View Full Version : When to leave a neutral?
Apossum
10-05-2005, 09:20 PM
Just wondering when to leave neutrals.
for example, I sold this guy a copy of a game. i just got a neutral simply stating "dammit man." I brought this game to be refurbed by GameCrazy, who temporarily ruined the disc, and I gave the buyer a refund because the game no longer worked, which I explained. That was 2 days after the auction and he just left the feedback now, without responding to the refund or anything.
so naturally, i had to give one back, stating what happened.
was this a "neutral" situation?
from my p.o.v. I would have given the seller a positive for being honest and providing a prompt refund. maybe i'm just an incurable optimist (riiiight...)
Deadpool
10-05-2005, 09:22 PM
I would have left a neutral begause he won an auction but didn't get anything. What if he had a second option to buy from another seller. That is prob not available now. and he's assed out.
Just wondering when to leave neutrals.
for example, i just got a neutral simply stating "dammit man." I brought this game to be refurbed by GameCrazy, who temporarily ruined the disc, and gave him a refund because they game no longer worked, which I explained. That was 2 days after the auction and he just left the feedback now, without responding to the refund or anything.
so naturally, i had to give one back, stating what happened.
was this a "neutral" situation?
from my p.o.v. I would have given the seller a positive for being honest and providing a prompt refund. maybe i'm just an incurable optimist (riiiight...)
I think thats a lot nicer than some of the sellers I've dealt with before :D
Xtreme331
10-05-2005, 09:23 PM
I've only left neutrals when the seller has delivered a product that wasn't exactly as described but still useable, or when dealing with the seller has been such a hassle that it makes any refund/replacement hardly worth the effort. My rule of thumb is if I got what i wanted but feel it really wasn't worth the work or i should have just gotten it somewhere else.
Apossum
10-05-2005, 09:27 PM
Clarified the OP a bit^^^ man, my grammar is slipping..all thanks to college :lol:
anyway, I guess this is was a neutral situation.
Blade
10-05-2005, 10:57 PM
I've only left neutrals when the seller has delivered a product that wasn't exactly as described but still useable, or when dealing with the seller has been such a hassle that it makes any refund/replacement hardly worth the effort. My rule of thumb is if I got what i wanted but feel it really wasn't worth the work or i should have just gotten it somewhere else.
Agreed. I hate getting DVDs that have the french translations printed all over the case when the photo depicts it entirely in english.
zionoverfire
10-05-2005, 11:25 PM
I don't think there is ever a time for neutral feedback, if the seller held up their end and you aren't pleased then simply don't leave feedback.
So you wasted his time by not actually having the item you sold and then gave him neutral feedback on top of it. You should have given him no feedback in my opinion. What did he do to deserve a neutral? Makes you look pretty petty if a buyer really digs into your feedback. You tell your side by responding to the feedback he left, not by leaving bad/neutral feedback in retaliation.
He would have been in his rights to leave you negative FB IMO. (If I were in his shoes I probably would have just left no feedback at all. Similar to a NPB, and I don't leave FB for those in general either.)
fatherofcaitlyn
10-06-2005, 12:49 PM
If you gave the buyer a prompt and full refund, you didn't do anything wrong.
You don't necessarily deserve a positive, but you don't deserve a neutral or negative.
How would I have responded?
I would have left a negative and immediately applied for mutual feedback removal.
If a buyer can't accept unfortunate accidents, other sellers need it brought to their attention or my feedback needs to be left alone.
Quackzilla
10-06-2005, 01:15 PM
You deserved the neutral, and you shouldn't have left a reply feedback.
Apossum
10-06-2005, 01:43 PM
Right, no reply...yeah, that's a brilliant idea. :lol:
So you wasted his time by not actually having the item you sold and then gave him neutral feedback on top of it. You should have given him no feedback in my opinion. What did he do to deserve a neutral? Makes you look pretty petty if a buyer really digs into your feedback. You tell your side by responding to the feedback he left, not by leaving bad/neutral feedback in retaliation.
He would have been in his rights to leave you negative FB IMO. (If I were in his shoes I probably would have just left no feedback at all. Similar to a NPB, and I don't leave FB for those in general either.)
I see feedback as a description of the entire experience. If a seller had his item ruined before he could ship it to me, then sent me an email describing what happened and provided me with a quick refund, I'd call it a positive experience since he provided good customer service and I'd give him a + FB. Good communication and fast service is important, as well getting the item.
This guy deserved a neutral because he didn't communicate and just left a shitty little message saying "dammit man." I was waiting for a response to my message about the refund, even followed up on it, but never got a response. He's not a very good buyer, imo, and so other sellers should know that. What's so hard about writing a quick note saying he got the refund and that he'll leave a neutral.
He could've left a negative (if he wanted to be a complete asshole.)
Do you leave negative feedback for buyers that don't pay? Oh, but if they e-mailed you promptly and had a good reason to not be able to pay, then they'd actually deserve positive feedback, right?
The buyer has an obligation to pay in full, he did that. The seller has an obligation to get the item to the buyer in the condition described (plus mail out in a reasonable time frame, etc.), you didn't do that. Overall experience: he did his part, you didn't do your part.
Ultimately a neutral doesn't affect your rating or the buyer's rating so it's not really a huge deal. Just a somewhat crappy move IMO.
Quackzilla
10-06-2005, 03:01 PM
Right, no reply...yeah, that's a brilliant idea. :lol:
NEVER list anything unless you have it in your posession ready to ship...
...jackass.
Apossum
10-06-2005, 06:55 PM
Do you leave negative feedback for buyers that don't pay? Oh, but if they e-mailed you promptly and had a good reason to not be able to pay, then they'd actually deserve positive feedback, right?
The buyer has an obligation to pay in full, he did that. The seller has an obligation to get the item to the buyer in the condition described (plus mail out in a reasonable time frame, etc.), you didn't do that. Overall experience: he did his part, you didn't do your part.
Ultimately a neutral doesn't affect your rating or the buyer's rating so it's not really a huge deal. Just a somewhat crappy move IMO.
I've had the situation before, and I left a positive, mainly because they left one for me. Other times, no feedback. the person had a clean record of positive feedback, so I assumed this was just a one off time--no problem. I don't care about $20 that much..I can relist it easily. I guess it depends on your outlook and how bureaucratic or cold you want to be about it. I choose to be neither, I leave negatives when it's a bad experience-- no communication, trying to scam, deadbeats, etc.
but yeah, It's not like I care that much, this thread was to see what other people thought about neutrals.....
NEVER list anything unless you have it in your posession ready to ship...
...jackass.
it was in my possesion. Sure, I could've had it refurbed before hand, but it shouldn't have been a problem. Thanks for the advice
...quackzilla.
swetooth9
10-06-2005, 07:00 PM
yea, it was a neutral situation...dont worry about it though...just dont let it happen again and you should be fine
pimp tyranny
10-06-2005, 07:05 PM
i've only left one neutral, and the reason was that the seller said original box, manual, and disc for MGS: TS, and it came in a blockbuster box.
swetooth9
10-06-2005, 07:24 PM
i've only left one neutral, and the reason was that the seller said original box, manual, and disc for MGS: TS, and it came in a blockbuster box.
i would have negged that one, personally...
Just wondering when to leave neutrals.
for example, I sold this guy a copy of a game. i just got a neutral simply stating "dammit man." I brought this game to be refurbed by GameCrazy, who temporarily ruined the disc, and I gave the buyer a refund because the game no longer worked, which I explained. That was 2 days after the auction and he just left the feedback now, without responding to the refund or anything.
so naturally, i had to give one back, stating what happened.
was this a "neutral" situation?
from my p.o.v. I would have given the seller a positive for being honest and providing a prompt refund. maybe i'm just an incurable optimist (riiiight...)
I would have given you a negative. He did his part paid in full on time.
How do you feel when you order online and your order gets cancelled? He wanted the game and he chose to buy it off of you. You fucked up and auctioned something that you didn't have. (You did not have a refurbished game. You had a game that you were getting refurbished.) This BS happens on Ebay way too much. I know shit happens but in this case this is not to be categorized as a shit happens but categorized as a fuck up on your part.
On top of it all you gave the buyer a neutral for your fuck up.
Troopa
10-06-2005, 08:28 PM
I never give negatives because then the person will just give you a negative.
Apossum
10-06-2005, 08:43 PM
I would have given you a negative. He did his part paid in full on time.
How do you feel when you order online and your order gets cancelled? He wanted the game and he chose to buy it off of you. You fucked up and auctioned something that you didn't have. (You did not have a refurbished game. You had a game that you were getting refurbished.) This BS happens on Ebay way too much. I know shit happens but in this case this is not to be categorized as a shit happens but categorized as a fuck up on your part.
On top of it all you gave the buyer a neutral for your fuck up.
How do I feel? I don't give a shit. It's a video game or a movie or something...not exactly a life threatening situation. I don't get all emo about it :lol: If it were a textbook, that would be a different story. yeah, I fucked up, but I had a pretty "neutral" experience on my end too, so that's why I left it.
btw, This "BS" doesn't happen to me very much--I know a lot of people spout rhetoric about how messed up ebay is, but things have always went well for the most part for me, since I don't treat people like shit and I make sure everything's in order, with pictures of the item, the descriptions, feedback, shipping, payments, everything. I have had like 2 deadbeat bidders, maybe 2 who couldn't pay, and I've had 1 refund.
out of about 100 deals, that's not bad.
'kay, this thread is done with....if anyone wants to PM any burning questions or rants, go ahead :-P
help1
10-06-2005, 08:51 PM
When to leave a neutral.... When you have over 10000 positive feed back and 0 negative.
Graystone
10-06-2005, 09:09 PM
I leave a neutral (or a neg for that matter) only when I have received feedback first for fear of retaliation. Anyway I would leave a neutral if the seller buyer took way to long to ship or pay more then 3 weeks. If I buy something and it's not as described like if I buy a game and it says mint or complete and I get it and their is no case or manual.
There has been a few times that I have left no feedback at all. I sold an item and then the person afterwards said they did not bid or something to that extent. I had one person say that their kid bid on the item. I bought a GBA cart and I finally got it after about a month and it was a bootleg. So I left neutral saying item as described however a bootleg copy.
How do I feel? I don't give a shit. It's a video game or a movie or something...not exactly a life threatening situation. I don't get all emo about it :lol: If it were a textbook, that would be a different story. yeah, I fucked up, but I had a pretty "neutral" experience on my end too, so that's why I left it.
btw, This "BS" doesn't happen to me very much--I know a lot of people spout rhetoric about how messed up ebay is, but things have always went well for the most part for me, since I don't treat people like shit and I make sure everything's in order, with pictures of the item, the descriptions, feedback, shipping, payments, everything. I have had like 2 deadbeat bidders, maybe 2 who couldn't pay, and I've had 1 refund.
out of about 100 deals, that's not bad.
'kay, this thread is done with....if anyone wants to PM any burning questions or rants, go ahead :-P
I am not starting a flame war with you or anything like that. I am just telling you how I feel on this subject since you asked. You seem to be more laid back then I am on things.
I am a casual ebayer buying and selling. I have had many experinces of auctions being pulled on the last day when I was the high bidder. This is the worst because you can't leave asshats like that bad feedback. When I first started Ebaying I had a few sellers pull out after I won the auction (one after I sent the MO.) I never left any negs for them or any feedback. I wish I would have left them negs looking back on it.
day.
Your point about it just being a video game is moot IMHO. It shouldn't matter if you are spending $2 or $2k, if the items are old coke bottles or shoes for your wedding
Off topic but Ebay needs a new and better feedback system.
YoshiFan1
10-06-2005, 10:36 PM
EBay will remove the feedback if you use the feedback removal form because he cursed in the feedback message. I had negative feedback removed when the buyer used the same curse word (this is different that the feedback withdrawl).
Apossum
10-06-2005, 11:26 PM
I am not starting a flame war with you or anything like that. I am just telling you how I feel on this subject since you asked. You seem to be more laid back then I am on things.
I am a casual ebayer buying and selling. I have had many experinces of auctions being pulled on the last day when I was the high bidder. This is the worst because you can't leave asshats like that bad feedback. When I first started Ebaying I had a few sellers pull out after I won the auction (one after I sent the MO.) I never left any negs for them or any feedback. I wish I would have left them negs looking back on it.
day.
Your point about it just being a video game is moot IMHO. It shouldn't matter if you are spending $2 or $2k, if the items are old coke bottles or shoes for your wedding
Off topic but Ebay needs a new and better feedback system.
no problem, me neither, I just tend to swear a lot ;-) sellers who pull auctions at the last minute definitely suck. yeah, I suppose different attitudes mess with feedback a lot..it would be nice if Ebay changed it up (but they're so rich that I doubt they care anymore.)