisfactory result from the pinched pennies.
But it is definitely LAZY to not take the couple of minutes required to put a vulnerable item in a box with some padding.
As showcased by this thread, a lot if people leave negative feedback for sellers for things that are totally out of their control,
The reason for my posts in this thread is because I get tired of seeing sellers always receiving negatives for petty reasons.
How is the quality of the package (i.e., one that insures the item arrives undamaged) out of the seller's control?
How is a buyer wanting the item in the condition they saw when they put the money down for it a petty reason?
I never leave feedback for anyon...
Not fuming or upset per se, more mystified as I read on ITT. Less so now. You do you, and merry Christmas!
Positive and negative feedback shouldn't just be about receiving the package in "as described condition" or "not as described condition". If it's obvious that a seller packed in a negligent manner, and they marked the postage fee high, then they deserve a negative if item received as damaged by the buyer.
From my personal buying ans selling experience, here are some other factors to consider, to decide on how to give feedback:
- is buyer/seller experienced?
- is buyer/seller a hardcore collector?
- what's the feedback profile for the respective buyer/seller?
- communication polite? Trying to work a fair compromise?
- is it poor packaging? Or is it appropriate packaging but damaged during transit by postal service?
A lot of buyers who don't resell much, aren't aware of how hard it is to sell as a part-time hobby. Some expect top notch services from a plain hobbyist seller, which is probably unfair. Also, buyers need to know sometimes no matter how well the package is packed, postal damage can still occur depending on how often they get "kicked around" and depends on how brittle/flimsy the items are.
And dont be a petty nitpicky fuck.
That is all.
I demand a full refund, a new box, cart, manual, and two tickets to the Super Bowl or you're getting a negative. NOW!"
A lot of buyers who don't resell much, aren't aware of how hard it is to sell as a part-time hobby. Some expect top notch services from a plain hobbyist seller, which is probably unfair.
I don't think anyone said that they were expecting Amazon level service from a hobbyist. But even a hobbyist should know that a bubble mailer is inadequate to ship a collectable cardboard box.
"I bought this box and you said it was mint. Well, I went over it with a magnifying glass and found a ding on the inside flap at the very bottom.
I demand a full refund, a new box, cart, manual, and two tickets to the Super Bowl or you're getting a negative. NOW!"
Hahahaha, love this!!!!
A lot of buyers who don't resell much, aren't aware of how hard it is to sell as a part-time hobby. Some expect top notch services from a plain hobbyist seller, which is probably unfair.
I don't think anyone said that they were expecting Amazon level service from a hobbyist. But even a hobbyist should know that a bubble mailer is inadequate to ship a collectable cardboard box.
Exactly. I don't care if you're an expert or a novice. If you're selling me something that is advertised (and shown) as being in a certain condition, it better show up in that condition. In most cases, it's absolutely obvious when the seller didn't bother to make sure that something was packaged well enough to survive the trip. One time, years ago, a seller tried to ship me 15-20 RPG books (a mix of hard and soft covers, probably 4-5 lbs worth) wrapped up in only a paper grocery bag with the sides taped and the address written on top in Sharpie. Everything was lost and/or obliterated during shipping, with the Post Office attempting to deliver most of the top, bottom and one side of the bag that were still attached to one another, and nothing else; having a decent mail man at the time, he rang our bell and asked if I wanted to refuse delivery on it as he could tell that whatever I'd bought was clearly missing. I ended up having to fight with that guy for 2 weeks because he didn't bother to insure the package with the USPS and didn't want to take the loss despite taking basically zero steps to ensure everything arrived safely and undamaged. While it was processing by the USPS that led to the package coming apart and its contents being lost and/or destroyed, it clearly wasn't appropriate for what was wrapped up inside.
In the small handful of times that I've ever had an issue buying stuff online over the past 20 years, I always make sure to contact the seller first. In an even smaller number of cases (maybe 3-4, at most), I've had to leave negative feedback due to the seller being absolutely unwilling to take care of issues that they've caused; thankfully, eBay, Amazon, etc. have stepped in in each of those cases to make things right. If a buyer wants special packaging that a buyer isn't offering, yes, it's on them to request it--preferably before payment is made so that the seller doesn't automatically pack and ship the item (or just ship in cases where it's already sitting in a box/envelope just waiting on an address and postage) before the additional message is seen. However, it is 100% upon the seller to take appropriate/good faith steps to make sure whatever was purchased shows up in the same condition it was listed. I've had a handful of instances where the carrier (nearly exclusively USPS) has been the one to damage what was obviously a well packaged shipment; in those instances I've worked with the seller to both ensure I get a refund and also provide evidence/documentation of the damage to the package(s) so that they can complete their insurance claim with the carrier.
Folks who sell all the time, whether as a hobby or as their occupation, will normally pin all issues on the buyer. However, I've seen more than a few examples (my own plus friends and family) of sellers being cheap and inappropriately cutting corners when shipping stuff. It's one thing to flip a USPS or cereal box inside out and save on packaging costs--so long as that would be appropriate to preserve whatever's being shipped, it's being frugal. It's another to charge $20 flat shipping for a heavy item, pack it inside of an inside out cereal box then ship it Media Mail for under a buck and expect the buyer to say nothing when it arrives beat-to-Hell in packaging that was totally free to the buyer and at an actual cost that was 1/20th what they paid. Sure, there are some idiots out there, but they occur on both sides of the transaction more frequently than folks like to admit.
You guys probably mentioned this already, but how do you feel about sellers retaliating because of negative feedback? I know that deters some people from leaving negative feedback.
A few years ago we tried buying some Rugrats DVDs of eBay for our daughter. After a few weeks of the item not being shipped the seller told us that they wouldn't be able to ship them for a while longer. We just said whatever and that we could wait. Then a bit later they messaged again saying the person who prints their movies couldn't get the stuff to them, saying that they were bootlegs. At this point we just asked for a refund because we didn't want bootleg DVDs (we could just do that ourselves). They started to get hostile and we opened a case for a refund. eBay refunded our money and we left a negative saying that the seller did not disclose they were selling bootleg products and refused to refund our money. Now, this person didn't leave a negative but rather left a positive calling my wife a liar and a skank and all this type of shit. We contacted eBay and we asked them to remove the feedback. The customer service person just asked what the problem with the comment was and they did not delete it. It turned my wife off of eBay and leaving feedback entirely.
This scumbag is selling bootleg Rugrat DVDs and proceeded to call your wife a skank in your feedback and eBay still wouldn't remove it for you?? This kind of blows my mind
I guessing this person knew deliberately to leave the positive with a negative comment attached knowing you would have a hard time getting it removed. What a piece of human garbage...what was the username do you remember?
If the comment is still there I would push the issue with eBay citing the language. Maybe you just spoke with a shitty rep that was too lazy to do anything about it
A lot of buyers who don't resell much, aren't aware of how hard it is to sell as a part-time hobby. Some expect top notch services from a plain hobbyist seller, which is probably unfair.
I don't think anyone said that they were expecting Amazon level service from a hobbyist. But even a hobbyist should know that a bubble mailer is inadequate to ship a collectable cardboard box.
I agree on most instances of the above, which is why I stated this prior to your selective quoting:
"If it's obvious that a seller packed in a negligent manner, and they marked the postage fee high, then they deserve a negative if item received as damaged by the buyer."
Honestly if a seller's an ass, then throw them a negative and don't be afraid! But what I was getting at is that both buyers and sellers need to be sensible about things. For example, I had sold a couple of Pal Megadrive games (nothing rare) to a local buyer. I usually pack them with good amounts of bubble wrap inside a parcel bag (no cardboard box). It's worked well for 100% of previous buyers, but the latest buyer upon receiving the package, stated that there was some box damage. Buyer did not show any proof of damage, but I was quick to apologise and stated my case that in the past, the packaging style for Megadrive games had worked ok for me. In short, buyer wanted roughly 40-50% partial refund, and I gave the buyer 30% partial refund. Buyer ended giving me neutral feedback. Was it fair? It's all really just subjective opinions. I wasn't too bothered with the result, it's really all part of the selling experience. For the buyer in the foreseeable future, will likely be selling off some of their games and will likely get some neutral feedback at some stage, and then will realize selling online isn't as easy as it seems.