Want your eBay feedback to soar like these balloons? The eBay feedback system is part of the eBay community foundation. Feedback ratings link with each user ID to convey the user's reputation. To be an effective eBay seller it’s absolutely critical to maintain or improveBay feedback because it affects your ability to attain the buyer’s confidence, and hopefully, sell them your products. Similar to brick and mortar customers, internet consumers must rely on the impression your store gives them, which includes reviews. 

Improve eBay Feedback

Ebay feedback is so important, the reality is you can't afford to ignore it. The good news is, with practice and patience, using some best practices will position you for success throughout your business dealings. Here's the tips we recommend you consider to get your feedback where it should be!

Build Excellence

The first crucial step towards improving your feedback rating is to set high standards by providing quality products to the buyer. Make sure that the features and the quantity fulfill the expectations of the buyer. This is where (ahem) SkuVault quality control service is of paramount importance; it catches low quality or incorrect products and quantities before they're sent out to the buyer or even uploaded to your online store. Providing an honest, clear, and detailed description of what you're selling also goes a long way towards establishing the buyer’s trust. This is especially important if the item you’re selling is damaged in some way; failure to inform buyers of damage or otherwise not “new” status is a fast way to ruin your eBay feedback.

Exceed Expectations

Don’t stop at "good customer service" when it could be great. Creating goodwill is how you retain your customers & boost sales in the long-term even if you are losing a few dollars in the short-term by being overly accommodating. For example, consider including a small, free gift with every purchase over $25. You can also show affection by presenting the buyer with a nice note in your shipment to let them know that you will work to resolve any problems they encounter. Encourage them to contact you first if they have any problems or questions and be sure to include your customer service phone number or email address.

Make Sacrifices 

If the buyer is unhappy about an item you sold, you should try everything you can to right the situation. Saying you are sorry, even if it isn't your fault, can go a long way to soothe the situation. If you are still having trouble reaching a solution, try offering a discount to the buyer. As a last resort, accept the return of the item and wash your hands of the whole mess. You can always resell the item again. In order to avoid similar situation in the future, you can utilize an inventory management system, which offer features that reduce miss-picks and miss-ships leading to satisfied buyers.

Make Shipping Transparent

Nothing turns a potential buyer’s experience sour quite like steep shipping prices. As long as the buyer is satisfied with the shipping cost, they will start bidding and forget to factor the shipping cost into the total cost. Charge a reasonable handling fee; during peak
season, consider offering free shipping on orders over a certain amount. In addition, it’s always a good idea to display have a clear and prominent time-to-ship policy.

Keep in Touch

Check your eBay messages regularly; always respond quickly when a buyer contacts you with a question or a problem. Quick communications lets the buyer know that you aren't some scam artist trying to run away with the buyer's money. Even if you don't know the answer immediately, or you have bad news, it's better to give a quick reply. In a worst case scenario, you can just say "I have received your message; I'm looking into the issue and will try to solve it quickly." Your buyer will appreciate the reply. Talk to the buyer even if you haven't found the solution yet. It’s better to tell the buyer than keep them in suspense.

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Be Reactive and Proactive

Respond to negative feedback, especially if you can't get the buyer to change their mind. Even if you think you can fix the problem and have the buyer change their feedback, it's a good idea to respond to the negative feedback quickly. In this competitive business environment, and the needs and requirements of the buyer’s are changing constantly. Hence it is inevitable to keep yourself updated and be aware of the buyer’s wants so that you can frequently review your services with a view to align them to accommodate the buyers.

Bonus Tip!

Here's a bonus tip we received as a submission from one of our clients: If the feedback is not relevant to the service that you've provided, you can request that the feedback be removed. One common distinction that customers seem unable to grasp is the difference between seller feedback and a product review. If, for example, a buyer rates you low for a transaction for something to do exclusively with the product, then you can request to have that feedback removed. A few examples of product review masquerading as seller feedback might be:

• 1/5 "This product is not "one size fits all" - if you have slightly larger than normal hands, this product will not fit you!"
• 2/5 "I enjoyed this product while it lasted, but it wasn't as durable as I was expecting."
• 2/5 "Wasn't happy with the color of the product, but the seller was very fast & courteous."

See how those reviews aren't really about your service as an eBay seller at all, and are more about specific products? "Feedback" like this may be removed if you request it!

Conclusion

Sellers are consistently monitored by eBay for compliance. If tracking information or buyer feedback shows that a seller isn't meeting standards, the seller's listings will no longer feature the eBay Top Rated Plus seal, and the seller will not qualify for discounts or receive favored search result rankings. So you can see how improving your eBay feedback is an important thing to stay on top of!