Defect removal

[egglesdtp]

I received two defects for a brand new $5 item I sold last month – one for postage time and one for item description. I emailed the buyer to ask her why she had given low DSRs but got no reply.

So I rang ebay CS, and explained that I had posted the item less than 24 hours after receiving payment, so did not deserve the defect for postage time. The CS person said they would have to investigate, left me on hold for over 5 minutes with some awful music, then came back and said they would need to investigate further and would email me within a few days to let me know the outcome. After 10 days with no email, I rang again, and got a different CS person. I had to explain the whole situation again, and got the response she would need to investigate further – left me on hold – and came back with the same response as before. They would need to investigate further and would email their response. No email arrived.

So I rang a third time, went through the same procedure – I am convinced when they put you on hold they just go and get a cup of coffee before returning – and told the same response. But this time they actually emailed me back. This is in part what their email said:

This email is with regards about the defect rate on your account which we investigated for the past 3-5 weeks. I carefully checked your feedback rating and I can confirm that there is no any negative feedback left by your buyer....

I replied The issue my three phone calls to Customer Service over the last 10 days or so was not the feedback but the low detailed seller ratings given by my buyer xxx for shipping time and item description, both of which were low enough to have scored a defect.

As I now had an email address I added some attachments – screenshots of the Paypal transaction, which show time and date of payment, and the tracking details which are visible when clicking on the tracking number, which shows lodgement time and date. It quite obviously shows the time between payment and lodgement was less than 24 hours.

So they removed the defect for shipping time. But since I still had the defect for item description – even though I explained the item was brand new still in its box with clear photos showing details as well as a written description taken from the side of the box. But how to prove it didn't deserve a defect?

So I emailed the buyer again and this time she responded with this: look it was my mistake. I marked the wrong stars and when I realized what I did I didn't know to fix the rating so I do apologies for my mistake

I forwarded this to ebay CS with a note explaining this was the evidence I could provide to support my request for defect removal.

Their reply in part was: We've looked into your situation and as part of eBay policy, the defect can only be removed if the buyer left you a negative feedback and agree to revise it. However, the feedback you received is a positive one which means that it cannot be revised.

So according to this, you cannot get defects removed unless the buyer leaves negative feedback! BUT they said they would remove the defect for shipping time when I could provide irrefutable evidence, so they are contradicting themselves.

Good luck to anyone trying to get a defect for item description removed.

[lyndal1838]

This is just another example to reinforce my decision not to become a seller.   I feel for you.

[cq_tech]

Yet more irrefutable evidence that a "one size fits all" defect policy simply can't work in the real world and there has to be a certain degree of discretion allowed for this very reason. In many ways eBay's pig-headed bureaucracy reminds me of "Yes, Minister" except that it's no laughing matter when sellers' livelihoods depend upon there being a fair and equitable resolution system in place, and the one we have now is a bloody long way from being that.

[harley_babes_hoard]

I would ask to speak to a supervisor. I had one positive feedback with 1 and 2 stars attached to it removed early on.

[ambridgebuckskins]

Just went through this same thing last week - the buyer hit the wrong stars by mistake.

Get the buyer to send you a message through eBay saying 'l would like to have my feedback removed'.

Then ring CS back (allow yourself half a day....). Ask them to read the message from your buyer.

Request to have the whole feedback removed. The green dot goes, as does the defect.

The rep can remove it on the spot.

The green dot will go straight away. The defect goes the following Thursday when they do their updating USA time.

Losing the green dot dosen't matter but the vanishing defect matters bigtime.

[springyzone]

That's all good, but it depends on the buyer going to the trouble of replying that way and some probably won't.

The person already has an email from the buyer saying it was a mistake, I can't see why common sense can't rule and the ebay supervisor could not say-look I can remove the defects but it will mean the whole feedback coming off, is that okay?

It seems odd to me that ebay can remove some star ratings when given evidence yet not others. That is inconsistent.

[kylies*swap*cards*]

I don't see how a buyer can "hit the wrong stars by mistake".  I recently tested this system out and attempted to leave low stars and it can not be done as a mistake as you get a big box come up and have to give the reason why you are giving the one or two star rating.  I think buyers leave them deliberately (for whatever reason) and when questioned about it then claim it was a mistake.  

To the OP call and ask to speak to a supervisor, I called and they removed 2 of mine (one of which the buyer claims also was a "mistake").

[bigbrickshop]

A warning box comes up if you go to leave a 1 or 2 DSR but there is no warning for a 3 DSR which is also stupidly classed as a Defect.

[robinsonmarineparts]

Yep, it annoys the **bleep** out of me, my 4 defects have been for INAD for brand new items in unopened boxes.

One was a Aftermarket Yamaha 12" alloy  propeller, now that's exactly what he / she got, go figure.

[egglesdtp]

Well well well... perhaps there is someone with some sense in CS after all. I just received this email:

I apologize for the confusion in the previous messages.

I reviewed the defect they left on your account and I was able to verify that they do not intend to leave you such defect. However, our system has still not reflected any defect for Item As Described in this transaction. Basically, we have not counted this as a defect on your account.

Usually the system will be updated every Friday. If our system will not count this as a defect, your Seller Dashboard will also be updated reflecting no defect for this transaction.

I appreciate your patience about this matter.

So perhaps it pays to be persistent in fighting these unfair defects. I rang CS three times and sent them six detailed emails before this was finally resolved, and I note the defects on the transaction have been removed.