Non paying buyer. FVF charged unfair rule.

[Peatstuff]

Firstly I understand by reading the FAQ's that if you have a non paying buyer you have to leave a neutral or a negative feedback in order to claim back the FVF charged by e-Bid.

I suggest that this is an unfair system.

To have to leave a neutral or a negative feedback to claim back your FVF is harsh under any circumstances:-

a) I have sold to this person in the past without any problems.
b) I have tried to contact the seller on numerous occasions but had no reply. At this stage I have no way of knowing why I have had no reply.
They may have suffered a family crisis, ill health, no network access, they may have simply changed their mind
on the purchase or any number of other legitimate reasons.
c) I am of the firm belief that the customer has to be happy with his or her purchase, so forcing the issue over a sale does not fit within this criteria.
d) Not knowing the reason for the failed transaction and then leaving a neutral or negative feedback is a sure way of stopping
customer relations in its tracks. In effect putting the final nail in the coffin for any possible future sales with that customer.

Simply informing e-Bid that the sale was incomplete would obviously be open to abuse. Sellers could sell the item, receive cash or cheques etc.
as payment and then simply re-list another identical item claiming that it was an incomplete sale.

As I am not familiar with the financial workings of e-Bid, therefore at this stage I cannot suggest a better method.
So for now sadly all I can do is re-list the item, leave no feedback and pay the FVF as requested

Hopefully someone at e-Bid could find a better solution to this dilemma in the near future.

Overall a great site to be part of, just a small niggle!!
Very best regards Peatstuff.

[astral276]

What's wrong with a Neutral feedback? The sale did not complete, you are seemingly not bothered by that so it was neither a positive or negative experience for you. Why a Neutral feedback, which has no impact on feedback ratings, is somehow seen as offensive mystifies me.

[Peatstuff]

I can see where you are coming from and I agree, a neutral feedback would in some circumstances be fine and enable you to claim back the FVF.
It's just that I would hate to spoil a good relationship with a potential buyer, by being forced into leaving a neutral feedback without first understanding the circumstances of the failed transaction.
Even a neutral feedback implies to me that one of the parties involved in the transaction was not 100% happy. I just wish there was another way to do it.

Thank you for your opinion, fair comment much appreciated.
Very best regards Peatstuff.

[madelaine]

If the buyer comes back to you, you can change the feedback

[astral276]

If the buyer comes back to you, you can change the feedback

Possible, but as it is a non-transaction I don't see how it can be adjudged as anything more than Neutral as regards feedback. That or ignore the transaction and suck up the FVF as the OP was inclined to do.

The seemingly held idea by many that anything less than Positive feedback is somehow derogatory distorts the feedback system. As another ex-military you may recall how the annual assessment system became similarly distorted.

[JanetB]

What's wrong with a Neutral feedback? The sale did not complete, you are seemingly not bothered by that so it was neither a positive or negative experience for you. Why a Neutral feedback, which has no impact on feedback ratings, is somehow seen as offensive mystifies me.

I have to agree with Mel on this one.

With a neutral feedback you can still say something 'positive' about the transaction.

[tony41]

eBid is not the only site to have a similar process to obtain a refund of FVF. I believe the Belgian site does.

[madelaine]

The seemingly held idea by many that anything less than Positive feedback is somehow derogatory distorts the feedback system. As another ex-military you may recall how the annual assessment system became similarly distorted.

The comparison is a good one - the army tack anything less than "outstanding" as useless - the Marines tell the truth with the result that doing a spell with the Marines can be death for any army career

And I would have left a neutral with words like "are you ok?"

[JaBek1]

I can see where you are coming from and I agree, a neutral feedback would in some circumstances be fine and enable you to claim back the FVF.
It's just that I would hate to spoil a good relationship with a potential buyer, by being forced into leaving a neutral feedback without first understanding the circumstances of the failed transaction.
Even a neutral feedback implies to me that one of the parties involved in the transaction was not 100% happy. I just wish there was another way to do it.

Thank you for your opinion, fair comment much appreciated.
Very best regards Peatstuff.

I can't say that I see that leaving a neutral feedback for a failed transaction would necessarily spoil an otherwise good relationship with a viable potential customer. Of course, much would depend on the particular circumstances and the wording of the statement in the feedback.

[johnwash1]

Neutral feedback such as "Has been good buyer in the past, but no comms now for 7 days, hope you're ok?" would not only suffice but would also help other sellers -- if I sold something and saw that feedback I'd first want to contact the buyer and check it was just a temporary glitch.

Not leaving such feedback would be unkind to other sellers. What do you think the feedback system is for???