h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

eBay is banning negative seller comments:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7228460.stm

I had a bad experience with eBay. A computer games dealer advertised a game as the DVD edition when in fact it was the inferior CD edition. I got pissed off at receiving this, especially since I had contacted him to determine whether it was the DVD edition beforehand and he ignored my message. So I left negative feedback, and got a whole load of retaliatory negative feedback myself calling me an 'idiot' and a 'timewaster'. This tended to put me off the experience of buying on there.

Trawling through his feedback I noticed that this was a common tactic of his: ignore emails and wrongly advertise goods and then when the negatives came back to get into a slanging match with his customers in the hope that the customer would withdraw the feedback: there were a lot of mutually withdrawn comments. I decided not to play this game. I'm glad I stuck to my guns because with any luck eBay's new policy will be restrospectively applied as well. And that shyster's ratings will start to plummet.

I am not familiar with ebay's comment system. How will the bloke's rating plummet if he doesn't get negative comments? Just by lack of positive ones?

Besides, I'm sure you can disguise scathing comments as compliments. Ebay users may become very good at rhetorics and analysing hidden meanings of texts.

Kieslowski once said that he regretted a bit the censorship which existed in Poland at the beginning of his career. His argument went like this: when a film has to pass through a censors' committee, the director become smarter at concealing his or her message, and the public at understanding it. But of course, also the censors become smarter and more skilled at cutting out what they don't like; this in turns makes the director even more subtle, etc. Without censorship, Kieslowski felt that those skills were a bit lost.

The comments that will be banned are those from sellers about buyers, not the other way around. I take what you say about those skills becoming lost, though.

Yes, it was quite an interesting and unusual point of view.

It has made a mockery of the feedback process that people can leave dodgy feedback for your genuine complaint. I've got a 'mutually withdrawn rating' on my account, and if I see that on seller's accounts I never buy from them.

I never leave feedback until it's been left for me anymore, partly because of this, and I'd certainly never leave negative feedback if they haven't already left my feedback. But I don't think this is the answer.

Perhaps they should change it to - sellers can't leave negative feedback *after* they've received it.

I'd quite like to know if someone bidding on my stuff is a dodgy scumbag, and if sellers aren't allowed to leave neg feedback, how can I tell? What about those non-paying bidders? Why can't I leave them true feedback as they've wasted my time?

But you're not supposed to mail your goods unless you receive payment, are you? So I suppose that you have the assurance that (unless they are paying in person) you aren't going to lose out. And eBay has mechanisms already in place for dealing with bad payers, doesn't it?

If they ban negative seller comments, then they'll get a percentage of people who will complain because they have nothing to lose. However, all sellers are in the same boat: It shouldn't be a case of whether you have a perfect rating just how it compares to that of others. People are now *too afraid* of posting negative feedback on eBay, and as a result the whole assurance mechanism was becoming a joke.

No I won't post until I get the cash, but I'll have wasted time, and money advertising it, and if they bounce a cheque that's even longer before I realise I've got to advertise it again.

I suppose I'll live, but I'd still like to see feedback - non paying bidder reports don't show up on feedbacks I don't think.

Well, I suppose one way of dealing with it is to set up specific categories of complaints: cheques bouncing, non-payment within a certain time etc. If a buyer gets more thasn a certain number of these in a certain time, then they get banned. Three strikes and yer out, matey.

Thought I'd let you know that because of this I felt confident to leave neg feedback for someone who sent me some total shite instead of what I'd actually ordered. At least I know they won't be able to retaliate with lies now!

Thought I'd let you know that because of this I felt confident to leave neg feedback for someone who sent me some total shite instead of what I'd actually ordered. At least I know they won't be able to retaliate with lies now!

Even if it doesn't start for another two months. Oopps. Oh well...

Oh, what was it? Do tell.

I ordered some dog supplies from a company closing down so having a clear out. Two of the items they swapped the one advertised for something else - they put a note in to say I could send them back for a refund but they didn't include postage or mention it and I didn't see the note until I'd opened some of the stuff because it was at the bottom of the pack.

I've tried the dog treats on ten different dogs and none of them will eat them. So I felt justified in complaining! I did leave good feedback for the items they sent that were correct.

Nice little poo bag kit, ideal for keeping in car
Job Lot Of 2 Doggy Waste Pick Up Kits

Different item sent, but does work so I accepted the change.
Adhesive Lint Roller + Refills - Remove Pet Hair

Different items to listing sent. None of my dogs like them,
Dog Treats - Xmas Snacks - Twin Pack Of Snacks

Gotta stand up for what you believe in. Even if it has repercussions sometimes.

yeah about time to with ebay, managed negative feedback on my first purchase, disputed the item was not as advertised meant to be computer monitor turned out to be ebook, yet not advertised in right section.

Yes this guy wanted, my feedback withdrawn, despite it being factually correct, left negative feedback on my page ect..

none of this seem to matter, when it came to getting my money back despite complaining within to minutes of the item closing, or pointing out the this guys positive feedback was boosted by purchasers of free items(1cent) jpegs in fact... be nice to see feed back withdrawn for items under a certain amount next....