Bartertown.com

Why is that people here do not leave feedback? It takes less then a minute and helps both of us out. It builds on the Bartertown community (If I see a positive review from someone I know I trust it makes me trust the unknown trader more). It even gives historical account of your dealings. (Hmm, I recognize this guys name. Oh yeah, I traded him those figs back in '06!).

It just baffles me how many people do not leave feedback for trades. I will always leave feedback first thing when the Paypal money hits my account or the package arrives on my doorstop, and typically leave feedback before sending the PM to say things have arrived. When I do not receive feedback I worry that something was wrong with my end of a transaction.

This isn't something that just happens with new users either, it regularly happens to me dealing with people with triple digit ratings. Luckily I'm past the point where I feel it really hurts me (though it's still frustrating), but I think it is very bad for new traders who need that feedback to build up a reputation here.

My current policy is to send 3 very low pressure and friendly "reminder PM's" over the course of a week or so after my package arrives. This probably works <40% of the time. It seems most people who use the feedback system do so promptly.

The only possible "solution" I can even think of is to use the hostage system, i.e. say "I'll leave you feedback after I receive it". This actually bothers me to much to do it for some reason. I'm leaving feedback based on their end of the deal, not their respect (or lack thereof) for the feedback system. It just seems wrong to me somehow.

Anyways, what do you guys do to get people to leave you feedback? Can anyone think of any actual reason why someone wouldn't leave feedback?

There are 2 most common reasons I've found that people don't receive ref's.
1) The trade partner is just one of those people who doesn't.
2) The guy not receiving the ref screwed something up. Not enough to have a fit over, but just enough that you don't really want to leave him a positive. Rather than the confrontational neutral or negative, the passive aggressive "no ref" is their option.

Most often, I find it's #2. Note, though, that I'm NOT making that my statement in regard to you. At 130, you're obviously doing SOMETHING right.

If you're having problems with refs that often (actually, it's relativey rare not to get one - you're having crap luck), you should work it into the trade negotiations... "You receive X, I receive Y. Presuming everything's satisfactory on both ends, when we're done, I'll leave you a positive ref first (since you're shipping first), then you'll leave me one. If there are any problems with the trade, we'll be sure to mention it to our partner, so that we can resolve it to the point that we both receive positives."

If you don't receive your ref after THAT, and you've left the first one, you would be justified in asking an Admin to remove the positive, so you could leave him a negative for violating the trade agreement. Personally, I'd be inclined, as an Admin, to consider the request.

Eric

I think after rereading my post I'm making it sound more common then it is, but it has happened to me recently and also happened to me a couple times during my last spurt of activity here.

I will say that I do mention in my followup PM's to please let me know if there are any issues. I genuinely hope to fix them if there are. My reputation is important to me!

As it is I think I was venting a bit when I started this thread.

It is interesting to hear this isn't as common as I assumed though, that's food for thought.

There is also the occasion person who is just plain forgetful. Who useally if you give a friendly reminder to will be more than willing to leave a ref.

tordeck wrote:There is also the occasion person who is just plain forgetful. Who useally if you give a friendly reminder to will be more than willing to leave a ref.

This applies to me- I even say so in my signature. That said, if someone doesn't bother to leave feedback after I've asked, I probably won't give them any either if I haven't already. It should be a mutual thing.

I just put there name in my sig.. It's worked so far. I guy was contacted by someone who's name was on my 'owes me feedback list'. he said he had a potentional buyer, and he said he was told, if he didn't leave me feedback, they didn't have a deal.

kturock wrote:I just put there name in my sig.. It's worked so far. I guy was contacted by someone who's name was on my 'owes me feedback list'. he said he had a potentional buyer, and he said he was told, if he didn't leave me feedback, they didn't have a deal.

Wow.
Kudos for whoever did that.

Eric

Forsaken Poptart wrote:That said, if someone doesn't bother to leave feedback after I've asked, I probably won't give them any either if I haven't already. It should be a mutual thing.

I understand this sentiment, but I disagree with it.

Feedback shouldn't be conditional on anything other than the satisfactory (or in the case of a bad trade, unsatisfactory) conclusion of the trade.

If it was good, you should leave a posref--period. Not just for the user in question, but for the benefit of everyone in the community.

The other side of that is that your partner SHOULD leave you a ref--but if he didn't, that means he's bad at refs (or you weren't as great as you think you are) and good at trades--and the trades part is what I care about.

Hostaging refs is one of the things that users do (particularly among senior members) that frustrates me.

s_o_r_r_o_w wrote: The other side of that is that your partner SHOULD leave you a ref--but if he didn't, that means he's bad at refs (or you weren't as great as you think you are) and good at trades--and the trades part is what I care about.

Hostaging refs is one of the things that users do (particularly among senior members) that frustrates me.

It frustrates me, as well -and I won't do it- but, to be honest, guys like you and I, with ratings in the hundreds, can 'afford' not to receive a reference for a trade. When you're talking about someone in the sub-50 categories, it means more to them, thus making it a bigger deal. So, for them, the "trades part" is just that... part.

Eric

In my view it appears feedback is only useful if the person you are dealing with cares.

I stopped caring about leaving positive feedback once it became clear that even with 90+ trades i am still guilty until proven innocent, it is quite a bummer.

Dude, I don't know what you're talking about. Your rating's a 90. That's great!
Sure, people with higher ratings than you may expect you to ship first... that's the name of the game.
Heck, I've got a 500+ rating, I'm... pretty well known around here... and consider Porkuslime an actual friend (as opposed to an "internet" friend or an acquaintence). He and I have traded a few times, though, and every time, I expect to ship first.
That's just the way it goes.

Eric

MagickalMemories wrote:Dude, I don't know what you're talking about. Your rating's a 90. That's great!
Sure, people with higher ratings than you may expect you to ship first... that's the name of the game.
Heck, I've got a 500+ rating, I'm... pretty well known around here... and consider Porkuslime an actual friend (as opposed to an "internet" friend or an acquaintence). He and I have traded a few times, though, and every time, I expect to ship first.
That's just the way it goes.

Eric

Happens. Its funny when its folks that have slightly less then mine going "gee this is a first to have to ship first" as they have 350 or 485 rating....

Now granted we usually do shipping at the same time or within a day or so of each other , and we agreed to do so.....but in general it happens. But I find good communication helps a whole lot in dealings. You can almost see that bad ones if you look at how they communicate.

carmachu wrote:

MagickalMemories wrote:Dude, I don't know what you're talking about. Your rating's a 90. That's great!
Sure, people with higher ratings than you may expect you to ship first... that's the name of the game.
Heck, I've got a 500+ rating, I'm... pretty well known around here... and consider Porkuslime an actual friend (as opposed to an "internet" friend or an acquaintence). He and I have traded a few times, though, and every time, I expect to ship first.
That's just the way it goes.

Eric

Happens. Its funny when its folks that have slightly less then mine going "gee this is a first to have to ship first" as they have 350 or 485 rating....

Now granted we usually do shipping at the same time or within a day or so of each other , and we agreed to do so.....but in general it happens. But I find good communication helps a whole lot in dealings. You can almost see that bad ones if you look at how they communicate.

I completely agree with you. Com is important. It can really tell if someone is truelly interested in dealing with you or not. I find this site to be a little more personal that say feebay. Here you actually have to make an effort to make a deal. I feel that makes feedback/rep important. my2cents O snap 1/2 cent now inflation

Sometimes, its not because folks are inconsiderate or a donkey, but simply forgot in the mess of PM's. In my most recent clean out, I realized I missed 2-3 feedbacks, including someone of low references. I'm sure that one was thinking i was inconsiderate or had too much to bother, but its simply got lost in the shuffle. Left 3 or so tonight.....