Are you an “Awful” seller or an “Outstanding” Seller?

No primary category set

In test with an extra feedback question to help eBay evaluate sellers they’re asking buyers to rate purchases on a scale of 0-10 where 0 is an awful seller and 10 is an outstanding seller. In this feedback test buyers are still able to leave a positive/neutral/negative ranking as well as leave detailed seller ratings.

Click image to see full feedback page

The 0-10 feedback score is known as a “Net Promoter” score where typically 9s and 10s are known as promoters, 7s and 8s are passives and 0-6 are detractors. The Net Promoter score is calculated by subtracting the detractors from the promoters.
 
How do you feel about being ranked by your buyers somewhere between awful and outstanding? Would you prefer this to the current system of positive/neutral/negative along with DSRs or would you prefer to stick with the status quo?

30 Responses

  1. Buyers are getting bored of all the fuss of DSR’s and every other silly thing ebay force on them. I’ve noticed quite a drop in the last few months of people who just fill out the standard feedback and don’t bother with DSR’s.

  2. Youtube had a 5 star rating system but have abandoned it in favour of “like” and “dislike” buttons (a bit facebookish). So, its interesting seeing how two of the most currently successful sites are opting for simplicity rather than making it over complicated like eBay.

  3. Who wants to fill in a detailed online survey every time they buy something off ebay?
    Not me, that’s for sure.

  4. I have come to the conclussion that feedback is meaningless on eBay now. Buyers know that they will be protected – no matter what – and the only other thing they care about is the price.

    My parents have recently started shopping on eBay, and they understand the idea of feedback, but as my mum said – oh anyone with over 90% positive must be a very trustworthy seller. Not realising that this is far from eBays opinion.

  5. I agree that surveys are pointless but I think what you were after were out thoughts on the verbiage which I’m going to give:

    I like the Awful to Outstanding rating because both of those words are more quantifiable and emotional than, say if they had asked whether we were Reasonable, Very Reasonable or Incredibly Reasonable which, of course, makes no cotton pickin sense!

    At lease Outstanding and Awful have enough of an emotional response to them that people know what they ought to rate on an emotional level instead of trying to play the game of “How is eBay warping the English language today?”

  6. This is not the only question they ask. The WORST question eBay asks is:
    Would you recommend this seller to your friends?

    Sellers I buy from would get a ‘1’ score. Here’s why.
    ~ I buy toner for my HP Printer. My friends have a Canon or Toshiba. Why would I recommend that?
    ~ I buy a lot on eBay for resale. Your crazy if you think I am going to share my sources!.

    The better question to ask is:
    Would you buy from this seller again. That is a true mark of buyer/seller satisfaction.

  7. @xergy

    “The better question to ask is:
    Would you buy from this seller again. That is a true mark of buyer/seller satisfaction.”

    I’m with you

  8. How thinly do they think this onion can be sliced?

    At my volumes, achieving eTRS hinges on just a handful of anonymous DSRs. Many of these do not pass individual scrutiny, and we spend hours each month examining and appealing instances where buyers have not cared enough to leave a fair rating. Most buyers simply don’t give a toss enough to leave the feedback with the detail and care which is assumed with the weight that is placed on feedback.

    I strongly dislike the current situation which promotes conflict and suspicion between buyers and sellers. Far better is an open and transparent system where the buyer has a vested interest in making it work as well as the seller.

    We ban any buyer who leaves us a neg or neutral. I’d like a buyer restriction to be available so that I could choose not to sell to anyone who has left too many low scores. Grumpy buyers are a bigger threat to my business than those who do not pay. Time to give that protection to sellers that I keep hearing about.

  9. IMO – If this (Simplistic) feedback is on test it WILL come in to use and SHOULD last for about 12 months Untill a NEW feedback system will replace it.

  10. I think ‘Buyers’ only want to buy and know they are protected.
    I think ‘Sellers’ just want to sell.anyway your blog is nice…..

  11. I don’t even bother with DSR’s as a buyer. eBay are away with the fairies if they think I am going to bother with a survey like that!

  12. I think the 1-10 system could tell you more about your cutomers’ true feelings about a transaction, though it would be more useful to sellers if customers could, in addition, make more specific and private comments.

    Customer feedback should be like gold-dust to any business. The problem is ebay using the data to penalise both sellers (reduced visibility and discounts) and, indirectly, buyers (I would also ban a customer if they neggged me without contacting me first).

    A more mature approach is required to remove confrontation and encourage buyers to provide honest and constructive feedback. I’m currently TRS, but I’d like to see feedback removed from the Performance Seller regime. Then feedback could be used by buyers to make a properly informed choice.

    I’d like to see search results that are geared towards what I’m actually searching for – rather than just promoting sellers who have fallen least foul of the ebay performance regimes or who have learnt best how to play the system through free shipping etc.

    I’d like eBay to make site rules clear and then police them. It’s a nonsense when we have a complex and micro-managed feedback / DSR system yet sellers are breaching Distance Selling regulations in their terms and conditions and at the same time being given Deal of the Day slots by ebay.

    Progress urgently required. Thank god for my own website!

  13. I am a good seller , I know so, I have money in the bank, my dues and fees are paid, And my dogs are fed,
    I dont give a bugger what the 1-10 scale thinks

  14. My husband thinks this is pure job creation.
    Also as the first person stated buyers want protection and to buy etc.

    Though if it were to take over from DSR’S which ironically i score well in though always getting max 4.8 even when i offer combined postage (as in combined with cost of the product as there is no such thing as free postage) i also regulally under charge as i know my buyers top price for shipping.

    Byters need something simple and if the change to the above idea then i bet ebay will offer a lower discount as i am sure this happened when top seller came in i was getting 25% and now 20%
    Also i never send feedback reminders to my buyers as its a faff and i think they would rate me lower becuase of the trouble they were put through we also inc a free gift (bought at 10p) to try to please buyers.
    EBAY IS THE SAFEST SELLING FORUM ON THE NET.
    Yes reward good sellers throw off the really awful ones and let us do business please!!!! AS what would any of us score ebay in DSR;s or the new version?
    I would have moved to amazon ages ago but its locked and sell some end of line items which you cant sell without companies permission. (IF I AM WRONG PLEASE TELL ME)

    Ebay please stop make feedback easy and fast so happy buyers or the ”passives are willing to go the bother of leaving feedback.
    Or just scrap it completely. Bringing in THE NEW EXTRA ITEM NOT AS DISCIBED IS SO WRONG AS MANY OF MY BUYERS USE THAT TO SAY THANKS SO MUCH PRODUCT RECEIEVED (WILL THEY BE COUNTED)
    A VERY STRESSED SELLER
    AMFM

  15. Oh i also think ebay should stop making such a big deal of buyers (not bidders i understant that a bid will mess the whole thing up for buyers) recanting from a BIN sale (every other system allows buyers to change their mind.

    stop treating buyers and sellers as children!
    Also ebay should be using money to work on multi seller basket (Im not sure what its called)for buyers why dont ebay work on that?

    Though ebay do seem to think that buyers and sellers cannot be left to it when selling is concerned.

    i also get so cross when sellers say item cannot be return when thats against the law ditto restocking fees etc.
    If people dont want to accept returns use auction format!
    Sorry i am so sick and tired of ebay

  16. eBays over complication of DSR’s is all to often like giving people loaded guns with no training.

    I follow a few store similar to my own that sell in high volumes and have to say I would happily buy from any of them. The sad thing is that it seems that their top rated seller badges are like a lottery! one month there next month gone.

    In my eyes this is just eBay penny pinching on seller fees and doing nothing for customer loyalty.

  17. Well more mucking about.

    But there is a good idea here, but instead of the heading saying
    ” Are you an “Awful” seller or an “Outstanding” Seller?”……

    How about a new feedback scorer for seller….Then we could head this ” Are they an “Awful” BUYER or an “Outstanding” BUYER?”.

    Reallyis about time ebay done more for its’s sellers.
    They say in September, they will make it more diffucult for just 1 buyer to effect your standing as sellers, but clearly that will make no difference, as is said all the time on forums, buyers are just quite irrelivant to ebay (except for their fees, of course).

    We just received a NEG, from a buyer that bought an item on the 2nd JUNE, which was dipactched on the 4th JUNE…..and today advised us he had not received it.. NO other contact between 4th June -30th JULY (EIGHT WEEKS) so he just negs us..

    AAAAHHHH…..God help me, this is just simply NO RIGHT!!…

  18. Ditched ebay a few weeks ago and now selling on ebid and Bonanzle.

    Had a few nice sales with ebid and Bonanzle and will NEVER return to ebay again.

  19. I have noticed that I am only being asked the additional question on feedback leaving for business sellers.

RELATED POSTS..

New eBay Rate this item and Auto Feedback

New eBay Rate this item and Auto Feedback

eBay Feedback Removal gets fairer

eBay Feedback Removal gets fairer and more consistent

eBay test product review ratings in seller feedback

eBay test product review ratings in seller feedback

New eBay Feedback Verified Purchase tag

New eBay Feedback Verified Purchase tag

eBay feedback changes to increase Trust & Relevancy

eBay feedback changes to increase Trust & Relevancy

Featured in this article from the ChannelX Guide – companies that can help you grow and manage your business.

Latest

Take a look through a selection of the latest articles on ChannelX

Register for Newsletter

Receive 5 newsletters per week

Gain access to all research

Be notified of upcoming events and webinars