I've seen this difference of opinions about eBay feedback before. Some sellers believe that they will rate the sale after it has been COMPLETELY completed. Meaning, they(the seller), leave feedback only after the buyer leaves feedback which totally completes the sales interaction. I believe this attitude happens after you(seller) have been wrongly hammered by negative feedback because you didn't cave in to absurd complaints about the item. Sellers find that buyers are much fairer about the feedback they leave if the seller still has his 'loaded weapon'. I think that this 'muddy' issue can really be simplified by remembering that leaving feedback is voluntary not manditory. Nobody has to leave feedback. Under the rules, it's unexceptable to leave negative feedback because someone didn't leave you feedback that you think you deserved.