This article describes how ratings are calculated, how reviews are created and managed, and how you can respond to reviews.
This article contains the following sections:
About Reviews
Winning bidders have the option to submit reviews for Auction Houses, based on their experiences. Bidder reviews are the cornerstone of trust in our marketplace. We encourage bidders to share their experiences to empower them to make informed decisions and enhance the reputation of reliable sellers. For tips on creating a great buying experience for bidders, review these best practices.
Reviews are public and appear on the Auction House's profile page on LiveAuctioneers. Our testing indicates that Auction House partners see an average increase of 39% in sales when buyer feedback is publicly enabled.
Only bidders who win in your auction may leave a review.
Auction houses may not purchase items in their auctions for the purpose of leaving reviews.
Reviews left by auction house owners or employees for their auction house will be removed.
The reviews submitted by bidders are calculated to generate an overall rating from 0-5, which will also appear on the Auction House's profile page.
Review Dashboard
You can see your reviews and current rating by clicking on the Reviews tab on your Seller Dashboard.
How are Ratings Calculated?
We calculate your overall star rating using a custom model that uses ratings given, the number of reviews, and the age of reviews. Recent reviews (within last 90 days) have more impact on your rating than older reviews.
Your rating is a weighted average, not an arithmetic average. This means that all auctioneers start at an average rating that changes based on the number of reviews and age of reviews. This approach protects you from one negative review having a disproportionate impact on your rating, and makes your negative reviews matter less over time. It also rewards sellers who have consistently earned good ratings over a long period of time.
Top Rated Badges
Auction Houses with high ratings who meet a specific set of criteria are awarded with a 'Top Rated' badge on their profile page. To learn more about how to earn a Top Rated badge, click here.
Editing/Removing Reviews
Reviews left by bidders are not designed to be removed or changed without the bidder's written consent.
A bidder can request to make a revision to review they've already submitted by contacting our Bidder Support team.
The request must be sent from the same email address the review was originally recorded under, and it must explicitly state what is to be edited.
LiveAuctioneers will only remove a review if:
The bidder is violating our Terms & Conditions.
The review relates to an issue that was caused by LiveAuctioneers.
The review relates to a purchase from another seller.
The review is unjustified based on clear documentation provided by the seller (ex. Certificate of Authenticity)
LiveAuctioneers will partially remove or edit a review if:
It contains inappropriate language or personal information (LiveAuctioneers will remove the offending language and personal information).
It relates to circumstances outside of the seller’s control (ex. natural disasters)
The revision/removal request comes from the bidder via the same email address the review was originally recorded under.
Additionally:
Reviews without context or feedback from the bidder will not be considered for removal.
Reviews will not be removed simply because the bidder received a refund, the sale was canceled, or a chargeback occurred (unless the bidder consents to the removal of their review in writing).
Shipping and delivery of items are part of the bidder's overall experience.
Responding to Reviews
While no one enjoys receiving negative reviews, they can be an opportunity to showcase your customer service and drive more sales. Research proves that negative reviews establish credibility and authenticity. Responding to reviews to ensures you "have the last word."
You can respond to reviews by following the steps below:
- From your Seller Dashboard, click on the Reviews tab.
- Scroll down and click on either the Comment link of the Reply Privately link for the applicable review.
- A text window will open. Enter your response into the text field and click the Comment button.
- Public comments will appear below the review under the Reviews tab and on your Auction House profile page on LiveAuctioneers.