Your feedback score is suppose to get buyers and sellers to know more about the real you.  How you interact with others is detailed on this page.

You receive 1 point for each postive feedback that you receive and 1 point is take away from you for every negative or netural that you receive.  Neutral use to not get you nothing, but anymore it can be as damaging as a negative - just a polite way of downing you. 

As of today the same buyer can help you increase your feedback by buying more from you, the catch is that they can only buy one item a week, so combinding shipments saves the buyer money for shipping, but really doesn't help the seller with extra brownie points.

On the feedback page you can see where a number of people have left a score this is the total amount of people who have given you feedback one way or another.  Most of the time this feedback number is not reflected in the total score that Ebay counts. 

Unfortunately feedback is not always freely given.  I remind a buyer after 40 days that they did not leave feedback and I ask if there was something wrong. Afterall, not only do I want postive feedback I want to know that they like and enjoy their purchase. 

If they do not give me the  courtesy of, at the very least writing back and telling me what is wrong - I block them from future sells.  I figure in this way, if there is a problem that they can't talk about now - there is no reason to keep compounding it with another sell. 

Blocking a seller or a buyer doesn't hurt them, doesn't go against their feedbck score and they won't ever know if you don't tell them. 

Sometimes a seller or a buyer will threaten one or the other that if they don't jump through special hoops for them then they won't leave anything but negative feedback.  This is called extorian feedback and Ebay has a low tolerance for it.  You as the wounded party must inform Ebay of it.  The one think that Ebay doesn't do is read minds.

Ebay is putting up policys to protect sellers from unfair feedback left by buyers.  Here are the key items to keep in mind.

1.  Negative or neutral feedback will be removed by Ebay when a buyer appears or looks like they are deliberately and intentionally trying to hurt the seller.  This is a reportable offense and the seller should contact Ebay immediately.

2.  Ebay will remove negative or neutral feedback  when a buyer doesn't respond to an unpaid item dispute that the seller has filed.

3.  If a buyer responds to an unpaid item report but doesn't spell out exactly about the seller's performance, item condition or any transaction problems with the seller, then negative or neutral feedback will also be removed. (for instance if they resort to profanity or name calling).

Basically this means that if a buyer threatens you that if you don't do what they say to do, even if it is against your spelled out policies, they will leave you negative feedback - that feedback can and will be removed by Ebay.  Remember Ebay doesn't see in the dark, you must tell them what is going on.

I once had a buyer leave me negative feedback because she wanted her item sent Express mail, but had only paid for Priority.  her negative feedback was removed by Ebay.

To read a members feedback is really easy.  After each person handle there is (number).  Just click on the number and you will be taken to their feedback page. 

Today negative feedback can not be left for buyers, only buyers will be able to leave negative feedback.  I think that this is wrong and many a reputation will be destroyed by unscruplious buyers.  Severl of my favorite sellers now have negatives, for some very stupid things.

Fortuantely, there are many good buyers and sellers on Ebay.

Both the buyer and seller must be careful in what they say about each other.  While Ebay may step in if you prove your case, they may not if you don't.  Then the buyer or the seller may hire an attorney and you may be sued for your remarks.  If you can't say anything nice - it is better not to say it at all.