If only I could talk to the buyer

[fetzerveeble]

Hello.

Sorry if this is not the place to mention this.  Not sure if there is a place on the boards.

I used to work for a business that has a couple of eBay stores and I like to check the negative feedback of them for my own amusement.

The most recent negative feedback talks of a list of problems with the transaction and finishes up with thinking it's eBay's fault.  Knowing what I know, I know it's not eBay's fault in the slightest.

I was wondering how to write to eBay about the business and their dodgy practices and whether or not eBay would even give a hoot considering they're making money from them.

One main technique the business uses is when they can't get an item from a supplier (despite saying they carry stock, when they don't) they flag it as the buyer has requested the cancellation of the transaction.  It's a lie and they told me they do so to avoid problems and fees.  There's no request from the buyer to cancel the transaction in any messages.  I really think eBay should only present that option to the seller IF the buyer has made the cancellation request through them.  It's a flat out exploitation.

If I was to write to eBay about the business, do you think they would listen?

[fetzerveeble]

Easy to become an affected party.

Easy to gather the evidence.

Buy you all know what's best from your armchairs so I'll just shut up.

[davewil1964]

so I'll just shut up

Good idea. Nothing to do with armchairs, everything to do with empirical evidence. You have saved yourself a motza.

[gutterpunkz05]

You obviously have no idea of your legal liability or the processes involved,  you would be requiring a lawyer for your own defence, they would not be taking anyone down, and in all likelyhood unless you have deep pockets, they would purely be attempting to reduce any settlement against you.    Disgruntled employees and customers are no longer a protected species.  Case in point  consumer required to pay  $30,000 in damages for leaving a 1 star review

[*sons_and_daughters*]

---

@fetzerveeble wrote:

Not talking about a specific item.

I'm pretty sure of the facts considering I worked for the business.

I say again.  If I was to write to eBay about the business, do you think they would listen?

---

Short answer? No. 

There are plenty of dodgy sellers on ebay that have been getting reported for years. They won't do anything.

[springyzone]

If I was to write to eBay about the business, do you think they would listen?

---------------

Slightly different take on this. I don't think you'd need a lawyer. Ebay has such strict privacy policies that the seller would most likely never know anyone had reported them, let alone who it was.

That's because I think ebay would completely ignore your email or message. They would take no action whatsoever.

Even if you exposed yourself as a former employee, that would not help. I don't think ebay does enough to investigate cases sometimes but in this case, I would be on ebay's side as a former employee trying to damage the business of a previous workplace would raise red flags with me.

How is an ebay rep to know that what you say is accurate? How would they know how often it occurred or in fact that it was still occurring?  They would only have your word on it and it is just your word against your former employer's.

I don't see that you can gain anything from reporting any ads either as you are in no position to know how those particular sales will go. For all you know, the business may have stock of that particular product.

Your absolute best bet is to let things be, and let the system work. If a particular buyer has a problem, they have resources to help them. They can claim money back if an item isn't received in time, they can report an ad/transaction to ebay themselves if the seller ticks the wrong reason for a cancellation. They can give negative or neutral feedback.

Ebay can (and probably only should) take notice of individual transactions and how the buyer/seller performs for that. Not what outsiders say.

As for the feedback you read where ebay was blamed. Let it go. In some ways, ebay should shoulder some blame if it lets sellers get away with too many transgressions and still keep listing. Same as it it should be held accountable for letting some buyers get away with not paying for dozens of purchases without ever kicking them off.

Ebay has actively sought to hide buyer ID for the express reason (I suspect) that they don't want anyone outside the transaction to be able to communicate with the buyer. So just leave it up to buyers to pass judgement and move on.

[eol-products]

They weren't talking about leaving a review of the companies business practices but a complaint to ebay.  If they did leave a review the company would need lawyers to prove what they are saying is false and if they had evidence to back up their review then the company has no case. It is only if a review is false or misleading would you be liable for what you say.

Either way I feel they would be wasting their time contacting ebay as it is so widespread that it would be costly to police it all.  Hopefully customers will leave honest comments which may deter future buyers. Although as we know many don't read or take feedback seriously sometimes.

[janeababe]

It’s not a case of being negative. It’s just that we’re not agreeing with what you propose. EBay just doesn’t care. End of story!  

Don’t worry about what buyers write in their negative feedback. The most important thing is that they do actually leave neg feedback. That’s the best deterrent available to other prospective buyers.

And buyer have avenues to get their money back, so no concerns there either. 

I know you think that the seller canceling a buyer’s order because they don’t have stock, and using the option that the buyer has requested the cancellation is bad practice, but believe me when I say a LOT of sellers do it. 
Another excuse used is : Issue with buyers address.  That’s a common cancellation excuse too.

It’s no great loss to them if the buyer then goes off and purchase elsewhere, there will always be more buyers. 

I know you want to do something about it, but it will just fall on deaf ears, and look more like ‘sour grapes’ rather than you being citizen of the month doing good deeds. 

Pick your battles. 
This is not one you will win.  

Sorry.  💋

[springyzone]

Excellently put, Jane.

Your post made me think. It would be a shame if fetzerveeble thinks any of us are having a go at him or being overly negative. I for one believed his story and I have no doubt that some sellers do whatever they can to protect their account, even when the problem is with them.

But you're right in that this isn't a battle he is likely to win because ebay already has systems in place & I doubt they care much about some cancellations or what's behind them as long as the sellers refund and don't cause ebay extra work. Ebay makes a tiny bit of money anyway with unrefunded fees (the 30c part) even with cancelled transactions and I'm sure it all adds up.

[gutterpunkz05]

Agreed they don't need a lawyer yet,  and they at least had enough brains not to name the seller here.  However it would seem the OP has an agenda, and if they persist with that agenda they are very likely to require a lawyer and a big bucket of cash.