I have had this very discussion quite recently with a friend of mine who refuses to leave feedback for a buyer until they themselves have received feedback. I am in two minds on this one – if when selling stuff on ebay payment received quickly for the item then I will leave feedback as soon as I dispatch the item. If however the buyer takes an age to send payment – I chased one buyer up repeatedly for six weeks (and not many ebay sellers would be that patient) then I would wait to leave feedback until they have left me feedback.

Yes, but which part of the transaction is completed first? The feedback should run in that order in my opinion. Even if you send a cheque, many sellers will not post the item until after it has cleared. And as a seller, if somebody has paid by paypal immediately then surely they deserve NOTHING but positive feedback.

To give two examples where I would have liked to have given neutral feedback at least..

1) I bought an IT item through buy-it-now, paid immediately and then waited 3 weeks to receive the item and had to chase for it to be sent.
2) I bought two items, through buy-it-now from the same seller who offered a discount on postage for multiple items. Through my own error I paid for each seperatly, thereby preventing me from getting the discount. So I e-mialed the seller suggesting he repay the discount straight back into my paypal account, I have never heard from him since.

I have not yet received feedback from these, despite paying instantly and being a good buyer, but on both accounts I feel I have reason to leave more truthful feedback.