eBay ratings: largely positive records and negative feedback

How eBay uses the availability heuristic to influence attitudes towards sellers--and ultimately buying and bidding behavior.

Update: This video applies to the U.S. version of the site (ebay.com), but not some other versions (e.g. ebay.co.uk) that allow filting feedback by positive/neutral/negative.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• captology
• influence
• ebay
• reputation
• rating
• feedback
• auction
• availability
• psychology
• persuasion
• captology.tv
• computer

[deaneckles]

OK folks -- the source of the confusion is that the US version does not have any way to filter the feedback by positive/neutral/negative, while some other versions, including the UK version, do support this.

So my original argument in the video still applies, but just not to all versions. (Of course you can go to a feedback page and then edit the URL, you can switch and see both versions, but the vast majority of people won't do this.)

[reallygreatperson]

How else would they show the feedback ratings.  Seems pretty sensible to me to show them in order of date with the option to show just negatives neutral or withdrawn negatives.

[deaneckles]

Just to clarify: there is no option to just show negative feedback. Other comments have suggested there is, but not provided specific instructions. (If there is, please share.)

[dixie1471]

You obviously dont know how to use ebay to its full potential do you? I will now explain how you CAN see all the Negative Feedbacks in the Same Page. On the Main Feedback page change the Period (on the right) to Past 12 Months and hit go. Then click the sub heading Negative. This will filter all the Feedbacks to show only Negative Comments. There you go, I hope you appreciate my time in helping you out. Dixie. AKA dixietree on ebay.

[deaneckles]

Even if I did miss a way to sort feedback, it's certainly buried -- and this has a persuasive purpose. This is an analysis of how this design is consistent with psychology's understanding of the availability heuristic.

But I'm not sure I understand what page you're talking about. The links you refer to don't seem to exist on sellers' feedback pages linked to from their items for sale. But I certainly encourage you to screencast whatever it is you're talking about.

[WildBJK]

I didn't understand the point of this video. Weren't you just staing the obvious or something?

[deaneckles]

Yes, I think some of the video content is obvious.

But unless one has considered feedback on eBay before and is also aware of the extensive evidence for the availability heuristic, it might be hard to understand this design decision from a perspective of persuasion.

Not to say this video illustrates this wonderfully...

[Nkkicute]

toolhaus org and it will show you ALL negs and neutral feedback.

[rbcats]

Boycott GREEDbay Feb 18, 2008 - Forward!

[januarybaby2008]

Go to goofbay. (com) search under tools. then Feedback checker. Use "thankyoustan" for an example. Unclick all the boxes. It will bring up is over 500 negatives.

[januarybaby2008]

go to goofbay. (com) You can check under tools for negative feedback. There is also a site (forgot where) that brings up all the negative feedback on ebay at once.

Sellers like "thankyoustan" on ebay is what is hurting all of us. That is one MEAN Seller.

[atomicfeedback]

I use atomic feedback to give positve ebay feedback to people that give it to me first :-)

_atomicfeedback.com_

[reallygreatperson]

On the right there is a menu bar with feedback options, you can show feedback left within the last 12 months or 1 month etc. When you select one you can then select to see just negatives, neutral or positive or withdrawn feedback. The links are at the top of the feedback for each one.