Ebay's new 5 star feedback system

[movieguru]

What do you all think of Ebay's new star rated feedback system where sellers can be rated fromj 1 yo 5 stars on various service qualities

I had perfect 100% feedback when this thing started. now my star rating goes from 4.5 to 4.9. One of the service qualities yuo can be rated on is shipping charges. I have a 4.5 on that even though I disclose the shipping charges in the auctions. I only charge $3.75 for shipping (for DVD's mostly boxed sets) which is much less them most other sellers.

Another service quality is "item as described" I had a 5 until this morning; now I have a 4.9. All I've sold since this system started are sealed DVD's. mostly second'third season sets that weren't opened since I didn't like the first season; or doubles i've gotten as gifts. The odd thing is the last person that placed feedback on my account wrote "10 star A+". yet he didnt give me 5 stars for item as described because it dropped from 5 to 4.9. what's even odder is that I haven't even sent him the DVD yet. His payment on paypal just cleared yesterday.

[Quake1028]

Does it change your 100% positive rating? If not, I really wouldn't worry about it.

[Minor Threat]

There are a lot of stoopid people on eBay.....

[CreamyGoodness]

Oh crap. What have they done now?

I haven't sold anything in about 8 months but I'm getting ready to. Do you have a link to info? I was just looking around eBay and couldn't find anything about a new system.

[taa455]

I am not a ebay seller, only a buyer. It sounds like a good thing to me. I know there are many times I didn't want to give a full positive because I really wasn't fully satisfied, but I didn't want to give a negative either and even a neutral wasn't warranted. It does open the door to crazy folks who dock you based on their insane perceptions, but in reality the 100% positive that many sellers have was never accurate. Nobody is perfect. I've bought from 100% positive sellers before and been very disappointed in the whole transaction.

[troystiffler]

It kind of sucks. I have to wonder exactly who will ever get 5 star ratings.

I have around 5500 feedback, 99.2%, and have 4.5-4.7 stars.

[Numanoid]

If everybody is going to be treated on an even basis (meaning that all the other sellers will be getting docked for silly reasons), then why care? Are eBay sellers so anal that they simply must have a perfect rating or their lives are meaningless?

[taa455]

Originally Posted by Numanoid

Are eBay sellers so anal that they simply must have a perfect rating or their lives are meaningless?

I have encountered a few that seem that way exactly.

[Breakfast with Girls]

Q.

Originally Posted by Numanoid

Are eBay sellers so anal that they simply must have a perfect rating or their lives are meaningless?

A. Yes

[kaze0]

I'm gonna buy form you and give you a 3

[Goldblum]

Originally Posted by kaze0

I'm gonna buy form you and give you a 3

I give your post a 2.

Overall, I think this sounds like a good system. I still feel that feedback should not be disclosed until both parties have left feedback (or the deadline for leaving feedback has expired), which would eliminate retalitory strikes, but I seem to be alone in this view.

[The Bus]

Originally Posted by Goldblum

I give your post a 2.

Overall, I think this sounds like a good system. I still feel that feedback should not be disclosed until both parties have left feedback (or the deadline for leaving feedback has expired), which would eliminate retalitory strikes, but I seem to be alone in this view.

That's a great idea.

[Mopower]

Originally Posted by Numanoid

If everybody is going to be treated on an even basis (meaning that all the other sellers will be getting docked for silly reasons), then why care? Are eBay sellers so anal that they simply must have a perfect rating or their lives are meaningless?

No. eBay buyers are that anal. Oh my god they only have 89% positive how can I ever trust them?

[tasha99]

People thought the old system was flawed because of retaliatory negs. It wasn't flawed--anyone with a brain could look at feedback and read between the lines. This new system gives buyers the ability to passive aggressively and anonymously neg a seller--a pos and all zeros. It's not that flawed either though, because every seller has to deal with that so it will just kind of wash out statistically.

[sracer]

Originally Posted by tasha99

People thought the old system was flawed because of retaliatory negs. It wasn't flawed--anyone with a brain could look at feedback and read between the lines.

THAT is why it was flawed. Because you had to do a little forensic investigation to look past the feedback mechanism to determine the TRUTH about the seller.

Originally Posted by tasha99

This new system gives buyers the ability to passive aggressively and anonymously neg a seller--a pos and all zeros. It's not that flawed either though, because every seller has to deal with that so it will just kind of wash out statistically.

Any feedback system can be abused.... that shouldn't be news to "anyone with a brain".

The new mechanism provides a finer granularity in providing feedback... which in the long run can end up with more accurate feedback.

[achau9598]

The thing I have issue with is the interpreted differences in the ratings. If I am happy with the shipping cost of a deal, what difference is 5 stars or 4. I either like it or I don't.

So, if you charge me $5 for shipping and it cost $5, is that a 5-star shipping deal?

1-5 star ratings just leave way too much to the interpretation of the person making the feedback.

It seems to me that they could achieve the same results by simply having 3 choices for each field: happy, neutral, or not happy.

[Puzznic]

Originally Posted by Mopower

No. eBay buyers are that anal. Oh my god they only have 89% positive how can I ever trust them?

Not buying from 89% is nowhere near being anal, that is awful feedback. I wouldn't buy from anyone with less than 98-99%, which is an easy feedback rating to get if your doing what you should be doing.

[Altimus Prime]

Originally Posted by Minor Threat

There are a lot of stoopid people on eBay.....

There's also a lot of "stoopid" sellers who like to charge excessively for shipping, perhaps because they're looking to make money there without having to pay fees on it. As an eBay buyer, there's nothing worse than seeing you were charged two, three, four, five or even more times the actual shipping cost.

Doesn't matter if it's "disclosed." It's still not right, especially when, say, you're charged in the are of $5 for shipping and it cost only a buck. I'm smart enough to look for the shipping cost when deciding if something is worth buying. If it's actual shipping cost, that's OK. If it's excessive, then it can be a bad buy, even if the "sale price" is low.

I've had many purchases that were otherwise OK, but felt ripped off on shipping. Perhaps this new feedback system will encourage sellers not to inflate shipping charges, and help warn buyers about sellers that do.

[Michael Corvin]

Originally Posted by movieguru

I disclose the shipping charges in the auctions. I only charge $3.75 for shipping (for DVD's mostly boxed sets) which is much less them most other sellers.

That's the thing. Excluding box sets you can ship a single DVD first class for about $1.30 + $.50 for the bubble envelope. You are overcharging about $1.50.

Anyone who has shipped a DVD knows this and will probably ding you for it.

[Quake1028]

The thing about the shipping is that you are perfectly allowed to add in some form of a handling charge. I'm sure most do it when they sell, but complain about it when they buy something.

I wonder if people think that big companies like Amazon or Best Buy or anyone like that pays anywhere close to what they charge you for shipping.

[Altimus Prime]

When I sold, I was charged the actual, exact price for shipping. I wasn't adding "handling" charges, or charges for my time and gas going half a mile to the post office or any silly thing like that.

Individuals are not big companies.

Makes you wonder how a place like Deep Discount makes it work with free shipping...

[Quake1028]

Because they pay very little for shipping, and a lot of people don't use the free shipping option due to being impatient.

So, what you are saying is that your time/gas/etc are not worth anything, but you are OK with the big companies saying theirs is? Gotcha.

[tbird2340]

Originally Posted by Altimus Prime

When I sold, I was charged the actual, exact price for shipping. I wasn't adding "handling" charges, or charges for my time and gas going half a mile to the post office or any silly thing like that.

Individuals are not big companies.

Makes you wonder how a place like Deep Discount makes it work with free shipping...

What does it have to do with being a company? Like Quake said.. You buy the packaging, drive to the post office, etc.. Charging an exact shipping cost is stupid IMO because you are ripping yourself off.

I'm not saying to be an idiot like a lot of sellers and charge $35 for something but I can see adding a little for your time.

[Quake1028]

Add to that that a lot of people don't live half a mile from a post office. I charge $2.75 for shipping a DVD first class. It costs me about $2 in actual charges, and I hardly think 75 cents for my time/gas is outrageous to ask for.

[taa455]

Originally Posted by Quake1028

Add to that that a lot of people don't live half a mile from a post office. I charge $2.75 for shipping a DVD first class. It costs me about $2 in actual charges, and I hardly think 75 cents for my time/gas is outrageous to ask for.

Sounds very reasonable to me.