Feedback is an evaluation of the service and product that you and the buyer leave for each other at then end of a transaction. Generally, it signifies that both parties are happy or unhappy with the transaction. Once an auction ends, the winning bidder can leave feedback for you...good bad or otherwise. It's important to note that yes, even non-paying bidders or non performing sellers can leave feedback for now. eBay is working on some changes with respect to this aspect of the system. One new change is that if a buyer doesn't participate in the unpaid item dispute process, any feedback they leave for you will not count against your feedback score. The comment will remain, but the rating will not count against you.

Feedback comments should reflect the TRANSACTION and should not include personal feelings or emotions. 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.

The feedback system is easy to understand. You receive:

      • +1 point to your feedback score for each positive comment and rating left for you.
      • 0 points to your feedback score for each neutral comment and rating left for you.
      • -1 point to your feedback score for each negative comment and rating left for you.
      • A feedback star once you have 10 or more comments and ratings left for you.

For example, scooter (210) means that the eBay member with the User ID 'scooter' has received positive feedback from at least 210 other eBay members.

Now, if the product or service stunk, don’t be afraid to say so. But do it professionally and CALMLY. If a member leaves you a negative, don't go off on a tirade about the member’s personal life or habits.  React professionally and calmly and you are the one that will come off looking better.

One thing I can’t stress enough is to communicate with your trading partners. If something is wrong, tell the seller. They want to have a positive transaction with you. Give them a chance to make it a positive one by fixing problems before you leave less than favorable feedback. Most sellers will jump through hoops to help you…but be honest about things. Don’t make up stories about the item just because you have buyer’s remorse or your spouse has buyer’s remorse on how much you spent!   Don't get me wrong, there have been people that have annoyed me and I've said things I shouldn't have.  Granted, I felt better afterwards, but it ended up with me looking like a jerk. No one wants to look like a jerk. So, instead, write out exactly what you want to say on a word document. Get it all out...swear, yell, whatever. Then delete it. Then try it again. Keep repeating this process until you have calmed down. When you calm down, send that email to your seller with what it is that is wrong and what you need done to make it right. After you’ve given the seller a chance to make things right, respond to the feedback calmly and then leave appropriate feedback. That is not to say that you should retaliate with a negative if your trading partner leaves you one. But, that’s also not to say you shouldn't leave a negative if the situation is warranted.

One question that is as inexhaustible as the chicken or the egg question is when should you leave feedback? I don't know. Honestly, it's a question that has no right answer. Some sellers never leave feedback first. They don't want to get caught with their pants down should a buyer leave them a negative or the transaction turns ugly. Some sellers are confident enough in their product and service that they will leave feedback first. Like I said, there is no right or wrong way. I go with my gut. Sometimes I leave it first and sometimes I wait. I just get a vibe. You have to do what works for you and there is no right or wrong way.
    
So, what should you do if you get a negative?  Negatives hurt. Especially the first negative. We think of our feedback as a reflection of who we are rather than what it is we sell.  Our trading partners don’t know us from a hole in the wall, so taking the feedback comments personally is futile.  Sometimes, you can't please people, no matter how hard you try. And there are some people who just love putting that red mark on peoples' records. This is why I've said, as a seller, I usually do not leave feedback first. Ok, you've got the neg, your ego has been deflated and the neg isn't exactly truthful. Your first instinct is to get that neg removed as quickly as possible. Who can blame you? Search the eBay help files for feedback removal and see if the feedback that was left for you qualifies for removal based on eBay's qualifications. If it doesn't, you might just be stuck with it. If, however, the buyer left you a negative and never contacted you, once you calm down, you MIGHT consider writing to the buyer and letting them know you would be happy to work with them to alleviate their challenge. If they are receptive, that's a good thing. Maybe they didn't realize they COULD contact you about the problem. This is why I suggested, in my effective listings podcast, to have a refund policy.  Once you get things worked out, you can ask the buyer if they will consider "mutual feedback withdrawal". This is FREE via eBay. DO NOT use Square Trade or one of those mediation services. They have NO authority whatsoever and will end up costing you at least $20.  One thing to note though is that while mutual feedback withdrawal removes the red spot from your record and it is eliminated from your overall feedback score, the comments themselves are there to stay. 

Now, if the buyer doesn't respond well to the help or they refuse the feedback withdrawal, there's not much more you can do. However, you SHOULD respond to the feedback left for you with something like "provided refund to buyer on x-date". And make sure you leave the appropriate feedback in return. I'm not saying to retaliate, however, if you provided a positive end result for the buyer and they still leave you a negative, what exactly is positive about the transaction for you?

Feedback Tips
• While it’s good to always leave feedback after a transaction so that other members may benefit from your experience, sometimes not saying anything at all is appropriate as well. 

• Usually, a high feedback score and high percentage is a good sign, but you should always check your trading partner's member profile to read comments and look for negative remarks. This is a good indicator of how your potential trading partner deals with challenges.

• Keep your member profile public - buyers may be wary of trading with someone with a private member profile.  While you can still see the percentages, it’s the comments you are wanting to read.

• Contact your trading partner and try to resolve any issues before leaving negative feedback. I can’t stress this enough. Always treat people the way you want to be treated.

• You cannot remove Feedback you have left, so be sure to leave only fair and factual comments and ratings that relate to a specific transaction you have with your trading partner.  Make sure you follow the rules because there are policies in place to have feedback removed if you use vulgar language or give personal information about the trading partner.

So, this concludes our lesson on feedback. As always you can email me if you have any questions about this guide.