Why Website buyers are nicer than EBay buyers

Personally I find all are nice (but then my products self select the buyers - see www.laughingbear.co.uk ) but many people find that buyers on websites are nicer and less likely to complain than Ebayers.

Here's my theory...

On Ebay you're buying from Ebay a huge faceless organisation populated by faceless sellers (often 'hidden' behind bizzare user names).

You have little or no 'relationship' with the seller.

You are indoctrinated into not communicating with the seller for fear of exposing yourself to fraudulent sellers (always use EBay messages, don't respond to invitations to buy off EBay or you'll lose any buyer protection)

If there are any problems you have lots of easy to use tools to get your money back none of which require you to communicate with the seller. - If you have the choice of trying to communicate with the seller (which you're told is dangerous) or simply push a button whioh do you choose?

The relationship is started with an element of distrust

'Buy from EBay/Paypal and we'll protect you from all those dodgy conmen out there' This tone immediately implies that lots of EBay sellers are dodgy and EBay has to work hard to protect you from them (the classic IBM FUD sales tactic)

On a Website it is clear who you are buying from, you are starting a relationship, you can easily communicate with the seller (as they can with you)

Often the tone of the site tells you a lot about the seller and indeed by actually committing to buy you are stating 'I trust this seller to do me right'

So on EBay the relationship starts with distrust and on a Website the relationship starts with trust. Guess why there are fewer problems!
 
Some people blame the new feedback system -making it easier for buyers to complain but I think feedback is a symptom not the actual problem.

Yes feedback makes it easier for buyers to express their dis-satisfaction but it doesn't actually make them more dis-satisfied.

EBay has created an atmosphere where buyers automatically distrust sellers.

Simply by saying. "To protect you we're going to do X, Y and Z" buyers think "Christ it must be dangerous here otherwise why am I being 'protected' so much"

Think about it, if on a blind date the first thing the bloke said to you was...

"Hi my name's Gary, to protect you I always wear a condom and have an HIV test every week"

you'd be out of the pub quicker than you could say G&T!

(well I would be 'cos I'm a bloke too!)