Anyone else notice rating scales are getting inflated?

Yeah, honestly the feedback ratings should be totally anonymous (like Uber).  There have been times I wanted to rate someone neutral but knew they would just do same.  I guess Agon is more about dealers now.  I see that outfit in Colorado rate items as 8 or 9 all the time that dont deserve it.

@oregonpapa in the not too distant past I provided a neutral rating of a seller here on Agon with which the seller diasagreed. He contacted Agon and had it removed. I got a notice of this from Agon and challenged it as it was an honest feedback. I guess he was a dealer as it never showed back in his feedback. So the rating system IMO can easily be circumvented by the recipient of other than stellar feedback. Never will do business with seller again

High end fuses should automatically get that 11 rating.

I think there should be a rating of "11" as something deemed you're not worthy of owning. Or a "zero" rating for something that has actually disappeared. 

A few months ago there was a speaker listing in which one of the tweeters was pushed in. The speakers were rated an "8".  I called this out to the poster, who responded that it was only the "dust cover" of the tweeter and didn't affect the sound. When I pointed out that dome tweeters don't have dust caps, he simply changed the rating to a "7" and the ad copy to say that the sound was only "minimally" affected. The price remained the same.

How a speaker set with one dented tweeter could even be considered a 7 or 8 is beyond me.

It seems that grading is getting inflating in the world of used vinyl sales.  NM doesn't seem to mean what it used to ...sigh

Totally agree with OP. My other pet peeve is lack of photos. It's amazing to me that sellers will list a piece of equipment for over $1k and provide a single photo of the gear in his rack. If they are so lazy that they won't pull it out and take photos of every side I move on. If you've ever watched Antiques Roadshow you are familiar with the phrase, "Condition is everything."

I think the A’gon staff should play a more active role in rating scale accuracy.  Should be part of our listing fees?

I notice it more with newbies, 0 ratings. 

I see a lot of "8's" that should be "6's".
Some of these sellers must be on drugs.

Yes jmsky! I notice all the time...and I call 'em out on it! I mention it in the "ask seller a question" so that everyone can see it, not privately. Some actually thank me and change it, but more often they ask me if I'm interested in buying it. Some ask me if I'm the Audiogon Police. I say yes, and offer to show them my badge. I've gotta get one of those... 

From time to time, I sell things on eBay ... mostly records. The most valuable thing to have is a 100% positive feedback rating. Why anyone would want to blow that down the tubes is beyond me.

Frank

Good luck with that one.