topic Re: Refund with no explanation in Buying

Refund with no explanation

feliz_da_kat — Mon, 06 Oct 2014 03:11:06 GMT

I recently bought a few items off a seller. A week later the items still weren't marked as sent. I know some sellers don't always do this so I thought I would message the seller to see if said items have been posted. Got no reply but two days later I get a refund.

I'm really torn if I should let it go or leave neutral/negative feedback. I have noticed a few other people have left negative feedback for the seller basically stating the same experience I had.

If I got a reply and some reasonable explanation I would let it go for sure but considering I didn't even get the courtesy of a reply.... I don't know.

Just curious what the general consensus is.

Re: Refund with no explanation

lyndal1838 — Mon, 06 Oct 2014 03:31:58 GMT

If in doubt don't leave any feedback.

It is pretty poor form on the seller's part not to answer messages but who knows what has happened to them and you have your refund with no hassles.

Re: Refund with no explanation

feliz_da_kat — Mon, 06 Oct 2014 03:47:10 GMT

I know it could of been something serious and they weren't in a position to contact me but as I see they are still selling and I also noted that one person left feedback that the person moved house and lost the items. I'm assuming that might have happened with my items.

As a regular buyer and seller on Ebay I'm big on communication. So that's what really irked me the most.

I think I'll just let it go.

Re: Refund with no explanation

black*poppy — Mon, 06 Oct 2014 05:12:44 GMT

Out of interest, did they put in a cancellation request? I'm guessing not?

Re: Refund with no explanation

cherry*135 — Mon, 06 Oct 2014 11:43:24 GMT

I would leave a neutral. The lack of communication is not good enough. The seller managed to get on the internet and do a refund, so they could have sent a quick explanation by msg to buyer, if they had a genuine reason.

If they have done this to others and are still doing it, then they need to lift their game and stop mucking buyers around.

Re: Refund with no explanation

feliz_da_kat — Mon, 06 Oct 2014 22:09:35 GMT

@black*poppy wrote:
Out of interest, did they put in a cancellation request? I'm guessing not?

No cancellation request.

Re: Refund with no explanation

springyzone — Mon, 06 Oct 2014 23:07:15 GMT

I notice you have been given different advice and that is fine, we don't all see things the same way.

But here are my thoughts.

I would be inclined to leave a negative, or failing that, a neutral.

I would not leave it as no feedback.

Here is why.

I don't believe in making excuses for bad sellers, as in who knows what happened etc

This seller had the time to make the listing, he had to time to issue you a refund.

BUT he let things slide for a week till you hassled him with a query, he never bothered to reply to you, he never bothered to send a message off his own bat to explain anything and he took over a week to even bother with the refund. Plus you say he has done it before.

Enough of this nonsense and mucking people around. The lack of communication is monumental. I personally would give him the red dot, a factual statement as to why, then ding his star rating with communication.

I am not one of those buyers who goes around giving neutrals or negs lightly, by the way. I don't think I have ever given a neutral in my life, even though several would have been well deserved.

Re: Refund with no explanation

i-love-my-sheep — Mon, 06 Oct 2014 23:51:02 GMT

I agree with Springy. Negative and dinged stars. Too many sellers are getting away with poor service because people don't want to make a fuss. If he had a valid excuse, like illness or something else, then he could have messaged you when he sent the refund.

I too am not one for dishing out negs lightly. I have only ever given 1 neg in my life and never a neutral. There are times though where bad sellers need to be taken to task, especially if he is a repeat offender.

Re: Refund with no explanation

lyndal1838 — Tue, 07 Oct 2014 00:13:09 GMT

My take on it is that if the buyer needs to come to the boards to ask for opinions about what feedback to leave then they don't feel all that strongly about the transaction that it is worthy of a negative.

As far as lack of communication goes, the ebay message system is notoriously unreliable and at present seems to be going through a bad time.....I have had several messages go MIA.

But as springy says....we are all entitled to our own opinions.

Re: Refund with no explanation

cherry*135 — Tue, 07 Oct 2014 00:46:06 GMT

I don't think I have ever left a neutral and only one negative (item was smaller than measurements in listing and a fake,seller was naru'ed not long after) in 12 years. As I posted above, I would be leaving a neutral fb at least.

A neutral has the same weight as a negative now, as far as seller defects are concerned. I suppose a neg is more noticeable with the red dot, but that is about the only difference.

There isn't any excuse for this sellers delays and non communication. Bit unlikely he was unable to send a message to the buyer for over 7 days. The seller gets the buyers personal email address as well, so the ebay msg system possibly playing up doesn't wash for an excuse for no communication.

The OP asked for opinions (general consensus). up to them now, after reading responses, what action they will take.

Re: Refund with no explanation

lane-ends — Tue, 07 Oct 2014 01:27:28 GMT

Regardless of Ebay communications if I process a refund I add a short note in the paypal refund message box.

Re: Refund with no explanation

nat1980 — Tue, 07 Oct 2014 03:01:13 GMT

If you can see that the seller has done this several times I would be lodging a complaint with eBay resolution centre. If a seller lists an item then they are by law obligated to sell it!!. Just as a buyer we are obligated to pay for the item. I had this happen to me, I hadnt received the goods,they hadnt been marked as sent. So I contacted the Seller who it turns out had lost my two brand new ink pads.So she refunded my money AND then insisted on sending me her own ink pads plus refills for both pads. That is what a good Seller does.

If you ask for an eBay call back the customer service staff respond quickly and are really good at helping you. I recently had won an auction that stated postage to australia from the USA was $21 , I tried several times to pay for the item but checkout wouldnt let me!. I contacted the seller 4 times asking for an invoice, they ignored me , so I phoned eBay who sent the seller a message with instructions on how to send an invoice, they ignored it and THEN opened an unpaid item case against me! I again phoned eBay who were fantastic and cleared my record,and informed the Seller they were breaking the rules by refusing to sell an item that had been won at action. Sometimes it is easier to phone eBay than it is to email etc. They do go out of their way to help you.

Re: Refund with no explanation

lyndal1838 — Tue, 07 Oct 2014 06:54:29 GMT

Natalie, what is the OP going to lodge a claim for?

The money has been refunded!

The question is what feedback should the OP leave....and that does not involve going to the zResolution Centre or notifying ebay of anything.

Re: Refund with no explanation

nat1980 — Tue, 07 Oct 2014 07:03:34 GMT

I didnt say lodge a claim, if you go into the resolution centre you and click on contact us, request a call from eBay and lodge a complaint against the seller. How is eBay going to know if Sellers/Buyers are breaking the rules if ppl dont notify them?.

Yes the buyer got a refund, yes its a question of what type of feedback to leave, but she was lucky. The next buyer might have to jump through hoops to get their money back or whats to stop a seller taking buyers money then closing their accounts and opening new ones? If ppl dont say anything others will get burnt too.

Re: Refund with no explanation

i-love-my-sheep — Tue, 07 Oct 2014 13:54:17 GMT

@nat1980 wrote:

whats to stop a seller taking buyers money then closing their accounts and opening new ones?

An account has to be inactive for 60 days with no outstanding fees or transactions, so they can't take the buyers money and close their account down. The only way it can be shut down sooner is if eBay shuts it down. If the seller has fallen 'below standard', they can't close their account until they become 'above standard' again.