Feedbacks on the Bay

I think as a buyer I have an unspoken obligation to provide feedback.  I have not had a negative experience so I post positively.   Leaving no feedback makes a potential negative carry more weight.

I'm guessing people just don't care. I recently sold a number of items. Less than half left feedback. A sign of the times.

It makes it tough for a newbie trying to establish a reputation.

Having said that, with ebay now submitting sales over $500 to the feds for taxes. I'm done as a seller. I needed to unload some things that weren't mine, and there was no interest here on the forum.

Just as in real life, "Thank You" is a good habit to apply at the virtual world -- such as at eBay through positive feedback.  At present, I have a Lionel train set at eBay as a BUY IT NOW offer.  23 "hits" so far, but not yet a buyer. When/'if it sells, I'll be thankful and will say so to the buyer.

As for items in other categories at eBay, I offered several Hallmark Christmas ornaments (all Lionel related) and a few DEPT 56 lighted porcelain buildings of the North Pole Village collection. I received positive feedback on practically all deals. Proof that there is still thoughtfulness in the world.

In order to receive positive feedback as a seller, be sure to offer it to buyers as warranted.

Mike Mottler   LCCA 12394

An interesting observation, Alan. Seems I received fewer feedbacks as a seller during the pandemic. I always leave positive feedback as a buyer. As a seller, I finally ended my descriptions with something like “if buyer wants feedback, it will be left after buyer leaves it first.”

I have sold only 3 train items on eBay so far this year, which totaled just under $600.00. So, not wanting to mess with the new tax situation, I’m done selling anything on eBay for the rest of the year.

@RickO posted:

I'm guessing people just don't care.

The needy ones care.  Maybe if it actually mattered, if there were some tangible value applied, then maybe that would change.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who noticed a lack of feedbacks on the eBay. I thought it was unusual at first but it seems to be some sort of trend. That's not going to make me stop buying and selling of course.

I like to receive feedback as a seller while at the same time failing to leave feedback as a buyer.  I had a business account for decades on Ebay with over 12,000 positive feedbacks and a handful of negatives.  When I retired, I started a new account and have 554 positives and 0 negatives and would estimate that 2/3rds of customers do not leave feedback.  Doesn't matter to me.

@mwb posted:

The needy ones care.  Maybe if it actually mattered, if there were some tangible value applied, then maybe that would change.

I think your confusing feedback on ebay with "likes" on Facebook and this forum.

@mwb posted:

The needy ones care.  Maybe if it actually mattered, if there were some tangible value applied, then maybe that would change.

I care because it increases your credibility as a seller. I always leave positive feedbacks. If I feel that I can’t I don’t leave any. The worst people do to me as a seller is slow pay, and that’s pretty infrequent.
Alan

IMHO, it's all part of the change in interpersonal relationships that's evolved through the last few generations.

The idea of a buyer expressing appreciation to the seller...long or short versions of 'Thank you!'...is dying an electronic death.  It was one thing to be face-to-face, buyer and seller, and shake hands on the sale and express thankfulness.  It's quite another to expect the impersonal nature of today's electronic transactions be rewarded with a few more keystrokes in support and appreciation. 

So, if it becomes too nettlesome for you...not receiving seller's feedback..., then you can always block the ingrates from any further bidding on your auctions.  That'll show 'em, by golly!!............

Better, though.  Accept the 'no news is good news' premise, 'better to give than to receive', etc., etc., blah, blah.  Really, you'll sleep more peacefully.   You won't need Zantac before going online.  You'll be less prone to pet your wife and kiss the dog, etc.

And, by all means, remember to say 'Thank God!  It's SOLD!!  I'm rid of it!!!!'   Then celebrate your good fortune! 

And move on.

I have been a seller and buyer for over 24 years. I started on Ebay in 1999. I have almost 5,000 feedbacks, no negative's. The thing I hate most is packing the item. I buy boxes from U Line, and go thru dumpers look for boxes. I believe that I gave one negative feedback a long time ago. I don't pay any attention to who gives me feedback. I don't care. if everyone gave me feedback, I would have most likely 8,000 feedbacks.

If the buyer doesn't complain or file a return, then I have all the positive feedback I need!

I have ALWAYS provided feedback on all items I purchased on the bay, and nearly all of those items were train related.  I don't think I've ever given anything less than 4 stars, and it's almost always 5.  I’ve been satisfied with all my purchases. However, for the big online retailer, I provided feedback for things that I bought that I liked.  If I didn't like something, I didn't provide negative feedback unless the description was misleading, and that may have happened only once.  I buy a lot of stuff there, and provided a lot of feedback.  The problem is their automated feedback review system pegged me as having questionable feedback, so they've permanently blocked me.  I've sent emails to their address they suggested to try to resolve it, and never received any response.  I would simply move on, but just yesterday I found that not only could I not provide feedback, I can't even ask questions about a product.

Years ago I purchased and sold items. Then I purchased a woodworking hand plane 25 years ago and got burned.  eBay was non responsive and they deleted my negative comment.  It was only $15, but made me mad enough that I realized the bay was not good for me.  I’ve not purchased or sold anything since.  I think my wife has used my old account a couple of times to purchase something.  She always leaves a review, even on Amazon purchases.

Did you review the histories of your eBay buyers?  Could be the pandemic drove people to buy on venues with which they may not have been familiar so they did not know providing feedback was part of the community etiquette.

Another possibility is feedback exhaustion.  Automated requests for feedback on every transaction anywhere may have buyers in 'OFF' mode barring something noteworthy.

What, me worry?

I always give feed back to a seller on Ebay. I never leave bad feedback until I contact the seller to see if the issue can be resolved.

I wanted to sell some of my O gauge on Ebay but because of this tax requirement I won't.

@Yellowstone Special posted:

An interesting observation, Alan. Seems I received fewer feedbacks as a seller during the pandemic. I always leave positive feedback as a buyer. As a seller, I finally ended my descriptions with something like “if buyer wants feedback, it will be left after buyer leaves it first.”

I have sold only 3 train items on eBay so far this year, which totaled just under $600.00. So, not wanting to mess with the new tax situation, I’m done selling anything on eBay for the rest of the year.

Remember that you only owe income tax on the PROFIT you make on a sale. If you sell an item for less than you paid for it (everything train-related I sell is that way anyhow), you owe no tax at all. I make sure I sell trains at well below what I paid for them to avoid a tax liability. Put them up as “Buy it Now.” Plus they sell faster being low priced.

I have been making purchases, both train and non-train related, for over twenty years on E-Bay.   I always leave feedback.  If I have an issue with a purchase, which I rarely have , I always contact the seller first so we can discuss the situation and hopefully arrive at a fair and amicable solution.  So far this approach has always worked for me.  

As a buyer I always leave feedback and they always have been positive. When I've had a problem with a purchase, I have always been able to get a good resolution from the seller by contacting them first. I also follow up all my purchases on the bay and from internet stores with a note that I have received the order and everything arrived in good condition.

@Dave Warburton posted:

Remember that you only owe income tax on the PROFIT you make on a sale. If you sell an item for less than you paid for it (everything train-related I sell is that way anyhow), you owe no tax at all. I make sure I sell trains at well below what I paid for them to avoid a tax liability. Put them up as “Buy it Now.” Plus they sell faster being low priced.

Thanks, Dave. 👍