How about sniper feedback

What an intriguing concept! I seriously doubt that this would be an easy reprogramming task as a totally different set of screens are accessed for the feedback function vs. the screens accessed for bidding functions on eBay. It definitely is an interesting approach to avoid retaliatory feedbacks.

As I'm just venturing into the sellers' ranks, I can see how this service may be appreciated by some sellers. What is unclear to me is if many sellers would want to use this service AND pay for it.

It would be interesting to hear Sara's take on this idea.

Sara?

Jabbergah                                                    

Click here

The problem is how much would people pay? Not very many negatives are left. We would need to charge at least $2 a neg I think. I doubt we'd leave more than say 500 a month. 500 is an aweful lot of negs since 98% of transactions seem to go well. But for all I know really it's only 95% but 3% are afraid to leave it. Would you really be willing to pay $2 to leave a neg?

I'll tell you though I'm pretty pissed off right now. I just had this happen to me a few days ago. A seller never sent the item. I waited 2 months and they said they sent it again after 1 month. So I waited. It never came and they would not give me delivery confirmation. It was a $10 item. So I left neg. 2 days later I get one back saying I'm a theif and that they had delivery confirmation. A total fabrication. They never had delivery conf, ever. If they did then why not give me the confirmation # when I asked for it several times.

So anyways the moral of the story is that had I waited and sniped a negative then I wouldnt have got that unjust retalitory feedback from a liar and the true theif. The only reason I didnt get my money back from paypal was because I trusted them to send the item the second time. Of course no delivery confirmation that either.

If you think people would pay $2.50, and there would be enough people leaving negs then it would be worth it. I think we'd need to leave at least 400 negs a month for it to worth it to us. Because we'd have to program it, test it, and keep it updated with eBay, give support etc.

Nice idea, but that also could work both ways!

I just noticed this was your first post! our forum!

Well, I hadnt finished reading your whole post so I came up with the $2.00 fee on my own. So say it's $2.50. I would personally would pay this fee. I dont leave many negs, but every damn time I do I get screwed by a retalitory. And I always give every one of the buyers/sellers I'm going to neg 3-4 chances to make things right. They rarely do. But if they do they always will receive a posistive from me. I'm not afraid to neg though. At least not on my buyer account. On a buyer account sellers dont care if I only have a 97% feedback. But on my seller account I want to try to keep it closer to 99-99.5% and I'm more scared about leaving negs. Also I think more buyers deserve negs than sellers because failure to pay is by far the most common neg-worthy offense on eBay.

Sara, that is true and I can tell you by reading in other forums, sellers are afraid to leave negs. The system is silly! It really does not mean much. It is sort of if you kiss my behind, I'll do the same. What the heck good is that? Personally, if someone is a deadbeat, they get a neg. If they were to give me one back, I can answer it also. I don't think a person should let themselves be blackmailed. What I am saying in the above post is that you could snipe a neg, but so could they.

Well, how about the deadbeat sellers. They keep putting you off on the shipment. All kinds of conflicting stories as to where and how it is. That is, until it is too late to file a fraud case. Then they flat refuse to negotiate. SOOooo...there are two ends to these deadbeats.

"Shop" and My Snipes

Yes, there sure is! I try to read down through the negs and make an informed decision before I bid. If there is a pattern, I stay away, however if it is just a spotty thing, I usually don't worry about it.

I don't see what harm a few negs causes a buyer, as long as they have a decent number of positives. In fact, a buyer with a perfect feedback is asking to be abused. At some number of transactions, most buyers are going to encounter some problem(s), be it intentional (fraud) or accidental (lost in shipping). Since negs are mostly retaliatory, at some point, anyone that doesn't have a neg could be a wimp.

If you contact a seller with a problem, they can easily see your feedback score. If you have no negs and a couple hundred positives, what kind of message does that send to the seller?

I can understand a person with only 10 positives being reluctant to get a negative. But after say 100, 1 negative, to me, means the buyer is a real person, in the real world.

I'm not certain that 1 out of 100 is either a good, or bad record. When I got my first neg, for a couple of days I thought I was wearing The Scarlet Letter. I was certain no one would sell to me. IT MADE ABSOLUTELY NO DIFFERENCE. In fact, one seller left me a positive saying that the person that neg'd me was a jerk.

What is this obsession (hope that's not too obsessive of a word) a for a perfect, or excellent, feedback? Is it important that sellers think we're perfect, or very good, buyers? To me, perfect feedback for a buyer means a perfect target.

The feedback system isn't flawless, but I haven't heard of anything better. It does seem to work for the more abusive sellers. Sometimes it only takes one buyer leaving a neg, and others will follow.


P.S. Does anyone know for certain that the ability to leave feedback is exactly 90 days 0 hours 0 minutes 0 seconds after the end of the auction? If I can't get satisfaction after 30 days, or indication of a refund, I neg or don't neg and walk away. Life is just too short to wait for another 60 days seeking revenge by sniping a negative.

Rick, I agree with you 100%!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Those are my exact feelings!

First, I'd like to thank Mrs. M. for the welcome (and noticing my loss of forum virginity). I'm not sure what I've done to deserve the title "Junior Sniper", but I'll wear it proudly.

Anyway, there was plenty of thoughtful discourse on the idea of having sniper feedback for eBay. In fact, what I'd thought to be a new idea, has already been well discussed. This plays into my way of thinking that there is a genuine desire for this product.

Sniper Sara R. stated that there is an estimated economic break-even point of 400 transactions. The value to the AuctionSniper.com might make that number much lower. First, this product would differentiate this site from other Automated sniper sites. Secondly, this is one more way to get people to try your excellent service. I have a fair number of eBay transactions under my belt as both buyer and seller and only last week found out about this service.

Concerns that this service could be abused are legitimate. However, a modest fee for placing a sniper feedback, both to support this new service and to deter abuse would probably take care of most of the problems. Maybe a cap of 2 feedback snipes a month and a cap of 10 a year would also be a wise idea.

I average about 1,000 eBay transactions a year over the last 2 years and I don't think I'd do this more than 5 times a year.

No longer do I need to hunch over my computer at inopportune times waiting to hit the auction enter key. I have actually set my alarm to wake me in the middle of the night to snipe an auction. No Mas!

Nice to be aboard & Merry Christmas to all of you from the newest member of the sniper community.

Sf, hope it is ok to call you that, you added some interesting suggestions. You know, if you want to have one removed on Ebay be prepared to part with twenty dollars and do battle!

quote:

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Originally posted by sfgiantsnativefan:
Nice to be aboard & Merry Christmas to all

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Thank you Rick! That was really nice!

Don't forget this little gem to help with viewing those negs:-

www.haus.org

Firstly, I only read half the thread, because I'm in a bit of a hurry (so close to Xmas and all). Anyway, I don't really like the idea of the system you are proposing, and I have been at the bad end of a few transactions in my short Ebay career... I like to believe in people.

One time, I purchased an item for $1000 on Ebay, and when it was received it costed me an extra $800 to fix it (it was damaged, not as described).

I got on to the seller, and managed to get them to refund $250 after 2 months of negotiations... I was on the verge of going through Ebay fraud protection.

Anyway, I left negative feedback for them, because they screwed with me for 2 months saying it was my fault and such. And they retaliated with only 2 words (basically).

Me: Very bad experience with seller. Went $800 over budget.

Them: Don't appreciate neg. feedback. Money Refunded.

Money refunded-- ha! They make it seem as though they refunded the $800, when they only refunded $250.

So you see, the neg. feedback system works both ways.

     

Hey Beezo,
Did you *respond* to their crappy feedback with something to the effect of "$250 refunded when repairs cost $800" blah blah blah.

I always respond with my side of the story when I get a bad rap for something. As a buyer I always read the response to neg feedback to see if it was just or not....I am not sure of the limit of responds, but you can do it more than once thats for sure.

Lexie

Hello -- !!

Ah, now this set-up would be the true sniping: being able to take a shot at someone when they can't see it coming and there's no way to return the fire.

Personally I've never left neg feedback (even though there have been a dozen or so that richly deserved it) mainly because you WILL get a neg in return. I'd rather forget about the jerk in question and move on... without the red reminders.

There is one jerk attorney in Chicago that I would pay to stick it to, but he would undoubtedly sue me as threatened.

Happy Holidays -- !!

Thank you and best wishes,
B D S



~

AHHH, yes, I'll bet we all have had one of those guys, Big steve! And Happy Holidays to you too!

Hi Big Steve,
I was just wondering, do you think its fair to the other potential buyers to not give a NEG where it is due??

I have given negs/neutrals and will contine to do as I believe that its only fair to the other Ebayers - otherwise we might as well do away with the feedback system all together.

I have given negs and not received them in return. But then I havent derserved them either. I have also given Neutrals instead of Negatives at times and although the reply to a positive to mine it said "DONE" LOL.

I just dont understand the hesitancy in laying down a deserved Negative.

No offense meant by my comments

Lexie

Hi Mrs M

Lexie

quote:

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Originally posted by region2:
Don't forget this little gem to help with viewing those negs:

http://www.haus.org/cgi-bin/negs

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Negs/Neutrals: Disabled!
Unfortunately, due to the high load imposed on my Web server, the Negs/Neutrals tool has been disabled. Please rest assured that we are doing everything we can to get back up and running.
Oh, and before you ask... This was not done at the request of eBay - if they're even aware of this tool, I don't know about it. This is strictly a matter of the load on haus.org.
Last modified Fri Dec 26 02:05:07 UTC 2003


Too many users and not enough donations?

quote:

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Negs/Neutrals: Disabled!

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I stopped by there a 3 or 4 days ago. There was a slightly different screen asking to e-mail notification of site trouble. I did, and the next day got a very nice Thank You note.

He talks like he has a server of his own, but may have a monthly transmit/receive data limit. If that's the case he should be back on the air in January.

Greetings all, hope you had/are having happy Holy days.

About this 90 day limit for leaving feedback...I don't believe any sort of program that would place feedback at the last second would work...and here is why:
The 90 day rule is not set in stone, I've had items show up, on my feedback to be left list, way past ninety days.

One actually popped up after five months, it was one of thirteen items I purchased from one seller, and I had agonized over leaving the guy 13 Negs for way overcharging for shipping and selling factory seconds, I didn't want thirteen retaliatory Negs, so decided to just let it go.

Any way to make a longer story short, I did Neg him for this one (figured it must be fate for it to show up after so long) and sure enough got one in return. My second out of over two thousand transactions, so I'm not doing to shoddy.

Hope you all have a great New Year.
AS RULES!

robert

Interesting, Robert. I have never had one pop up after the 90 days, but with Ebay, who knows! I just quite simply, don't get in a twist over feedback. I call them like they are. Lol, waiting til the "witching hour" of 90 days reminds me of a child that hits his playmate and runs in the house and slams the door.

quote:

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Originally posted by robert:
The 90 day rule is not set in stone

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I'm glad someone finally cleared that up. Since it isn't exactly 90 days, it might also be possible that ebay may even extend the cutoff time after someone leaves a neg.

That is a good possibilty, Rick..in fairness.

Rick, that is my thinking.

The cutoff time appears to be 90 days after the last auction record update and/or access. Leaving feedback would count as a record update.

>> THIS << auction ended Sep 14 and is still avaliable. Feedback was left Oct 2nd.



[This message was edited by puppy_raiser on December 31, 2003 at 06:12 AM.]

>>> Click here <<<

This was also on ebay's forum:

"Once the item is purged from the system it is impossible to leave feedback."

Incorrect.

Although not 100% effective (more like 90% effective), the following link can be used to leave feedback long after the item has been purged from the database.

http://cgi2.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?LeaveFeedbackShow&nflw=2


There's a bunch of posts on this in ebay's "Feedback Discussion Board". Enter "90" in the "Search Terms".

But, Rick, is this just something posted in a forum format or does it actually go on your personal feedback? And if it is, then we are back to square on feedbacks, aren't we? Well, I still stand pat on my position...don't get parinoid about feedbacks, do what needs to be done for a customer and what will be, will be.

THE SELLER DID NOT GET A GOOD PRICE SO HAS DECLINED TO SHIP...NOW I READ HIS FEEDBACK
AND HE HAS DONE THIS BEFORE AND LEFT BAD FEEDBACK ON THE BIDDERS... ANY RECOURSE?
I'M CURED NOW - WILL READ THE FEEDBACK BEFORE BIDDING

Mory.

Keep all e-mails you have received.

File a complaint with eBay.  

Or if you have paid,



[This message was edited by puppy_raiser on January 02, 2004 at 01:59 PM.]

Since the wonderful neg feedback listing site is down I decided to write a little program to do the same thing. It runs on your computer, so using it won't kill my bandwith It's in beta testing stage at the moment, but if you want a copy you can grab it here:

http://www.mothermaryproductions.com

If you use it, please let me know what you think.

(it's free, so this isn't a blatent plug for commercial software!)