Question on Response to a Feedback Comment

[clarry100]

I have been contacted by a seller who is a little bit afraid to post for help on these boards.
They are a small time seller trying to supplement family income.

They sold an item that would have been a bit fragile to mail so thought the safest way would be to hand deliver as the address was in their local area.

So far as I can gather the sale did have a separate postage cost listed.

So they drove about 1.5 hours to hand deliver the item. Not really local.

Now the buyer has left a big red dot with the comment
"Payed for postage and they delivered it themselves feeling a bit ripped off...."

So they thought they were doing the right thing by hand delivering and got slammed.

I think there is very little that could be done about the NEG but what they want to know is some good words to respond to that NEG with.

I'm not that great with these kinda words.

Anyone have any good ideas?

[digital*ghost · Accepted solution]

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@clarry100 wrote:

Anyone have any good ideas?

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The best response will contain information that other buyers might want to know after seeing the neg - as much as I understand both sides, and as much as I respect everything the people have been saying, I would personally forget all that and focus on what they need to convey to anyone who might buy from them in the future. 

So, if after explaining to the buyer their reasons for opting to deliver, and an amicable resolution can't be reached where the buyer agrees to revise (removal is very unlikely):

Hand delivered with genuinely good intentions, postage refunded with apologies

because other buyers don't know, or won't care, about any expenses incurred to hand deliver, the time, or anything else, many will just see it as a opportunistic decision to keep more money (like the buyer seems to have). That reply is just under 80 characters - they're welcome to use it if they want to, or variations thereof. (And yes, I would refund the postage, and take it as a lesson learned). 

[amber-eyed-girl]

I can see the seller was being considerate, but if they have another local buyer, they should ask first and refund the postage. It should actually be, local. No 1 hour plus driving. Most may feel that the postage has "disappeared". Even if the service of delivery is still carrying costs.

Buyers don't expect sellers to just turn up however nice they may be. If a seller did that to me without asking I'd be a bit taken aback. If I then found out they drove over an hour...I would feel really bad about it and feel uncomfortable about buying from them again. As I'd feel (even though it was the seller's idea) that I had put them to an inconvenience.

[amber-eyed-girl]

It's possible if the seller apologises and refunds a revision could happen, too.

I would apologise without mentioning anything about the time taken or costs incurred, to an already disgruntled buyer that would look like a whinge not an apology.

Something like...as the item was fragile, I was concerned about entrusting it to the post, please accept a refund of the postage costs with my apologies for any inconvenience.

[clarry100]

Thanks DG. Great advice and great wording.

I've had further contact with the seller and they tell me that indeed they did seek permission to hand deliver from the buyer before they went to their address. Right down to which door to knock on and exactly where to leave the item if they were not at home when they turned up. Well as it happened they were not at home so the item was left where described to them.

[cathyjoyjoy]

Well it's been interesting reading responses here from members who do not want someone knocking on their door to deliver an eBay-purchased item.  I can only assume you would NOT have your home address available to sellers and therefore have a PO box or a business address as your destination for items.

I hope you realise that Aus Post and other deliverers may actually knock on your door anytime unexpectedly from 7am-5.30pm to deliver items which YOU have purchased.

i have often hand-delivered items (the postage cost then becomes my time and petrol & I MAY refund a small postage amount through PayPal), contacting the buyer first of course, but not always if I'm placing it in their letterbox.  I have always experienced appreciation from the buyer at not having to rely on a third party (Aus Post or courier) to deliver the item in a timely and undamaged manner. 

A very sad response from the buyer in this case, not understanding the cost of packing and sending (or delivering) items safely.  I don't believe the postage cost should be refunded- not because of the 1.5 her drive - but because the buyer APPROVED the hand delivery. 

[cathyjoyjoy]

It's a good idea to remember that with every transaction you make on eBay as a buyer or seller means your eBay details (your nominated name, address and phone number) then become available to the other party !!!!

[collect247]

Well there you go I stand firm with my previous point that the buyer is a complete goose.

They gave the seller permission to deliver and then negged them for it,what a lousy thing to do.

[cathyjoyjoy]

It's also illegal to door knock these days anyway

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This statement isn't quite correct (for NSW anyway).  Anyone can approach the front gate or door of your property and ring the doorbell, knock, or deliver a parcel (particularly if you have provided the seller with your specific address !!!!). It is only when you as the occupier ask the person to leave, or for the item to be removed - if they don't do as you request, then they are breaking the law.  Even if you have a sign on the door that says "Door will not be answered to anyone", if you've provided an address for delivery of an item, then on that specific occasion any such sign becomes irrelevant.

Check the Tresspass laws in your state for specifics on this.

[davidc4430]

was the communication via ebay messaging? if it was the the negative should be removed. if it wasn't then i'm not so sure how you would prove that the buyer had agreed to hand delivery but it was/is a carp thing to do if they had agreed to hand delivery.

on a general note, if a buyer pays for delivery by a particula deliverer, then unless the seller has written communication via ebay messaging agreeing to a change to that delery choice then i say post it even if they live next door.

personaly i hope i never sell to a person who lives close by as i dont want to have buyers asking to 'pick up' or for me to 'drop it off'

i sell on ebay so i dont have to meet people face to face.

[bullitprooftools2016]

If the ebay messages show the buyer agreed to the hand delivery they will erase the neg.