Hey Joseph!
My reply to your post is easy. You are a GOOD seller who does the right thing. You know that. I might know that. But when I buy from most sellers on eBay, they are total strangers. Here is what can (and DOES) happen when a seller doesn't leave feedback
first:
William bought something on eBay (can't remember what...rock, gemstone, something like that). There was a big problem with the transaction (that I also can't remember...lol--that's what happens when you get old
). But you know William and he's a fair guy. William tried to settle the issue via email with the buyer. The buyer was being a real jerk and he was definitely in the WRONG. So after having given the guy a
generous chance to make the transaction good, William's patience ran out and he finally negged the guy. Like most good eBayers, William knows negative feedback has great consequences and its only in the worst of situations that he'd do that at all. The guy totally deserved the neg.
Well, the guy was pissed and turned around and
negged William despite the fact that William's part of the deal was eBay picture-perfect. He ruined Wms
100% positive feedback because he was mad that William gave
an honest assessment of the deal.
Now...would YOU do that? No. Would *I* do that? No. But there are the eBay bad apples out there who think that nothing they do wrong deserves a negative. And every time the buyer leaves feedback FIRST, you open yourself up to revenge feedback like that.
There have been sellers I
would have negged (or given a neutral) for really BAD transactions, but...instead I opted NOT to leave feedback at all because they hadn't left me MINE! And I don't think that is fair. I have been screwed out of many Pos feedbacks that I
deserved to have because I couldn't be honest about the deal in my feedback. I feared revenge and I don't want to lose my 100% positive.
I still don't understand why you need FEEDBACK to know if someone has received their item. You leave their feedback...then they will leave yours. If you really want to know, you can email them and ask. I've had sellers do that. I try to be prompt with feedback but sometimes it takes me a while to get to it. I've had sellers write and ask me if I got my item.
The way I look at it is...if I, as a seller, do what I am SUPPOSED to do (accurate description, prompt shipping, good communication), then I will have no reason to worry about getting bad feedback. If I want to know, I can do a follow-up email with the buyer to make sure they are happy.
I have bought more than I've sold on eBay...and I know a lot of other eBay buyers. And across the board, I've heard them all complain about sellers withholding feedback. So I know I'm not alone in my thoughts on that.