ebay feedback advice

[willbrooks]

So I won 4 auctions from the same seller and paid for them all August 1st with combined shipping. Communication was good and the seller was accommodating in this regard. It took until the 3rd for them to mark the package as shipped. No big deal. I subsequently won an auction from another seller, paid, and RECEIVED the package on Monday the 5th, but still no update on the tracking from purchase number 1. Tuesday the 6th, there was STILL nothing on the tracking, so I'm guessing even though the seller has marked it as shipped, they haven't, so I email the seller about it just to check. I told them that the package was marked shipped 3 days ago, but that there was nothing showing on the tracking and could they just double check on it. I got no reply at all, but the next day the item was en route according to the tracking. So, today is Friday the 9th and I think it might show up today since it was in Harrisburg yesterday. If they had simply replied that they made a mistake and thought it had shipped and apologized, I guess I wouldn't care as much, but the whole silent treatment, like I was bothering them to ship my package kind of irritated me. I checked their feedback and this is NOT the first time someone has made this complaint. The seller blamed the post office in that incident. My question is this: if it were you, would you

a) leave a positive feedback because I am just being overly anal and this is perfectly normal and acceptable
b) leave a neutral feedback saying everything was fine except the shipping was a little slow
c) leave a negative feedback

I've never left a bad feedback before and I don't to screw somebody over if this isn't a big deal. Thoughts? Thanks.

[liveandievarieties]

Not everyone uses tracking or electronic labels. And sometimes, life just happens. I try to be laid back about receipt time. If it gets to me safely within 2 weeks, no harm, no foul. It's tough fulfilling everyone's needs and demands in a setting like eBay. I know it should have come sooner, but maybe their cat died.... or anything else. Looks like its safely on it's way to you Will. Keep us posted!

[lknerr]

I would leave neutral feedback, if he or she has already left you feedback. Or leave positive feedback and 2 stars in shipping.

[jallengomez]

I'm the same as Chris on this one. I usually give it two weeks. Hopefully you'll see it soon.

[hasfam]

Will,
A few things about eBay shipping and FB.
1. Sellers are rewarded for shipping in one day (translation) rewarded for "printing a shipping label in one day".
2. Tracking doesn't started until the PO scans the label.
3. Sellers will "print the label to satisfy eBay but not "ship until it's convenient or they remember, sometimes several days later.
4. FB is tricky and funny and can back fire. I would leave it alone and just don't go back to that seller. I would even send a message to the seller explaining you were not happy with the communication and delayment of the actual shipping. That you will not be back and that you'll be sure to pass the word along to other collectors.
5. FB is important to sellers, more than to buyers. Good FB and high FB by sellers increases their ability to "close the deal" especially with new potential buyers who might be on the fence with a first time purchase. It's the old adage, the more you have, the more you get.
Unfortunately, I don't always get FB from my buyers which makes me wonder if they were not happy with the transaction. Many of those transactions were from members here. So, if you don't leave FB, then I would at least let them know why and move on.

[jallengomez]

Rock brings up a good point about tracking not showing up in the system until the PO scans it. I recently shipped out an item and the tracking didn't show up until it got to the buyers hometown on the same day that she received it.

[Scott99]

I don't see a reason to leave a negative for that if you receive the items you were intending to buy. Neutral or positive with something brief about what disappointed you with the transaction. Also let the proper star rating system reflect where the transaction, in your opinion, was not acceptable.

Rock brings up a good point about tracking not showing up in the system until the PO scans it. I recently shipped out an item and the tracking didn't show up until it got to the buyers hometown on the same day that she received it.

That reminds me of a package I shipped to Jason that I ended up having to call the 1800 number for the post office for them to locate the package because the employees at my post office didn't scan it into the facility. Don't remember exactly how long it took but It was not acceptable to me as a seller.

[willbrooks]

Yeah, it's all your fault, Rock. You've spoiled me with your immediate shipping. Now, I'm ruined for everyone else.

[willbrooks]

I don't see a reason to leave a negative for that if you receive the items you were intending to buy. Neutral or positive with something brief about what disappointed you with the transaction. Also let the proper star rating system reflect where the transaction, in your opinion, was not acceptable.

This is where I have some ignorance. If I give them a positive, but don't give them all 5 stars, will it lower their feedback score, or does it just go by the number of "positives?"

[Scott99]

This is where I have some ignorance. If I give them a positive, but don't give them all 5 stars, will it lower their feedback score, or does it just go by the number of "positives?"

I think the star rating system is independent from the actual feedback rating. I'm not completely certain though.

[penny man]

Same thing happened to me once; except I was the seller (on eCrater). I paid for tracking, but there was nothing on the tracking lookup for like six weeks; only that the package had been shipped. The package apparently sat for six weeks in the PO before they did anything with it. Meanwhile, the buyer was constantly emailing me, asking what happenned to the package, where is it. Being a seller when the post office screws up is not fun; don't leave him negative feedback for it.

[hasfam]

99% of my packages go out to my mail box. My friendly postal lady drives up, takes the packages and I watch her scan each one right there in the truck before she drives away.
Stars and FB are totally different but together they can impact the seller by means of search exposure, discounts on fees, etc.

[admrose]

Star system is independent of feedback. There is a whole matrix that displays for sellers based on buyer feedback and star ratings; all anonymous of course except for neutral/negative feedback. Top rated sellers need to keep 1-2 star ratings under .05% of their total ratings to keep their status. It's 2% for everyone else (except for item as described, which is 1%). Cut some stars from the rating but I'd rate positive overall. The last seller I gave negative feedback to misrepresented the item and flat out refused to honor his own return policy.

[Maineman750]

This is where I have some ignorance. If I give them a positive, but don't give them all 5 stars, will it lower their feedback score, or does it just go by the number of "positives?"

Yes, a lower than 5 stars will go against their best seller score and could cost them their discount...I agree with low rating where they screwed up...but positive overall.

[liveandievarieties]

We are also meticulous about watching our packages be scanned on drop off. Most people just dump a pile of packages at the end of the counter expecting a (sometimes) complacent postal employee to scan each and every one of them.

There could be a lot of reasons for the delay in shipping. In the end, if the seller held off for two days to ship, is that worth the bad blood and animosity that harsh feedback creates?

Of course my perspective is from the seller side. Having nothing to do with you Will- but some people's expectations are far outside of realistic. Remember, sellers are regular people like us, not 24 hour discount superstores with overnight shipping, lol.