Feedback is one of the most coveted and protected tools on eBay. Both buyers and sellers prefer to deal with a person or company that has flawless feedback. Sellers, when compared to buyers, are often more likely to be concerned with their feedback rating. If a seller's feedback is less than flawless, sales can be lost and profits may plummet. The opposite is true if a seller has stellar feedback. A strong and positive feedback history can't be purchased ? it must be earned by being honest and building confidence.

eBay implemented a feedback forum in 1997 where buyers could trade reviews on sellers and attempt to locate an honest and reputable merchant. This was a very manual process and it was quickly discovered that a new methodology was required. The familiar feedback ?stars? were introduced in 1998. The process proved to be popular and it faithfully followed the company's core set of values. These include: People are basically good; Everyone has something to contribute; and, An open environment brings out the best in people. Pierre Omidyar, eBay's founder, developed these core values in 1995 (the company was originally called AuctionWeb).

Sellers and buyers can rate each other with neutral, positive or negative feedback. You also have the opportunity to include a text description of your experience (it's not uncommon to read several pages of reviews ? it can be quite entertaining as well!). In May of 2007, eBay introduced the Detailed Seller Ratings (DSR) system. These ratings provide more details about a users performance as a seller. Five stars is the highest rating, and one star is the lowest rating. Buyers now have a methodology to gain more details and this helps to provide a more complete picture of a member's performance as a seller. DSR ratings include four areas: item as described, communication, shipping time, and shipping and handling charges. The detailed seller ratings table shows the seller's average ratings and the number of ratings they've received. Average ratings are computed on a rolling 12-month basis, and will only appear when at least ten ratings have been received.

As mentioned above, sellers strive to reach the highest ratings as possible. To do so, a seller should always provide complete and accurate information about the item that is being sold. Important details regarding the size, weight, price and color of an item should also be included. If possible, include pictures of the item. This is especially important if you are selling a used product like a computer or DVD player. Be sure to utilize sufficient lighting and provide numerous angles of the object. If there is any damage to the product, a simple, and to the point, description of the flaw should be included. If possible, include pictures of the damage. The terms of sale, including shipping times and prices, should be made easy to understand and the seller should promptly, and politely, answer all questions from potential buyers. Ultimately, just like in a brick and mortar store, the seller should make every effort to obtain a happy and satisfied customer.