Item as Described	Communication	Shipping Time	Shipping & Handling Charges
Very Accurate	Very Satisfied	Very Quickly	Very Reasonable
Accurate	Satisfied	Quickly	Reasonable
Neither inaccurate or accurate	Neither satisfied or unsatisfied	Neither Quickly or Slowly	Neither Reasonable or Unreasonable
Inaccurate	Unsatisfied	Slowly	Unreasonable
Very Inaccurate	Very Unsatisfied	Very Slowly	Very Unreasonable

Based on the criteria above, It would be normal for a buyer to assume that a rating of 4 's is a good rating for the seller.

• the description was accurate
• you were satisfied with the communication
• you felt the item was shipped quickly at a reasonable cost

Unfortunately, the reality is that any rating lower than 5 's can have a significant negative impact on sellers and the eBay community as a whole because eBay has structured the system to reward sellers with over a 4.5 average, and to penalize sellers with under a 4.5 average.

Yet from the wording of the allowed ratings a buyer would never know this and most would naturally assume that a 4 star rating is a very good rating. After all, staying in a 4 star resort is considered to be very good in the real world and 5 star resorts are rare (and extremely expensive).

If a seller has a 4.6 or lower rating, eBay will penalize that seller by charging them higher fees, and disadvantaging that seller’s items in search.

What does this mean to you, as a buyer?

Unfortunately, what this can mean is higher prices. The more fees eBay sellers pay, the more they must charge for their items. When a seller’s items are disadvantaged in search, sales slow and prices increase.

Sellers understand they must earn your positive feedback and want to hear from you if you feel that the transaction was less than a positive experience. We strongly encourage you to email the seller with any problem and allow them the opportunity to resolve your issue. The IMA believes that people are basically good and that most problems can be worked out amicably between the two parties.

A Note about the Two Shipping Stars:

Shipping and handling charges are the only star rating you know at the time of purchase, as the charges are specified upfront. It should be noted that sellers have little or no control over what the shipping carriers charge for transporting items. Some very large companies receive large discounts on shipping, but very few eBay sellers receive discounts. Please keep in mind that there is really no such thing as free shipping. It is paid to the shipping company by the seller, who must then incorporate this cost into their prices. Since the buyer is aware of the shipping and handling charges before purchasing the item, the most important points to consider when leaving a star rating for Shipping and Handling Charges are not the actual charges, but the following:

Did the seller:

1. Quote the shipping price in the original auction listing?
2. Ship using the method stated in the auction?
3. Pack the shipment safely, using appropriate packing materials?
4. Charge a reasonable shipping price, compared to other online sellers?

Important Points to Consider when leaving a Star Rating for Shipping Time:

The most important consideration for the Shipping Time star is when was the item actually shipped, not when was the item delivered. This is particularly true for International orders, which are often delayed by Customs or Postal Inspectors upon entry into your country. You can easily assess when the package was shipped by the postmark or other similar date marking, and rate the seller based on this date, not the overall delivery date. If you require your item be expedited, we recommend contacting your seller before issuing payment. In many cases they can offer overnight or expedited shipping at an additional cost.

Leaving a neutral or negative feedback, or leaving DSR scores of less than 5, is not the best way to get a seller to fix a problem since these ratings currently cannot be removed or changed. Once they are left, eBay recalculates the feedback percentage that represent this seller's reputation. Again, if you are having difficulties with the item you received, please give the seller the chance to make things right before leaving neutral or negative feedback, or a lower than 5 DSR rating.

For more information visit www.leavingfeedback.com