Retaliation Defined

In answer to a question asked on Richard Brewer-Hay's eBayINKBlog

“Can you please explain how the 2004 and 2007 ratio of retaliatory feedback numbers was determined?

Brian Burke, Director of Global Feedback Policy, responded

"We used a really simple definition when determining exactly what constituted retaliatory negative feedback. It was strictly a user who received a negative feedback and subsequently left a negative feedback.”

A comment to this astounding information (not by me)

Ok, so the answers to my questions regarding the actual specifics to what EBAY IS GOING TO DO to protect sellers is basically, business as usual - nothing.

Sorry Richard, but you did not tell us anything new, more of the same. You even confirmed all the flaws in ebay’s thinking for us.

drew the following response from Richard:

Can you define “us”? (You stated that you stopped selling completely on eBay in February) Are you speaking for people that don’t use eBay or people that used to use eBay? Once “us” has been defined, please point out where I confirmed flaws in eBay’s thinking of you specifically.

Yes Richard, I can define "us" for you!


We are registered eBay users.
We are sellers and ex-sellers.
We are buyers and ex-buyers.
We are members of the eBay community, many of us from since before it was eBay.
We are sellers who despite 9 years (on my part) of positive selling feedback 'have no track record'
We are ex-sellers because we are tired of being less than chopped liver.
We are ex-sellers because we value our hard earned feedback from years and years of honest trading.
We are not PowerSellers, most of us, though not all, have never been PowerSellers.
Most (though not all of us) are professional sellers, defined as selling product rather than surplus stuff from our homes.
We were Answer Center Volunteers
We reported hundreds of thousands of listings in Violation of TOS whether we agreed with TOS or not.
We reported suspected hijacked accounts, over and over until action was taken.
We reported fraudulent listings.
We reported pornographic listings out of Mature Content.
We opened stores and stocked them with thousands of items and revised each listing manually every time eBay changed policy.
Each time eBay arbitrarily changed policy we re-wrote our business plans and learned new skills to survive.
Each time another piece of straw was placed on our backs we held firm and plodded on.
Then you, eBay, threatened our reputations. That was the final straw.
You told us we were not valued members of the community.
You told OUR buyers that 'bad sellers' would leave.
We are the fleas in John Donohoe's opinion.
We are 'noise' to Usher Lieberman.
Your other spokesmen referred to us as 'disgruntled sellers'
With each successive announcement Ebay shows its disdain for small sellers.
You continue to show us how little we were valued by giving all the candy to PowerSellers, all the protection is for PowerSellers, the discounts, what little Customer Service there is, all for PowerSellers.
The vast majority of "us" have never left negative feedback except for NPB.

Here is the fatal flaw. eBay in ITs vast wisdom defines retaliatory feedback as like left for like. Almost all like for like feedback is left by high volume sellers using automated 'like for like' feedback programs because they don't have time to leave meaningful individualized feedback. Did you know that Richard?

Instead of preventing use of those programs which are designed precisely to be retaliatory eBay has placed smaller and low volume sellers in a situation of extreme vulnerability and REWARDED the givers of retaliatory feedback, over and over.

Will the 'valued sellers' with 'track records' man the Answer Center, report fraudulent listings, listings in Violation or suspected hijacked accounts? Time will tell, but meanwhile, don't hold your breath.

Can ya see a flaw in eBay's thinking for "us" specifically?


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