HOW AND WHEN TO LEAVE FEEDBACK

Have you ever purchased something and paid instantly and didn't receive feedback until after you, the buyer, left feedback?  Is the seller expecting negative feedback?  If this isn't the reason, then why wait?

As a seller, I leave feedback as soon as a buyer's cleared payment is received.  I believe that this is what other sellers want to know and should do. 

Whether a buyer pays quickly or leaves you hanging or just doesn't pay.  I don't like leaving negative feedback for a number of reasons, but the main reason.... so I don't have to deal with having negative feedback left in return. 

I have a number of buyers who take forever to pay, but I still leave positive feedback.  I have buyers who just don't bother to pay.  I follow the procedure needed to file unpaid item disputes.  I have had buyers who don't bother to even respond to unpaid item disputes.  But I just know, deep down, that if I left this person a negative feedback, they would quickly reciprocate and make it look as though it were something I did or didn't do. 

But, despite not getting paid, or getting paid weeks later... it is just my practice not to leave negative feedback.  You never know when a buyer's modem will up and quit, or when a buyer's DSL will just stop functioning.  I had my DSL modem fried by lightning and like to think that I am not the only person on the planet who has experienced not being able to access the internet.

I like to think that when someone pays late, it is because their internet wasn't working and they had to wait until someone would come out or help them fix the problem.  With all the email worms, trojans, etc, you just never know.

I believe that the new Feedback Seller Ratings is great...EXCEPT...

Where are the standards for leaving these new ratings?

With all the new changes that took place recently with the United States Postal Service, we have been working to fix and/or replace listings.  But when you have hundreds of listings, this can become quite tiring.  Then eBay opens up an entirely new way to leave feedback.  Wow!  And they do it without instructions or STANDARDS! 

NEW FEEDBACK SELLER RATING SYSTEM STANDARDS 

COMMUNICATION

STANDARD:  If your question is answered within 24 hours - Rating - 5 STARS

I spend a great deal of time making sure that any questions that are submitted are answered within 6 hours upon receipt, generally most are answered instantly.  I believe that responding to questions is another integral part of providing top notch customer service.  If a question should arrive during our auctions, those questions are answered instantly upon receipt.  Now how much better can this be???  What is considered to be a reasonable response time to respond to questions from buyers?  Since I respond to emails usually within 6 hours, how could I have anything but a 5 Star Rating?

SHIPPING AND HANDLING

STANDARD:  While taking into consideration what it costs a seller to provide quality shipping and handling, then decide whether the shipping and handling is reasonable - Rating - 5 STARS

BeadsellerUS has a policy that once your cleared payment is received, shipping usually occurs within 48 hours.  We use the United States Postal Service for all of our shipping.  Generally, we charge $1 handling.  This is charged to cover our personal fees.... you know... like... baggies for beads, labels for the baggies, shipping supplies such as bubble wrap, popcorn, shipping labels, special bubble envelopes, ink for our printer, electricity enabling us to see what we are doing which also includes printing labels etc.  Our initial charge to ship anything is $2.25.  This covers all of the above necessities for shipping products.  Usually, any additional items cost the buyer $.25-$.40, depending upon weight.  Special items such as pendant/bead sets are $2.25 for the first and $1.25 for each additional set.  Taking all of the above information into consideration, how could I have anything but a 5 Star Rating?

SHIPPING TIME

STANDARD:  Open the item number of the product you purchased.  Click on the Order Details link.  Was your order shipped within the amount of time specified by the seller?  If so - Rating - 5 STARS

Purchases from BeadsellerUS usually ship within 48 hours, usually 24.  Frequently, we reimburse some of the shipping paid.  Once it leaves our house and gets deposited in the post office, we have no control over when the package will actually arrive to the buyer.  If we were rated on how fast items were actually shipped according to the Order Details, I wouldn't have a problem.  But that isn't the case.  No one instructs the buyer to check on their Order Details to see when an item was actually shipped.  No one instructs the buyer to check in their paypal account to see when their item was shipped.  The buyer goes by when their item is RECEIVED to give this rating.  I don't know about you, but that kind of rating doesn't work for me, especially since I have NO CONTROL over when an item arrives to the buyer... only on when an item is PHYSICALLY SHIPPED.  EVERY ORDER IS SHIPPED USUALLY WITHIN 48 HOURS OR LESS!  Taking into consideration everything above, how could I have anything but a 5 Star Rating?

ITEM AS DESCRIBED

STANDARD:  Did you email the seller before you purchased the item with any additional questions?  Did the seller respond to your questions?  Did you make the purchase fully informed?  Rating - 5 STARS

What can I say.  I haven't a clue why I received this rating.  I feel that my listings are quite clear and specify that if you have questions, feel free to email.  Since I respond to emails usually within 6 hours, how could I have anything other than an overall 5 Star Rating?

A buyer should not leave arbitray ratings according to how he or she feels on that particular day.  There needs to be STANDARDS.  Everyone needs some sort of what to and what not to do Standards.  Without STANDARDS, what do the new ratings actually mean?