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.

[*sparklz*]

pj sleeps during the night, and uses her computer in the UK during the day

(of course they are different times to those here in aussie, where she lives part of the year!!!)

see, we all 'judge' on what we read, not necessarily on what we know

And with a membership as showing as being in Australia how would one know she is in the UK?

[lyndal1838]

And with a membership as showing as being in Australia how would one know she is in the UK?

[/quote]

Does it matter anyway?

I was posting at about the same time as PJ and I am in Australia.

[davewil1964]

I go to bed about 4am.

[protect*the*innocent]

Not sure you can avoid negative or neutral feedback but you can sure avoid losing your money and wasting further time on this unreasonable buyer.

My advice would be to refund this customer and close off the dispute.   If at all possible to lodge an unpaid item dispute after the Paypal dispute closes off - I would do so.

In order to win the dispute you would need to show paypal an approved method of trackable postage (such as registered post or click and send).   Therefore if you hadn't planned on sending the dvd using a trackable service then refunding this buyer is the easiest and best option for you at this point.

Sadly these kinds of buyers are multiplying on eBay.  Sorry that you copped one of them ekrabappel.  All the best for your upcoming trip!

[i-once-was-bump]

p*t*i I am confused by the following statement

My advice would be to refund this customer and close off the dispute.   If at all possible to lodge an unpaid item dispute after the Paypal dispute closes off - I would do so.

How can a seller refund the payment and then claim the item remains unpaid?

[***super_nova***]

p*t*i I am confused by the following statement

My advice would be to refund this customer and close off the dispute.   If at all possible to lodge an unpaid item dispute after the Paypal dispute closes off - I would do so.

How can a seller refund the payment and then claim the item remains unpaid?

You are absolutely right bump; once the payment was made, of-course it is not possible to start unpaid item case.

Refunding also does not stop the buyer to leave NEG.

[koalablue12]

I am going to change my sig - can't please all the people - all the time - no matter how hard we may try

[phorum_junkie*]

Actually I am often posting at 2am UK time too lol, there are many nights when three hours sleep are as much as I get and sometimes I give up trying and come downstairs!

My initial reaction stands, you allowed them to take that long to pay then you took them to task for it.

I would have opened the dispute and it would have been closed already for ten days before they got round to thinking about paying.

[protect*the*innocent]

bump and nova :

When a seller refunds a payment ebay then marks the transaction as refunded (unpaid). 

I know that when this happens a seller can lodge a mutual cancellation to recoup the final value fees for the refunded item but I cannot recall whether it is possible to open an unpaid case (hence my careful wording :.. if at all possible ...)  

An unreasonable buyer such as this is hardly going to agree to a mutual cancellation and it would be a shame for the seller to lose final value fees (albeit a small amount)    I cross my fingers that the OP might be able to open a case  

I did not suggest that refunding would stop the buyer from leaving bad feedback -- sadly there is no way to avoid bad feedback in this instance.... let's hope the buyer is the type who doesn't bother with feedback

Hope that clears up any confusion you had 🙂

[i-once-was-bump]

p*t*i it doesn't really clear up the confusion because I still don't see how it would be possible to start an unpaid item dispute and then win it if you refund the buyer.

Sure you can start any dispute you want but to win is the aim and to win in this situation should not be possible.

If it is a loophole,then to use it would be unethical and then the seller is no better than the buyer.