eBay has hit back at a proposed seller boycott over changes to the site that will mean sellers won't be able to post negative feedback.
From May, eBay is banning sellers from posting feedback at all in order to avoid unjustified comments posted on buyer and seller profiles unfairly compromising their reputations.
The company suggested some sellers alter their feedback ratings by threatening to leave negative feedback in retaliation for less than complimentary comments from buyers.
An eBay statement said although the company doesn't want to be dismissive about the "small number of sellers who are unhappy at the rate of change taking place on the site" the changes are designed to make sellers more successful.
But a group of sellers is proposing a boycott of the site on May 1 to show their disapproval of the move.
eBay is also proposing to make it easier for sellers to report bad buyers and remove unfair feedback left for sellers.
The hope is to boost user confidence to leave honest feedback in the knowledge that they won't be unfairly treated in return.
The company said this means sellers with good reputations will stand out even more as bad sellers won't be able to affect their trust rating.
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Protest that hurts - close Paypal account
I would like to continue to use Ebay but not be compelled to use Paypal as my payment method. So although I've signed the petitions floating around I'm also going to 'vote' by using the only method that Ebay has made available to long term customers like myself to really weigh in on this issue - I've just closed my Paypal account.
If Ebay reconsider this anti-competitive, disingenuous policy change I'm still available as a long term buyer and occasional seller - as I haven't yet closed my Ebay account.
I suggest everyone else concerned about this issue do likewise, if you're wanting to make a protest that really counts, but hoping that Ebay will reconsider before we buy and sell elsewhere.
Posted by anonymous on Friday, April 25 2008 08:52 AM