Since low detailed seller ratings are no longer anonymous, is against eBay policy...

[justajunk]

...to leave a follow-up comment to feedback that I have left for a buyer with a message to the effect of "left low detailed seller ratings without an explanation"?

According to my defect report, this one buyer left me a low detailed seller rating for Item as Described. The feedback comment itself was very positive, so I of course immediately returned his/her feedback. I noticed the additional defect in my Seller Dashboard a couple of days later, but only today (two weeks on) did the defected transaction actually appear in my report.

I am fully aware that it is against policy to leave positive feedback with a negative comment, but is following up to positive feedback with a comment along the lines of "left low detailed seller ratings without an explanation" a negative comment in itself? It's quite factual. Alternatively, I suppose I could write "please let me know next time if you are unsatisfied with my item description", but of course there will not be a next time since I have now added the buyer to my Blocked Bidders List.

Any thoughts on this matter?

I know someone on here suggested doing just this a few weeks ago, but I'm very cautious of violating eBay policies. Maybe I should just bite the bullet and thank my lucky stars that I at least know who it is under the new system and can block him/her.

[craig23040]

Do they actually owe you an explanation?

[justajunk]

Yes.

They clearly were not very happy about something to do with my item description, and rather than ask me to resolve the matter (which I would happily done), they chose to simply give me a defect.

Also, it would help my own customer service. I sell second-hand DVDs, so I don't know if a LDS rating for a DVD means that the case was slightly cracked in the post or whether there was a couple of extra scratches more than what a buyer expected. If I did find out that it was an issue with the case being broken, I could do something to improve my packing service (even though I never comment on the condition of cases in my ads).

[2011.narelle]

Hmm I'd probably go with your last paragraph & just block them.

I'm all for reply to fb for a neg or neutral but i feel a bit funny about replying to low DSR with +comms.

I've had it before with the sneaky star dings but i just blocked & didn't leave fb at all..

[justajunk]

Yeah, maybe you're right.

What I'm trying to look at is what I have to lose or gain if I reply to a low DSR feedback.

Outside of personal satisfaction, I'm not sure if there is anything to gain, other than perhaps flagging the buyer for future reference if he/she later requests to be unblocked.

And what there is to lose is the daunting possibility of eBay shutting down my account or restricting my sales if they deem me to have violated their feedback policies.

[craig23040]

It would be nice for you if they gave you an explanation but the idea that they are obliged to is a bit weird. In a different context, for example, one diner might choose to send a meal back to the chef while another may simply tell their friends it was rubbish. Neither is more correct.

[justajunk]

I suppose you have a point. I worked in fast food for a while during my uni days, and we were told that something like only 5% of unsatisfied customers will actually bother officially complaining about service/product.

It's just annoying when eBay includes so many flag messages to buyers, asking them to contact their sellers before leaving less than brilliant feedback, and when I even tell buyers to let me know if they have any problems before leaving feedback.

Only so much you can do, I guess. Thanks for chiming in.

[ajarnjenny]

I don't think that that analogy is really pertinent to this situation, unless of course the disgruntled diner left a hefty tip and praise and then whined to his friends about how **bleep** the meal was.

They do it because they want to appear like perfect buyers to sellers who may check their feedback left for others.

[davewil1964]

i suspect that very few buyers realise dinging stars is no longer anonymous.

Calling them on it might not change anything from your point, but it might put the wind up them.

there are stories of buyers being extremely upset when caught out as they didn't realise sellers could find them.

Might make buyers a bit more honest in the future? ha ha.

[craig23040]

I struggle to believe any buyer worries about sellers checking their feedback except the newest of the new.