Feedback cancellation in a network-based transaction facility

Abstract

A method and apparatus for canceling feedback in a network-based transaction facility are described. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving a request to cancel feedback pertaining to a transaction in a network-based transaction facility from a first party to the transaction, determining whether feedback cancellation criteria are satisfied, and canceling the feedback pertaining to the transaction if the feedback cancellation criteria are satisfied.

1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a feedback cancellation request receiver to receive a request to cancel feedback pertaining to a transaction in a network-based transaction facility from a first party to the transaction;   a feedback cancellation criteria evaluator to determine whether one or more feedback cancellation criteria are satisfied; and   a feedback cancellation recorder to cancel the feedback pertaining to the transaction if the one or more feedback cancellation criteria are satisfied.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a feedback cancellation request processor to determine that a second party to the transaction agrees to cancel the feedback pertaining to the transaction.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the feedback pertaining to the transaction includes at least one of a feedback comment left by the first party for a second party to the transaction and a feedback comment left by the second party for the first party. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the feedback cancellation request receiver is further to identify a second party to the transaction based on input provided by the first party, to present to the first party information identifying the second party and the feedback pertaining to the transaction, and to receive a confirmation of the request to cancel feedback from the first party. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4  wherein the input provided by the first party includes an identifier of an item associated with the transaction. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the feedback cancellation request receiver is further to notify a second party to the transaction about the request to cancel feedback. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the feedback cancellation request processor is to determine that the second party agrees to cancel the feedback by presenting to the second party information identifying the transaction for which the first party submitted the request to cancel feedback, and receiving a confirmation of feedback cancellation from the second party. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the feedback cancellation recorder is to cancel the feedback pertaining to the transaction by marking the feedback pertaining to the transaction as withdrawn, and recalculating feedback scores and statistics for each of the first party and a second party to the transaction. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the one or more feedback cancellation criteria includes at least one requirement selected from the group consisting of a requirement that at least one feedback comment pertaining to the transaction exist, a requirement that the request to cancel feedback be received before an expiration date of the transaction, a requirement that a second party to the transaction agree to cancel feedback before an expiration date of the request to cancel feedback, a requirement that each of the first and second parties be currently registered with the network-based transaction facility, and a requirement that each of the first and second parties do not exceed a feedback cancellation limit. 
     
     
         10 . A system comprising:
 a memory; and   a processor, coupled to the memory, to receive a request to cancel feedback pertaining to a transaction in a network-based transaction facility from a first party to the transaction, to determine whether one or more feedback cancellation criteria are satisfied, and to cancel the feedback pertaining to the transaction if the one or more feedback cancellation criteria are satisfied.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the processor is further to determine that a second party to the transaction agrees to cancel the feedback pertaining to the transaction. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the feedback pertaining to the transaction includes at least one of a feedback comment left by the first party for a second party to the transaction and a feedback comment left by the second party for the first party. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the processor is further to identify a second party to the transaction based on input provided by the first party, to present to the first party information identifying the second party and the feedback pertaining to the transaction, and to receive a confirmation of the request to cancel feedback from the first party. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the processor is further to notify a second party to the transaction about the request to cancel feedback. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the one or more feedback cancellation criteria includes at least one requirement selected from the group consisting of a requirement that at least one feedback comment pertaining to the transaction exist, a requirement that the request to cancel feedback be received before an expiration date of the transaction, a requirement that a second party to the transaction agree to cancel feedback before an expiration date of the request to cancel feedback, a requirement that each of the first and second parties be currently registered with the network-based transaction facility, and a requirement that each of the first and second parties do not exceed a feedback cancellation limit. 
     
     
         16 . A method comprising:
 receiving a request to cancel feedback pertaining to a transaction in a network-based transaction facility from a first party to the transaction;   determining whether one or more feedback cancellation criteria are satisfied; and   canceling the feedback pertaining to the transaction if the one or more feedback cancellation criteria are satisfied.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising:
 determining that a second party to the transaction agrees to cancel the feedback pertaining to the transaction.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the feedback pertaining to the transaction includes at least one of a feedback comment left by the first party for a second party to the transaction and a feedback comment left by the second party for the first party. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising:
 identifying a second party to the transaction based on input provided by the first party;   presenting to the first party information identifying the second party and the feedback pertaining to the transaction; and   receiving a confirmation of the request to cancel feedback from the first party.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the input provided by the first party includes an identifier of an item associated with the transaction. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein identifying the second party comprises:
 determining that the item is associated with a plurality of transactions;   presenting to the first party one or more users participating in the plurality of transactions; and   requesting the first party to specify which of the one or more users is the second party.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising:
 notifying a second party to the transaction about the request to cancel feedback.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22  wherein notifying the second party comprises:
 sending to the second party an email message informing the second party of the request to cancel feedback pertaining to the transaction.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the email message sent to the second party includes a link to a feedback cancellation form. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 17  wherein determining that the second party agrees to cancel the feedback comprises:
 presenting to the second party information identifying the transaction for which the first party submitted the request to cancel feedback; and   receiving a confirmation of feedback cancellation from the second party.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 16  wherein canceling the feedback pertaining to the transaction comprises:
 marking the feedback pertaining to the transaction as withdrawn; and   recalculating feedback scores and statistics for each of the first party and a second party to the transaction.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising:
 upon receiving a request for feedback left for any one of the first party and a second party to the transaction, displaying one or more feedback comments pertaining to the transaction with a feedback withdrawal comment.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising:
 preventing any of the first party and a second party to the transaction from entering feedback comments for the transaction upon canceling the feedback pertaining to the transaction.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the one or more feedback cancellation criteria includes at least one requirement selected from the group consisting of a requirement that at least one feedback comment pertaining to the transaction exist, a requirement that the request to cancel feedback be received before an expiration date of the transaction, a requirement that a second party to the transaction agree to cancel feedback before an expiration date of the request to cancel feedback, a requirement that each of the first and second parties be currently registered with the network-based transaction facility, and a requirement that each of the first and second parties do not exceed a feedback cancellation limit. 
     
     
         30 . A computer readable medium comprising instructions, which when executed on a processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising:
 receiving a request to cancel feedback pertaining to a transaction in a network-based transaction facility from a first party to the transaction;   determining that a second party to the transaction agrees to cancel the feedback pertaining to the transaction;   determining whether one or more feedback cancellation criteria are satisfied; and   canceling the feedback pertaining to the transaction if the one or more feedback cancellation criteria are satisfied.   
     
     
         31 . The computer readable medium of  claim 30  wherein the method further comprises:
 determining that a second party to the transaction agrees to cancel the feedback pertaining to the transaction.   
     
     
         32 . The computer readable medium of  claim 30  wherein the feedback pertaining to the transaction includes at least one of a feedback comment left by the first party for a second party to the transaction and a feedback comment left by the second party for the first party. 
     
     
         33 . The computer readable medium of  claim 30  wherein the method further comprises:
 identifying a second party to the transaction based on input provided by the first party;   presenting to the first party information identifying the second party and the feedback pertaining to the transaction; and   receiving a confirmation of the request to cancel feedback from the first party.   
     
     
         34 . The computer readable medium of  claim 30  wherein the one or more feedback cancellation criteria includes at least one requirement selected from the group consisting of a requirement that at least one feedback comment pertaining to the transaction exist, a requirement that the request to cancel feedback be received before an expiration date of the transaction, a requirement that a second party to the transaction agree to cancel feedback before an expiration date of the request to cancel feedback, a requirement that each of the first and second parties be currently registered with the network-based transaction facility, and a requirement that each of the first and second parties do not exceed a feedback cancellation limit.