There are many online guides about feedback, but in this one I would like to address one problem with sellers in particular.  Obviously, the seller wants is to be paid in a timely manner for his auction.  The buyer wants is the product to be as described AND ALSO SHIPPED IN A TIMELY MANNER.

Now... does that mean that if something is wrong with your auction to immediately leave negative feedback?  NO!  Contact the seller, and if he is reputable, he will work with you to find a solution that fits both your needs. 

The one stickey spot is the "ALSO SHIPPED IN A TIMELY MANNER". 

I for one, find myself OUTRAGED when a seller seems to think that he can take an eternity to send me something that I have promptly paid for.  Unfortunately, how can you work out how inconsiderate they are?  You can't call them on the phone and say "HEY, a month has gone by, you haven't shipped my item yet, CAN WE FIX YOUR BRAIN TO BE MORE CONSIDERATE?"

If a couple of weeks have gone by since I paid for the auction, I usually send a polite email to the seller.  "Hello... I paid instantly for this auction on (date) and was just wondering when it was sent out"  or something like that.  Some sellers won't even respond to this nice communication.  Maybe theyre too busy spending your money?

Around the 3 week mark you are encouraged to file a claim with Ebay, or Paypal.  (3 weeks, no item, no communication).  Go into My Ebay, and click on the Dispute Console link. 

If you paid through Paypal, the process of getting your refund takes 10 days from the date you escalated your dispute to a claim. If you are unable to contact your seller, or he is not responding, go ahead and immediately escalate your dispute to a claim.  If the seller fails to respond to Paypal within this time, Paypal will decide the claim in your favor.   

If the seller takes up to a month to send the item out to you, does not respond to emails asking when the item was shipped, or when asked for a tracking number, and does not respond to Paypal - LEAVE NEGATIVE FEEDBACK.  It is the only way these lazy, irresponsible sellers will learn, and will be reflected in their feedback scores.

I always leave Negative feedback if the item is not here within 28 days.... More than enough time to get most auctions 10 times over.

They will probably leave you retalitory negative.  (Go figure, an irresponsible seller being a jerk too?) 

Do you think that if you took a month to pay for the auction you won, they wouldnt be OUTRAGED too?  Leave you negative?

Its time to weed out  these lazy, inconsiderate sellers.  IF they leave retalitory negative... simply reply with something like "Retalitory feedback, 30 days no item, did not answer emails"

IF they get the message, that this is not tolerated, Ebay will be a better place to be for all.

If you receive your refund, you can fill out a mutual feedback withdrawal form if you wish.  The comments you left to the seller will still be visible to his customers, and he will more than likely accept the withdrawal because he should have never left negative to begin with.  If youre not so concerned with the retalitory negative, just leave it alone and move on.  People generally understand that about 5% of ebay customers are bad to deal with, and everyone has run into a real winner at one time or another.

*Note:  Some shipping problems stem from a slow postal service.  I have noticed that Canada, for intance will take up to 3 weeks to get a first class envelope here on occasion.  This guide is more for when dealing with sellers in the U.S.