Has ebay created insanity?

[danmckee]

I am going to post a private email because I think it is comical as all hell. I am not mentioning names or ID's but this is just great! I had a transaction with this guy back in January and we both left excellent feedback. I then tried to bid today and noticed I was blocked!! I wrote and asked him why and this was the response:

It?s because of detailed seller ratings. Because of EBay?s new feedback system, sellers are required to hold a 95% satisfaction rating in all four categories the detailed seller ratings. The ramifications of which include loss of search standing, increased fees and suspension. Because of this new system, I have had to block many good customers because they do not realize or understand these ramifications.

When ever my detailed seller ratings drop and only one person has left feedback, I know that they did not leave 5 stars in all four categories. I then have to block them from future transactions to protect my business. I?m sorry that it has to be that way, but like I said, I have to protect my business.
I hope you can understand.
Thank you

END OF EMAIL

So I may have left him a 4 in a category and I get blocked.

You can't write stuff this funny!

Dan

[carrigansghost]

Because of ebay's ever changing rules, it does breed insanity as well as stupidity.

Rawn

[Leon]

I agree their feedback rating system is crazy. Only on ebay can you get booted for being "very good".....which is a 4 out of 5 stars.

[slidekellyslide]

A recent ebayer left me only 4 stars for shipping recently on an item that I lost money to ship....I emailed him and asked why he didn't give me 5 stars and that I had lost money and his reply to me was "I could have shipped it cheaper"....How I could have shipped it cheaper I have no idea (I suppose I could have lied and said it was a book and sent it book rate, but I don't do stuff like that) but what are you going to do? I have no idea why ebay is penalizing sellers who get a "very good" rating, but they are.

[David Halpen]

The feedback rating does not make sense. I sold a card with free shipping. I sent it by USPS Priority Mail and the bidder received it within 3 days of paying. He left me a 4 for shipping. I asked him why and he said I could have sent it by express mail.

[canjond]

Originally Posted by David Halpen

The feedback rating does not make sense. I sold a card with free shipping. I sent it by USPS Priority Mail and the bidder received it within 3 days of paying. He left me a 4 for shipping. I asked him why and he said I could have sent it by express mail.

That is completely asinine!

[Mark]

If ebay insists on this foolish system, they should establish an appeals process for sellers who get screwed on feedback.

[sbfinley]

I only use ebay now if I absolutely have to. I have discovered that their customer service is only slightly a notch above that of Comcast. Which in turn places it still below Shady Nate's Auto-Body repair and Crack Dealer down the street.
Bottom Line.... It's a joke.

[Jay Wolt]

eBay's rating system is a mess
a seller can only post Positive feedback, while the buyer can post anything
for any reason he chooses.
Once paid, I ship out that day or the following morning, but if it takes awhile for
the post office to deliver it to the buyer, I can get fried w/ neg feedback or low stars.
So I just go w/ the flow, nothing you can do.

[Mark]

Has any seller been penalized / blocked by ebay for being rated 4 out of 5 in service?

[pwilk17]

In light of Ebay's new policy regarding feedback, it is very important to both leave and receive 5 star in all category feedback. Why did you leave him a 4 in one category? Are you not aware of ebay's policy?

[danmckee]

Are you kidding me?? I have no idea why I may have left a 4. If item came 10 days after paypal payment or shipping was high, who knows? I sell and don't follow that crap that closely.

[Rich Klein]

I now do almost ALL my card purchasing of anything that is not a new wax box from the BST boards here - EBay is not used anymore by me for anything.

Rich

Between the usage of pay pal only; this 5 star rule and other goodies -- EBay and I no longer are compatible

[insidethewrapper]

How do you find how an individual buyer rated you in each catagory ? I only see my totals. Thanks Mike

[Mr. Mitt]

Would it be appropriate, and feasible, to auction an item on the BST? I see it as something of a "closed bid" auction where an item would be posted/described and a time frame given where bids will be accepted. Interested parties would email their top bid to the seller and the highest bid wins the item at completion. Obviously, some underhanded things could happen. Since it is "closed", the seller could bypass a top bid and sell to a friend instead, alert a potential bidder of the current high bid so he could top it, or decide at its conclusion that the bids didn't go high enough and hold on to the item. I suppose members could post their bids on net54 for all to see; one reply must top the prior. Leon, is this something you'd give your blessing to?

[Leon]

Originally Posted by Mr. Mitt

Would it be appropriate, and feasible, to auction an item on the BST? I see it as something of a "closed bid" auction where an item would be posted/described and a time frame given where bids will be accepted. Interested parties would email their top bid to the seller and the highest bid wins the item at completion. Obviously, some underhanded things could happen. Since it is "closed", the seller could bypass a top bid and sell to a friend instead, alert a potential bidder of the current high bid so he could top it, or decide at its conclusion that the bids didn't go high enough and hold on to the item. I suppose members could post their bids on net54 for all to see; one reply must top the prior. Leon, is this something you'd give your blessing to?

First of all I would have to say it is Caveat Emptor over there. That being said I do think an auction can be done, and as my good friend Rich K. alluded too, I have already done it. I had decent luck at it too. There has to be a ton of trust on the bidders parts and clear, up front communication on the sellers part. There were 4-5 bidders on the card I auctioned and I think it went very smoothly....with someone hitting a Buy It Now (it was always there) after several days into the auction. I am not sure I totally condone it as it's so risky (with issues in general)....All of that being said if you lay everything out on the table (whatever your rules will be) then I don't have a problem with it. It was also done one other time when a friend auctioned a fairly high valued item off...and as far as I know that too went fine. If someone does one I don't want to hear there was a problem and can I help, because I can't force anyone to do anything. Regular governmental laws prevail. Also if a deal gets totally messed up I might not let those individuals do another BST auction, depending on the situation. best regards

[dennis]

be serious......this isn't an auction site. it would be a total mess

[danmckee]

"stupid idiot moron buyers" I guess this is me for leaving a 4 instead of a 5 if the item was shipped 10 days after paypal payment or I was charged $5 for something that arrived with a stamp on it.

[ChiefBenderForever]

If ebay suspends sellers due to stupid idiot moron buyers then it is loss of income for them so it really doesn't make any cents for anybody.