How do people feel about buyers/sellers who make their feedback private on Ebay?

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g-force

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So a recent Ebay encounter got me thinking about this question. I had a user submit an offer on a card, 2400+ feedback but made private. Before considering what to do with the offer, a red flag went up about the private feedback. So I sent a question asking why they had made their feedback private. I get a response basically saying it's none of my business and questioning me as a seller for making this inquiry. As it turns out, another user with 800+ feedback, not private, also made the same offer later that day. I was able to review the feedback, make sure they actually follow through with transactions and no indications of chargebacks and decided to go with that offer instead. Personally, I can't understand why feedback would be made private unless people are doing chargebacks or being overly picky which would reflect even though they may have 100% positive or am I being paranoid? Thoughts?
 
I have never understood why you would make your feedback private, or why you even have the option to do that. I'm with you, it makes me think the are hiding something, if not they would not have it private. Maybe I am just paranoid as well.
 
Yeah if I see private feedback I assume they're either up to something extra shady or selling fleshlights
 
That it's even an option makes no sense. The whole point of feedback is that when making a deal with someone (either as buyer or seller) you can evaluate who you're dealing with, based on their past transactions. A number only tells part of that story.

I don't review feedback for $5 sales. Why bother? If I were selling something with a large dollar figure attached? Absolutely I would.
 
If someone told me that 'my private feedback is none of your business' they would NOT be considered for the sale, even if they had the highest offer. Simple as that.
 
Same here, I ignored the last offer I got like that, especially since it was from a country that doesn't have easily tracked shipping from the US... France I think. I asked why as well, and got almost the same response.
 
pwag31 said:
I have never understood why you would make your feedback private, or why you even have the option to do that.
Click to expand...

I can shed some light on this. I'm involved in multiple collector communities and have come to understand the various ways of people.
- There are those who do not want to brag, or may feel ashamed if their buying actions are known. I'm sure you've gone to shows or sales where there are people buying things that just don't talk to anyone and are very quiet when dealing with a vendor.
- There are those who are just private people (maybe partially due to previous point) and go about their business by themselves. The most common type of person like this is the type that does not have an internet presence in their respective community. The usual "guess" as to what the actual online participation of a particular hobby sits around 5-15%. That 5% figure (I'd like to say at least 10% myself) comes from a manufacturer (not of cards mind you) as a response to a question about why they cater more to the common retail market than the hobbyist community.
- There are those that were ridiculed or fell they may be about what they own or buy, perhaps it does pertain to more "taboo" things like the extreme fleshlight example. They may also be trying to hide something from friends, family or co-workers.
- There are those who may find the ease of doing something online preferrable (rather than local transactions, or doing things on their own) but feel uneasy about the security of information. What with all the stories of places being hacked...
- There are those who may indeed be involved in shady practices.

To be a little more specific, these communities I mention earlier are collecting database websites. There are those who ask for an ability to make their collection private, and also those who would shy away from using such applications if that option were not present. The reasons why a person may want to do this likely varies greatly, but probably is some combination of the points I posted. I suspect this behaviour would also translate into making ebay feedback private, possibly for similar reasons.
 
Tripredacus said:
I can shed some light on this. I'm involved in multiple collector communities and have come to understand the various ways of people.
- There are those who do not want to brag, or may feel ashamed if their buying actions are known. I'm sure you've gone to shows or sales where there are people buying things that just don't talk to anyone and are very quiet when dealing with a vendor.
- There are those who are just private people (maybe partially due to previous point) and go about their business by themselves. The most common type of person like this is the type that does not have an internet presence in their respective community. The usual "guess" as to what the actual online participation of a particular hobby sits around 5-15%. That 5% figure (I'd like to say at least 10% myself) comes from a manufacturer (not of cards mind you) as a response to a question about why they cater more to the common retail market than the hobbyist community.
- There are those that were ridiculed or fell they may be about what they own or buy, perhaps it does pertain to more "taboo" things like the extreme fleshlight example. They may also be trying to hide something from friends, family or co-workers.
- There are those who may find the ease of doing something online preferrable (rather than local transactions, or doing things on their own) but feel uneasy about the security of information. What with all the stories of places being hacked...
- There are those who may indeed be involved in shady practices.

To be a little more specific, these communities I mention earlier are collecting database websites. There are those who ask for an ability to make their collection private, and also those who would shy away from using such applications if that option were not present. The reasons why a person may want to do this likely varies greatly, but probably is some combination of the points I posted. I suspect this behaviour would also translate into making ebay feedback private, possibly for similar reasons.
Click to expand...
and that is fine, but in this case, why respond " none of your business", take 2 minutes to explain why. If you have a valid reason for doing it why not just say why? Saying it is none of your business is a quick way to end a potential deal.
 
I can respect the "none of your business" response. At the end of the day......it really is none of our business. He probably could have said it in more of a respectful way ("personal reasons") where it wouldn't have seems as attacking. Even though your inquiry to him was done in a curious manner, it might have come across as intrusive.

I have a feeling it's not the first time he's lost out on a potential deal because of the private feedback preference.....and that's his decision.
 
Does it really matter any more? There's so many ways that Paypal/eBay can screw over sellers that reading a buyer's feedback won't do jack sh-- especially since we can't leave negs anymore.

I've had buyers with several negs (for selling) and never had a single problem with them. I've had guys with flawless feedback with 1000s of positive reviews become an absolute nightmare. I've had issues with buyers from zip codes in Beverly Hills nickle and dime me to death because of "damage" that can be only be seen with a microscope and I've never had a single issue with a high end sale to Russian buyers with close to 0 feedback.

I say if someone wants to remain private, then that's his business. Afterall, he wants privacy, why should he disclose his reasons to you?
 
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Burner said:
Does it really matter any more? There's so many ways that Paypal/eBay can screw over buyers that reading a buyer's feedback won't do jack sh-- especially since we can't leave negs anymore.
Click to expand...
I think you meant sellers there. Just for clarifications sake, since there are literally zero ways that Ebay/PayPal screw over a buyer/bidder/shill/fraud/scammer.
 
Opinions on sellers with private feedback

So i got an offer and I always check the feedback score first before accepting. I noticed this one particular buyer has over 200 + feedback and I will likely accept the offer but wonder why he/she has private feedback.
What is the advantage of having your fb private? Anyone?
 
I never understood it but I remember someone mentioning that it may be due to the person wanting to keep what they bought private ("personal items").
 
pwag31 said:
I never understood it but I remember someone mentioning that it may be due to the person wanting to keep what they bought private ("personal items").
Click to expand...

We always assume shady business, and sometimes it is ... but on the flip side, I've had people contact me before saying so and so person had contacted them on the strength of one of my auctions for which they were the winner to solicit more of that card, and if I was connected to them in some way because they were offering good deals.

I wasn't connected...and I actually worked for eBay at the time, so needless to say that solicitor's day for a lot more...uh...suspended :laugh:
 
I just declined offers from a guy with private feedback , who knows what they are hiding .. they could have a bunch of "positives" sellers saying they didn't pay or made false claims , since ebay is dumb and doesn't allow sellers to leave negative
 

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