How to get more eBay feedback without breaking eBay's rules

By Brian, an eBay seller and the founder of SellerThanks · Updated October 2026

Feedback is how new buyers decide whether to trust you, but most happy buyers simply forget to leave it. The good news is you're allowed to remind them. The catch is that eBay has firm rules about how. Here's what's allowed, what isn't, and what actually makes a difference.

What eBay allows

A reminder message after the sale. Asking a buyer to leave feedback once the transaction is complete is fine. Leaving feedback is always up to the buyer.
Leaving feedback for your buyers. Sellers can only leave positive feedback for buyers, and eBay recommends doing it as soon as they've paid, as buyers are more likely to leave feedback in return.
Asking a buyer to revise feedback after you've genuinely put a problem right. eBay limits how and when you can ask.

What eBay doesn't allow

eBay's feedback manipulation policy rules out any attempt to artificially boost your feedback, including:

Offering discounts, free items, refunds or any other reward in exchange for positive feedback.
Buying, selling, trading or giving away feedback.
Mentioning eBay feedback in your listing titles or descriptions.
Sales made just to raise your feedback score.

It's also wise not to ask specifically for positive feedback, or to pressure buyers with repeated messages. Ask once, politely, and leave it there.

What actually gets you more feedback

Accurate listings. Clear photos and honest descriptions mean the item matches what the buyer expected, the single biggest cause of happy (or unhappy) feedback.
Fast dispatch with tracking. Upload tracking promptly so the buyer can see their parcel moving.
Careful packaging. Nothing earns negative feedback faster than a broken item.
A thank-you after payment and a note when it's dispatched. Buyers who've heard from you feel they know you, and are more likely to return the favour. See our thank-you message examples.
One polite reminder, at the right time. Wait until the item should have arrived and been tried out, typically one to two weeks after dispatch, longer for international orders. Too early, and the buyer hasn't got it yet.
Leave feedback for your buyers. Promptly and positively.
Fix problems quickly. A buyer whose problem you solved in a day often leaves warmer feedback than one whose order simply went smoothly.

Wording a feedback reminder

Keep it short, personal, and free of any offer or pressure. For example:

Polite reminder

Hi {buyer_first_name},

I hope you're enjoying your {item_title}. If you're happy with your order, I'd really appreciate it if you could leave feedback. It makes a big difference to a small shop like mine.

If anything isn't right, please message me so I can put it right.

[Your name]

Only send it to buyers who haven't already left feedback, and skip orders that were cancelled or refunded. SellerThanks' feedback reminder does both automatically, and lets you choose how many days after dispatch it's sent.

Let SellerThanks send these for you. Write your messages once and they're sent automatically to every buyer, after payment, when you dispatch, and as a polite feedback reminder, personalised with their name and what they bought.

Try it free for 7 days, no card needed How it works

More guides: What to write in an eBay thank-you message, with examples · eBay's rules on messaging buyers, explained · eBay buyer says the item is smaller than expected? How to prevent it · How to reduce returns on eBay: a guide for UK sellers · How to show the size of an item in your eBay listing · eBay dispatch message templates, with tracking · SellerThanks vs 3Dsellers: a simple alternative for small eBay sellers