eBay tests jury system for disputed feedbacks

It's been a long, long, time since I've heard an original idea about how to resolve feedback disputes. Now AuctionBytes reports on something that just might work -- a new eBay program being tested in the UK called "Community Court."

It works like this: eBayers who want to contest a negative feedback rating can let a jury of 100 eBay peers decide the case. If 70 jurors agree with the seller, eBay removes the feedback. Otherwise, it's a hung jury and the feedback remains.

eBay has obviously put a lot of time into developing Community Court rules, and I hope it works well and migrates to the U.S.

I'll bet most of the people who bother to participate in something like this will be sellers. They know what's at stake, and will tend to give other sellers the benefit of the doubt. But I don't think jurors will automatically let bad sellers off the hook when they receive a legitimate negative feedback. Otherwise feedback is meaningless and doesn't help buyers or sellers.

The only way I can think of that Community Court might be abused was if unethical sellers were able to stack the jury with their cronies. Surely eBay has thought of a way to prevent this ...