I work for a fishing tackle wholesaler. My job there is running their newly started eBay store. They started an eBay Store in the Summer of 2011, but it hadn't really taken off. She offered my a job and I took it. Most of my responsibilities revolve solely on this eBay store.
I started there in February 2012. Last year (2012), we totaled approximately 8,000 orders (not items...orders). This totaled $110,000 in sales and we generated about 5,500 positive feedbacks, which is a pretty high percentage as far as I am concerned.
We received maybe 1-2 returns a month and I believe 3 negative feedbacks. 2 were revised as they were left by mistake and 1 was removed by eBay as they sided with us in the matter. So we still maintained 100% positive feedback.
Anyway, eBay states that the seller SHOULD leave positive feedback AFTER the item is paid for and BEFORE it is shipped. This creates good faith between the buyer and seller.
When a buyer pays, they are technically following through with their end of the agreement. As a seller, it is your job to show appreciation (so to speak) for those buyers who are paying for the item. I guess you don't have to, but like Iron Patch said...its a business. Why wouldn't you want to keep the customer happy? Keep in mind...the buyer PAYS for an item, but has not yet seen it up close or received it in hand. They are trusting that the seller is going to ship the correct item in a timely manner and that the item is going to be what was pictured and described.
Just think about it for a minute...how often do you pay for things (other than the internet) before you actually receive them?
If you go into a restaurant, you eat first...pay later. If you go into a store...you often view the item, look it over, then take it to the counter to pay, but you leave with the item in hand. If you buy a car, you test drive it. Buy a house...you take a few walk throughs and get an inspection. Get landscaping done, a new roof on your house, etc...the work is usually done first, then you pay. Of course there are always situations where people may have to put down a deposit or down payment, but you get the general idea.
Look at the history of sales/trade.
A fur trader in the United States 200+ years ago for instance. They trapped animals, skinned them, tanned the hides, then traveled to sell them or trade them for other goods or services. The fur trader did all kinds of WORK first, then got rewarded after the work was completed. The buyer of furs didn't pay the fur harvester first...then expect deliver of the goods later. Hell no...they hand picked the furs they were interested in and bought those. Therefore, the fur harvester had to do a good job in trapping, skinning, at least hide preservation if not tanning of the hides to ensure that he was paid for the work in which he did. If he wanted payment or trade for his hides...then he had to do a good job.
The internet is a whole new ball game. You pay first...and take a chance on whether or not you'll receive your item.
For this reason...if a buyer pays, I think positive feedback should be left immediately. They are holding up their end of the deal. Now its up to you to deliver what was promised and hope that feedback is reciprocated.
As a seller you cannot leave negative feedback anyway, so what's the point in holding off leaving positive feedback? There is nothing to gain from it. Besides...the seller shouldn't get the best of both worlds. The seller has the advantage at first because they get paid for the item before they actually ship it. Think about it...the seller has the money and the item (even if only for a short time). The buyer has the advantage AFTER the item is received because they can choose whether or not to leave feedback at all, or choose to leave positive, neutral, or negative feedback.
So all worth it.
