Seller News June 2010

Working actively to protect sellers

The exploitation of Feedback is a concern to eBay. Regardless of research showing that only a small minority of buyers abuse or misuse the Feedback system, eBay is working actively to protect sellers from buyers who:

• Try to extort the seller. For example, the buyer threatened to leave negative or neutral Feedback unless the seller provides goods or services not included in the original listing.
• Target a seller by purchasing many items but leaving neutral or negative Feedback regardless of the buying experience.
• Leave positive Feedback overall but continually score sellers 1 or 2 stars on the detailed seller ratings.
• Leave Feedback that is abusive or inappropriate as described within the Feedback Abuse policy.

Learn more about the Feedback abuse policy and how to resolve Feedback disputes.

Protection through proactive investigations

If buyers are leaving a large number of low detailed ratings, emails are sent to educate them on its impact to the seller and to inform them on how Feedback should be left.

If the buyer continues to do this, or is found to be a business competitor, Feedback left will be removed and the buyer’s account will be suspended (including related selling accounts).

Protection from single buyer Feedback causing disproportionate impact

Sellers are also protected because investigations ensure that a single buyer (or a small group of buyers) does not have a disproportionate impact on a seller by causing them to lose their status, such as eBay Top-rated, or preventing them from gaining it.

What else can sellers do?

1. Ask buyers to revise negative feedback. If sellers believe they have received unfair negative or neutral Feedback, they can ask the buyer to revise it. Often, a buyer will do this if the seller managed to resolve the issue for which the negative Feedback was originally left. Learn more about requesting Feedback revision or submit a Feedback revision request now
2. Block buyers with unpaid item cases. Sellers should consider using Buyer Requirements to block buyers with unpaid items or policy violation reports recorded against them.

1. What can sellers do if they have received a lot of negative or neutral Feedback?
2. What happens when a suspected case is reported?
3. What is an example of an email that will be sent to buyers who are leaving a larger number of low ratings than average?
4. How can a Feedback revision request be submitted?

1. What can sellers do if they have received a lot of negative or neutral Feedback?

Just because a seller has received a lot of negative or neutral Feedback, or positive Feedback with low star ratings, does not mean that the seller is the subject of abuse or misuse of Feedback. Feedback is the opinion of the buyer, and there may be legitimate reasons why a buyer has left this Feedback.

If a seller is consistently receiving poor ratings, it could be an indication that the seller may need to improve in a particular area. Review these tips on how to improve your detailed seller ratings.

However, if sellers believe that the Feedback they have received is from a buyer who is abusing or misusing the Feedback system, they should report it so that investigations may begin and appropriate action taken. Account managers can assist with this.

2. What happens when a suspected case is reported?

All cases are investigated. If a pattern of abuse or misuse of the Feedback system is identified, action may be taken that includes educating the buyer concerned, imposing buying or selling restrictions, proceeding to suspending the buyer’s account and linked selling accounts.

3. What is an example of an email that will be sent to buyers who are leaving a larger number of low ratings than average?

The email will be sent to My Messages and the buyer's registered email address. It will read along these lines:

“We noticed that you’ve left positive Feedback with low Detailed Seller Ratings (DSRs) for several sellers lately. There may be times when this is appropriate, but in most cases DSRs and the overall rating should be consistent. More importantly, leaving low DSRs with positive Feedback could be viewed as an attempt to intentionally hurt a seller’s reputation.

You aren’t allowed to leave inaccurate Feedback just to harm a seller’s reputation. If we find that this is happening, we’ll take action.”

4. How can a Feedback revision request be submitted?

Under certain circumstances, sellers can ask their buyers to revise the neutral or negative Feedback they were left:

• Sellers can send a limited number of Feedback revision requests per calendar year. For every 1,000 Feedback scores a seller receives in a year (positive + neutral + negative) they are eligible to send 5 Feedback revision requests.
• Sellers can request a Feedback revision only after they’ve resolved a problem with the transaction or if they think the buyer accidentally left them wrong Feedback.
• Communicate with the buyer and clearly explain the reason sellers want the feedback revised.

Sellers can access the Request Feedback Revision page from the Feedback page on My eBay. But sellers should only do so if they are sure the buyer has been satisfied or they risk wasting their limited number of Feedback revision requests.

Learn more about requesting Feedback revision

Submit a Feedback revision request