Never leave neutral feedback???

[wargul]

Without mentioning seller names - I have been an ebay user since it was run by its original designer in a house somewhere and never had many hassels - firstly as a seller but now only as a buyer. Anyhow, recently I left some neutral feedback for what I considered a very ordinary transaction. WELL, I get an email from the seller about how I have damaged his business and he has a circle of other sellers who will block any further purchases unless I retract the feedback. I have reported the seller's actions to ebay and there is no way I am going to be bullied into changing the feedback - even though it could bite me in the bum as I buy a fair bit of stuff for my collection.

Anyhow, I am wondering how widespread this harassment is and, if widespread, does it render ebay feedback meaningless. Has anyone else been lambasted for leaving neutral feedback? Sheesh, I shudder to thing what would have happened if I'd left negative feedback.

There is a sour taste that I wish would go away.

[davewil1964]

If I was the seller I'd be keeping a low profile. Claims items are located in Australia, but sells in $US with international shipping to Australia. Which would also tend to mean it would be prohibitive for the OP to return for a refund.

Have you read this thread song-qi songfy? Sometimes it pays to address the issue raised, rather than making generic statements that don't necessarily apply.

[wargul]

Now that I start looking, mine is the second neutral in the last 12 months.  I wonder what response the other buyer got?

[phorum_junkie*]

I would be very grateful to the seller if they have put you on their BBL and also informed all their likeminded sellers so you are never able to buy from such carp sellers again.

[bargain4me2]

I received a DOA faulty item (took 29 days to arrive too)

Can't name them but it was a China/HK large seller xxxxxx_mall 

so as you would expect they portray themselves as being a large MALL shop. They must realise that sending faulty items all the way to Australia will deter buyers from claiming warranty because the return shipping is cost prohibitive for Aussies.

So the only thing they have to worry about is negative feedback.

This is where they get really dishonest and strung me along with promises of replacing the item. They requested that I not leave negative or neutral feedback and close any dispute report 

before they could support / assist me.

The promises and correspondence stopped soon after the 45 days Seller liability period had passed.

They also blocked me from their 

[bargain4me2]

 received a DOA faulty item (took 29 days to arrive too)

Can't name them but it was a China/HK large seller xxxxxx_mall 

so as you would expect they portray themselves as being a large MALL shop. They must realise that sending faulty items all the way to Australia will deter buyers from claiming warranty because the return shipping is cost prohibitive for Aussies.

So the only thing they have to worry about is negative feedback.

This is where they get really dishonest and strung me along with promises of replacing the item. They requested that I not leave negative or neutral feedback and close any dispute report 

before they could support / assist me.

The promises and correspondence stopped soon after the 45 days Seller liability period had passed.

They also blocked me from their ebay store site and now ignore all my emails and my ebay messages.

Ebay acknowledges my situation "dishonest seller refusing to honor warranty"  and have told me they will contact the seller about this. Ebay has not told me what the trading sanctions will be if the seller ignores ebay.

The lesson is that we should always leave negative or neutral feedback when it is deserved. That feedback can always be replied, added to or deleted so there isn't any permanent downside to buyers or sellers if the problem is resolved.

[harley_babes_hoard]

I had to leave a neg feedback recently. The chinese seller was less than helpful and very rude. I left a negative as a last resort and was harased for months to change feedback. It got so bad I had to report them to ebay and even that didn't stop them. I told them the more they harass me the less chance they have of getting feedback changed. In the end they got sick of no replies to their messages and it stopped. But it's pretty sad when you think it was all over a red dot on a computer screen.

[bargain4me2]

Harley_babes, you have to copy paste some of that so we can all see it 🙂

[massrodder]

Well done!  Feedback is about the 'experience" you had,not if they refunded you or anything else.

[springyzone]

For what it's worth,after reading what happened to you, I think you did right to give a neutral and no way should you retract it.

I totally agree with you that we buyers rely on honesty in descriptions and for some seller to tell you he didn't pay much attention to cheap items is not only rude but stupidof him.

I am like you-used to sell years ago-and the description was everything.

These days, if I got an item that was not as described, it would depend on circumstances what feedback I gave. If a seller had made a mistake and sent out a wrong item but on contact, explained it was a mix up and then sent the correct item or refunded money, I would give positive FB. That's because it's human error, annoying but not intentional and the seller meant well.

But if I got the item and found it had faults that had been hidden by nifty camera work and not described, then that's not fair and I would give a neutral. I was once in that situation where I bought a table described as excellent and on pick up (after I had paid) I found it to have heat marks on the table top, despite me asking prior if the set had faults & was everything sturdy etc.

It leaves you feeling annoyed. Pick up is not the time for a seller to say-oh it could do with a coat of varnish.

Luckily most sellers are better than the one you struck this time, wargul. Don't change your FB on principle!