Feedback Extortion???

[clarry100]

We sent out an item that was a pair to a buyer last week.

Today I get a message from the buyer that says the item showed up and the envelope was badly torn.

And that one of the pair was missing.

In the message they are asking what are we going to do about it?

Then closed by saying "I don't want to leave you bad feedback".

We are happy to send them out a replacement item of course but just don't think they needed to say that in closing. In fact I already said I would send out a replacement item, but haven't heard anything back just yet.

Can a statement like that be considered feedback extortion?

Just in case they do decide to leave us a NEG I think I could have it removed if it could be interpreted that way.

[2106greencat]

Goes without saying - BBL.

Would like to see the buyer go back to BM store and explain why they can't prove the damage.

[clarry100]

Yeah I hear what ya sayin' Greencat.

But if we just dug in and said "suck it up sweetheart" then I'm sure we would wear a big red dot and a couple of very low DSR's.

And that's going to hurt our already depressed sales this month.

So for the cost of $2.00-ish we will just cave in and send out the replacement (already have done actually). It means that this particular sales makes about ZERO profit. So not a loss anyway.

I've recorded a comment on her FB that says "Item arrived damaged and one piece missing. Replaced <date>".

So in future other sellers can see that she has done this before.

I did look thru her FB history (score of 422) and she has no trends or history of giving NEGs so at least that is in her favour I guess.

[2106greencat]

Think you have handled it admirably - and maybe they were genuine, sellers need need to 'suck it up' quite a bit on eBay don't they?

While I enjoyed my selling time, I have to admit, I don't miss it all that much, but in saying that, I was fortunate to have had the good buyers (and I believe they are the majority, in the grand scheme of things) so I can't complain.

I did find most of the buyers who had unrealisitic expectations were new, and I do think it would be good policy for all buyers to have had to experience at least one month of selling before they get to jump all over us (sellers).

[bsal6160]

let me get this right....you left feeback for buyer stating that you knew it was damaged with a piece missing so you replaced it? Hmmm sorry but that makes you as the seller look bad not the other way around. And as you also stated their fb history doesnt show any trend so (heavens forbid) the buyer might just be telling the truth and not trying to defraud you of $2.00

[chezzy]

Are people so cynical and untrusting of buyers? Implying/wondering if they are making up stories or trying to cover something up?

You know it is actually possible that envelopes can get torn open and items fall out. It has happened to me a couple of times.

Interestingly it is normally when a flimsy envelope is used and it is not reinforced with packing tape etc. You also sometimes hear about envelopes getting caught in the sorting equipment and being torn open. Might be worth considering how item was packed.

[cq_tech]

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@bsal6160 wrote:

let me get this right....you left feeback for buyer stating that you knew it was damaged with a piece missing so you replaced it? Hmmm sorry but that makes you as the seller look bad not the other way around.

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I've just checked Clarry's feedback for others and found that which was left for the buyer in question and there has been no such comment publicly recorded so I'm presuming that what he meant is that he's made a private note for his own records.

[clarry100]

Not sure which buyer you found as this is on our other store ID not this one.

Oh... and the comment is left against the buyer's FB history not on our own.

[cq_tech]

My apologies, clarry. Seems I wrongly assumed it must have been the 422 FB buyer for whom you left feedback on 20/3.

Clearly I'm not at my best at 2 o'clock in the morning... 😞