Advice needed about feedback response

[roseblack]

Hi, I recceived a neutral feedback under a different eBay ID. They left no remarks except "Ok". I spoke to eBay about how to best handle this i.e. whether to contact the buyer and ask why and eBay were definite I should contact the buyer. So I emailed the buyer and asked if there was an issue they would like to discuss and the buyer just lost it and told me I had no right to contact her and that she was unhappy with the item (one of my best selling items of which I get many re-sales). She went on to call the item and me disgusting, told me I should be ashamed to sell this item and just went on a  rant.

What to do? I replied to her and explained had she contacted me prior to leaving feedback I would have made sure she was happy. I tried to be light and helpful but it just created another rant with her ending up telling me I was a crazy person and she had every right to her opinion. She sent me five rant emails finally ending with her saying she had reported me to eBay and has "named and shamed me on numerous forums". (This upset me). I ended up telling her that I would delete any further emails unread and she stopped emailing.

I feel that perhaps I could have handled this better but I am not sure how. She felt I was blaming her and that was not my intention. This is the second time I have contacted a buyer after receiving negative feedback and the first time didn't go much better. I know some buyers are just nuts but twice now...... I am wondering if it is worth contacting buyers about feedback?

I would like your opinion please? Do you contact buyers after receiving neutral/negative feedback. Also if you contact customers and have success reversing the feedback, do you have a script I could use for first contact?

Thanks

[digital*ghost]

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@roseblack wrote:

I would like your opinion please? Do you contact buyers after receiving neutral/negative feedback. Also if you contact customers and have success reversing the feedback, do you have a script I could use for first contact?

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I don't contact them anymore, half of them state the issue in the feedback comment and they're actually non issues as far as I'm concerned (stuff like "smaller than I imagined" - I have contacted on a couple of occasions in the past and communications were amicable, but every single time the buyers never actually wanted me to do anything about the situation, sometimes they admit the mistake was theirs but not in a way that helped me convince eBay to remove the comment, and a couple of times it's been clear to me the buyer is using bad feedback as a tool to prompt voluntary refunds from the seller. 

Buyers who want me to do something contact me, so I've just decided to leave it at that and respond to no-contact negs / neuts to say there's options available if they're not happy.

As for a message template, I sent this example to someone in a similar situation as yourself recently, and you're welcome to it as well, if you can use it. (Below is an excerpt from a different message, and is more specific to their circumstances, so a few changes would be needed)

In the past, I'd make particular mention of the lack of contact as well, but I used a "softly, softly" approach with a no-contacter, so they'd be more likley to respond (especially if the problem was just their mistake, that way they're more likely to respond and admit it) so messages would be a bit like this:

Dear [buyer]
I'm contacting you as I've noticed the feedback you left for your recent order suggests the item you received wasn't as described. I'm sorry to see that you didn't feel like you could contact me about this and am very concerned, as I take every measure to ensure the quality of my items and I'm always happy to assist resolve any issue that might occur. Just so that I am able to understand the issue, help resolve it for you and take measures to avoid it happening again, I would appreciate it if you could get in touch and let me know the nature of the problem with the item you received.
Thanks in advance for your kind assistance.
[Seller]

Feel free to add or use any of that if it appeals. 

[kopenhagen5]

I find usually when feedback is left it is often too late.

And as you say, can't please some buyers whatever you do.

I wouldn't leave a response to the feedback as it only draws attention to it.

Forget it and move on.

As for a way to approach such situations in future is perhaps a professional message that is non personal.

Dear buyer,

We have noticed feedback was left for the recent transaction.

If there is anything we, as a seller can do to improve the way we conduct our business, please let us know.

Kind regards,

Buyers will either not respond, meaning they were never going to do so favourably or will contact you and probably be civil.

Good luck.

[imastawka]

The feedback was neutral and the comment 'OK'

Why on earth would you feel compelled to do anything?

Obviously they were not 100% happy, but decided they wouldn't neg you.

The neutral didn't affect your percentage, nor give you a defect.

I would've left well enough alone.

Don't respond,  let it go down the page

[roseblack]

Thanks for that. I will try to soften my words and use your suggestions, although it's not really much different from what I said.

[roseblack]

I like that too, a generic message is less threatening. I think I will take your and Ghosts advice and not reply to feedback in future.

[roseblack]

I guess I am not used to getting neutral or neg feedback and didn't consider neutral wouldn't affect my percentage. Thanks for pointing that out.

[*tippy*toes*]

I received an unAnnounced neutral and neg from a buyer last year. The few issues I've had, the buyers have always contacted me and I sorted everything out for them, so this one took me by surprise. I sent the buyer a message, apologising profusely that they weren't happy with the 2 items and said that they should have contacted me and I would have been more than happy to give them a full refund if they weren't happy. He wasn't just being malicious because the third item he bought he gave me positive with 5 stars.

A few messages went back and forth and he said he wasn't after a refund, but it was establised there were some very fine scratches that he had seen under magnification (??????)! We parted messages on good terms, so I replied to the feedback taking full responsibility and apologised. He replied to my reply saying that everything was sorted and that I was a good seller. I knew eBay wouldn't remove the feedback, so I felt by taking responsibility, other buyers may see it and hopefully think I was trustworthy.

It was my first every neg, and I did let it get to me a bit, but I had to remind myself that it's just a red dot. Buyers still buy. Buyers buy from a lot of sellers with way more negs. All I can do until it drops off in a few months is keep doing what I've always done. The very best I can for my buyers.

I know it's rattling to get a dot that isn't green, but try not to let it get to you. There are no defects for feedback now and being a grey dot, you'll still show as having 100% feedback.

[davewil1964]

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@roseblack wrote:

I guess I am not used to getting neutral or neg feedback and didn't consider neutral wouldn't affect my percentage. Thanks for pointing that out.

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That's why sellers should actually ocassionally read the eBay announcements. And periodically check their dashboard.

[*tippy*toes*]

That's so not fair that you can type the word Announcement and I have to use a capital letter or else I get a pink error message at the top of the page.