Ebay Seller Feedback: Improving Your Online Reputation
When you begin selling products on eBay you must familiarize yourself with a whole new world of online interaction. The Internet is a place where people (and customers) have become increasingly comfortable with voicing their opinions. When selling on eBay, these opinons come in as eBay seller feedback.
In life, you were probably told that others’ opinons of you shouldn’t matter; to live your life regardless of what people may think. A great philosophy to practice in your personal life, but not for your online business. Online, reviews and recommendations of your store or your products can make or break you. Words carry a lot of weight, whether they are good or bad. Knowing what to do with these reactions is very important for a successful online business. In this article we’ll go through how to deal with eBay seller feedback, and how to improve your ratings if necessary.
Why You Should Care About eBay Seller Feedback
With the advent of social media and an increase in anonymity, online patrons have become more and more vocal online. Expressing opinons at the drop of the hat without fear of hurting feelings or worry that they will receive censure. This is important to take note of, especially as an eBay seller. Your products and company could be the best in the world, but you will still see a major difference in the amount you sell (and your customer loyalty) if you have lower ratings.
First, a quick overview of how a person leaves feedback. After buying an item on eBay, a customer can rate their experience of you, the seller. The rating given is then added to your overall feedback and detailed seller rating scores. Your seller feedback score is displayed prominently as a percentage, directly under your user name. A score of 99.5% means that 99.5% of buyers who left feedback had a positive experence. Your customer will also see your star rating (the number in brackets next to your username). When more buyers rate their experience as positive, it assures new customers that they will receive excellent service during the purchasing process. Of course, it also works the other way around when your ratings are low.
You may be thinking, “Do I really have to worry about my eBay seller feedback having an impact on my business? Isn’t it all subjective?” It is true that a person’s opinion is theirs alone. But, when put into words and displayed on your eBay page, those opinons can sway potential customers and impact your seller rating. It may sound dramatic, but take a moment to think about the last time you saw a bad review on a product you wanted to buy. It probably had some impact on whether you purchased the product or not.
Sometimes all it takes is one bad comment to put someone off a purchase. But don’t let the possibility of negative opinions get you down. If you process and send your products with care you will receive positive feedback. The more positive experiences, the better rating, the more people will want to buy with you.
How to React to Bad Feedback
When it comes to your reputation as a seller, how you handle negative feedback can matter even more than what that feedback says. People are used to saying whatever they want online without thinking about the actual person on the other end of their scrutiny. First and foremost, it’s important not to take anything too personally. Evaluate the situation carefully before you respond. Take a moment to think about the person’s comment and craft a response that sounds intelligent and as positive, or at least neutral, as possible. The last thing you want to do is match the person’s anger and lash out. Not only does that reflect poorly on you, but it can cause a snowball effect of other people leaving feedback just to add on.
For example, imagine a comment was left stating, “This seller is bogus. Their product isn’t as stated in the description and I feel cheated. Never buy from them!” Feedback like this can be pretty alarming. Your first instinct may be to combat these accusations, but take a moment to cool down before responding. You have a few options here. The first thing you must do is stay in control of your own emotions, because, at the end of the day, that’s all you can control. Angry customers will say and do what they want. Try your best to stay on the high road. There are two ways to respond to eBay seller feedback – write a comment that appears below the buyer’s, or send the buyer a request to revise their feedback.
Buyer Revision Requests
Ebay suggests responding directly to a disgruntled buyer in private to see if you can resolve the issue. Make sure you have a strong backstory and claim as to why you are asking them to revise their feedback. The way you word your request can determine whether or not it is honored. After the request is sent, the buyer has ten days to either revise the feedback or decline the request. If a buyer hasn’t taken any action after seven days, eBay will send an automated reminder on your behalf.
If a buyer does not respond or refuses to ammend their review, eBay may be able to assist you in taking down a review that goes against their feedback policies.
No one wants to hear bad things about their company or products. The longer you are in business, the more inevitable this kind of negative feedback becomes. In the end, some people are going to say what they want to say. The only thing you can do is take notice of any frequently mentioned negative experiences and seek to remedy them.
Improving eBay Seller Feedback
One of the best ways to improve negative feedback (or collect more positive feedback from the start) is to make sure your products are protected during their travels. If you notice an influx of comments about the poor condition of your products upon arrival, start thinking about how you can better protect them. That may mean a different packing method. It may also mean better materials. The MINI PAK’R, for example, might be a good investment to help you deliver your products dent-free.
Buyers pay attention to how their products arrive. Putting some extra effort into your packaging materials is a great way to make a positive impression on your customer. Think about the type of materials you use, how much you use, and what the customer will have to do to dispose of them. This last step is often overlooked. Filling a box to the brim with packing peanuts, for example, may seem like a great way to protect a fragile item. Until your customer has to dig through the peanuts on arrival to find what they’ve ordered, that is. Imagine (or rather remember) a breeze picking up the peanuts and scattering them across the house or yard, chasing them down only to fill your trash bins with styrofoam. More packing material doesn’t necessarily mean your product is safer. Overdoing it can have negative consequences on your seller feedback.
Adding personalized touches to your packaging can be another great way to improve seller feedback. Receiving something in the mail can feel like opening a present. Why not lean into that to encourage surprise and pleasure when receiving your package? Include a business card, a thank you note, or just a little something extra to make it personal can work wonders.
Focus On What You Can Control
Ebay seller feedback can be a fickle beast. There is only so much you can do to improve the feedback you receive. Choose better, or more personalized pacakging. Respond to comments in a positive, rational way. Try not to take negative comments to heart. More than likely, the person on the other end of the keyboard isn’t thinking about you personally. They are angry only at the circumstances surrounding their product. It’s up to you to take the high road and respond in a way that addresses their concerns and helps to fix them. Simple things can show your customers you care, and also get those positive comments flowing.