Welp. First Negative Feedback

[everard6920]

It was bound to happen one day, and sure enough ...

Buyer opened a case for item not received, and left feedback saying I "ripped them off". I feel that that's borderline defamatory, and I gave them an immediate refund with an apology, and an offer to re-send the item free of charge as a gesture of goodwill (it's under $10 so I don't mind). I'm guessing I have zero chance of having it removed by eBay, even though it's actually not true that I ripped them off? Can only hope for a withdrawal from the buyer?

I know it doesn't count towards anything but it stings, and I'm taking it harder than I otherwise would as it's been a rough month.

[everard6920]

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@davewil1964 wrote:

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@everard6920 wrote:

Thank you all for your replies. Very much appreciated. I had a nice cup of tea and have calmed down.

I've refrained from replying to the feedback until I'm calmer - but when I do it'll be something factual like "item sent [date], obviously lost in post, buyer fully refunded".

I agree - defamatory comments in feedback are against eBay policy. If she'd just said "I never received my item and I'm not happy" - okay, that's fair and I wouldn't be as upset. But to accuse me of ripping her off - which literally means to scam or thieve - is untrue.

However, I expect eBay to argue that the buyer felt that way because they paid and didn't receive their item, but worth a shot.

Checked her feedback left for others: mostly positives, with a few negatives thrown in, but not enough that eBay would consider it a pattern.

Kicking myself because I've had trouble with this postcode before and I usually send EVERYTHING to that postcode via trackable methods, but because it was cheap and a PO Box at the post office, I did not. Ugh.

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If a buyer left me a neg without contact or opening an INR case, which you don't mention happened, they would not get a refund nor a chance to purchase from me in future.

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Yes, they opened a case, as I stated in my original post. I'm not sure if the buyer left the feedback or opened the INR case first, but I responded to the case within 15 minutes and the feedback had already been left. They did not wait for me to reply before leaving feedback. This was the first contact I've had from them, and the transaction is from early December.

I refunded because otherwise I get a defect. I don't have tracking.

And no. They won't get a chance to purchase in the future.

[collect247]

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@davewil1964 wrote:

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@everard6920 wrote:

It was bound to happen one day, and sure enough ...

Buyer opened a case for item not received, and left feedback saying I "ripped them off". I feel that that's borderline defamatory, and I gave them an immediate refund with an apology, and an offer to re-send the item free of charge as a gesture of goodwill (it's under $10 so I don't mind). I'm guessing I have zero chance of having it removed by eBay, even though it's actually not true that I ripped them off? Can only hope for a withdrawal from the buyer?

I know it doesn't count towards anything but it stings, and I'm taking it harder than I otherwise would as it's been a rough month.

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After 32 feeedback is fairly early, though.

I have had about 4 neutrals in over 4500 transactions, but no negs. It will probably happen, but it is not inevitable.

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This isn't OPs selling acc

[everard6920]

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@minimum_56 wrote:

Was the item small enough to fit into a small PO Box? Or would it have been 'carded' for pickup at the PO.

I ask because I had a 'trackable' large envelope sent to my small PO Box.
No card was left in the PO box for pickup when it arrived. The tracking showed 'in transit'.

I ended up re-purchasing my item (thinking it was lost) & Aus Post compensated me the missing first item.
When the new item eventually arrived & was 'carded' for pick up - guess what was waiting as well - yep - the first 'uncarded' purchase!!

The PO staff hadn't carded or scanned the first item when it arrived.

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Yes, it was a regular envelope, so it would've easily fit into even the smallest PO Box.

[collect247]

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@minimum_56 wrote:

Was the item small enough to fit into a small PO Box? Or would it have been 'carded' for pickup at the PO.

I ask because I had a 'trackable' large envelope sent to my small PO Box.
No card was left in the PO box for pickup when it arrived. The tracking showed 'in transit'.

I ended up re-purchasing my item (thinking it was lost) & Aus Post compensated me the missing first item.
When the new item eventually arrived & was 'carded' for pick up - guess what was waiting as well - yep - the first 'uncarded' purchase!!

The PO staff hadn't carded or scanned the first item when it arrived.

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PO Box is at the PO isn't it?

[davewil1964]

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@everard6920 wrote:

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@davewil1964 wrote:

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@everard6920 wrote:

Thank you all for your replies. Very much appreciated. I had a nice cup of tea and have calmed down.

I've refrained from replying to the feedback until I'm calmer - but when I do it'll be something factual like "item sent [date], obviously lost in post, buyer fully refunded".

I agree - defamatory comments in feedback are against eBay policy. If she'd just said "I never received my item and I'm not happy" - okay, that's fair and I wouldn't be as upset. But to accuse me of ripping her off - which literally means to scam or thieve - is untrue.

However, I expect eBay to argue that the buyer felt that way because they paid and didn't receive their item, but worth a shot.

Checked her feedback left for others: mostly positives, with a few negatives thrown in, but not enough that eBay would consider it a pattern.

Kicking myself because I've had trouble with this postcode before and I usually send EVERYTHING to that postcode via trackable methods, but because it was cheap and a PO Box at the post office, I did not. Ugh.

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If a buyer left me a neg without contact or opening an INR case, which you don't mention happened, they would not get a refund nor a chance to purchase from me in future.

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Yes, they opened a case, as I stated in my original post. I'm not sure if the buyer left the feedback or opened the INR case first, but I responded to the case within 15 minutes and the feedback had already been left. They did not wait for me to reply before leaving feedback. This was the first contact I've had from them, and the transaction is from early December.

I refunded because otherwise I get a defect. I don't have tracking.

And no. They won't get a chance to purchase in the future.

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I would have definitely contacted eBay if they opened a case that long after the transaction. They only have 32(?) days from the last estimated delivery date.

I had one opened 2 months after purchase. eBay agreed that it shouldn't have happened and closed it in my favour.

The buyer had actually received it, but hadn't opened the envelope, which contained both books they'd purchased. They assumed I'd only sent one. They were very apologetic. And blocked. I have enough hassles dealing with eBay without putting up with numpties.

[everard6920]

@davewil1964 I don't have tracking, and I can't see the estimated delivery date anywhere on the order page or the original email. Item was purchased and paid for Friday 13th of December. Does anyone know where I can find out what the estimated delivery timeframe was? Or does it not have one because I don't have tracking?

ETA: I just pretended to print a label for it and it says expected: Monday, 23 December 2019 so you're quite right ... I already refunded but I'll ask anyway.

@naomib71 yes, at the local post office.

[11dustyattic]

Reading the responses, my how neat and ordered (and

perfect) some sellers are. I bet they wrap the buyers package with hospital corners 😂 

Welcome aboard! Stuff feedback. It's a stupid one sided system, not a level playing field, hence is void IMO I wish all buyers and sellers would just stop using it. What do we do when we buy from a private website? We don't read or leave feedback. People are sheep. It's scary how one follows the other

devnon totallyneutraloid of serving any useful purpose

[11dustyattic]

Hahaha that last line. I swear I don't drink lol my keypad sometimes goes stupid, letters and words dropping in randomly. Only on this website. Glitchy. Anyway ignore that last line

[everard6920]

UPDATE (in case this helps anyone else in the future) I have had the feedback successfully removed by eBay.

At first, the rep (of course) encouraged me to ask the buyer for a mutual withdrawal, but I told her that I shouldn't have to negotiate with the buyer over a comment that is clearly in violation of eBay's "Threats and violent language policy", which states:

Hateful, obscene, offensive, profane, racist, sexual, defamatory, or violent language cannot be used in profiles, user IDs, chat rooms, discussion boards, member communication, eBay Claims, eBay Stores, Feedback, listings, product pages, collections, and any other areas of the site

The rep then tried to argue that, because the former part of the comment was factual ("I did not receive my item"), that the entire comment could not be removed. I then argued that surely the buyer is negating their entire comment by including a defamatory statement at the end ("I was ripped off"). I pointed that the buyer could not possibly know what my intentions were, and that by saying that I ripped her off, she was assuming that my intent was to cheat, defraud, rob (I quoted the dictionary definition for good measure), and that that was false.

Then, she put me on hold to "check some things", came back, and told me it can be removed, which it now has been.

So my advice is: if you have someone leave you feedback accusing you of that, or anything similar, arm yourself with the dictionary defintion of the comment (thanks, @countessaalmirena), eBay's policy, and your (positive) actions (apologising/explaining to the buyer and issuing a refund voluntarily, outside of the MBG timeframe), and go into battle.

Thank you again to everyone for your replies.

[offroad7400]

Had a buyer leave negative feedback.  He bought a metric specification part for his non metric American Harley Davidson and accused me of destroying his motorcycle.  Closer inspection of his feedback revealed he gave 75 negative seller feedbacks to his last 200 purchases ?

A mechanically incompetant person or a mental health issue.  eBay removed his negative feedback and I promptly added him to my Block List (along with anyone else who leaves unfair feedback or suspect return claims without evidence).

If you don't get a fair hearing with eBay 'Level 1 Support', ask to escalate your concern to a supervisor.