A seller retracted a sale for item after purchase

[fozzi05]

Seller said that Item had been used and they were unaware before listing the item...I have received an email requesting I accept the retraction from ebay....I am def not happy with the situation ...but also didn't want to leave negative feedback so I did leave neutral feedback...my dilemma is why should the seller be refunded sale fees after inconvenience to buyers...the item was a great buy and postage fees seemed very low...also, I was not given opportunity to purchase after notification...should I allow retraction?

[springyzone]

I know it is a bit late now, but I am not sure why you didn't send a message back to them, asking how 'used' it looked and saying you might be willing to buy it anyway.

I am wondering why the seller has done this. If it is because they realised their mistake after auction and were afraid of upsetting you and getting a negative if the item wasn't as described, then that has backfired as they have upset you anyway and copped a neutral.

Or it could just be they don't want to sell it off cheaply, if it didn't get the price they expected.

Whether you allow a retraction is up to you and how genuine you think they are.

[janeababe]

I really dont know why you are angry at the seller, and so angry that you left a neutral! This seller advertised the item as brand new in box, never opened, and Im sumizing, that they thought that the case up until it was time to post it, when they discovered it had actually been opened and used!  All her other feedback is amazing, so it doesnt scream **dodgy** to me!
You would have been more peeved off if you received it and discovered it used instead of new!

As far as Im concerned, you have just made a situation worse.

Give the truthful seller a break! Accept the retraction, change the feedback, then email the seller if she would consider relisting it again as *used* as you are still very interested in her pizza oven.

[retailtherapist_8]

I agree and would also add that it doesnt look like this seller is highly experienced as far as the in & outs of selling on ebay. I am pretty sure they thought they were doing the right thing here.

WOW, how quick to judgement have we become. Sad indictment of the world we live in.

I think a little empathy for a newish Seller who has great fb and was perhaps doing what they thought was right  is far more appropriate than your current course of action.

[fozzi05]

I left Neutral feedback NOT Negative...this is what I thought the feedback forum was for...to guide buyers in the right direction when it comes to purchases....and as far as I was concerned...isnt it the duty of a seller to check items before listing them for sale...I am not judging the seller as a person just the process she should have carried out before listing the item...and as I have never been asked to approve a retraction before...I was asking the forum in general for thoughts...thanks for your replies

[phorum_junkie*]

The boards are for people to ask questions about the rules and to offer opinions on situations which occur where a choice of actions are an option within those rules

You obviously know the rules and that you did not have to accept the mutual cancellation so the seller got a refund of their fees and that you could leave any feedback you wanted so obviously you were after opinions, if those opinions are at odds with what you though it makes them no more or less valid.

If a seller looks dodgy then I quite agree you should refuse the cancellation and if you don't believe their story you should leave a neg but there is no indication your seller is the slightest bit dishonest and was entirely truthful. If you thinl that deserves a neut then fine but you cannot expect everyone else to have the same opinion.

[wargul]

I suppose it comes down to how you view a neutral feedback.  To most sellers recieving a neutral is akin to a knife attack.  With that in mind I leave neutral feedback after quite careful consideration.  I certainly would not have left neutral feedback in this case.  It seems to me you have let your dissappointment about not getting the tiem colour your feedback to the seller, whereas, they are very separate things.  Yes you were dissappointed but in reality the seller did the right thing.  Never leave feedback when you are annoyed.  Wait, cool down, and think about it first.

[thecatspjs]

I agree with you OP about sellers getting refunds for their fees if they have made an error in their listing. I don't think they should get refunds if they misdescribed an item such as condition. 

IMO I think most sellers should cop a neutral on the chin in a situation like this where they have made a significant error in the item description.

To me, the OP is not a serial neutral or negative leaver - they are simply a disappointed buyer, who has reflected their honest experience in feedback they have left.  

Sorry wargul, the statement that "most sellers recieving a neutral is akin to a knife attack"  seems a tad hysterical to me - it certainly can be  very disappointing indeed to receive less than perfect feedback, however I think the vast majority of ebay sellers would not react to a neutral in quite the same way as they would if facing a knife wielding assailant. 

[wargul]

Cat's, it was not a literal statement.  A literal translation would be - "Many sellers react strongly to neutral feedback".  

[fozzi05]

Thank you all for your opinions....I still have the dilemma of what I should do in this case, but I will take timeout...can I please state that... I see that sellers don't like ANY feedback that is not positive and although neutral feedback best describes my feelings about this situation....it is obvious from the above that it doesn't sit well with those sellers that frequent this forum (and wish to comment)....so I will take on board the above comments, make my decision, and thank this forum for not much....coz as I see it....it really depends on how you feel about how the transaction went, whether you are honest, whether you feel the seller has been honest....and when it boils down to it ....another sale will come along which may restore your faith ...and this comment doesn't reflect personal feelings of a seller (coz I don't care who they are) ...but I really don't care for sellers that don't follow decent curtesy of checking items thoroughly before listing (which in my opinion is a priority) then claim a retraction after a contact has been entered into in good faith on both parts.....as i see it, it is the sellers responibility...and they should be penalised...in closing.....if you are a seller....CHECK YOUR ITEMS THOROUGHLY before making a listing.....doesn't matter whether you are new to ebay or a seasoned seller. Thx for listening.