eBay feedback changes go over like a lead balloon

I've been at IRCE for only 6hrs so far and the overwhelming theme around eBay I'm hearing is that eBay's feedback changes are NOT going well.

Here's why eBay sellers are upset about around feedback changes

• Buyers are leaving many many more negatives/neutrals than historically
• UPI/NPB/Deadbeats are leaving negatives and eBay isn't doing anything to help
  • eBay promised that if the buyer doesn't reply they would expunge negatives, buyers are smartly typing in something like 'do not want product' or 'didn't ship' or 'not as described' to get out of paying. 
• Buyers do not give sellers a chance to resolve things.
• When buyers leave a neut/negative, the seller adds them to the blocked bidder list, the buyer comes back X days later and is upset they can no longer buy from that seller.

What's the buyer experience like now?

Hearing all of this, I decided to go review the feedback process and there were lots of changes I wasn't aware of and you may not be either.

First, when you go to leave feedback, the entire screen blanks and you are shown this pop-up box:

For those of you reading this on feed, it says: "Important changes to feedback." Buyers, you can no longer receive negative or neutral feedback from sellers.  You should leave honest and accurate feedback without the fear of receiving negative or neutral ratings."

Many sellers have argued that this dialog is essentially eBay encouraging buyers to leave negatives/neutrals and drive more neg/neuts into the system.

Another change that's interesting I noticed when I went to leave negative feedback was this new buyer education checklist:

This flow asks the buyer to make sure they:

• Contacted the seller to try and resolve the issue - This one encourage you to email the seller to resolve.
• Allowed enough time for the item to arrive - suggests 2 weeks.
• My comment is factual and avoids personal remarks - this one sounds like a lawyer wrote it.

This buyer education is a good step, but what about the "make sure you paid for the item" checkbox???

This is setting up for a potentially painful eBay Live.
Given the tone from sellers here at a non-eBay event, I'm concerned eBay Live is going to be a really rough event next week.  I'm hoping the folks at eBay have some good answers about why/how so many neg/neut UPIs are coming through the system and also that they are braced for an ear full.

Comments

[ThirstyRock]

This is what I recommended to ebay today to help in some way to allow sellers a little more latitude in who buys from them. After all, it is our products, we should be able to decide who can buy if their is risk involved on our part. The way Ebay is now...If you own a store on the streets, and someone shows up on your bad check writing list, you do not accept a check from them. But Ebay has made it that you have to accept the check and even though you know they are a problem. Get the drift.
Here are 2 suggestions I gave them today.
"I have a few suggestions that will help build confidence and protect sellers. And at the same not interfere with buyers.
1) Since the change on the feedback system on Ebay, Sellers are open for fraud and abuse. Also there is no way to know if the buyer is a crook since they can only get good feedback and good comments. You have no way of knowing anything about the buyer and no way of blocking a bad buyer. It should be our decision who we sell to.
So here is a suggestion: We need to have a way to select at our option in our Ebay to block anyone who has left Negative Feedback to a seller in the last 30 days. This can be an option the same as the unpaid items option we currently have. It can be...Block buyer who has left a negative feedback in the last 30 days with 1,2, negative feedbacks left for others etc. And maybe even a within 30 days, 60 days etc. This allows us to at least block some risky buyers at our discretion. And the buyer even though may have had justification for leaving bad feedback on the transaction with someone else, will still be able to buy from other sellers who do not want to block someone who has left negative feedback in a certain period of time. Also it gives the buyer a 2nd thought of leaving negative feedback without resolving the matter. It will not stop them from buying on ebay, it will just keep them from buying from those sellers who choose to set this option and do not wish to take as much risk on someone who could not resolve the matter in which they gave bad feedback.

2) Another suggestion to help protect sellers and reduce disputes would be an option to require those buyers who have not ID verified with Ebay and got there ID verify icon on their ebay account.
I would like to suggest that the seller have the option to select an option in their account for those that have NOT ID verified that they are required to pay shipping insurance in their purchases. This encourages them to pay the $5.00 and be recognized with ID Verify. They do not have to ID verify on Ebay and totally is an option for the buyer, but if the buyer has not been ID verified they will have shipping insurance automatically in their total costs. Those who are ID verified will not have shipping insurance automatically added to their shipping costs. Shipping insurance will be optional for ID verified members of Ebay as it is presently for everyone Id Verified or not. This way we can clean up the buyers a little, and at least know a little more who is legit. It encourages the buyer to participate a little more in the Ebay system. And gives the sellers a little more reinsurance on transactions.

I know there is no way of completely eliminating all fraud etc. But these 2 suggestions at least give the seller more control who buys their products and also helps legitimize more buyers. And since both are options, and not required to be used. It should have no effect on disrupting the present system. And you can stop all the bad press and forums about the feedback system which is driving your sellers away."
Ifg you feel this will help a little, go to your ebay account, help, contact us and tell em you want it added like above. Enough people screaming for added protective filters for sellers will stop some of the problem, but never all.

[Rick Narcisso]

The problem is that the playing field is now uneven. A buyer who has been on eBay 3 months and no experience in dealing with problems can leave negative feedback without the seller having any communication, recourse or options. The only way feedback works, is when it is equal. Ebay has received publicity about unscrupulous and dishonest sellers the past few years as other more secure e-tailers have eaten away at its market share. So they answered by taking away the sellers' only recourse in a bad transaction. Unfortunately, I believe there are statistically many more dishonest BUYERs on eBay that work the edges in order to get things free, not pay full shipping, etc. Nothing is ever said of this... and now, there is no protection whatsoever for sellers against it.

[Anonymous]

To grrr:

These are excellent questions, especially #2: IS best match truly improving conversion rates and/or ASPs in all categories? Ebay has said that it has done exactly that, but that was months ago...before best match has had a chance to "settle in place." They will no doubt be talking about this at eBay Live, let's hope they are honest and frank about it. IF best match has raised conversion & ASP, then my friends, it is here to stay. Forever. IF it has NOT done so, then eBay would be idiotic to keep it going. Personally, I would like to believe them when they say that it has done so, but when I look at my own sales, and listen to those around me, I wonder if in fact it has really truly helped anyone at all...

[Jim]

If a buyer flies thru the check boxes and "lies" by stating he has (or tried) contacted the seller and he does not, what legal recourse does the seller have against the buyer? Do you take the buyer to small claims court to get the court order to remove the feedback? That will be costly. Surly there are Lawyers out there that can makes some side money pushing these thru the legal system like an assembly line.

I still keep saying that BEFORE the buyer can leave the feedback they should be FORCED to dialogue with the seller like the PayPal dispute resolution dialogue. If the seller does not respond then they deserve the neg. This is totally one sided and wrong. There has to be some legal people out there looking into this on behalf of the seller.

[Steve]

I can't even get my buyer's to read my listings, so why would anyone think they'd read details about buyer education?

My listings contain measurments of my clothing down to a 1/4 of an inch but yet I have buyers complain about fit when they receive the items. Any flaw in an item that is listed seems to be a surprise to the buyer when they receive it. Buyers are baffled when they receive an item that is used (yes, it was listed as used or pre-owned). THEY DON'T READ!

If they are not going to read a listing for an item that they will pay for they certainly are not going to take the time to educate themselves as buyers if it takes any effort on their part.

Ebays recent changes are a complete and utter disaster. Our sales have plummeted so much that we are scouting out new venues. We have good DSR ratings. We noticed it IMMEDIATELY after Best Match was implemented.

Change is not always good. Did anyone at eBay think these changes through before they were implemented? Their customer service has always been lacking in my opinion, but they simply don't have the capacity to handle all the complaints caused by these changes.

[Fruity]

I hope someone sneaks in video camera and puts it up on youtube. I would especially like it if they capture all the boo'ing that goes on, because you just know that will happen. Ebay is just using this tool in order to justify their planned changes. That way they can say sellers didn't meet the requirements to get something or they can hold our money and make up for the money they are giving sellers in terms of the DSR discounts and, lol, to subsidize BUY.COM sucking up all that bandwith with their crap. They want us to get dings so our DSRs drop. Then they can justify benefits for other types of sellers.

facist pigs. I could never hold my head up knowing what destruction and unnecessary turmoil I've put people through with a POS feedback system like this. But when everyone around you is paid to stroke your ego and pat you on the back, then I guess it's a no brainer for oBay

[tj]

eBay is little more than a joke ...these FB changes are the most stupid ever.

These dummys need to go back to learn management skills...little idiots

Even the IMA have made a web site to TRY & explain what eBay forgot to tell buyers about DSR & FB...pathetic

[Walter]

Oh yes, the pop-up is a little disturbing. It certainly feels skewed.

Why eBay would encourage neutrals and negatives is a little baffling. Perhaps they feel this will serve to weed out the bad sellers more quickly and that the damage to good sellers is simply outweighed by the benefit the site will gain from the bad seeds eventually getting commented out of existence on the site.

But surely eBay has the technical capability to create one more entry in a seller's account profile for a customer service phone number, and an option to turn that on to appear in that checkbox for buyers about to leave negative or neutral feedback. There are plenty of buyers out there who will leave poor feedback before attempting to contact a seller, and have no interest in using the messaging system. They will, however, pick up the phone, especially to dial an 800 number.

[BMX]

Not to mention that if your 30 day neurtal/neg percentage goes over 2% (YES I SAID 2%) then you are disadvantaged in best match and your business is ruined until those items fall off or until you get enough volume to get back up over the 2% (BTW ebay does not round up for this the way they do with DSR's from what I can tell).

If a buyer leaves a neg/neut on accident there is no mechanism to remove it.
If you resolve the misunderstanding with the buyer there is no way to remove it.
If the post office loses your item and the buyer leaves a neg/neut there is no way to remove it.

In other words, to put it nicely, you are f*ed.

Thanks ebay. This is the most utter BS policy I have ever dealt with.

I doubt very many sellers will be able to survive with these new changes.

[Patricia013]

I am really happy to hear this. Small sellers don't even have much of a way to complain or voice their feelings to ebay. So, I'm happy to see sellers standing up - its getting worse by the day and I hope ebay realizes that a lot of good small sellers have stopped listing. They are trying to keep their good reputations intact and are hoping for some miracle of good common sense to hit ebay a good broadside! If they feel hardup for buyers - well...they are losing even more buyers in the form of sellers who are no longer listing on their site! This could have been handled in a far more humane, less callous manner. About the only thing ebay is changing is the way sellers feel about them...there is genuine hate out there now!

www.ACEOart.net

[Laurie Borden]

As an ex-PowerSeller, I'm surprised by the feedback changes eBay have made as I can fully remember the pain of dealing with bad bidders. In response, I set up a free site called RepXchange.com to help sellers protect themselves against bad bidders.

It might be worth a look for you seller out there unhappy about the feedback changes!

[Patricia013]

I am really happy to hear this. Small sellers don't even have much of a way to complain or voice their feelings to ebay. So, I'm happy to see sellers standing up - its getting worse by the day and I hope ebay realizes that a lot of good small sellers have stopped listing. They are trying to keep their good reputations intact and are hoping for some miracle of good common sense to hit ebay a good broadside! If they feel hardup for buyers - well...they are losing even more buyers in the form of sellers who are no longer listing on their site! This could have been handled in a far more humane, less callous manner. About the only thing ebay is changing is the way sellers feel about them...there is genuine hate out there now!

www.ACEOart.net

[Grrrrrrrrr]

Hey Scot, I think this is going to be one of the most volatile eBay Lives ever. I hope eBay can get past the emotional gripes (ie: I wish I could leave negative feedback to my buyer) and focus on the real issues that are impacting sellers. Maybe, PESA or some other group can present an "official" list of concerns versus the Town Hall grilling that management is going to get this year. Here is a start of some important issues that I invite other sellers to expand upon: 1. Is it fair that eBay decided to convert old neutrals to negatives by retroactively applying the new feedback policy. 2. Is Best Match improving conversion rates and ASPs in all categories? 3. What will happen to eBay if more Buy.com companies sell on the site. Will 5% conversion rates, no listing fees, and higher final value fees be a good direction for eBay to go? 4. How will lower conversion rates from a Best Match selected smaller group of sellers affect the value and selection benefits that ebay offers to buyers? 5. Why not just use the DSR scores for Best March instead of complicating it with the outlier 1 and 2 scores and the Not Received or Not as described claims (And these claims hang out there for 90-days even if the buyer does not respond). These are all important questions related to the long term health of the Ebay marketplace. If I know eBay sellers, they will let their voices be heard at eBay Lively.