Ebay's New Feedback System Should Boost Revenue

Jason Jones: eBay's latest townhall meeting featured Brian Burke, the manager and visionary behind Ebay's recently launched Feedback 2.0 system (transcript). Burke explained how the new system improves the buying experience and increases conversion rates (at least in tests).

Feedback 2.0 enhances eBay's current rating system by adding more detail (the current system is nearly worthless because so many sellers have 98%+positive feedback).  Buyers can now rate sellers on four criteria: item description, communications, shipping time, and shipping/handling charges.  Each category gets a 1-to-5 rating, and the average score is displayed on the seller's Feedback page.  The goal is to drive traffic from bad sellers to good sellers and help all sellers improve. 

The system was tested for 2 months in 8 global markets prior to last week's U.S. launch.  In the tests, 70-75% of buyers left detailed seller ratings, and overall conversion rates increased (conversion for sellers with ratings below 3 declined). 

This new system should help eBay continue to drive higher revenue per listing--one key to revitalizing the core commerce business.  Recent RPL gains have come as a result of reduced listings after the Ebay Store pricing hike in August.  Feedback 2.0 should modestly boost RPL in the second half of 2007. 

Comments

[anne]

Have you lost your mind???This system they added sucks for sellers. I ship two times per day and sellers can rate me on shipping time and give bad marks because the post office was slow and buyers that dont pay use it as a way to leave anonymous bad marks behind my back.a lday that took 2 months to pay said i had slow shipping when i shipped same day and she got her dress in 3 days.

[Shelly Summers]

This system is totally one-sided for the Buyers. Ebay would NOT BE IN BUSINESS WITHOUT THE SELLERS and yet we have NO recourse to respond or even defend these anonymous attacks! How and Why should a seller be rated on Shipping Time & Shipping Charges? 1st as a Seller we have NO CONTROL over USPS or UPS! I ship packages out within 24 to 48 hours, but once it gets in the hands of USPS I have no more control of the time that it takes. 2nd- No Buyer is ever going to think Shipping Charges are Fair unless they get it shipped for Free!! Buyers never consider the cost of tape, boxes, bubble wrap/peanuts packing material, mailers, labels, delivery confirmation or time. I never charge over $1 on handling and yet I constantly get stars chomped for Shipping Charges!@$# Come On!! This is totally absurd!!! And where is the star feedback system for Sellers to leave Buyers for Communication & Time it takes for payment to be received?

So basically Sellers have No control over Postal Time & Shipping & Handling is stated in 99% of all auctions, so the Buyer is already aware of how much they are paying up front- so if they don't like the s&h than don't bid! Don't give the sellers all of this power!! Without Sellers there is NO EBAY & I would hope Ebay doesn't get to big for its britches in thinking that people will not sell their items on other sites. Whoever thought up this s#@t obviously had nothing else to do that day!

Horrible -Worthless Bullsh@t Feedback System!

[Thomas Thorn]

Hi,
I and other friends have noticed that ebay protect sellers even bad sellers ! Bad sellers charge excessive shipping fees because they know ebay cannot do anything about it. I recently had an experience that a seller named 21canstamp demanded $ 4.10 US to send a # 8 size envelope from Ontario to Québec Canada. Normal costs fot this shipping is .52 ¢ Canadian. The seller had included hidden costs duirng the sale that were only calculated after the sale has finished.
The buyer is caught in a two way trap, if he declines to pay for the item his name is black listed and receives negative points. However if the seller receives negative feedback he can have ebay remove the negative points within days after the transaction. (Nice policy)
Like many bad sellers on ebay this seller 21canstamp is a crook !
Beware of the hidden shipping charges !

[Mark Kennedy]

I am an Ebay seller with over 500 positive feedback and 1 negative. I lost and item and thought the post office had lost it. A year later, I found the item and shipped to the buyer after he had left me a negative feedback and now we are friends. At one time I would look for items to sell on Ebay, but never agin. Ebay`s new Star 2.0 system is the lowest Ebay has ever stooped to generate a little revenue. I will find other ways to sell the Ebay items I have. Now is the time for someone to start a site to compete with Greedbay. I will pay the same fees and stay with them through the startup stage until they get things going. There is no such think as loyalty to Dictatorbay anymore and and everyone I know wants Google, Walmart, Donald Trump or somebody to start a site to give them some competition because we are ready to leave in masses.

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[truthdetector]

I would find te new feedback system more equitable if there were a similar anonymous system for the seller to leave feedback on the buyer. I have bought and sold on ebay for years and had very little problem, but the nutjobs are out there. Look at Shelly Summers comments above. I went and looked at this auction and found the item in question. The S&H Charges were clearly detailed in the auction listing. No hidden fees. In Big Bold Text it states $2.90 for the first and $0.60 for each additional. They bought 3 lots so they were charged $4.10. If it is not worth paying somebody $4.10 to ship a bunch of stamps don't bid. If the buyer doesn't pay for something they agreed to buy they can certainly expect negative feedback. Sorry but the buyer is responsible for their actions. If the shipping isn't fair don't bid.

[mike]

sellers + buyers = ebay, now eBay new feedback system offer TOO MUCH power to buyer, even shipping cost, seller state the shipping cost in the auction clearly, if you think the shipping cost is high, just don't bid. WHY BID THEN COMPLAINT ABOUT SHIPPING COST?
yes, the above Thomas Thorn is right, it's time to say goodbye to eBay, we can set up a website and sell the same thing.
IF YOU HAVE EBAY STOCK, SELL IT NOW.

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