I posted this in February. It refers to the February thread:
This is my take on feedback. I disagree with most, not all, of the posts in the thread.
(1) eBay never seems to have given guidelines/standards as to when and which feedback should be given. This is all I could find:
"What is feedback? Feedback is made up of comments and ratings left by other eBay members you've bought from and sold to. These comments and ratings are valuable indicators of your reputation as a buyer or seller on eBay. They are included, along with an overall feedback score, in your member profile."
(2) I, now, always generally leave feedback:
(3) In the past I, as a seller, always used to leave positive feedback after receiving the payment. Nothing wrong with that. It has its own logic. Many posters on this thread do the same. They say:
(4) Now, as a seller, I always leave positive feedback only after the buyer has left positive feedback. That policy has its own logic too, not all of it manipulative or sinister. Since eBay does not say when and why feedback should be given (not that I would care what eBay says), I assume that positive feedback is given when one is satisfied with the whole transaction. To me as a seller, the buyer's responsibility is not just to make a payment, but NOT TO BE A JERK. It is no trick to list something, and it is no trick to pay for something! The big thing is for the buyer to be satisfied! I wait till I know he is satisfied with the item, usually indicated by his leaving positive feedback. If something is wrong, let him point it out, and I'll correct it if he is reasonable in my opinion. To restate it, I, as a seller, wait for the whole transaction to be completed. One is leaving feedback for the entire transaction, which is more than a prompt payment. The most important responsibility of the buyer is not his payment, but his reaction to the item. .... ..... ..... And of course, by giving feedback last, the seller protects himself: some disgruntled buyer will think twice before giving negative feedback if he knows you could do the same.
(5) Incidentally, eBay says that feedback can be left after 90 days.
Robert
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