What is feedback?

On eBay, like in other websites (for example Amazon, eDreams, …) the concept of  “feedback” is becoming fundamental. The feedback is often made of a score, sometimes expressed with a numeric score and other times with stars.

When you buy an item or an holiday online, it is automatic to check the opinion left by the users that already used the service you bought. There are no ecommerce or e-booking websites that does not highlight the reviews of the users. Nowadays, it is clear that these reviews represent one of the best advertising possible.

It is important to leave one’s own comments to share the positive or unpleasant business experience. In this way, other users can take advantage of it. In general, a high score means reliability and will allow the seller to improve and increase the business. For the owner of shops or restaurants, a positive review can worth: it was estimated that an extra “star” for a restaurant can increase the incomes until 9%.

TripAdvisor built his fortune exactly on this principle. They launched a system of advices sharing on restaurants, hotels and travels reaching 125 million feedbacks written by the users.

As for eBay, to leave a feedback means to express one’s own approval for the good quality of the transaction. Moreover, if you are the buyer, you can advertise a seller you trust. If you are a seller, you can reward your regular customer encouraging them to buy again your products.

In portals like this, the comment becomes a crucial point. Indeed, that’s not only a price issue, but also reliability and the trustworthy of the seller.

Those of you who got used to these markets, you surely know well that you have not to evaluate just the price, because these websites are full of people who is professional seller but also casual seller. If you want to be sure you have to evaluate also the “reputation” that a particular seller gained and, as a consequence, consider the feedback issue.   

But can I always trust that? What if now people give bad reviews also to revenge for a not-so-perfect service or a very expensive bill? It is important to learn how to recognize the reviews and to weight the evaluations.

Moreover, a new business was discovered: that of feedback trade. Some of the reviews were published to force the reader to buy/book. Indeed, on TripAdvisor tests were made to be sure that they user the right policy to contrast fake reviews. To analyse the comments, we should probably check the one who writes the review, what is his/her lifestyle and search for the answer of the sales manager: s/he could have replied and showed good faith.