Trader ratings and BOI...

[Pink Lady Exotics]

I make a point to give everyone I do business with (whether buying or selling) a trader rating and/or feedback on the BOI as appropriate (whether they are a Fauna member or not). Reputation is everything in this hobby and I know that the more successful transactions a person has, the more likely they are to have more/repeated business in the future. However, I find that very few people I do business with actually return this favor, even after expressing their complete happyness with my animals or my part as the buyer. The majority don't seem to care -- in either category. I find this unfair, especially as I am leaving them positive feedback in an attempt to help them out and express my satisfaction with our transaction. Is it that hard to take 2 seconds and give someone a trader rating or make a 3-sentence post on their BOI thread? I've had MANY transactions over the last 2 years, probably over 75 individual sales -- every single one being positive and flawless -- yet I only have 12 trader ratings and 14 posts on my BOI threads. It may not seem like a big deal, but as a new person to this hobby, I need all the rep points I can get.

Does anyone else get annoyed by this?

[brucestephenson]

I will be glad to give a good person post on one of your threads. I cannot give trader ratings because I am not a paid member. I know what you mean. If everyone I dealt with gave or could give a trader rating, I and a lot of other members would probably break a 100 trader rating. But, such is life. I am very happy to get a 17 rating. I probably will relent and pay the $25, but I have had my reasons for procrastinating on the membership.

[Pink Lady Exotics]

It's not anyone in particular either, it's the thought as a whole -- it makes me disappointed in people in general. :(

Thank you for the feedback!!!! :)

[hhmoore]

Bruce made one of the points that I was going to...to give trader ratings, one must be a contributing member, which probably knocks out a large number of your transactions. But I do know what you mean...I have given a number of + ratings that were not reciprocated. No big deal - just shrug it off and move on. You've got numbers for people to look at, and good guy posts for them to read. If they ask for more feedback, I am sure it will come.

[WebSlave]

OK, so can someone now recall why I put in the restriction for paid members ONLY being able to provide Trader Ratings Feedback?

If credibility is no longer a concern on this site and you would prefer to not have this restriction, then that is fine by me.

[hhmoore]

Jen, I am curious about something - I understand that you are happy with the snakes, and other aspects of one of your recent transactions...but I would think that the packaging might have negated some of that (and obviously it did, since you mentioned it both in the trader rating comment & on the BOI).
What if it was a slightly different situation, and you had received sub par animals from somebody, but the packaging was outstanding...would you have left positive feedback? <serious question>

[Dennis Hultman]

OK, so can someone now recall why I put in the restriction for paid members ONLY being able to provide Trader Ratings Feedback?

If credibility is no longer a concern on this site and you would prefer to not have this restriction, then that is fine by me.

Please keep the restriction.

[Pink Lady Exotics]

OK, so can someone now recall why I put in the restriction for paid members ONLY being able to provide Trader Ratings Feedback?

If credibility is no longer a concern on this site and you would prefer to not have this restriction, then that is fine by me.

Did I say anything even remotely close to wanting this restriction lifted? I didn't even bring that up or say anything leading to that. :shrug01:

Harald, the animals are what I purchased, not the box. Yes, that box was horridly packed but they did in fact arrive alive and safe (somehow). Had they arrived injured, dehydrated, dying, etc. due to the shipping process, then I obviously would not have been happy, but I would have withheld feedback and allowed him to rectify the situation. Had he done a superb job on shipping but sent females that were not as represented or sick or what have you, I would have withheld feedback and given him the chance to make things right by refunding my money or replacing the animals. If he followed through with that, then he would have recieved positive feedback. I tend to give everyone the benefit of the doubt and need to be seriously screwed before I leave someone negative feedback or make a bad guy post on the BOI. As I mentioned in his thread, I am extremely pleased with the animals as well as our transaction as a whole -- we kept e-mailing back and forth, he sent tons of pics, he negotiated the price, shipped the next day after payment, and immediately e-mailed the following morning to make sure they arrived. All of those things are positive in my opinion. The shipping packaging was the only thing lacking, but that doesn't qualify for entirely negative feedback.

[hhmoore]

I wasn't suggesting it merited totally negative feedback...there are also the options of neutral (for transactions with both good and bad aspects) or not leaving any. It doesn't really matter to me in the least what kind of feedback you give people - that is your choice.

And I agree, it takes a lot for me to leave negative feedback. I have posted one negative thread on the BOI, and added my (negative) experiences to one other. I have certainly had my share of issues over the years, but most of them don't merit broadcasting in that manner.

[WebSlave]

Did I say anything even remotely close to wanting this restriction lifted? I didn't even bring that up or say anything leading to that. :shrug01:


I never said you did. But someone else most certainly DID bring up the restriction.....

[Dennis Hultman]

Jen,

Out of the thirty people you have left feedback for, 17 do not have the ability to give you feedback.

[Pink Lady Exotics]

I didn't realize you had to be a paid member to leave feedback.

[TripleMoonsExotic]

You know...This is funny that this came up...I had a customer request a rating from me not too long ago...

I'm happy to provide feedback/ratings for anyone I have done business with...But I do not provide ratings to buyers if they do not first provide me feedback...Simply because while I think it's the right thing to do, others will not reciprocate the gesture (whether because they don't feel like it or because they aren't a paid member). As soon as I receive an item or animal from a seller, I will provide them feedback/ratings if I know their Fauna user name.

If I recall correctly, I replied with something along the lines of "I happily provide a rating to all buyers who provide a rating for me." Never received a reply or feedback on the sale. I suspect he isn't a paid member.

I do agree with Dennis about requiring paid membership for trader ratings.

[Stardust]

Hmm for me personally, it doesn't matter to much to me if I get it back or not. I really do not think about that. I just think that if someone bought from me or sold to me it would be a thoughtful gesture on my part and if they do leave me some back then even better. I am not into the tit for tat concept that much.

In thinking about it I can see why the restrictions are in place (although I was not here for when it was started or why). I can definitely see the head ache and potential damage control it would entail to have just anyone come on here and do what they want.

[SPJ]

It's the same as with Ebay. There are a lot of people who just don't bother leaving feedback. I've had a bunch not leave feedback even when I left them some.
Don't worry about it. People know who to buy from and who not to buy from regardless of the amount of feedback they have.

[Rapture]

Jen, do you request that the buyer/seller post feedback for you? In my past dealings I have made it a point to ask them if they are members here and let them know that I will be posting positive feedback on them, and would appreciate it if they did the same.

[Pink Lady Exotics]

Yep, I do exactly that for everybody. I ask them if they have a username on Fauna and if they do, to let me know so I can leave feedback for them. Then I say "return feedback is always appreciated!" But yet the people who can post feedback don't do it anyway. :(

[Rapture]

That must be frustrating for you if it is something you are really trying to do... I guess all you can do is continue to do what you think is the right thing and know that trader ratings are something that only show up when someone is looking for them. Otherwise all you have are your posts here, and those can be just as good at expressing what kind of person/dealer you are.