Heads Up to Sellers on eBay

I was in the eBay discussion forums today and, in a thread highlighting the frustrations of one particular seller, they had posted their email exchange with eBay.

In part, eBay’s answer about feedback included this:

Please understand that we will not remove feedback because it seems unfair, or the member lied.

eBay does not censor feedback or investigate it for accuracy…

So an eBay member can lie in their feedback, and the feedback won’t be removed.

Seems to me that eBay is making their marketplace way too orientated towards attracting buyers of any kind. They don’t just want nice, paying buyers… by removing the chance for sellers to now leave negative Buyer feedback, and even with neutral feedback affecting the percentage calculation shown for the buyer on an auction page — it’s getting much tougher for Sellers with near encouragement of “dodgy” buyers.

Here’s just one example of how an inexperienced eBay Buyer can affect a Seller’s rating:

I have seen some really mystifying feedback such as the example I saw yesterday. This buyer left two neutrals for a seller and said very happy with items purchased in each case.

What it really means for Sellers is this: your communication must go to lengths to both be complete and accurate — both to potential Buyers in your listing and to the actual winning bidder after the sale is made.

You have to do everything possible to ensure there are no “Buyer surprises” in the transaction process… from the description of the quality of the item through to packaging and postage. If you’re getting regular questions, address them in your listings or About Me page (and link to them). Make everything as clear as possible.

This is how your marketplace works and you cannot afford to ignore the buyer-orientated environment. This won’t stop unscrupulous Buyers. But it will do two things: it may stop a Buyer with good intentions from misunderstanding the process, and if your listings clearly address relevant issues (and use other ways to help build trust and likeability), then potential Buyers will have a better feeling about you too.

Over time you’ll find ways to use your listings to highlight the positive “trust” issues that mechanisms like the feedback system no longer deal with.

It’s an undoubtedly frustrating situation — especially when bad buyers go without negative feedback — but there are still ways to minimise the impact it has on your eBay business.

8 June 2008 | Filed Under Art of Selling