The eBay Feedback System: An Information Guide For Buyers & Sellers

eBay's user feedback system is one of the site's most important components. Without the conscientious comments recorded by both buyers and sellers, there would be no way for anyone to build up a trustworthy reputation in the nearly anonymous realm of cyberspace. And without a good measure of trust among users, eBay would be a difficult, if not impossible, environment in which to safely conduct business.
 
Don't become a statistic. Learn how eBay's feedback system works and use it to your advantage. Understanding the numbers and feedback comments will go a long way toward making this online trading venue a safer place for you and your pocketbook. Education is empowerment: and when it comes to empowerment on eBay, you can never be too safe. So I will give you some idea's on how to effectively use the feedback system to make informed choices that will aid in your eBay success, and this will apply to you whether your an eBay seller, buyer, or both.

How exactly does the eBay Feedback System work?

The eBay feedback system operates in a straight forward manner. Every time you complete a transaction as either a buyer or a seller, you leave feedback for the other party. This feedback is made up of a score of +1, 0, or -1, as well as a one-line comment that sums up how smoothly, or how poorly, the process was completed.

A +1, or positive, score means you were happy with the way the transaction ended. A 0, or neutral, score means that you were not really pleased overall with the transaction but not so much as to leave a negative score. In this situation there is usually some sort of issue like very slow ship time, item out of stock, etc. that prompts this score. Then there is the  -1, or a negative, score which indicates that you were completely unhappy with the transaction as a whole. This is the worst case scenario and is issued in extreme cases. In addition to the numbered score, you can submit a short comment that explains the reason for your score.

How do eBay Feedbacks affect me?

As you browse the scores and comments on eBay, you'll see the vast majority of member scores are positive, and most have form-letter comments that indicate an effortless transaction. Neutral scores are relatively rare. Negative scores are worst case scenarios are more common than neutral scores.

eBay users often don't realize the importance of the feedback system in terms of establishing a good reputation. Not only do users benefit from garnering a lopsided positive-feedback-to-negative-feedback ratio, but they reap rewards by advancing upward through the various star symbols used to designate successful users.

The star symbols displayed next to a username show, at a glance, how many transactions the user has completed with positive feedback. With fewer than 10 feedbacks, users remain starless. With 10 to 49 positive scores, users will receive a yellow star.

There are many other star symbols, but as an example, after an eBay user snags anywhere from 500 to 999 positive scores, he gets a purple star. Once a user moves into the stratosphere of eBay, she'll receive a shooting star that indicates she's gathered more than 10,000 positive scores. eBay sellers who reach this level of activity indicate that when they achieve a new star status, their number of sales increases, often dramatically, especially when it's paired with an excellent feedback rating.

So with this being said, keep in mind the following information:

• Feedback is Forever: Once you leave a feedback score for someone else, you cannot take it back except in rare cases such as having it mutually withdrawn, or removed. More information on that later. This will effect the person's overall score whether you left a positive or negative feedback, and once you do, it's there for all to see. Make sure you have thought it through completely and that it truly reflects the transaction as a whole.
  
• Negatives or "Negs": These feedback scores are to be avoided at all costs because in the eBay world they are a virtual curse. With that being said, it's your job to use this rating only in worst case scenarios and only AFTER you have fully tried to work with the other party to resolve whatever your issue is. A large percentage of eBay users rely on their feedback score and it's essential for their livelihood in many cases.
  
• Retalitory Feedbacks: These feedbacks can happen to the best and worst of us. Retalitory feedbacks are when one party leaves, for exaple, a negative feedback for someone. The other person receiveing the negative feedback will retaliate by in turn leaving a negative feedback for the other person, even if it's not warrented. This, in my opinion, is like playing childish games and should be avoided. It's in my opinion that you reap what you sow, so be honest when leaving your feedback and don't leave something good or bad just because it was done to you.
  
• Fradulent Feedbacks: There are people out there who have the ability to hack their accounts to give good feedbacks, which result in giving them a high overall feedback score. Or, they have multiple user accounts and create multiple transactions then leave positive feedbacks to have a good score. This is illegal and you should be aware of such users. If you feel that someone has done this, report them to eBay immediately and do not do business with them.
  

How can you make the most of the eBay Feedback System?

By doing your homework! The fact that fraudulent feedback exists is why you should read each comment with a critical eye. Ask yourself a few questions as you browse a user who has fewer than 50 comments. Are the positive comments from a range of users with solid reputations, or are those comments from newer users with the same or similar usernames? Does this member have a tendency to get negative, or even give negative, comments for buying, for selling, or for both types of transactions?
 
Asking these questions will help you get a better idea of whom you're dealing with and whether you want to pursue the transaction. If you can't identify an ominous trend, but your gut tells you to go elsewhere, move on and find another member to do business with... that's part of eBay's appeal. Just don't count on eBay or any other web entity to protect you from scams. eBay punishes the most flagrant abusers, but it's routine for smarter con artists to continue their ruses unabated for months or even years. Only you can truly protect yourself, and by educating yourself on how to evaluate and effectively use the eBay feedback system, you will empower yourself and those you do business with.
 
When deciding to leave your Feedback, keep in mind that eBay's feedback system has its share of flaws, but for building trust and creating a safer buying and selling environment, it's indispensable. However, to make the system work best, you'll have to learn to read comments appropriately to get a better idea of how to discern trustworthy users from online swindlers.
 
Do your research on the items you want to buy and check the feedback of buyers and sellers before you commit to dealing with them. The effort will help you avoid financially draining scams, give you peace of mind, and make eBay a much more productive place for you to do business. Feedback scores are just one of many ways to effectively use eBay whether your a buyer, seller, or even both.