To many Ebay users, feedback is a critically important part of the buying and selling culture.  I agree.  While I don't get overly excited about feedback, I will agree that it is a necessity and a huge guideline when I am looking to buy items on Ebay.

I try like heck to be as specific as possible when listing items for sale.  Do mistakes happen?  RARELY, but it does happen - to all of us.  The problem with mistakes is that there are a few users who are simply unforgiving.  Period.

With that in mind, here is my policy on leaving feedback.  As a seller, I post feedback once I receive it from the buyer.  There are no exceptions to this rule.  Why do I wait?  As a seller, I know that once I receive positive feedback, the buyer is completely satisfied with their purchase.  Once I am comfortable in knowing that the buyer is satisfied by their feedback posting, I will oblige with similar feedback.  This feedback policy as a seller has evolved over the last few years.  I had a customer who was not completely satisfied with their purchase.  But rather than contact me (I would have made it right), they chose to leave unflattering feedback.  Oh well.  Lesson learned.

As a buyer, I post positive feedback as soon as I receive the item, inspect it and make sure everything is as described.  Simple!