The importance of eBay feedback
Whether users are looking to take advantage of eBay's services on the buying or selling side, acquiring positive, and credible feedback, is key. Having a breadcrumb trail of praise littered on your feedback page is one way to increase a user's credibility on the site and could lead to increased sale prices, making it important that users do everything in their power to build a convincing wealth of feedback.
The feedback ecosystem
It is a valuable ecosystem and one of the site's best features. It allows buyers and sellers to quickly size one another up before deciding whether to make a purchase. Furthermore, priority in search results is directly impacted by user's feedback rating, making it imperative for users to secure positive ratings.
However, new users find themselves in a Catch 22 situation; buyers may not want to purchase a seller's wares as it can be a risk buying from a seller with low feedback, but in order to build feedback, sellers need to make sales. It might not make too much of a difference for the occasional eBay user but it can be a vicious cycle for those looking to establish themselves as a prominent buyer and seller on the platform.
How do users manage to lift themselves from this perilous situation?
Being a great eBay user
It pays to be the best eBay user you can be. Polite messages, prompt delivery, accurate descriptions and a faultless transaction should be the norm when using eBay and, as such, being a positive user means it is highly likely you will receive positive feedback in return. Essentially, treat other users the way you would like to be treated.
On the buying side, it is recommended to leave feedback for the seller first before expecting the seller to leave feedback. Try and send a polite message to the seller thanking them for the sale and reminding them you just left some positive feedback. However if buyers do not receive a reply, just ignore the seller and continue to use eBay as normal - repeated requests for feedback may land buyers with a negative message instead of a positive one.
Choosing to purchase from a seller with large amounts of positive feedback is another way to build your own. The better the score of the seller, the chances of landing positive feedback in return are greater as high-ranking sellers tend to be exceptional users of the platform.
Building a sizable feedback profile can be tough but by following best practice and being a polite, conscientious buyer/seller, users can beat the feedback cycle and embrace it as a positive system, instead of viewing it as an inconvenience.