A quick sanity check

[Fred Bear]

So, today I received an offer on a card I have listed on eBay. It was a reasonable offer, so I'm not complaining about that.

I've gotten into the habit of running a 'background check' on buyers, though. I search a few websites to find out potential issues with buyers since I try hard to not block potential buyers, but at the same time I try to protect myself.

My background check on this particular buyer showed me something interesting and a bit shocking (at least to me)... Of the just over 400 feedback he has left, 20 have been neutral or negative! That's nearly 5% of the feedback he's left and many were for non-receipt, even when he was given a refund.

5% of transactions seems really high to me. I checked myself and I've left 1 neutral and 1 negative in nearly 1000 transactions over 8+ years. The negative was actually way back when you could leave them for buyers (he didn't pay and was so bad he's no longer a registered user) and the neutral was a major steal that was never shipped (the seller was decent and refunded me quickly, but he was new and he was getting killed with low ending prices). I've received damaged cards and I've filed charge-backs, but I usually work enough with the seller to either not leave them feedback or even leave them positive feedback for their helpfulness.

So here's my question for discussion...

Is 5% 'bad' transactions high? (I think it is...)

Is 0.2% 'bad' transactions low? (i.e. should I be throwing around more negs)

[fleemur12]

A 5% negative feedback rate is high and is a red-flag. Are any of them for recent transactions? Do his comments seem justifiable, or do they suggest an unstable or dishonest individual?
IMO, negative feedback is the last resort to an unfulfilled transaction. I only leave it if my card is not delivered or is damaged AND the seller does consistently does not reply or is unwilling to work on a compromise with me. Those who overuse negative feedback b/c they are impatient should be blocked from bidding. Those that use it as a form of blackmail should be banned for life.

[joshpackham]

I would also check to see if a majority of those negatives were the result of one transaction (perhaps he won 10 auctions from one seller and never received them , since they would have been shipped together). Just something else to watch for. As it can sway the percentages greatly.

[Fred Bear]

To answer a few of the questions...

2 negatives and 1 neutral left in the last 3 months.

Most of the negatives were 'Never received' or 'Poor seller' comments.

All 20 were separate transactions with different sellers.

I definitely got a bad feeling when I saw this. Just wondered what everyone else's thoughts are, in general. I declined the offer and preemptively blocked the buyer. Might not have needed to, but better safe than sorry, I suppose.

[TeamChevelle]

I would pass, seems way to high to me. Not worth the hassle.