Thanks guys. Im glad to hear Im not the only one to think that the Ebay feedback system has some pretty major flaws.

My problem is this...I am a buyer only and I have had a few sellers screw me over with items not as described and not arriving at all. ("Sorry it must have been lost in the mail??")! I pay immediately on winning the auction by PayPal and really my part is over right at this moment. I should really get positive feedback automatically at this point. It seems that every single seller (with a few exceptions) waits for me to give feedback first and thus holds me to ransom on my feedback, as if I leave negative feedback they are going to negative feedback me. I have paid immediately upfront and done nothing wrong! This is not right!

I hope Ebay change there system one day. There are a few things to learn from this though. Dont deal with high volume sellers if they have feedback less than 98%, and even then check the negative feedback only and very carefully.