Honest Seller"Stuck with UNDESERVED,UNWARRENTED"NEGATIVE FeedBack*BEWARE*

[brookreflections]

Dear Sellers- I just felt I should share my story with you in hopes that none of you succumb to anything similar as this virtual blackmail situation. Just when you thought you had seller protection on eBay?.. The fact is you don't really, there is a nasty hole in the system that has left me very open & vulnerable as a seller with no protection + exposed to an ongoing black mail type situations.

Recently a buyer purchased an item from me + after only paying only one dollar, ordered goods to the value of $120 without paying.It became obvious after sending polite reminders they had no intention to pay but still expected me to send the items- after a couple of weeks- Still No payment- no goods sent, they applied Negative feedback saying "NOT GOT"[Wow man so polite as well] & then my 6 years of hard 7 day week yakka as an Aussie battler- Crashed.My reputation permanently tarnished. I could not even return the Neg feedback.Buyer refused to revoke the feedback, still expecting the goods for free. Ebay could do nothing despite numerous emails Devastating.

Totally unwarranted negative feedback has only drawn the attention to others of just what they can get away with. Give an inch of generosity and there are always a dubious character out there waiting to jump on the bandwagon for a freebie.

Straight after the negative feedback was added over 400 people read my offending innocent listing for 'free postage' in one day out of curiosity inadvertently at the same time educating innocent buyers as to how to get freebies.

It is not hard to understand why many sellers succumb to giving away their valuable goods when buyers threaten them with feedback in this way. Even worse, offer to remove negative feedback in return for goods.

I do pride myself in honesty + very much value the same from my customers. Most of my buyers + many returning buyers are fantastic people. I do feel sorry that these good honest people have been exposed to & have had a lesson in such evil dishonest manipulative behavior.

For many it is merely sickening but for others a great lesson, interesting 'Food for thought'& merely a confirmation that 'Yes' they CAN still get away with it and even better let of Scott free! - No negative feedback, no unpaid item strikes - Nothing whatsoever to loose- only gain.

Unfortunately the teaching continues feeding the world.

Please don't let this happen to you.

Take care

Kind regards Deb

[***super_nova***]

There were 2 listings at the time 1 for $120 nursery mix & 1 for free postage token to be used for purchases.

NO you did not do that.  You have to state in the TITLE exactly what you are selling, and in the price the amount that people will pay for whatever you have in the title, and the postage (if relevant) exactly what they will be paying.  What is in the title, and in the top section is binding.

Your ad says:

Title:   Bromeliad- Neoregelia Your Pick **FREE*Express-for 14 Neoregelia*BR

price:  $1

It is totally irrelevant what you meant, what is important is what you have listed.  And as others pointed out you cannot sell "express postage".  In any case, why bother?  Why not list with express postage?  Surely plants have to go express, and by the time you pay the fees for the $1 sale, you only get few cents.  Just make some listings for 12 plants with free express, and others for 1 or 2 or 3 plants with postage.

Nobody is attacking you; people just explained that you are wrong, you may be reported to eBay for the way you list.  And NO you are not helping us, none of us would consider to list in such a confusing manner. 

No, you cannot ask for a revision again, and yes, you could ask eBay to remove the NEG, but if they look at the listing, they are very unlikely to remove it, and you would be lucky not to get sanctioned.

[gorgeousdesignergirls]

Wow some people are harsh - this seller obviously made a mistake and needed some guidance and advice, but why all the personal attacks!

I mean a "dodgy, shonky seller" and needed to be reported to ebay and the police!  For Gods sake lighten up!

I do agree it is confusing and misleading, and it is better to simply offer the free post with the actual items being sold, as others have advised 🙂

[*crikey*mate*]

Note;

Customers ask for lots plants via email- so I add a listings in my store for them so fees can be deducted accordingly. They can easily check out that way + correct fees are taken for the orders.

I also sell nursery mixes listed at $120 including free postage.Popular mix for those who can't decide what to buy. I add these to my listings by request + fees are paid on the advertised price.

The $1 listing was just for a postage token to be used with an agreed order.

I find a lot of newbies don't understand the system + try to buy via email. I find this an ideal way to ensure correct fees are applied.

Happy selling

The system is flawed, I'm sorry. Most other sellers manage to offer combined postage without this confusion.

as I said above include in your listings something like, "I am happy to combine postage. Please contact me for a quote." and then highlight your special promotion of free post for orders over $120

[dotcomdotayu]

Geez, seems some people forgot their wheaties this morning. Sheesh.

[digital*ghost]

Unfortunately, along with not being a tangible good as previously mentioned, you are also not allowed to list anything that requires a buyer purchase something else (a more clear example is listing a pair of gloves over two listings - the left and right - and saying you will only send them as a pair so that the buyer has to purchase each one), so while I sympathise, I think you really need to stop advertising the deal in this way, and start using things like promotion boxes. 

[*new2vintage]

The buyer is not a scammer for becoming involved with a seller with confusing listings that aren't permitted by ebay. It isn't surprising she has received negative feedback and if she hasn't learned from this experience she may find herself in more trouble. I've never heard of a $1.00 listing for a " token " before that needs to be purchased with other items from the same seller. 

[foxette-in-sox]

Deb-just looked at a couple of your listings & don't know if you realise the following

There are 2 HUGE blue blank spaces under you description then you have out of date info re not posting on certain dates in MARCH.

Re you negative-JMO but devastated is a word more applicable to someone dying,not a red dot on an internet site.

[*new2vintage]

" I find a lot of newbies don't understand the system + try to buy via email. I find this an ideal way to ensure correct fees are applied. "

If you think new and experienced members can work out exactly what that listing is about you are wrong. Why slander the buyer concerned for your mistake ? 

[plonkacolin]

sorry seller your def wrong here

it clearly says $1.00 with free postage

I too would have bought this item for $1.00 with free postage

[nicole-n-daz]

This seller is not dodgy,Made an honest mistake.

And i am sure will learn from it.

And seriously did not deserve a negative feedback for making an error which could have been sorted in a positive way where both parties were reasonably happy.

There are too many negative feedback happy people out there.