Yeah, I read about it yesterday. Although, I barely sell anything, it seems like a really crap new system. Buyers SHOULD be able to receive negative feedback if they don't pay or take forever in paying. I don't get it.
* No negative or neutral Feedback for buyers
The current system prevents buyers from leaving honest Feedback as they fear retaliation from the sellers if they leave a negative. This makes it hard for buyers to distinguish between sellers while making bidding or buying decisions. In addition, when buyers receive negative Feedback, they reduce their activity in the marketplace, which in-turn harms all sellers.
On the other side of the issue, this sums up my Ebay life over the past year.
Some rat bastard refused to refund my money when his package never came after 2 months. When I forced a Paypal dispute, he gave the money back without fighting it with Paypal, and then left me my first (and only) negative feedback out of spite. As a result, I haven't felt like ebaying since last spring because I got tired of that crap.
I suppose it's a pretty good set up for buyers. There have been a few times that I would have left negative, or at least neutral, feedback to a seller for bad service. I didn't bother leaving any, because I figured they'd retaliate. Plus, I do get tired of sellers not giving feedback unless they get their's FIRST. I did my half of the deal when I paid promptly, so gimme my feedback, then you get yours. The buyer is the one that takes the risk, after all.
Erin wrote: The buyer is the one that takes the risk, after all.
Exactly... so that's why they're changing the feedback system to meet the needs of the buyer in cases like this, of which there are plenty.
I've done about 100 transactions on eBay, and I'd say about 90 of those times, they didn't leave feedback unless I left it first. Many times I received questionable (or downright poor) service from sellers, but if I'd squack, they'd punish me with neutral or negative feedback.
In the end, more buyers will benefit from this new system than sellers will be hurt. Sellers don't need to be warned about bad buyers. If the buyer is bad, it will become evident within 10 days when the money hasn't arrived. I don't think too many people are stupid enough to send the goods before receiving the money, so it's no skin off their back.