What to do when feedback keeps being removed?

[aj12070929]

Recently I purchased an item from a seller with a score of 35,483 and rating of 100% with ZERO negative feedback in the past 4 years.  The whole process was a nightmare with this seller, with automated emails, incorrect item being sent and a totally frustrating experience. 

It's very rare that I leave any negative feedback, especially if the seller has such a high score and 100% rating, but I had to share my experience.

The following day I recieved 2 emails.  One saying that ebay has released my contact details to the seller (which I'm told is allowed) and the second email sending me my chat transcript.  Interestingly, I did not have any online chat with ebay, but the transcript shows me failing the identification questions, but still being able to remove feedback which "I left in error..."

I spoke to ebay who assured me they would investigate and the feedback was reinstated 48 hours later.  When I checked again, I saw there was 1 other negative feedback as well from another buyer.  

Out of curiosity I checked the following day and both feedbacks were again gone, with the seller back to 100% positive and no negative feedbacks ever.

Again, I spoke to ebay and the feedback was reinstated.   I looked a couple of days later and again 6 other people had left negative feedback.  The following day, all of the feedback again was removed and the seller had a clean slate.

Today I reported this once again and expect the feedback reistated, but I wonder if anyone else has experienced this and what is the best way to progress because it is a worry if super-sellers who attract multiple negative feedbacks in just a couple of days can show a 100% satisfaction rating along with zero negative feedback in their history.

[brerrabbit585]

I know it stinks but if this got into the media ALL sellers would lose out because buyers wouldn't trust any sellers.

[melbourneclearance]

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@brerrabbit585wrote:
I know it stinks but if this got into the media ALL sellers would lose out because buyers wouldn't trust any sellers.

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Yes, let's not expose any corruption and wrongdoing, lest the victims don't trust us anymore...

Jaysus, berr!

Edit: That's "brerr"

[springyzone]

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@brerrabbit585wrote:
I know it stinks but if this got into the media ALL sellers would lose out because buyers wouldn't trust any sellers.

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I think it depends on a person's prior experiences.

For instance, I've bought a few hundred things over the years, been ripped off a few times (pre paypal) but on the whole, especially in the last few years, had very positive experiences.

I'm mainly a buyer now & I am reading this thread & I do think if ebay is removing legit feedback, it is dodgy, but it hasn't turned me off buying on ebay.

I'd say it could have some effect on people who have never used ebay but news stories wear off after a while.

[digital*ghost]

It might depend on the media in question, too. Buyers generally don't read sites like Ecommercebytes, for example, and while I personally find them to be a bit biased, they've covered some interesting things and also reach out to eBay for comment.

[imastawka]

OP's neg has returned for the 4th time!!!!!

Along with a new neg.    Don't know about it deserving a neg though -

Great buy. Responds to msg. But its not buyers job to chase delivery =[

[brerrabbit585]

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@melbourneclearancewrote:

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@brerrabbit585wrote:
I know it stinks but if this got into the media ALL sellers would lose out because buyers wouldn't trust any sellers.

---

Yes, let's not expose any corruption and wrongdoing, lest the victims don't trust us anymore...

Jaysus, berr!

Edit: That's "brerr"

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Nowhere did I say not to tell the media.  In the hands of the wrong media it could do us all a lot of harm, but in the hands of the right media people ebay might actually do something about it.  For example, some TV stations just want to sensationalize and they don't believe in letting the facts get in the way of a good story.

[melbourneclearance]

Nice recovery!

The media in general are suspiciously not reporting much on ebay's shady sides, but something like the Checkout may be appropriate. Come to think of it, even ACCC and other tribunals seem to happily let ebay run their own show. Some of them even have a clause on their websites that says if you are looking to complain about something bought on ebay then sort it out with ebay first.

[sacramentalstoles]

Well...one more neg has vanished without trace...
They had 2 yesterday...OP's neg is still there...

Amazing

[brerrabbit585]

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@melbourneclearancewrote:

Nice recovery!

The media in general are suspiciously not reporting much on ebay's shady sides, but something like the Checkout may be appropriate. Come to think of it, even ACCC and other tribunals seem to happily let ebay run their own show. Some of them even have a clause on their websites that says if you are looking to complain about something bought on ebay then sort it out with ebay first.

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My original comment was merely a statement of fact.  I don't condone corruption and never will.  I'm fairly well known locally for being the one person who's prepared to stick their neck out and stand up for what's right, despite knowing that it'll add a few more people to the list of those that hate me.  I'm not worried about what they think, I'm more concerned about what the decent people think!

Re your comments about the media not mentioning ebay, they report whatever they think people will want to watch.  Maybe they think ebay is such a part of most of our lives now that people just won't be interested in hearing any more warnings about them.  They'd also be wary of being sued.  I don't normally watch shows like A Current Affair but years ago I sat through one because I really wanted to see their segment on a particular subject, but right at the end they said they cancelled that story for "legal reasons".  Most of those shows are more about sensationalism than to get justice for people - another good reason they may be leaving ebay alone.

[springyzone]

I don't know if the media would be interested in this. Could be wrong, they may be.

But the problem I would see if i were a producer is first the legal liability as ebay is an international giant so you'd have to tread carefully in what you reported (that takes away some of the sensationalism for the cheap TV shows for a start-they will hardly have a reporter running after some ebay executive as he dashes guiltily to his car)

The main problem though is unless a person carefully follows the tale of one bit of feedback, the story is a bit  meaningless. For instance an ebay spokesperson only has to go into an interview & say feedback can be removed for a number of reasons if it is deemed inappropriate but ebay can only know about it if a seller complains, so some sellers might be more on the ball than others in getting it removed. They would probably also say that the bigger the seller & more feedback they get, the more likely it is that there will be the occasional FB that is inappropriate or unfair & needs to be removed.You can bet your bottom dollar they would say they could not talk about specific feedback removal reasons or individual sellers for privacy reasons.

But ebay would claim  that on the whole, most neg feedback remains.

.

Viewers would only have to click into ebay, click on just about any seller, & they would see negs & neutrals on a lot of them & that would appear to back up ebay's claim.. 

You'd have to have the problem of FB removal a lot more widespread, affecting a lot more sellers, before it would really become a news story. That's what i suspect, anyway.