FEEDBACK! - A Business Tool or A Thieve's Baseball Bat?

Please allow me to first say that I will make every effort to be fair minded to all sides of this issue. As a retired business person, I can state without any reservation, that everydispute has at least two sides, and that no customer or retailer is ever 100%right or wrong all of the time. This is one of the reasons why okay started the feedback program. But, it seems that the old saying about "absolute power corrupting absolutely" certainly has reared it's ugly head when it gees to "Feedback", and how some people use it, as well as other "Online Operating Guidelines and Practices".
In every transaction,both sellerand customer,have a moral obligation to make every effort to "do the right thing" with regards to the transaction. This includes honesty in the listing, prompt payment by the purchaser, speedy shipment of the items purchased, followedup with mature, honest feedback by both parties, after the transactionhas beengepleted. I know, "In a Perfect World . . ."! BUT, if any system is to have a chance to work in the manner within which it was conceived, a mutual bond of trust must be established. This trust must be backed up by Prompt, Ethical, attention to the needs and problems of both buyers and sellers, by the onlypeoplewith the power to do so, by okay!
For far too long now,manydishonest buyers and unscrupulous sellers have been allowed to run wild on okay. Both sides have learned how to sneak in and out ofthe "gray" areas of businesspolicy, and okay has been far too slow and reluctant to do anything about it! Consequently, many areas of okay have truly begee a "Thieves Paradise". Everyday, okaycharges afee on every new listing,a percentage gemission on every sale, and if that sale is paid forthrough "PayPal" (another okay gepany), they charge a percentage of that amount too, including shipping and handling!Can you just imagine how many millions of items areimpacted daily????? THIS IS BIG BUSINESS and it is high time that okay took this bull by the horns and delivered "real service to its customers, both buyers and sellers"! Crooked buyers have learned that uninsured packages, or those received without "Delivery Confirmation" can be challenged. Likewise, a crooked seller can never shipa purchaseand say "you didn't buy insurance so it's your problem. . ." THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT BOTH ARE WRONG! Currently, there is only one logical solution to this problem, "DELIVERY CONFIRMATION"! If you are a buyer and have aproblem with paying this charge, or a seller who thinks that this is too much trouble to deal with, GO DO BUSINESS SOMEWHERE ELSE!This is the only tool currently available that mutually protects bothbuyers and sellers. It should be mandated as okay policy. Ifaseller takes advantage of available USPS (others too) programs that allow sellers to printtheir ownpostage and shipping labels, Delivery Confirmation, as a "Free Perk"is abyproduct! This could then be passed on to the buyer - FOR FREE - as a positive selling tool. This, along with a serious PROAVTIVEposition on the part of okay,would eliminatethisbroad avenue of online fraud. Delivery Confirmation would then make "lost packages" a problem of the shipping agency (USPS, UPS, FedEX, etc.). As a followup, okay should then block any attempt at negative feedback on any lost or uninsured transaction. Thisis not intended to give any advantage to the seller. Sellers control the terms ofthe sale. If a seller does not PROTECT HIMSELF by requiring insurance on a transaction, and it legitimately gets lost,HE OWES THE CUSTOMER A REFUND! ANYONE WHO BUYS ON LINE, AND CAN PROVE THAT THEY MADE PAYMENT (cancelled check, PayPal record), has every right to receive their product or a full refund, including shipping charges. This refund should take place within a standardized time frame set forth by and enforced by okay. It would solely be the responsibility any buyer who has made direct payment by check, or money order to apply for a refund of any lost funds from the issuing party of said payment.Likewise, it should always be the responsibility of the SELLER to deal with their chosen shipper in matters of lost items. They shipped it, and they bought the insurance! The insurance refundwill bepaid to them,therefore,there is no reason for a customer to wait for a full refund. This is why it is so important for sellers to be good business persons.
There are other problems on okay! Assuming that the afore mentioned "lost package" problem was dealt with, there is still what I consider the WORST AND BIGGEST PROBLEM, counterfeit, fake, and otherwise MISREPRESENTEDMERCHANDISE being offeredfor sale or auction as genuine. ANYONE SELLING FAKE OR COUNTERFEIT MERCHANDISED AS GENUINE or DISPLAYING A REPEATED HISTORY OF CONSTISTANTLY OVERGRADING OR MISREPRESENTING THE QUALITY, GRADE, OR VALUEOF ITEMS BEING OFFERED should be permanently suspended from all okay participation. Just as in any court of law, this type of activity clearly constitutes "A CONSCIOUS ATTEMPT TO DEFRAUD". okayshould act swiftly and decisively to protect all buyers, and the integrity of it's sales platform from all such persons.As any seller can also be defrauded, these allegations must first be proven. Ifa seller refuses to issuea refund for a suspected non-genuineitem(s), it would then begee the responsibility of the buyer,as the injured party, to obtain verifiable documentation of authenticity froma reputable, certified third party expert (manufacturer of said product, or as in collectibles such as coins ANACS, PCGS, NGC, or their assigned agent). If the item(s) in question prove to be not genuine, the seller should then make afull refund of all payments including said certification charges, in the case of an isolated incident. Multiple confirmed incidents ofnon-genuine items being offered as genuine,should result in permanent suspension of that seller.AllCONFIRMED CASES of sellers offering non-genuine items as genuine should begee a permanent part ofthat seller's history, irregardless of how the matterwas eventually resolved. This process should extend to ALL areas of okay sales. Counterfeit jewelery, watches, coins, CDs/DVDs, clothing items, and collectibles of all kinds should be covered by this umbrella!okay couldthen use this as amonitor of a seller's ability to be a responsible okayer, or as documentation for possible dismissal. Just like that old line from "The Godfather". . ."It's justbusiness, not personal!"
Over the past years, okay's reluctance to follow-up with internal investigations of sellers who repeatedly break the rules of good business practices, has resulted in "Feedback"begeming more of "CROOK'S BASEBALL BAT" than a business tool, for both buyers and sellers.Quite often, new buyers,(easily identifiedby only having 1-30 feedback) have been allowed to damage a seller's reputation by leaving immature and unrealistic feedback. A few recent examples:1) OK Coin. Arrived on Time. - NEGATIVE FEEDBACK LEFT - Buyer had feedback score of 3. 2)Charged $4.00 Shipping, PostMark said $2.05. - NEGATIVE FEEDBACK LEFT - Buyer feedback score 27. 3) Paid By PayPal. Took 9 days to arrive. - NEGATIVE FEEDBACK LEFT - Buyer has feedback score of 12! Lets face it, if a bidder doesn't know how to issue feedback, okay should have questioned and/or reversed these feedbacks! If a seller reports this stuff to okay, it almost never gets removed. Consequently, many sellers use negative feedback in retaliation. I propose that ALL FEEDBACK ISSUED BY NEWokayERS(1-50) BE PROBATIONARY AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
There are many dealers of collectibles (Coins, stamps, baseball cards), who routinely andintentionally overgrade or otherwise misrepresent many, and in some cases all,of the items they offer, by using "sham" or totally unaccredited "So-Called Certification Services". These services aren't insured or bonded, and for the most part, can't be contacted! Their Certification is WORTHLESS, and their opinions of grade are almost always several grades too high!In most cases, these services have direct ties toaseller or several sellers using their services. In any business, such a practice isa conflict of interest and morally corrupt! I truly believethat mostpeople are basically honest. In collectibles, like coins or stamps, many bidders arenew to okay, often either young or very old. They see offerings in what appears to be "legitimate" certified holders, and bid accordingly. When the items arrive, they find out that they were cheated. Their emails usually go unanswered, or they are told that there is no refund. If they give Negative Feedback, they receive the same. Out of frustration, many never buy again, or never report the crime! This is nothing less than FINANCIAL BLACKMAIL, and by doing nothing about it, it can only be assumed that okay condones it. To most people, it looks like okay is more interested in the listing fees, sales gemissions, and PayPal percentages that they collect from these crooks, than the safety and welfare of their honest customers!Only okay can fix these problems.
Anybody looked at the value of okay stock lately?
If you feel that this guide was informative or in any way helpful, I would greatly appreciate your taking just a few moments to check the ( YES ) box at the bottom of this page. (mintex03)