eBay is testing a new feature on its Feedback tool to allow users to filter feedback comments by rating type - positive, negative or neutral.

Users have long requested a feature that would allow them to isolate negative feedback from a user, rather than scrolling through many pages of feedback. And, as eBay's announcement read, "others feel that seeing feedback within context is important and that viewing only negative comments could unfairly obscure all of the positive comments received during the same time."

The Feedback Filter Trial will take place only on eBay UK, and on four other eBay country sites: China, France, Italy and Taiwan. eBay will evaluate the functionality by gathering input from the Community and measuring the effect it has on the entire marketplace.

The filter used during the trial will apply only to Feedback received within the past 12 months and the feature will be removed immediately after the 90-day test.

eBay's announcement explains how the filter will work. On any of the trial sites, members will be able to access a new drop-down menu labelled "period" on the Member Profile page. After choosing a time period, special rating filters will appear. Also within the filtered view, a new icon will appear next to each feedback comment allowing members to quickly view the feedback left by both the buyer and seller for that transaction (if any).

Also included will be a feature that allows a member to quickly view the Feedback left by both parties for a transaction, if available.

Depending on the results of the trial, the feature could be released globally later in 2005.

To preview the Feedback Filter Trial: http://pages.ebay.co.uk/safetycentre/fbfilter_trial.html

http://www2.ebay.com:80/aw/marketing-uk.shtml#2005-01-10092539