Have just read ebay's feedback changes! What on earth are they doing? Feedback has to be a two way thing or the whole community is going to collapse! I both buy and sell, and leaving feedback in both situations is an important part of maintaining a good atmosphere here on ebay. The primary role of the feedback process is to make sure everyone behaves themselves but if we can't leave neutral or negative f'back for those buyers who truly deserve a "bad repuation" then we are allowing them to carry on behaving in an unacceptable way! Personally I check out a buyers f'back as soon as they've placed a bid (including the f'back they have left for others) as I find it pays to be on your guard. And yes, I have blocked buyers in the past simply because of their appalling feedback (and I don't just mean 1 or 2 negs)!