CLOSED: Feedback ??? like on ebay

does anyone know if there is a place where you can leave feedback about a trade like they have on ebay? That way you can check on the person before you make a trade to see if they have a good track record and are reliable or not on their trades. If not, Dave.....we sure need such a place for feedback. So far, I have had good experiences except for one.

This is under discussion here:

http://davesgarden.com/t/395763/#new

The feedback on eBay isn't as reliable as you might think. I have learned through experience that all a seller has to do to have a negative feedback removed is pay a small fee. So my feedback netted a retaliatory negative, and I wasn't willing to play the game by paying so it stayed in my record. The person who had sent damaged used goods instead of new unopened goods has no trace of the transaction to implicate her. It left a really bitter taste in my mouth, and I am not likely to be influenced by feedback again.

Really, Aimee? Who is the fee paid to? eBay, or to the negative poster? Wish I had known that!!

I didn't know that either Aimee.

i guess you still can't always believe what you read (sigh) why can't people just be honest.

I don't know who benefits from the fee. I was sent forms numerous times, urging me to pay about $25, I think, so a special panel could arbitrate the matter. The language was thinly veiled threats, indicating that if I didn't pay the fee, the negative feedback could be removed if the seller desired. She had enlisted this eBay panel after many weeks of not responding to me after the auctions. It was items for Granddarling so you know I wanted it bad! I resented the gouge, as well as the fact that someone who obviously and undeniably failed to follow through on a transaction could so easily buy out of it and/or cause me to incur a huge expense when I only wanted the item I won.

If you go to the link for settling disputes you can probably find something on it. This was almost a year ago, and I know the site has been rearranged, so I don't know how to find it now. I decided to just let the items go and let her do as she wished. She emailed me many vile notices about how I caused her to incur the expense! The feedback was removed.

Aimee I think I know what you are talking about, and from what I understand, the seller can notify ebay in the case of a non-paying bidder, ebay will try to contact the non-paying bidder, and try to resolve things. If the non-paying bidder does not contact ebay back, its the sellers choice to get arbitration involved for 25 dollars. In some cases it may be worth the 25 dollars, if you have an item that is worth alot, and seeing as how its a binding contract, it makes sense that someone should get involved, but never have I heard that they take the negative feedback off. I have sold on ebay before, and had a non-paying bidder, and I have a couple of CD's that give information on selling on ebay, and making more money, and never have I come across information about the retraction of negative feedback.
Im very interested to know more about it tho, I personally dont have negative feedback, but maybe there is somthing I could look more into when selling, OR buying.

Needless to say, I was totally surprised when this happened. I had posted feedback because I couldn't get the seller to respond, had contacted eBay using the links provided and been told to keep trying to reach her and settle it with her, which they repeated for weeks! After I bid successfully on a second item, to see if it would bring her out of hiding, and received the usual seller notice, I asked about the first and received a terse letter stating a total for both, with two shipping charges. By that time, of course, I was reluctant to send payment to Italy in the form she demanded, a money order, even though her listing said she took PayPal. I pointed out that she listed it with PayPal being acceptable payment and that her listings both said she would combine shipping. She sent vile responses, then began a series of threatening demands. I really doubt that she had either item. But eBay sent two non-paying bidder emails, intermixed with more emails telling me how to work it out with the seller. My messages informing them that I was uneasy about someone who ignored the first auction altogether until after weeks and then switched to a different form of payment, were just brushed aside. So I posted the feedback. That's when it all broke loose, and the letters began arriving about the panel.

Prior to that time, I had always assumed there were controls in place and thought someone who was listing items would surely honor a sale. I have since learned that might not be true, and I am firmly convinced if you are dumb enough to pay for that "panel" you will gain nothing but words in email. I think the people who originated eBay did put into place some safeguards, but the ones who bought them out are dealing with a much larger monster and probably don't really worry about individuals. The momentum is there, so a few complaints won't mean much.

I am positive you cannot get feedback removed once posted. You can agree to have the negative (-) removed, but the comments will stay (if both parties agree). I work for the company and I have never heard of anything like this. Just my personal thoughts...

You *can* leave feedback on trades, here.

Just click on the person's username....on the screen that comes up, there's a box named 'Actions'....
the third 'bullet' down says:

"Leave feedback for (username) or read feedback left by other members"

The fourth 'bullet' down says:
"View the member feedbck (username) has written of others"

This is an old message that has resurfaced.

EBay will remove the neg feedback if you dont use square trade (part of EBay and yes it costs) only for the member who tried to use square trade. You can ask them if they use square trade, paypal also has one but it also does not work and offers very little protection in the truth - I know I have just been throught this one.