The person above who commented:

"I get so tired of the whine sellers. I have just made my THIRD sale to a seller who requested that I, as a buyer, post feedback first. Just to test the above assertion that sellers want assurance that buyers are "HAPPY", I have sent them emails saying "THANK YOU! YES! GREAT DEAL! THANKS FOR LISTING!". For the third time now, I have received an email back from these unscrupulous sellers, thanking me for my note, but NONE have given me any feedback. This clearly demonstrates that most people who withhold feedback do so for RETALIATION purposes. They simply can't trust the community. I won't give them any more excuses."

has no clue.

I've bought 5000 items over eBay and sold 50,000. The buyer holds most of the power:

a. feedback (over-emphasized)
and
b. chargeback

Any seller who does not perform gets charged back. Yes, it is right for the seller to leave feedback after the buyer leaves feedback. I always leave feedback first as a buyer because it is the buyer that closes the transaction by saying "it worked, I won't charge back."

The seller has some powers:
a. refund
b. feedback
c. Block

But other than those three, he is powerless after being paid.

Mike