Why do they allow private feedback on Ebay?

[KeithTalent]

Ok, I am very new to Ebay, only purchased a couple of things like DVDs and games, but I was just surfing around the CPU section to see what was there and saw this:

Conroe for Sale

So this guy is selling a $1,200.00 item and we can't see his feedback? It makes no freaking sense to me. As far as I can tell feedback is the only way to determine if someone is worth buying from/selling to so if they take that away, how is there any transparency? Making your feedback private just makes it seem like you have something to hide IMO.

Can someone explain the logic to me?

Would you ever buy from someone with private feedback?

 

[TallBill]

Its usually private for adult related sellers. So people cant see who is buying dildos and what not on ebay.

 

[Reel]

A lot of private feedback settings that I have seen are people who recently got a negative and are hiding it from you so you won't know. It seems rather shady but I bought from one or two and had no problem.

 

[TheGizmo]

Originally posted by: TallBill
Its usually private for adult related sellers. So people cant see who is buying dildos and what not on ebay.

lol its true but this is the case

 

[KeithTalent]

Originally posted by: Reel
A lot of private feedback settings that I have seen are people who recently got a negative and are hiding it from you so you won't know. It seems rather shady but I bought from one or two and had no problem.

Yeah, that seems totally shady. I try and keep everything I buy on there below $50 so I will not be out of pocket too much should I get scammed.

 

[KeithTalent]

Originally posted by: TallBill
Its usually private for adult related sellers. So people cant see who is buying dildos and what not on ebay.

Hilarious, I had no idea they even sold that stuff on there.

 

[rml]

I could think of a few more reasons why people wants to use Private feedback.
1) If the seller bought things from eBay and resell it for a profit, he/she does not want people know how much he paid for the item originally.
2) If seller has a few other similar items for sale, he/she does not want people to know the final closing price for previous auctions.
3) Seller is selling something that might not be 100% legit, something like coupon code (that marked not for resale), or selling software that does not meet OEM requirements.

 

[KeithTalent]

Originally posted by: rml
I could think of a few more reasons why people wants to use Private feedback.
1) If the seller bought things from eBay and resell it for a profit, he/she does not want people know how much he paid for the item originally.
2) If seller has a few other similar items for sale, he/she does not want people to know the final closing price for previous auctions.
3) Seller is selling something that might not be 100% legit, something like coupon code (that marked not for resale), or selling software that does not meet OEM requirements.

Interesting points, never thought of it from that perspective.

 

[kami333]

Originally posted by: KeithTalent

Originally posted by: TallBill
Its usually private for adult related sellers. So people cant see who is buying dildos and what not on ebay.

Hilarious, I had no idea they even sold that stuff on there.

Broadband killed a lot of the adult sales, it used to be that you could sell fetish videos for around $20-50 each, now everyone just downloads them.

 

[MrFanel]

I'd email the guy and would ask him to disclose the feedback since you are interested in the product but want to be sure that you are not gonna get ripped off; at the same time, I'd email eBay and say that he is selling something that is possibly fraud since the proc has not been yet released.

 

[pontifex]

Originally posted by: kami333

Originally posted by: KeithTalent

Originally posted by: TallBill
Its usually private for adult related sellers. So people cant see who is buying dildos and what not on ebay.

Hilarious, I had no idea they even sold that stuff on there.

Broadband killed a lot of the adult sales, it used to be that you could sell fetish videos for around $20-50 each, now everyone just downloads them.

you seem to know a lot about that...:Q

 

[KeithTalent]

Originally posted by: pontifex

Originally posted by: kami333

Originally posted by: KeithTalent

Originally posted by: TallBill
Its usually private for adult related sellers. So people cant see who is buying dildos and what not on ebay.

Hilarious, I had no idea they even sold that stuff on there.

Broadband killed a lot of the adult sales, it used to be that you could sell fetish videos for around $20-50 each, now everyone just downloads them.

you seem to know a lot about that...:Q

Lol, I was thinking the same thing :laugh:

 

[KeithTalent]

Originally posted by: MrFanel
I'd email the guy and would ask him to disclose the feedback since you are interested in the product but want to be sure that you are not gonna get ripped off; at the same time, I'd email eBay and say that he is selling something that is possibly fraud since the proc has not been yet released.

This is what spurred me to create the thread here. I have no interest in paying $1,200.00 US for something the guy probably does/should not have, hopefully nobody else will either.

 

[rml]

Originally posted by: KeithTalent

Originally posted by: MrFanel
I'd email the guy and would ask him to disclose the feedback since you are interested in the product but want to be sure that you are not gonna get ripped off; at the same time, I'd email eBay and say that he is selling something that is possibly fraud since the proc has not been yet released.

This is what spurred me to create the thread here. I have no interest in paying $1,200.00 US for something the guy probably does/should not have, hopefully nobody else will either.

For this particular seller, I will avoid buying anything over $50 from him/her. However, someone already placed the bid. Hopefully, that buyer did not pay yet.

People could easily build up 40-50 positive feedback by buying/selling inexpensive items.
Then hide the feedback and start selling high $ items. Once he/she got your money, they will be gone.

I still buy from people having private feedback only if one or more of the followings:
1) the item is very inexpensive
2) seller has over 1000 positive and only a small number or zero negative
3) seller is also a PowerSeller (needs to have 90% positive feedbacks, average $1000 sales for three consecutive months)

Bid with caution. If deal is too good to be true, it probably is.

 

[KeithTalent]

Originally posted by: rml

Originally posted by: KeithTalent

Originally posted by: MrFanel
I'd email the guy and would ask him to disclose the feedback since you are interested in the product but want to be sure that you are not gonna get ripped off; at the same time, I'd email eBay and say that he is selling something that is possibly fraud since the proc has not been yet released.

This is what spurred me to create the thread here. I have no interest in paying $1,200.00 US for something the guy probably does/should not have, hopefully nobody else will either.

For this particular, I will avoid buying anything over $50 from him/her.

People could easily build up 40-50 positive feedback by buying/selling inexpensive items.
Then hide the feedback and start selling high $ items. Once he/she got your money, they will be gone.

I still buy from people having private feedback only if one or more of the followings:
1) the item is very inexpensive
2) seller has over 1000 positive and only a small number or zero negative
3) seller is also a PowerSeller (needs to have 90% positive feedbacks, average $1000 sales for three consecutive months)

Bid with caution. If deal is too good to be true, it probably is.

Words of wisdom to be sure. I did, however, buy a copy of God of War off some guy with only 2 feedback at the time and I received great correspondence and the game came in about 3 days; was only $15 all in though. I figure as long as I stick to my <$50 rule I should be ok.

 

[rudder]

Originally posted by: MrFanel
I'd email the guy and would ask him to disclose the feedback since you are interested in the product but want to be sure that you are not gonna get ripped off; at the same time, I'd email eBay and say that he is selling something that is possibly fraud since the proc has not been yet released.

the text says it will ship when he receives it. Could be a month before he gets one!

 

[kami333]

Originally posted by: KeithTalent

Originally posted by: pontifex

Originally posted by: kami333

Originally posted by: KeithTalent

Originally posted by: TallBill
Its usually private for adult related sellers. So people cant see who is buying dildos and what not on ebay.

Hilarious, I had no idea they even sold that stuff on there.

Broadband killed a lot of the adult sales, it used to be that you could sell fetish videos for around $20-50 each, now everyone just downloads them.

you seem to know a lot about that...:Q

Lol, I was thinking the same thing :laugh:

How do you think I made money during college😀

 

[HardcoreRobot]

ebays whole feedback / evaluation / history system is a disgrace

 

[KeithTalent]

Originally posted by: HardcoreRobot
ebays whole feedback / evaluation / history system is a disgrace

Explain further please. Je ne comprends pas.

 

[kami333]

Originally posted by: KeithTalent

Originally posted by: HardcoreRobot
ebays whole feedback / evaluation / history system is a disgrace

Explain further please. Je ne comprends pas.

He's probably bringing up the point that people don't post legitimately negative feedback because they are afraid of retaliatory feedback. I'll admit that when I was a seller, I wouldn't post negative feedback if I thought it would earn me a negative in return.

 

[I Saw OJ]

I thought selling adult related items on ebay was against their TOS? Even if all those private sales were dildos dont you have to be an adult to have an ebay account anyway?

 

[KeithTalent]

Originally posted by: kami333

Originally posted by: KeithTalent

Originally posted by: HardcoreRobot
ebays whole feedback / evaluation / history system is a disgrace

Explain further please. Je ne comprends pas.

He's probably bringing up the point that people don't post legitimately negative feedback because they are afraid of retaliatory feedback. I'll admit that when I was a seller, I wouldn't post negative feedback if I thought it would earn me a negative in return.

Hmm, interesting, I have seen this same sort of thing debated in the For Sale/trade forum. You want to leave a neutral/negative to indicate the actual experience, while at the same time you do not want to potentally hurt yourself by getting a negative/neutral in return. Tough call I guess.

I guess you just have to go with your gut and what you are comfortable with in the end.

 

[kami333]

Originally posted by: I Saw OJ
I thought selling adult related items on ebay was against their TOS? Even if all those private sales were dildos dont you have to be an adult to have an ebay account anyway?

You have to be over 18 to have an eBay account, but you don't need to be 18 to view auctions. Everything adult related has to be posted in their adult section, Mature Audiences. To view or search those listings you have to have an account, which means you are 18. Some people here who use FS/FT have their eBay feedback linked, do you think they want us to know if they bought a used fleshlight?

 

[kami333]

Originally posted by: KeithTalent

Originally posted by: kami333

Originally posted by: KeithTalent

Originally posted by: HardcoreRobot
ebays whole feedback / evaluation / history system is a disgrace

Explain further please. Je ne comprends pas.

He's probably bringing up the point that people don't post legitimately negative feedback because they are afraid of retaliatory feedback. I'll admit that when I was a seller, I wouldn't post negative feedback if I thought it would earn me a negative in return.

Hmm, interesting, I have seen this same sort of thing debated in the For Sale/trade forum. You want to leave a neutral/negative to indicate the actual experience, while at the same time you do not want to potentally hurt yourself by getting a negative/neutral in return. Tough call I guess.

I guess you just have to go with your gut and what you are comfortable with in the end.

I have a neg from a buyer who has a -3 feedback. I forgot to report them to eBay or they would be unregistered by now.

You've probably seen some responses here regarding eBay, most members regard sellers as crooks and are like "OMG that seller doesn't have 100% feedback so he must be a scammer!!!" etc. It would be nice if people kept things in perspective, it's not like newegg has a perfect resellerratings score, but since that is not the case it's hard. Established sellers have a lot more to lose than a buyer (especially a new one since they can just go make a new account). I wish eBay would require a minimum transaction rating before your feedback counted, like you have to have had 20 transactions or your feedback doesn't count (but the comment still gets posted)