Online shopping platform Gumtree has announced the introduction of a ratings system, which will allow users to rate buyers, sellers and service providers.
The new ratings system marks the first phase of a major upgrade for the platform after extensive customer research, aiming to increase accountability and “instil greater buyer and seller confidence”.
Gumtree tested the new five-star ratings system last month with a sample of around 4000 users. 70 per cent reportedly gave full five-star ratings.
The first phase of ratings is now available on Gumtree’s website across its “for sale” category, and will soon be launched across other categories and Gumtree’s app.
“Introducing a ratings system is the next step in our evolution as we engage with our users and encourage them to have safe and fruitful experiences on the site,” Gumtree UK general manager Matt Barham said.
“Gumtree is celebrating its 18th anniversary this month, and I am proud that as we did when we launched, we are continuing to challenge the traditional perception of the classifieds industry.”
Get Safe Online chief executive Tony Neate added: “We know that trust and safety between users is key to having a positive online experience.
“We also know that giving users the ability to rate whether or not they had a good experience will mean that Gumtree is a much harder place for fraudsters to operate.”
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47 Comments. Leave new
Anyone selling a pram Andy can use to spit his dummy out of. How dare people commenting not offer help and assistance.
I am puzzled why I suddenly have a 4/5 rating and who was the one person that left it.
On what basis was this 4/5 rating left?
To which item does this 4/5 rating refer?
How was whoever left the 4/5 rating authorised to issue such a rating?
If someone doesn’t want to buy a particular item from me they simply don’t.
If someone does buy anything from me they inspect it and only pay if they are happy to buy.
I cannot force anyone to buy. If an item is inspected and, following such inspection, purchased and paid for then there can be no reason whatsoever for leaving ratings.
Agreed
I got rated 2 stars by a seller because I called him out! Didn’t sell him anything, didn’t buy anything from him, but I am rated 2 stars none the less… And from a con man. Unable to rate him back… Yeah great system
I’ve also just found that I have a 1 star rating – I have no idea why. I don’t understand how Gumtree can accept ratings from people that you haven’t even sold anything to. This is just silly and the system doesn’t give anybody any confidence at all, buyer or seller.
Just like ebay this system is open to abuse
Someone needs to start a change partition..! Star system is shocking!! I’m a good seller and buyer but have 2.5 stars! Why? And when because I havent sold or brought anything since stars came along! Now I don’t wanna use Gumtree!
I have had an account for many years and have bought and sold quite happily for most of those. This new rating system seems unfit for purpose. Unmotivated buyers leaving bad reviews after lowball offers are rejected…. how did gumtree think this was supposed to work?!?!? After a dozen successful sales in the past few weeks I have a single 4 star review how long before some lowballer gives me a 1 star without even buying!?!
Please get rid of the rating system Gumtree, and realise a rating system will not bring back confidence.
Just listed and item and I already have 1/5 rating . How???
This system is useless, i got a 3 star from someone unknown to me, i have had hundreds of happy customers. . . ebay does a good system and while they own gumtree it is not in there interests to have gummies happy. . . i just ignore any ratings anyone has. . .
Is it possible to leave reviews for those who arrange to come round, you wait in for them and they never show.
This seems to be getting worse.
I got 1 out of 5 for not selling anything just listing. How is that possible? Gumtree should get 1 out of 5 for not providing a costumer support. Anyone knows how l can contact them?
Go through their contact us and then a load more hidden tabs to their support link.
How do you check you star rating- I can’t see anything on mine ??
I have been left with 2 one stars for being just 2 far away and it says the location on the adds to
Shpock rating system works much better
I have just had a one star review just because I didn’t sell to a seller as someone beat him to it! This system is ridiculous. Seems to favour the bullies and corrupt.
I’m so glad I’ve found this article. I’m in dispute with gumtree about this scoring system. I’ve sold a lot of items in our house move in the last 6 months, with they’re being around 2 months since my last ad. I posted an ad and then the review system popped up on my profile of one star! Gumtree have emailed me their explanation which made for very interesting reading. Broken down, their basically saying, they’re aware there’s an issue which internally they do anything about, although the more people that complain, the more chance of it being changed increases. They’re also giving more than one explanation for the review system!
How do you leave a star rating for a user??
I’ve also just found that I have a 3 star rating
Just because one of the person said he is interested that Fridge but he needs after 2 weeks, I said ok I’ll keep it but you leave some deposit like £10 he refused to do then I told him ok try your luck if it’s available that time you take but it’s sold before that and I have to sale as well many time it’s happened with me people said they interested but after some they change there mind so that one after 2 week he calls me back and said it’s sold I have other one but he said no and he gave me bad rating
I posted 1 item on gumtree i had 3 reply’s all from the same person
Offering less than 1/2 price i replied with a polite no thank you as i decided to keep my item
Now the person has left me 3 bad reviews i have 3 x 1 stars on my account and never sold a thing
How the hell can you stop people doing this i had my account for 9 years without a problem
Gumtree said they cannot remove the rating. One big joke bye bye gumtree.
I got a one star from a buyer who claimed an electrical item was not working. I tested it before he came and it was working. I offered him the opportunity to test the item when he arrived to buy it and he declined.
Hi – does anyone know if when you rate your experience with a seller on Gumtree if that means they don’t get any more of your messages after that??
I have a one star rating from a man who messed me about with when he was intending to collect an item so I politely informed him that I had no option but to sell to someone else as I needed the space. He was very angry and has given me a one star rating. I have sold several items on Gumtree over the last year or two with every one of the buyers being pleased with the item they had bought and the price they paid. I have posted another item and if I don’t receive any replies I will attribute it to this poor rating and won’t be posting on Gumtree again.
My question is the same as Chloe’s…
how do you leave and how do you see you your star ratings?
I’ve looked all over, can’t seem to find anything on how?
I checked that my app has the latest update..??
If someone could please let us know.
Thanks!!
K
Yes I have the exact same question.. I cannot see it find it anywhere and I can’t leave any (to be honest I don’t plan to as it’s a bit of a silly system) if they were dodgy how can you tell from one star- I by the comments above it means nothing.
But I would like to know how to see mine and how to do it as I use Gumtree all the time.
Rubbish rating system for Gumtree users! Just ignore it.
I have some stuff for free to collect and gave a clear description for the item, but someone gave 2 star on the website.
They are just a shower of wankers
Good work eBay! Buy out your competition then grind them into the ground until everyone gets fed up with them so much they go to you main website, eBay. . Very shrude..
I have almost 5000 100% feedback on Ebay
Gumtree only 1 person has ever left it for me and that was some guy persistently lowballing and then gets upset I won’t accept so gives me 1 star!
You have no way to appeal, remove or reply to give your side of things – so it’s basically impossible to keep a good reputation as any clown who emails you can give you a poor rating .
Received 1 STAR from the guy who offered 50 % of asking price. Had gumtree account for 7 years. Sold about 300 items, which 99 % were left buyer happy and grateful . Unfortunately havent received any positive feedback from them , but only negative from a timewaster. Now have 1 out of 5 stars on my account. Joke
Once you post ad with popular item, in average you can receive up to 30 replays during the day. Most of them with ridiculous offers, and only one real buyer can be happy. How seller in this case can get positive rating if other 29 buyers will be disappointed
This news would be more convincing if Gumtree Management explained how this rating system was actually going to work. Gumtree has no real membership system, for sellers with free ads, they know only the email address and phone number (only if the phone number is used in an advert). They know nothing at all about buyers, so I don’t see how buyers can be rated.
Come to that, they don’t know when a transaction takes place.
I’m scratching my head here. Anyone with a clue how this is going to work, please comment.
Dont use the email answer and reply system only use a phone number then they cant leave any feedback
A Seller who i didnt buy from left me a 1 star. He wouldn’t negotiate a lower price so bought elsewhere. Now i have a star rated account. Gumtree wont remove it. i have no way of leaving reciprocal feedback either. What a dumb Ar5@ System… I swear to god the fools who makes the rules on these sites are dumb as Nancy Pelossi.
For goodness sake, three times already people have *politely* asked you lot moaning about the system, specifically about how one can view the ratings others have left for them. Too much effort to reply while you’re busy bitching and whinging? Maybe that is why you all have the crappy ratings you’re bleating about….
I’d like to know how anyone is able to leave a review for a seller? How does gumtree know which of many replies is the actual person that ends up buying the item? Also how does a seller protect themself against deliberate attempts to sabotage their ratings from fly by users?
Good questions. I think the seller and buyer should be able to ‘agree’ that a transaction took place before a rating can be placed (it would be great if buyer can be rated as well)
I got left a 2* rating by someone who didn’t even buy an item off me and Gumtree said they can’t remove it as it’s the person’s opinion of me. Just because I didn’t accept his lowball offer I’ve now got a tarnish on my account. The rating system is a joke
Happened me too a guy cancelled on me after being an hour late so I sold to someone else and he gave me 1*, I had to make a new account so now I look inexperienced. This is ridiculous like
This is a down right joke! I have a 2 star rating for transaction that didn’t even take place. Gumtree needs to all and this and fix the ratings.
Same happened to me. I’ve complained and even shown evidence it was a mistake but still no action
Same here, I messaged someone asking for information on an item. They sent me a snotty message refusing to give any info so I politely thanked them for their time & thought that was the end of it. They then gave me a 1 star rating saying I haggle to much when I never once tried to get the price reduced. I cannot even respond to this unfair feedback or give them any feedback.
yes – me too – what a shower of wankers
me too
Omg same she gave me an offer for 500 spinners for $50 and I sell 500 for $1,000 easy and claimed I wasn’t fast at responding and threatening to give me a bad mark Because I didn’t replay within 10sec and started asking how much for each one for two and them kept saying so $50 then.
Agreed and sometimes people get upset when you want to have a look and don’t buy because they expect you too- but you still need to make sure it is not dodgy
Ive not not sold or bought anything on Gumtree in years but suddenly ave 1 star rating from 4 people i dont een know and havent any business with !!.Im cancelling my account details and wont be using Gumtree in the future.