How to collect buyer feedback
Mar 7, 2025
Why Buyer Feedback Matters for Resellers
For anyone selling online—whether you’re flipping thrift finds, running a small eBay shop, or managing inventory across multiple platforms—buyer feedback is more than just a pat on the back. It’s a vital signal of trust, a source of actionable improvement, and a key to building lasting customer relationships. Collecting feedback, organizing it, and acting on it can seem intimidating, especially if you’re just starting out. Fortunately, with a few simple steps and the right tools, you can turn feedback into a core part of your reselling workflow.
Step 1: Set Up a Central System
Before you start actively collecting buyer feedback, it’s crucial to have a central system to manage your operations. When your inventory, listings, and sales are in sync across platforms, collecting and responding to feedback becomes seamless. A centralized dashboard reduces lost messages, missed reviews, or repeated mistakes.
Why centralize? When you sell on multiple sites (eBay, Poshmark, Mercari, Facebook Marketplace), messages and feedback can scatter. A central system ensures nothing slips through the cracks.
Recommended tools: Consider using a platform like Gavelbase, which keeps your inventory, listings, and buyer communications synchronized in one place. Alternatives include spreadsheets (for very small operations), or inventory management apps like SellerCloud or InkFrog.
Step 2: Assign Basic Team Roles
Even if you’re a solo seller, defining roles (even if just for yourself) helps keep feedback collection organized. If you have a helper, friend, or team:
Designate a person to monitor buyer messages and reviews on each selling platform daily.
Assign someone to respond to feedback and record any actionable suggestions or recurring issues.
Have a dedicated person for inventory and listing updates, so that improvements based on feedback are actually implemented.
For solo sellers, schedule weekly check-ins with yourself to review feedback and adjust your process accordingly.
Step 3: Make It Easy for Buyers to Leave Feedback
Buyers are most likely to leave feedback when the process is simple and when they feel heard. Here’s how to boost your response rate:
Send a polite post-purchase message thanking the buyer and inviting them to share their experience. On most marketplaces, you can use built-in messaging or templates.
Include a feedback reminder in your packing slip or shipping confirmation email. Something like: "If you’re happy with your purchase, please consider leaving a review. If there’s anything we can improve, let us know directly so we can make it right!"
Make it personal: Use the buyer’s name and reference the specific item. Personal touches increase the likelihood of a positive review.
Offer an incentive (where allowed): Some platforms permit small gestures like a thank-you coupon for future purchases. Be sure to review the rules of your selling platform before offering incentives.
Step 4: Track Sales, Fees, and Feedback in One Place
Feedback is most useful when you can link it to specific transactions. Here’s how to keep everything organized:
Log all feedback alongside each sale, noting the item, buyer, sale price, platform, and any fees.
Use tags or categories for common feedback themes, like shipping delays, item quality, or communication.
Visualize trends: If you see repeated issues (e.g., "item smaller than expected"), update your listings or shipping process accordingly.
Centralized tools: Platforms like Gavelbase make it easy to link feedback to specific sales and inventory items automatically, which is especially useful as you scale.
Step 5: Act on Feedback Promptly
Feedback loses value if it’s ignored. Turn suggestions and complaints into action steps:
Respond quickly to both positive and negative feedback. Thank buyers for their input and, if there’s a problem, offer a solution or compensation as appropriate.
Document any changes you make as a result of feedback (e.g., updating product descriptions, improving packaging, changing shipping carriers).
Share improvements with your team or note them in your workflow. This encourages everyone to keep feedback top-of-mind.
Step 6: Handle Shipping and Pickup Cleanly
Shipping and pickup experiences are frequent sources of buyer comments. To minimize negative feedback:
Clearly state your shipping and pickup policies on every listing and in confirmation messages.
Send tracking information promptly and update buyers if there are any delays.
For local pickups, confirm the time and location in writing and be punctual. Consider using a neutral, safe meeting spot.
Document the condition of items before shipping or pickup with photos, to resolve any disputes smoothly.
Good logistics not only reduce problems—they also generate positive feedback about your professionalism and reliability.
Step 7: Review and Celebrate Progress
Every month, set aside time to review your feedback trends. Celebrate positive reviews, share them with your team, and look for ways to improve based on recurring themes. Over time, building this habit will not only boost your ratings but also deepen your customer relationships and grow your reselling business.
Further Resources
By following these easy, actionable steps, even beginners can start collecting valuable buyer feedback and use it to power up their reselling operations—no advanced tech skills required.