The Cutthroat World Of eBay Feedback
As a frequent user of eBay I will often use the feedback for a seller to determine if I want to do business with them or not. The world of eBay feedback can sometimes be a vicious place where people's reputations, and in some cases their livelihoods, are won and lost. The eBay site is making some major changes to eBay feedback and one of the biggest is that sellers will no longer be able to leave feedback for buyers. The contention here is that sellers were using negative feedback as a way to prompt slow payers to pay up and also using the feedback as a forum to air personal grievances. When sellers can no longer leave feedback it will probably feel like they will no longer be able to protect themselves and that may not be far from the truth. But eBay has hopefully taken everything into account before calling for the elimination of seller feedback and the hope from sellers is that unwarranted attacks using eBay feedback will be policed in some way because otherwise business will suffer.
Everyone has their threshold for acceptable negative eBay feedback that will still allow them to do business. I like to keep mine at one percent or under but other people have a higher tolerance and to each his own. It would also depend on the item. If someone is selling something I really want then their eBay feedback may not be as big of a concern unless it was one hundred percent negative. But business on eBay is won and lost based on eBay feedback and most sellers rightfully protect their feedback ratings forcefully. If someone leaves a negative feedback then there better be a very good reason for it or many problems will erupt. I try and use negative eBay feedback only when absolutely necessary but some people are not so discriminate.
It Makes For Some Good Reading
If you are ever bored and want something to read you should cruise through the eBay feedback of sellers that get five percent negative feedback or more. In some cases you will have a hard time believing what you are reading. Reading eBay feedback also gives you deep insight into what happens when irrational people try and do business together. It is a good thing that eBay feedback is limited to one per transaction.
All eBay users should always treat the use of feedback with the utmost respect. If someone is trying to make their living on eBay and you have a bad experience with them, try and contact them to resolve it before you leave negative feedback. Karma has a bad way of getting you back so think long and hard before you try and ruin someone's reputation over one bad experience.
