I truly do not know what to say about this.... so a buyer stiffs me

[dans]

The eBay Feedback system was originally designed to provide a simple, honest, accurate record of the buyer's and seller's online experience to ensure safe and satisfactory trade. It was driven by two factors: transparency and accountability. Over time, we found that the transparency of the existing Feedback system makes some members reluctant to hold others accountable. For example, buyers fear retaliatory Feedback from sellers if they leave a negative.

Therefore, we'll be making a few significant changes to eBay's Feedback system to continue to improve accuracy and accountability. Within six months, these changes should help to differentiate and reward sellers who provide a positive buying experience on eBay.

There are five key elements to the new Feedback system being introduced in the first half of 2008:

1. Beginning in February, buyers and sellers will be able to earn up to one Feedback per week from the same trading partner. Today, members may only affect each other's Feedback s................s one time, regardless of the number of transactions between the parties. This change will both encourage repeat transactions and reward good service.
2. Sellers will no longer be able to leave negative or neutral Feedback for buyers. This change will occur in May, 2008.
3. Removal of negative and neutral Feedback left by members who are suspended or who fail to respond to the Unpaid Item Process (UPI).
4. Positive Feedback percentage will be based on the past 12 months of Feedback, rather than lifetime, since it is most indicative of the seller's recent performance.
5. Restrictions on when Feedback can be left:
* Buyers must wait three days before leaving negative or neutral Feedback
* Instead of 90 days, members will be able to leave Feedback for 60 days

I truly do not know what to say about this.... so a buyer stiffs me with a neg because of their inability to read the descripton, or because they can not communicate problems to me, and I am not allowed to leave a warning feedback comment??

This is a bad move

[caution]

Good news is:

With the radical changes to feedback starting to roll out on eBay.com the week of May 19th, sellers are concerned that, because they can't leave buyers negative feedback ratings, they will be subject to extortion and abuse by bad buyers.

eBay's "Buyer Requirements" feature provides a way for sellers to block certain types of buyers. eBay is introducing a new Buyer Requirement that will allow sellers to block buyers who have been reported by other sellers for policy violations such as feedback abuse or email threats. eBay shared this news with developers, but did not provide details on how sellers would be able to report buyers for these violations so they would be picked up by the new Buyer Requirement setting.

In addition, eBay told listeners at its Town Hall meeting on Thursday that it would expand its existing Buyer Requirement for Unpaid Items (UPI), aka "deadbeats." Currently, sellers may block bidders who have had 2 UPI reports filed against them within the last 30 days. eBay will change this to bidders who have had 2 or more UPI reports within the last 12 months.

If this materialises, then it should be a clear sign that buyers' have more responsibilities than just sending a payment, especially when sellers' performance standards are at stake. There are too many stories about "vigilante" groups of buyers who will be out to auction-wreck when the changes come in - hopefully this will be some sort of deterrent