How long to wait for feedback?

[AllyKat]

I've been selling some of my old textbooks on Amazon lately. Four of the six I've sent off have arrived (the earliest got there the 11th, the last today) but none of the buyers have left me feedback. For the one that got there today, I'm not too worried, but for the book that arrived on the 11th I am. I was thinking of sending the buyer a message, just asking if the package had arrived alright and maybe asking them to submit some feedback. I'm a new seller and would really like to start building my stats. How long should I wait before contacting the buyers?

[Surianne]

I like the idea of contacting to check that everything was okay and thank them for their business. 

It's a bit early before I'd start asking about feedback, though.  Does Amazon recommend a specific amount of time, like 30 days or something?  It's possible your buyers haven't had a chance to inspect the items yet, or even look at them if they've been busy. 

[TaylorMade]

Hi AllyKat...

I sell on Amazon.  I have sold thousands of things on Amazon and only 187 of those people have left me feedback.  People just don't think of Amazon as a 'feeback' kind of place.

Don't expect to get a lot of feedback on Amazon.

[Twik]

I actually have started leaving feedback for all my Amazon purchases, but I have to admit, in the early days, it was something that I'd leave to "when I get around to it". Which could be late, or never.

Lucky me - my recent Amazon purchases have all been so exemplary that I felt ungrateful for not complimenting them in public!

[something.new.every.day]

Amazon sends me a reminder email when I have items awaiting feedback.  It's usually a few weeks after the estimated delivery date, though. 

[pierrotlunaire0]

I remember when I started buying from both Amazon and eBay a few years ago that an Amazon seller sent me an email requesting feedback.  He did mention that Amazon buyers as a rule rarely left feedback, and he was trying to build up his rating.  He contacted me approximately 2 weeks after the transaction, and was so nice and polite that I was happy to leave him some positive feedback.  He also used he contact as a method of asking me if there were any problems, so I think it was a good marketing ploy on his part, and I certainly did not feel badgered.

[Dogface]

I remember when I started buying from both Amazon and eBay a few years ago that an Amazon seller sent me an email requesting feedback.  He did mention that Amazon buyers as a rule rarely left feedback, and he was trying to build up his rating.  He contacted me approximately 2 weeks after the transaction, and was so nice and polite that I was happy to leave him some positive feedback.  He also used he contact as a method of asking me if there were any problems, so I think it was a good marketing ploy on his part, and I certainly did not feel badgered.

I think what this seller did would be okay. I buy stuff from Amazon a lot and wouldn't feel put off by an email like that. Granted, as a rule, I do tend to leave feedback, but if I forgot for whatever reason, I'd probably even appreciate a (polite) email like that.

[Bright]

I usually don't leave feedback on my Amazon purchases, unless they're horrifically bad. I tend to buy books in sprees and I can never remember which book came when and what seller or anything. So I just don't bother. I tend to ignore the automatic reminder email from Amazon.

I might (and have in the past) respond to a polite notice from a seller though.

[CakeBeret]

I've been selling textbooks on Amazon for a couple years and have never received any feedback. It doesn't bother me too much because Amazon isn't as much of a feedback-centric place.

I think it's a little too early to send a reminder email; maybe wait another week or two, and then approach it from the standpoint of wanting to make sure everything was ok.

[sparklestar]

The feedback system is there to provide a flag for bad vendors who don't describe products properly, send purchases promptly etc. 

I hate this trend for asking for constant feedback.  I can't really put my finger on why, but I suspect it has something to do with pointless reassurance that you are doing a good job... Am I the only one who feels this? 

[Twik]

The feedback system is there to provide a flag for bad vendors who don't describe products properly, send purchases promptly etc. 

I hate this trend for asking for constant feedback.  I can't really put my finger on why, but I suspect it has something to do with pointless reassurance that you are doing a good job... Am I the only one who feels this? 

No, I don't think that's the purpose of feedback. It's a service for your fellow buyers, who use it to evaluate if a vendor is safe to buy from.

I always include the phrase "would use this vendor again" (if it's applicable). I feel that's what people need to know.

[sparklestar]

But surely if you'd had a bad experience you would place feedback, hence warning other customers?

I don't get the point of giving good feedback for doing what you were supposed to do as per the agreed sale.

[TaylorMade]

But surely if you'd had a bad experience you would place feedback, hence warning other customers?

I don't get the point of giving good feedback for doing what you were supposed to do as per the agreed sale.

Well, here is the problem...

Feedback is shown as a total percentage.   If the only people who left feedback where those that were dissatisfied we would have 0% and Amazon wouldn't like that at all!   Since people 'generally' do NOT leave feedback on Amazon, those people who do leave positive feedback are in a special place in my heart...   Without those people leaving positives the 2 negatives (a 1 and a 3 feedback because the postal system took a really LONG time to deliver the customers package) I received during the christmas season would be killing me right now.

[Shoo]

I don't leave feedback for Amazon purchases.  I never thought of it like Ebay, where it's expected.  And there have been so many stories about Amazon vendors faking their positive reviews and how unreliable the review system is on Amazon, I guess I really just don't see the point.  I don't buy anything on Amazon based on what the reviews say, because I guess I just assume they're faked now. 

[Twik]

But surely if you'd had a bad experience you would place feedback, hence warning other customers?

I don't get the point of giving good feedback for doing what you were supposed to do as per the agreed sale.

Because it gives a sense of the percentage of transactions they get right.

Let's say you have to chose between two vendors, who only show negative feedback. One has two negatives, the other has five. You'd pick the first one, right?

But let's say you knew that the first one had only two positives, and the second one had five hundred. That's the difference between a 50% failure rate, and a 1%.