Silk Road forums
Market => Rumor mill => Topic started by: jackie91 on September 11, 2013, 07:54 pm
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I like the new rating system, it gives objective criteria on judging vendor performance BUT THE BUYERS ARE MAKING IT WORTHLESS! A 5 on the new system is described as WOW! OUTSTANDING! Yet buyers will note that it took 3 days to process their order or the packaging wasn't all that good or quality wasn't as described by vendor, PMs went days without a response and then THEY GIVE THE VENDOR A 5! Process my order in 3 days and I'm not giving you a 5 because 3 days is not outstanding. If vendor doesn't use MBBs for drugs with an odor then the vendor doesn't get a 5 because that isn't outstanding (that is putting my order at risk of being confiscated). If my order is slightly underweight (I have a top of the line scale) then no 5 because that is not outstanding, don't respond to a PM within 12 hours and no 5. Buyers continually mention problems but still give 5's and soon the rating system is worthless. The only way poor or mediocre vendors will improve service is if their score starts dropping. The truly outstanding vendors don't get their due because they are lumped in with mediocre vendors. I cannot use the number system anymore because it is totally inaccurate. I read all the reviews before I select a vendor because then I can see where the vendor is weak.
A vendor just took over 4 days to process my order (still not received on day 9) and when I wrote and told them I wouldn't be able to give them a 5 they said they weren't responsible for USPS delays! The USPS can't ship the order until the vendor gives it to them. I explained that to them and now they won't communicate with me. Will they ban me? I'll never find out because I'll never use them again and I will give them an honest score based on the rating criteria and my experience. Are buyers concerned that vendors will ban them if they give less than a 5? Vendors are not your friends, they are business people and if you are afraid to hurt their feelings by giving them a poor score you are only hurting yourself and the other buyers who depend on you to get proper value for the hard earned money they are spending on SR.There are LOTS of vendors on SR and many of them deserve 5's but if you look at how many have 4.9's 0r 5's now you would think SR has nothing but outstanding vendors and we all know there are a good number who are not outstanding.
I wish buyers would rate the transaction according to the scale provided (and the scale is organized extremely well) and start giving sub-par vendors the numbers they deserve so the sub-par ones will either get their act together or go out of business. That is the reason for the rating system and nothing is going to happen to poor vendors as it stands because buyers aren't standing up for their rights and they are hurting all the other buyers. I spend almost $1200 a month on SR and some of it is wasted because it is getting impossible to tell the difference between the outstanding vendors and the mediocre vendors. I worked very hard for my money and I don't like wasting it.
I am sorry if some people get bent out of shape because I am expressing my frustration in this way, but I am stating facts not rumor or innuendo or attempting to damage reputations. SR is often called a community and in some respects that is true but it is first and foremost a marketplace and it should be treated as such.
Member for: 8 months
1 month 3 months 1 year all time
total transactions 13 36 62 62
total spent $1,816.30 $4,514.60 $9,358.20 $9,358.20
total vendors 9 23 35 35
refund rate 0% 0% 0% 0%
auto-finalize rate 0% 0% 0% 0%