I believe on the new forum, you can give feedback, but the providing the link to the specific item is optional (whereas if I recall correctly it was required on the old forum). Might be a happy medium for some that don't want a direct link to the item recorded, but might want to receive/provide feedback.I think it's important to have a good feedback record that members can access. I ALWAYS check feedback for the person I'm dealing with, along with their post history. (Another subject, but there are members I just wouldn't trade with due to their disagreeable postings.)
To be clear about my earlier statement, the other member and myself had many transactions of feedback. There was not a need to further establish ourselves as good to deal with.
After that time, I use the practice of giving feed back whenever it is given first.