Reply #81: Feedback shouldn't be left until it's paid for and received. [View All]

[AZBlue]

I don't care who goes first, but for both parties it's best to find out that the other person is happy with the transaction and isn't a nut, to be blunt.

I once sold a Kate Spade shopping bag to someone on ebay. It was a shopping bag from the store, not one of their purses. I stated this, described the item and included a photo. It seemed an odd thing to sell, but I'd seen others do it and it indeed sold for just under $10 the first time I listed it.

The buyer paid me and I shipped the bag right off to her. Imagine my surprise a few days later when I received quite an inflammatory and raving e-mail from her, telling me that I'd ripped her off because she thought she was buying an actual Kate Spade purse for $10. Despite the description, the photo and obvious price, she claimed I'd cheated her and unless I gave her the money back, she was leaving me negative feedback. I told her to go ahead - and I'd be happy to do the same to warn future sellers about her. That was the last I'd heard from her.

I've also had two auctions in which the buyer held me responsible for actions of the Post Office even after they'd waived the insurance (I now don't even make that an option).

Most of the time feedback is used as it was intended - to give an honest appraisal of the transaction. However, sometimes it unfortunately has to be used to "negotiate" your way to sanity. I learned with that transaction to wait it out and make sure everything is on the up and up before posting. Once a buyer has indicated that they've received the item and everything's good, I'm happy to leave feedback. But not before. And as a buyer, I never expect a seller to leave me feedback until I've told them I've received the item.