I have only bought, and I understand that there are negatives to both sides (that’s why I tend toward garage sales, which only have negatives for a limited time!). But scammers exist on both sides—my wife and I have found sellers bidding each other up with multiple handles. And of course getting what you pay for doesn’t happen all the time, either.
The solution, in my view, is for sellers to use the site for sale items and link where possible to descriptions on their own external sites. Push their own sites where possible. Sort of like a real estate ‘for sale by owner,’ using Ebay as your MLS.
That said, I loathed the prior feedback system. I gave sellers ‘neutral’ reviews simply because they had my money and wouldn’t give it back otherwise—and I was locked into that review. What if they hadn’t? I was shafted.
There’s another site where you can sell and buy that Glenn Beck advertises - does anyone know the name of it?
I have never liked ebay's feedback system. IMO, the seller ought not hold out on feedback once they are paid. The buyer's part in the transaction is over once they have paid, and the seller should give positive feedback immediately. I once left positive feedback for a seller, and contacted him as to why he had not done the same for me. He replied that he didn't like to bother with feedback, (even though he had hundreds to his credit).
I eventually stopped leaving feedback for sellers if they did not first leave feedback for me. I should have 20 or more feedbacks because of that. I have also never left negative feedback for a seller even if they deserved it, because I did not want to get into a negative feedback pissing match. In the 10 or so times I have sold on ebay, I have always left positive feedback to my buyers upon payment.