Reporting Members - Unfair Negative

[stable05]

Hi Sellers

I am trying to report an unfair negative from a buyer - I am getting a message saying "we are making some updates and will be back soon".  Anyone now how long this update has been going on?  And will the updates finally favour Sellers?

Incidentally, I am following this buyer with Private Feedback who received a 150% refund (I compensated for incovenience as well, silly me) on a well packed item, and refused to pursue damage with Aussie Post which would have given them another 100% refund on the total paid.

It really stings that someone thinks I can't pack my lunch.  Think I might go back to bed

[*tippy*toes*]

---

@stable05 wrote:

Noted.  I often get comments that I shoud have marked my parcels with 'Fragile' but I know it makes no difference with AP.  They would have had to have played a round of footy with this one to smash the glasses.  Incidentally no photo of damage provided by disgruntled buyer.

To get a negative when you've bent over backwards to appease and (over) compensate whilst still copping abuse throughout the process is what irks me most. 

The Exclusions listed on AP website don't seem to mention glass?

---

You're right, it makes no difference as AP doesn't provide a fragile service. It can make a difference to some buyers though. I post fragile items and never mark them as such because I don't want to draw the attention of a worker having a bad day (which happens and parcels get used as footballs). I've never had a breakage. I have receive broken items from extremely poor packaging, like a collector plate wrapped in a single sheet of newspaper and put into a satchel with nothing else. I got a refund, but it posed a big danger to the postal workers after it smashed into I don't know how many pieces.

Things like cups and glasses I'll stuff the inside with paper or packing peanuts to remove any dead space. When I pack them into the box, after I've finished packing I'll hold the box closed and shake it. If there is any movement whatsoever, I stuff more packaging into it. You can't have any movement at all. None. If something is super fragile, I'll pack each one into individual boxes and then put them all in another box. I actually just packaged something that was double boxed. A truck could run over it and not damage it! Yes, I'm exaggerating, but it would take a lot to kill the contents.

Never skimp on packaging when it comes to fragile items. Far better to go overboard with the packaging, even if it costs a bit more. You can always pad out the postage cost to cover extra packaging. I'm not suggesting that you underpackaged or did anything wrong, just offering suggestions from someone who posts a lot of fragile items and never had a breakage.

I learned to package by buying a cheap china cup from the op shop. I packaged it up to how I thought it should be, then we took it out the back and kicked it around. Played soccer with it. When I unwrapped it, it was totally intact. I knew that I'd obviously got it right. I think AP recommend that it should be able to withstand being dropped from 2 metres and have 20kg dropped on it (I could be wrong with the figures).

[imastawka]

Unless it had tyre marks on it, if it arrived broken, then it wasn't packed

properly IMO

In my total disappointment, I would've given a negative too.

Can't see that the negative is unfair

[*tippy*toes*]

I bought some 60's/70's Capri cannisters a few years ago. The multicoloured ones. Very disappointed when I saw the AP purchased box had a muddy boot print on the top of it and the box was damaged. It hadn't been kicked, it had been stood on. Each cannister was packed to my standards, but the weight of someone standing on it was too much for the large flour cannister. I took it down to the PO and they had no hesitation in compensating me for the full amount (I showed them the listing).

They agreed the seller had gone above and beyond with packaging, but nothing could have held up to someone with large feet standing on it. I told the seller what happened and they wanted to refund. I said I'd already been compensated by AP and as far as I was concerned, they did everything right as a seller. I only let them know as a courtesy, after I'd left them glowing feedback. A few months later, someone was selling the single red flour cannister and I got it for a bargain price, even with postage (these sets in good condition can fetch a good price.......I bought them to use though as we had them when I was growing up).

There are quite a few people who need to learn how to package fragile items properly. I've heard so many stories at work. Sellers should take note of how the Chinese package things because they seem to know what they're doing. All the ones that I've bought from do anyway! I package stuff how I'd want it sent to me. I probably go overboard sometimes but better to overdo it.

Even taking the dispute/refunds out of the equation, broken items are such a waste of a good item. I don't like to see lovely things end up in the bin. I sell things that people can enjoy and appreciate, I don't want them thrown out because they're broken. Maybe one day that buyer might be able to onsell them and let someone else enjoy and appreciate them.

[vproshop]

Hi Everyone,

just in regards to getting a feedback overturned, here is our recent interaction with a customer and Ebay CS.

Thought some will find it very interesting.

Message to Ebay CS.
Hi, We have a buyer who has given us neutral feedback and from our conversation with the buyer, we feel that we have been given neutral unjustly and not in the spirit of true ebay use.The buyer purchased an item called Adaptil Calming Collar, item id 331820218310The buyer says that she did not recognise any difference in using the product, however was very happy with the postage of the item, speed of delivery, our communication etc. Here is what the buyer wrote back to us upon questioning...

Hi !Yes, I am 100% happy with everything but I only put neutral because I couldn't e valuation if it worked or not. I transported my two cats from London to Sydney and use Adaptil spray in their cage and I noticed a big change in their behaviour so I guess I w as expecting to see that reaction in Lulu.With kindest regards,L****e

Hi L****e,Ok, I understand your feedback to be a reflection on unnoticeable change in her behaviourwith the collar on. However, You were happy with our services as a retailer of the product?ie, the postage time, the way we handled the product, etc.

Hi! I am so sorry but the reason I gave as neutral was that I did not know if it worked because my toy poodle had the collar put on at the vet who did her final export check and when she arrived from SYD to LHR I did not notice any difference in her behaviour. I left it on for several days after our arrival to allow her time to settle into a new home with many more people than she was used to but I still didn't notice any calming change because she was quite anxious for the first 2 weeks.

I hope you can follow this, but the buyer, L****e has given neutral feedback because she can not judge if the product worked or not. The product is manufactured by CEVA Animal Health and is being sold on ebay by many sellers and just because this buyer purchased this product from us and gave us neutral feedback, we are to look bad to potential future customers.We ask you to re-consider the feedback of Neutral and remove it for us?Please let us know if this is possible.Thanks,

HERE IS THE RESPONSE FROM EBAY CS

Thanks for getting in touch with your appeal. I'm happy to tell you that I have now removed this feedback from your account.I trust this email resolves your concern. Thank you for your time and thanks for choosing eBay.

[stable05]

I voluntarily offered it, there was not threats.  I have a no refund policy but in cases like these I always refund as I feel bad for the loss of the item (even though it was not my fault) and I know it would take some running around for the buyer to get compensation from Aussie Post. I wasn't trying to aviud a negative/neutral through this action, just a goodwill/compensation gesture.

I have a small cash reserve (from my free listings) that I use for these rare occasions

[stable05]

Thanks everyone for your advice and, mostly, support.

I still can't get through to the Ebay Feedback service though - anyone know how long it has been offline? 

[saarzi]

Why on earth do you refund 150%?  In all my time in retail Ive never heard of that.

That seems to be asking dodgy buyers to buy from you repeatedly and get that 150% refund under different names.  Heck, Im tempted to buy and hope I find something tiny wrong with the item Lol (just kidding, I wont).

Youre creating an income for buyers worldwide lol

Obviously the buyer sent you evidence of the broken item that they refused pursue with Auspost? 

Even that isnt proof any more. There are buyers on Ebay who will often buy to replace their own broken item, and send you photos of their item as postage damage evidence. then they have your unbroken perfect item, and a full refund (or in your case, 150%!!).  They usually  dont pursue through Auspost, because Auspost can use video security footage and employee stat decs as evidence to refuse, which can lead to charges of fraud.

If the feedback is the last neg you received, eBay arent going to remove it anyway. Receiving 150% refund or a hundred million dollars doesnt make the experience of the broken item any better or magically fixed. Feedback is about buyer experience - not the end result.

[springyzone]

Hmm. This is re the cat collar.

I can see where you are coming from in that as a seller, you did all the right things-you sent the collar quickly, well packaged etc

But for me (looking at this from the point of view of a buyer) that feedback would be just the sort of thing I would be interested to know.

If another buyer stated it didn't seem to make any difference, it didn't seem to work well compared to some other products such as the spray, then that is exactly the information I would want to know.

The product isn't living up to its claim.

If I were a buyer, that sort of feedback would not turn me off the seller at all but it may dissuade me from buying the actual product, that is true.

[stable05]

Ummm no I don't operate that way!  Big assumption there saarzi
I have a No Refund policy on every item I sell.  I judge very carefully the merits of any (rarely given) refund and even though this buyer did not provide evidence you have corrected yourself in saying that evidence of photo damage is worth nil anyway.

It was a very rare gesture of good will for a collectable - but not rare - item that the buyer clearly was upset about given their initial outburst - and I was disappointed too given the effort I had taken to list it and package it. 

I knew the buyer would need to take time and effort to report it to AP and I wanted them to do this, hence the encouragement through compensation. The compensation was not about 'bribing' the feedback either but in all other 'rare' instances it certainly has provided goodwill and a level of mutual understanding.  I don't need to be judged on how I operate my affairs - my original post was not seeking that. 

Lesson learned - there will be no more goodwill gestures towards buyers who are abusive and especially towards those that assume the seller is responsible for the postal carrier's ineptitude.
No matter what my level of refund is, dodgy buyers will always find a way to get their money back (e.g. via Paypal) but I can't be concerned about that - I just operate the way I always have and weed out the bad ones through experience.

And I acknowledge that feedback is the 'Buyer's experience'.  But again, even with compensation I provided and the offer to assist the buyer to receive even MORE compensation from AP they were not to be appeased and even worse were abusive, behaviours that were wholly unjustified and somewhat suspect.  This buyer's experience was that they received a broken item through no fault of the seller, and had the seller go above and beyond standard practice to compensate and assist.  They then waited 6 weeks to unleash a negative.  So I view their negative to be malicious if not manipulative.  I will report it and absolutely expect no joy from the powers above to remove it.  But it will make me feel better.  Who knows, Ebay may review this buyer's account and see a string of broken items received with negative feedbacks and refund claims which I cannot see as the Buyer's feedback settings are Private of course.  Anyway that's it I can ever get through to the Ebay area concerned (see my OP).

A neutral would have been more in the spirit of ths transaction given that it was not my fault the item was damaged (yes I packed it substantially) and that they just couldn't be bothered to take it further with AP.  Another post on this forum today reported another well-packed item damaged in transit which just reinforces the poor service of AP, yet sellers continue to be penalised for it. 

This buyer had a Private setting on their account so they are free to neg anyone they care to no matter what their 'Buying Experience' and it will never be publicly reflected back on them or their account.  That just adds to the 'dodgy buyer' tag IMO.

[lyndal1838]

---

@stable05 wrote:

This buyer had a Private setting on their account so they are free to neg anyone they care to no matter what their 'Buying Experience' and it will never be publicly reflected back on them or their account.  That just adds to the 'dodgy buyer' tag IMO.

---

To label a buyer dodgy because they have Private feedback is rather unfair and I am sure you will get plenty of arguments from boardies.....including me.

There are many reasons for having Private feedback and wanting to hide bad feedback is not the only one...in fact it does not even enter into my thoughts at all.