I received a DOA faulty item (took 29 days to arrive too)

Can't name them but it was a China/HK large seller xxxxxx_mall 

so as you would expect they portray themselves as being a large MALL shop. They must realise that sending faulty items all the way to Australia will deter buyers from claiming warranty because the return shipping is cost prohibitive for Aussies.

So the only thing they have to worry about is negative feedback.

This is where they get really dishonest and strung me along with promises of replacing the item. They requested that I not leave negative or neutral feedback and close any dispute report 

before they could support / assist me.

The promises and correspondence stopped soon after the 45 days Seller liability period had passed.

They also blocked me from their 

 received a DOA faulty item (took 29 days to arrive too)

Can't name them but it was a China/HK large seller xxxxxx_mall 

so as you would expect they portray themselves as being a large MALL shop. They must realise that sending faulty items all the way to Australia will deter buyers from claiming warranty because the return shipping is cost prohibitive for Aussies.

So the only thing they have to worry about is negative feedback.

This is where they get really dishonest and strung me along with promises of replacing the item. They requested that I not leave negative or neutral feedback and close any dispute report 

before they could support / assist me.

The promises and correspondence stopped soon after the 45 days Seller liability period had passed.

They also blocked me from their ebay store site and now ignore all my emails and my ebay messages.

Ebay acknowledges my situation "dishonest seller refusing to honor warranty"  and have told me they will contact the seller about this. Ebay has not told me what the trading sanctions will be if the seller ignores ebay.

The lesson is that we should always leave negative or neutral feedback when it is deserved. That feedback can always be replied, added to or deleted so there isn't any permanent downside to buyers or sellers if the problem is resolved.

Well done!  Feedback is about the 'experience" you had,not if they refunded you or anything else.

For what it's worth,after reading what happened to you, I think you did right to give a neutral and no way should you retract it.

I totally agree with you that we buyers rely on honesty in descriptions and for some seller to tell you he didn't pay much attention to cheap items is not only rude but stupidof him.

I am like you-used to sell years ago-and the description was everything.

These days, if I got an item that was not as described, it would depend on circumstances what feedback I gave. If a seller had made a mistake and sent out a wrong item but on contact, explained it was a mix up and then sent the correct item or refunded money, I would give positive FB. That's because it's human error, annoying but not intentional and the seller meant well.

But if I got the item and found it had faults that had been hidden by nifty camera work and not described, then that's not fair and I would give a neutral. I was once in that situation where I bought a table described as excellent and on pick up (after I had paid) I found it to have heat marks on the table top, despite me asking prior if the set had faults & was everything sturdy etc.

It leaves you feeling annoyed. Pick up is not the time for a seller to say-oh it could do with a coat of varnish.

Luckily most sellers are better than the one you struck this time, wargul. Don't change your FB on principle!