How do I read oDesk feedback?

oDesk Feedback
Giving Feedback
Checking Feedback
Provider Feedback Scores
Provider Company Feedback Scores
Buyer Feedback Scores
Feedback Disputes

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oDesk Feedback

Feedback in oDesk is symmetrical. Buyers can rate and leave feedback for providers and providers can do the same for buyers. The categories of feedback are: Skills, Quality, Availability, Deadlines, Communication, Cooperation, and free text Comments.

Feedback is made up of ratings and comments left by oDesk members whom you have worked with. These ratings are valuable indicators of a buyer's or provider's reputation on oDesk. Like other marketplaces, buyers and providers should use ratings as one of the factors in deciding to do business together.

To encourage both parties to leave feedback on every assignment, we display both provider and buyer feedbacks, side-by-side, in the provider profiles and buyer facts. This also gives the feedback scores and comments more context. Please note that to save space, provider company profiles only include the feedback left for the provider.

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Giving Feedback

Always leave honest feedback after the end of an assignment. If there is a dispute, try to resolve the issues before leaving negative feedback. oDesk buyers and providers have 14 days after an assignment has ended to provide feedback. All feedback will become visible in the search results and profiles when it meets both of the following criteria:

1. Both parties submit feedback OR one party submits feedback and 14 days have passed
2. The assignment was more than zero dollars (except the buyer on a fixed price assignment)

Remember that feedback ratings you leave become public and permanent, so think carefully before leaving feedback. Make sure that comments are fair and factual. More about leaving feedback.

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Checking Feedback

You may view providers' feedback in the Work History & Feedback section of their profile. You may view buyers' feedback in Assignment History section of their job posting. Overall feedback scores are visible in both provider and job search results.

Members can review the feedback from their past assignments in My oDesk -> Get Hired (for providers) or Hire (for buyers) -> My Assignments. Use the Assignment filter to list the ended assignments, and click the links in the Actions column. Only assignments completed after April 1, 2006 will have feedback.

Both parties have the ability to hide comments from public view but feedback scores (from non-zero dollar jobs) are always public.

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Provider Feedback Scores

Provider feedback scores are calculated in the following way:

Assignment Score

• Displayed in provider's profile in the Work History & Feedback section
• 1-5 Stars, with 5 being the highest
• 6 weighted categories
  • 20% - Skills - competency and skills for the job, understanding specifications/instructions
  • 20% - Quality - quality of work deliverables
  • 15% - Availability - online presence on a consistent schedule
  • 15% - Deadlines - ability to complete tasks on time
  • 15% - Communication - communication skills, frequent progress updates, responsiveness
  • 15% - Cooperation - cooperation and flexibility, suggestions for improvement

Feedback Score

• Displayed in provider's profile in the Quick facts section, provider search results, and candidates lists.
• 1-5 Stars, with 5 being the highest
• The provider's average assignment feedback score weighted by the dollar amount paid on each assignment (including bonuses). Examples:
  • A provider has a $1000 assignment with 5 stars and a $200 assignment with 1 star. The overall feedback score would be
    [($1,000 * 5) + ($200 * 1)] / ($1,000 + $200) = 5,200 / 1,200 = 4.33.
  • A provider has a $1000 assignment with 1 star and a $200 assignment with 5 stars. The overall feedback score would be
    [($1,000 * 1) + ($200 * 5)] / ($1,000 + $200) = 2,000 / 1,200 = 1.67.
  • A provider has a $1000 assignment with 5 stars and a $0 hourly assignment with 1 star. The overall feedback score would be
    [($1,000 * 5) + ($0 * 5)] / ($1,000 + $0) = 5,000 / 1,000 = 5.00.
  • Zero Dollar Jobs: An assignment where you were paid zero dollars WILL NOT appear in your work history, and will not effect your overall feedback score. Refunds count against dollars earned, so the same holds true if you give a full refund to the buyer.

Feedback Percentile

• 0-99%, with 99% being highest
• Percentile ranking among all oDesk providers who have received feedback. The formula used:
  • (1 - your_rank / total # of rated providers) * 100
    your_rank = count (# of providers w/ Feedback Score > your Feedback Score)

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Provider Company Feedback Scores

A provider company's feedback score is a weighted average of all assignments worked by affiliated contractors on its behalf. It is weighted the same as an individual provider's feedback score.

Feedback scores earned by an affiliated contractor who has since left the provider company remain part of the calculation. Feedback scores earned by a provider previous to joining the provider company do not count.

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Buyer Feedback Scores

Buyer feedback scores are calculated in the following way:

Assignment Score

• Displayed in buyer's job posting in the Assignment History section.
• 1-5 Stars, with 5 being the highest
• 6 weighted categories
  • 20% - Skills - competency and skills for the job, understanding of task complexities
  • 20% - Quality - quality of specifications/instructions
  • 15% - Availability - online presence on a consistent schedule
  • 15% - Deadlines - understanding of complexities and tradeoffs
  • 15% - Communication - communication skills and responsiveness, feedback and guidance
  • 15% - Cooperation - cooperation and flexibility, open to suggestions for improvement

Feedback Score

• Displayed in the buyer's job posting in the Buyer Facts section and in job search results.
• 1-5 Stars, with 5 being the highest
• The buyer's average assignment feedback score weighted by the dollar amount paid on hourly assignments (including bonuses) and the dollar amount agreed to on fixed price assignments. Examples:
  • A buyer has a $1000 assignment with 5 stars and a $200 assignment with 1 star. The overall feedback score would be
    [($1,000 * 5) + ($200 * 1)] / ($1,000 + $200) = 5,200 / 1,200 = 4.33.
  • A buyer has a $1000 assignment with 1 star and a $200 assignment with 5 stars. The overall feedback score would be
    [($1,000 * 1) + ($200 * 5)] / ($1,000 + $200) = 2,000 / 1,200 = 1.67.
  • A provider has a $1000 assignment with 5 stars and a $0 hourly assignment with 1 star. The overall feedback score would be
    [($1,000 * 5) + ($0 * 5)] / ($1,000 + $0) = 5,000 / 1,000 = 5.00.
  • Zero Dollar Jobs: An hourly assignment where you paid zero dollars WILL NOT appear in your work history, and will not effect your overall feedback score. Refunds count against dollars paid, so the same holds true if you are given a full refund by the provider. A fixed price assignment where you paid zero dollars WILL appear in your work history, and will effect your overall feedback score weighted by the agreement amount.

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Feedback Disputes

Please try to discuss and resolve any issues before an assignment is ended. If the issue is resolved after feedback has been left, a user can enable feedback changes on the assignment. In the rare cases when users cannot work things out on their own, feedback disputes will be handled on a case by case basis by oDesk.

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