My turn to start a new thread.. Private feedback ?

NHBandit · Feb 13, 2014

Never seen this before and I've been messing with Ebay since 1999 and my own feedback is well over 800. I currently have a WWII Samurai sword listed. I had a bid yesterday from a member who's feedback number is blank. Not 0, just blank. So I clicked on his username and his feedback numbers do show up under recent ratings and they are all positive and he is shown as being in the US. Buttt.. the comments are listed as "private" and the little ( ) next to his name also says private. Should I be concerned ? He has since been outbid but how is feedback of any use to us sellers if people have the option of hiding it ? This is a new one on me. Here is the auction if anyone cares to look. His username is neveralter. Hidetoshi Marked Samurai Sword | eBay

Lafitte Deux · Feb 13, 2014

I wouldn't let it bother you. It is an option on Ebay.
Even though the f.b. profile is private, ratings are still shown, as you saw.
Only buyers have this option. Sellers can't choose private settings.

smokeythecat · Feb 13, 2014

As long as the money goes into the bank, you're good to go.

NHBandit · Feb 13, 2014

Thanks. Just never saw that before. As it stands he's been outbid anyway but the auction still has several days left. I did send him a message and ask why he chose that option and got a very cryptic "you'll find out when the time comes" answer.. Maybe it's Jay Leno.. lol

GibH · Feb 13, 2014

If your feedback is private, others can't view items bought or price paid. I can see how this would be helpful if you buy and re-sell specific items. I don't think you can sell if you have hidden feedback, just buy.

Tallone · Feb 14, 2014

If the guy only buys (no seller feedback), his feedback rating is worthless anyway because ebay only allows sellers to leave positive feedback for their buyers.

diggummup · Feb 14, 2014

It seems to me I've seen sellers with private feedback before. About all of them in the adult section are private. I wonder if sellers who sell adult only items are allowed to have private fb because of the products they sell? Discretion maybe. In the past I've sold some antique hardcore postcards and photos before, but my feedback was not private, not automatically anyway. I mean just the words in my title were darn near pornograhic.

Iron Patch · Feb 14, 2014

diggummup said:
It seems to me I've seen sellers with private feedback before. About all of them in the adult section are private. I wonder if sellers who sell adult only items are allowed to have private fb because of the products they sell? Discretion maybe. In the past I've sold some antique hardcore postcards and photos before, but my feedback was not private, not automatically anyway. I mean just the words in my title were darn near pornograhic.

Likely private auction and not private feedback.

diggummup · Feb 14, 2014

Iron Patch said:
Likely private auction and not private feedback.

Now that is something I didn't know about. Making a listing private

cyberdan · Feb 14, 2014

diggummup said:
I mean just the words in my title were darn near pornograhic.

A few months ago I sold some old French slides and I used the word CENSORED in the title hoping to attract attention. I used little black bubbles in the proper spots.

diggummup · Feb 14, 2014

cyberdan said:
A few months ago I sold some old French slides and I used the word CENSORED in the title hoping to attract attention. I used little black bubbles in the proper spots.

Let me rephrase, the words were definitely pornographic. They were listed in the adult only section.

I think for topless only you can put risque in the title or something and you can list it appropriately. I think this may be another good topic for this forum. Risque material and how to list it.

clovis97 · Feb 14, 2014

My guess is that the seller is going to buy this sword and resell it somewhere else, and he doesn't want to chance someone saying "I saw that exact sword on ebay for $800."

NJcigarman · Feb 14, 2014

I have a regular buyer who is an excellent customer. His feedback is private and never an issue.

Iron Patch · Feb 15, 2014

I have had private feedback since 2000, and don't think it serves much of a purpose these days, but my not bothering to change it should give a pretty good indication of how little I feel it affects me in a negative way. In fact, the reason I don't make it public is because I don't mess with things that are working well.

diggummup · Feb 17, 2014

Iron Patch said:
I have had private feedback since 2000, and don't think it serves much of a purpose these days, but my not bothering to change it should give a pretty good indication of how little I feel it affects me in a negative way. In fact, the reason I don't make it public is because I don't mess with things that are working well.

On your buyer account you mean right?