Unreasonable buyer - how to avoid negative feedback.

[ekrabappel]

Hi all,

Nearly a month ago i sold some DVDs.  Because I am not a full time seller I put handling time as 3-5 days after payment.  This allows me to go to the post office when convenient and when I have several items to send. One item sold on the 30 July. I eventually recieved payment from the buyer on the 17th August (a Friday).  I was actually going to launch a NPB dispute but am preparing for a caravan trip so running around and not really keeping on top of who hasn't paid.  Anyway, check my email this morning Monday (before start of business) and there was an item not recieved dispute opened by the buyer. In the message she said that the item was not showing as sent and to contact her ASAP.  Man, my blood was boiling when I read that.  I must also point out that despite taking 18 days to pay for the item this was the first bit of communicatiuon from her and she is unhappy that I have not posted the item the same day she made payment. In my response I questioned which planet she was living on and that if she was going to take 18 days to pay for an item she can hardly expect an immediate response from the other party. I told her the item would be posted on Tuesday within the 3-5 day handling time as described in the listing. I have a feeling that I will cop negative feedback for this even though I've done nothing wrong.  Advice appreciated.

[foxette-in-sox]

In my response I questioned which planet she was living on

Please tell me you didn't? :O:O

The only way to avoid a neg now is to pray ;\

[thesoulyearns]

Having a little bit of experience with a questioning buyer or two who, my advice would be not to ask things like which planet she is living on... 😉

Treat them courteously, because you don't know how it will turn out in the end. If you posted the item within 3-5 days, that is all you are expected to do within the confines of eBay. It's not your fault that they've launched the dispute as you haven't done anything wrong. They'll receive their item shortly and aslong as the item is as described, they may even give positive feedback. Some people just get cautious because it's their hard earned money. Even if they did give unfair negative feedback, eBay can and probably will remove it. Main thing is to keep your cool throughout the whole process.

[***super_nova***]

You say you deceive the payment on the 17th, but that does not mean necesarily that they paid on that date.  I would have just calmly responded with something like this:

Your payment has only cleared on Friday the 17th; I am unable to post on Monday but will do so Tuesday.  🙂

[digital*ghost]

Your buyer is rude, unreasonable and unrealistic, but the best thing to do is not let that sort of thing spur a response. You can be firm, but the majority of the time I find it's better to be impersonal, polite and factual, with straight-to-the-point sentences that simply  a) acknowledge what the buyer's problem is and b) let them know what I'm prepared to do about it.

Truthfully, in this situation, I would have been sorely tempted to respond as you have (particularly after a dispute effectively the next business day after payment! 😮 X-( ), but if I wanted to point out their unreasonableness, I tend to go for a little more subtlety ]:) (eg " As stipulated in the listing, this item is subject to a handling time of up to 5 business days. However, I can appreciate that after waiting nearly three weeks to pay, you must be getting very impatient to receive the item, so I will fast track the postage for you and have it sent Tuesday, shortening the handling time by two business days - rest assured that it will be marked as posted as soon as it's on its way....")

As it stands, I'd wait and see what - if any - response there is to the latest message is, you may be able to put yourself in a better position for good feedback if she engages further with communication.

[*sparklz*]

If you have not put tracking on the item it would be worth registering it at your own expense so that you can PROVE postage as they have stated item not received and if they escalate  the dispute you will have to supply some form of proof of postage by click and send or registered post.

Do it for your own protection.

[the3coopers]

Advice appreciated.

Treat others with respect. Not necessarily because they are a good person, but because YOU are.

[phorum_junkie*]

In my response I questioned which planet she was living on and that if she was going to take 18 days to pay for an item she can hardly expect an immediate response from the other party. I told her the item would be posted on Tuesday within the 3-5 day handling time as described in the listing.

I am almost certasin you will get a neg and your stars reduced as well.

You CHOSE to allow the buyer to wait that long to pay, you could have ensured that they paid within 8 days so youb cannot now castigate them for taking longer, not that doing so could even be remotely described as good customer service.

Do you make it VERY clear in your listings that you may not be posting up to 5 days after cleared payment?

I would have handled it completely differently, my email would have read something like: Hi, sorry I won't be able to post your parcel off until Tueseday, it is because I cannot get to the PO very often that I state such a long handling  period in my listings. I really hope AP get their act together and it is delivered speedily once posted. Cheers etc

Now you have almost certainly alienated them completely I think I would probably email an apology, tell them I was hormonal :^O and was sending their item off straight away with a free gift/partial refund included!

[jameshouseofstyle]

Hi Op,

you can always write back and tell her you are one of the lecturers at the University of Mars and thought you recognised some common traits in her message - hence the question.

Something that was definitelly "out of this world" - not the usual approach amongst the Earthlings.

Cheers, January.

[phorum_junkie*]

you can always write back and tell her you are one of the lecturers at the University of Mars and thought you recognised some common traits in her message

:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O

Welcome home January, hope you enjoyed your visit.