How to Give Detailed Star Ratings to an eBay Seller

In addition to a feedback comment and rating (positive, negative, or neutral), eBay buyers can leave detailed seller ratings, too. After the buyer types a comment, he or she is prompted to rate the seller with one to five stars on four different factors of the transaction. The figure below shows the specific rating factors, and the table outlines what the stars mean.

What the Detailed Star Ratings Mean
Rating Question	Number of Stars = Meaning	In the Real World
How accurate was the item’s description?	1 = Very inaccurate 2 = Inaccurate 3 = Neither inaccurate nor accurate 4 = Accurate 5 = Very accurate	Generally, the item was either described right or wrong — there is no in-between. So when you rate a seller, the item is either as advertised, or it isn’t.
How satisfied were you with the seller's communication?	1 = Very unsatisfied 2 = Unsatisfied 3 = Neither unsatisfied nor satisfied 4 = Satisfied 5 = Very satisfied	As a buyer, you should feel satisfied that you got enough communication from the seller. In some cases, one e-mail might be enough. However, if you haven’t heard from the seller until the item reaches your door, you may want to rate in the 2-star range.
How quickly did the seller ship the item?	1 = Very slowly 2 = Slowly 3 = Neither slowly nor quickly 4 = Quickly 5 = Very quickly	As a buyer, you need to check the postmark on the package you receive. If the seller ships within two days of receiving payment, you ought to click 5 (Very Quickly), no matter how long the shipper took to get it there.
How reasonable were the shipping and handling charges?	1 = Very unreasonable 2 = Unreasonable 3 = Neither unreasonable nor reasonable 4 = Reasonable 5 = Very reasonable	When you purchase an item, you generally know what the shipping cost will be. The only surprise here is when you get an item in a small envelope and you’ve paid $9.00 for shipping — or if you paid for Priority Mail and it comes in another class of service. This is usually pretty black-and-white. It’s either going to be reasonable or not.

Here are some other things to keep in mind when you're deciding on the Detailed Star Ratings for sellers:

Shipping takes time: As a buyer, you can choose Ground or Priority Mail (for the most part), and you’ve got to realize that Ground shipping can take up to 10 days. This isn’t the seller’s fault. So before leaving this rating, make sure to check the postmark or the date on the shipping label.
Shipping costs money: Sellers have to add a little charge to cover the costs of tape, boxes, and packing materials. As a buyer, you’ve got to keep that in mind. If you're unfamiliar with postage rates, you should also know that a package costs a lot more to ship across the country than to ship to the next state. So do a little homework and evaluate shipping costs before you buy. If the shipping is too high, go to another seller.
Ratings affect the seller's costs: If your seller is a PowerSeller, you should also know that your star ratings affect the fees he or she pays to eBay. Being a good seller (with high Detailed Star Ratings) can save as much as 20% on Final Values Fees, so your rating is a very serious matter.

Comments (1)

Posted by rehena AUGUST 01, 2009 | 03:30PM
well i need some help what if i did not want to comment on the charges and and how quick the seller shipped the item can i just comment o the first two questions?and ca he still get five stars if the first two questions are answered not all four questions,

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