posted on April 19, 2002 04:59:14 AM new
Well, it had to happen, after 1688 positives, it get my first negative. The thing that bothers me most about it that I had absolutely no warning from the buyer. She bought a Barbie doll, sporting equipment and a workout tape, I described all as used. She paid $3.14 for them! Apparently the Barbie had "loose knees". I have no problem with the complaint, and if she had contacted me, I would have been more than happy to return her money, and she could have kept it, I have done that twice before, with no problem. I don't understand why someone would just go ahead and leave neg. feedback without even contacting the buyer. I thought maybe she was a newbie, but no, she has 154 positives. I know there is nothing I can do about it, I didn't even contact her, but I wish people would think twice before spoiling a perfect record over a $3 doll plus a lot more that in itself was worth a lot more than that.
posted on April 19, 2002 05:18:24 AM new
One of my first negatives was because I didn't rewind a used tape before mailing it. (She must have worked at Blockbuster). People leave negatives for stupid reasons - sometimes I think they just like to ruin perfect records. It stings in the beginning, but then you move on.
posted on April 19, 2002 08:35:34 AM new
NEG HER BACK!!! NEG HER BACK!!! PLEASE DON'T SAY YOU ALREADY GAVE THE FIRST FEED BACK. GOOD LUCK. AND,,,,,,,,,,,,SORRY TOO. I KNOW IT HURTS.
posted on April 19, 2002 09:14:09 AM new
Did you leave feedback first? I have the feeling that you did. Change your feedback policy and leave feedback when the transaction is truly complete. Most likely a problem like this will not happen again if you don't leave feedback first. Some buyers need a MUTUAL DETERRENT in order to use the feedback system responsibly. You know, like the Russian and American nuclear deterrent!
posted on April 19, 2002 09:16:02 AM new
AND, if by chance you didn't leave feedback, consider leaving a negative now. It's not retalitory, you have a valid complaint of "lack of communication."
posted on April 19, 2002 01:18:51 PM new
Unfortunately, yes, I did leave feedback. As of yesterday, my policy has changed. I am now telling buyers "as soon as I hear that your .... has arrived safely, I will leave feedback". It seems so uncalled for on such a small item, and such bad policy not to give people a chance to put it right, which I am always prepared to do, even if I don't think I was in the wrong.
You made it over a thousand!! Geez, I just over 130 and I got 1 neg and 1 neutral.
Boy! I was pissed over the neg too. Cust claim to never received item. $3.00 item!!
I put in most descriptions "CCM will NOT accept any responsiblity for un-insured items"
Do you think that matter! NO! Cust want another one, I ask (knew) did you take insurance?
I explained that is unfair to replace an item for an cust who didn't pay for insurance; expecially, when there customers who do! So I got my 1st Neg.
But what pisses me off more than anything. Is that Ebay let it be posted! Remember when we go for credits due to non-payment! They put that notice about falsehoods consider Harrassment! Well, I think Ebay should establish that policy too on feedbacks!
Especially, when the info is disclose upfront in descriptions. Like mine was!
The neutral came from a cust who did pay for insurance, but wanted a refund because her item arrived safely!! She notice that the package was label "insured". I explained that it was but not through the postal, but private co. Still was happy!
I tell you people are strange, even more so then person I guess!
posted on April 19, 2002 08:35:05 PM new
HAHAHHA, JUST HIT 830. 11 NEGS. ALL FROM,,,,,,,,,,,,YOU KNOW WHAT. AH HECK. YOU KNOW WHAT THEY ARE,,,,,,,,,,IDIOTS! YOUR WOUNDS WILL HEAL AND YOU WILL BE,,,,,,,,,,STRONGER!!!!! NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, GIVE FEED BACK AS A SELLER 1ST. OUTTA HERE. SORRY IF YOU THOUGHT I WAS YELLIN'............HAHAHAHAHHAH, I WAS. NEVER! GIVE IT FIRST. THEY WILL,,,,,,,JUMP ALL OVER YOU. COME ON OVER TO JACKSWEBB BAR. YOU'L SEE WHAT WE DO TO THOSE WHO GIVE UN WARRANTED NEGS. YOU'L FEEL GOOD WHEN YOU,,,,,,,,COME BACK. HAHAHAH.
posted on April 20, 2002 07:58:09 AM new
My first and only negative also came from a bidder with high positive feedbacks and it was over a $5.00 (total w/shipping) item. Never once emailed me to tell me their dissatisfaction. And I had already left her feedback (she was the one who made me change my giving feedback policy). When I emailed her to "thank" her for the feedback and asked why she left so without contacting me first as I would have gladly refunded, she blew me off.
You will get over it and it won't matter to bidders when you have so many positives.
Just like another first time experience...it will hurt at first but get easier with time
posted on April 20, 2002 08:30:30 AM new
OUCH! Don't forget to leave a response under her neg in your feedback profile! Something like "My oversight, but would have gladly refunded her money if notified of problem".
posted on April 20, 2002 09:30:07 AM new
I would leave a follow up feedback for her stating what the person just said above. I learned not to give feedback first as well. Had I done so with my famous buyer they would have given me a negative. I managed to escape the transaction with no negatives for that reason. Even though they paid there are a number of problems that can come up. They can claim the item is damaged when it is not, they can claim they never received it when they did, they can stop payment on credit card or check and other scenarios too numerous to mention. If you don't leave feedback you can clearly state that if they neg you, you will place a negative on their feedback that will cause Ebay sellers to cancel and block their bid.
posted on April 21, 2002 12:17:54 AM new
the bottom line is customer service. people leave feedback for all sorts of stupid reasons. i've seen people leave negative feedback and say the seller did a great job selling the product.
we sell many products on ebay, and are negative feedback is based on buyers not reading the auction. they just see the product the price and just bid on it. so instead of blaming themselves for not reading the auction, they make up constant excuses that they are right and everyone else is wrong.
there are some buyers out there that have nothing better to do in their lives then just harassee people. had this person dispute an item worth over $300. he weind about the price so we gave him a break, last time you do that, and he still has the package in his possession and he was fully aware of the policies, he disputed the charges with the credit card company just to bust our chops. and he did say that. went to the bank and tried to cash a check and i found that my checking account was $300 less because of that idiot disputing the charge.
the best advice i can give. is whatever one says. (1) either inform the buyer that their product has arrived and if they have any questions please let you know immediately or ask them how the auction purchase was (2) like everyone says do it on a per basis. they leave you positive feedback you return the favor. (3) save your emails no matter how long ago they were, save them at least 90 days, because you never know what a buyer might say, 100% of the time when disputing the charges with a credit card merchant they always lie about something to make it sound like they are the victims and the sellers are the villians USE PAYPAL because PayPal doesnt get involved with the quality of the merchandise once it has arrived to the customers location. (4) Use tracking for all purchases. If your using the USPS you can get FREE tracking of your package with USPS's shipping assistant. Credit card companies will go on proof of delivery 100% of the time. Because if the product is still in the hands of the buyer, then ther buyers dispute is invalid.
Auction Watch is a great program for notifying the customer to the end of the sale. I dont like the monthly fees or charges, wish you can just buy it outright. But with all companies they jump on the band wagon to make $. Just like no cure for a disease but you can take the treatment forever.
posted on April 21, 2002 08:23:49 AM new
I'm posting this because, having spoken to several sellers recently about this subject, it's clear that there are many misconceptions regarding eBay's feedback removal policies. While I cannot speak to the specifics of amber's situation, it is clear to me that many sellers believe "eBay Never Removes Feedback." While that may indeed be their stated "official" position, it is not as simple as that.
A polite, professional, and well-worded message to eBay Safe Harbor or to their Rules & Safety people can result in "quiet removal" of negative feedback. It has not happened to me but I have seen it happen to others. Similarly, if you belong to Square Trade, they can be instrumental in helping you by interceding on your behalf to ask eBay to remove unwarranted negative feedback. There are other avenues as well.
As in any business that relies on self-responsibility among its participants to stabilize their long-term business strategy, eBay also has a vested interest in seeing that fairness is meeted out whenever possible, particularly to their professional sellers. They are eBay's meat & potatoes.
I'm sure most sellers have seen eBay's feedback removal policies, but for the benefit of those who have not, the following is excerpted directly from eBay's guidelines. Hopefully this will be helpful to someone:
---------------
eBay Feedback Removal Policy
eBay users should use caution and good judgment when leaving feedback for another user — what you write is published to the entire eBay community, and you can't later go back and edit your remarks... it's a permanent part of that user's record. You should use good judgment for another reason -- you could be held legally responsible for damages to that user's reputation if a court finds that your remarks constitute libel or defamation.
Under federal law (the Communications Decency Act), eBay is not legally responsible for the remarks that users post on its site, even if those remarks are defamatory. eBay provides its feedback forum and its boards as places where users can express their opinions, and eBay will not censor these opinions, or investigate the remarks for accuracy. For more information on laws limiting the liability of companies like eBay from written remarks by third parties posted on its site, see: Legal Information Institute and Findlaw.com
However, to ensure that these forums are used for their proper purpose and not abused, eBay has some basic rules that must be followed, and eBay will remove feedback in a few limited situations. If you believe that another user has left feedback for you that meets one or more of the below criteria, you should Contact Rules & Safety and seek review. If eBay agrees with you, it will remove the feedback. This process may take several weeks, though, and to limit damage you may wish to make your feedback private until the matter is resolved. Click here for details on how to make your feedback private.
Circumstances where eBay will consider removing feedback
eBay is provided with a ruling or signed settlement agreement from a certified dispute resolution service.
eBay is provided with a valid court order finding that the disputed feedback is slanderous, libelous, defamatory or otherwise illegal, or with a settlement agreement resolving such a lawsuit submitted by both attorneys and signed by both parties.
The feedback, on its face, has absolutely no connection with eBay, such as feedback related to commercial transactions that were not conducted through eBay. This also includes feedback that contains any reference to another auction service or feedback that advertises the goods or services of someone other than the user for whom the feedback was left.
The feedback contains any link to another page, picture, or JavaScript.
The feedback contains profane or vulgar language, or adult material. Inflammatory language, such as "fraud, liar, cheater, scam artist, con man" etc. is strongly discouraged but will not be removed.
Feedback that contains personal identifying information about a user, including real name, address, phone number, or e-mail address.
Feedback that makes any reference to an eBay or law enforcement organization investigation, i.e., "eBay is investigating this person".
Negative feedback intended for another user will be considered for removal only in situations where the user responsible for the mistaken posting informs eBay of the error and has already placed the same feedback for the correct user. This does not apply to a comment that was mistakenly marked negative instead of positive or vice versa.
Feedback left by a user who provided eBay with false contact information during the registration process, and cannot be contacted.
Participating in an eBay transaction with the intent of leaving feedback as part of a campaign to harass one or more members.
eBay may give special consideration to remove feedback upon request from members if the listing ended before the member was suspended, but the feedback was left after we reinstated the member.
posted on April 22, 2002 09:01:47 AM new
Oh, for the record, my one and only (quickly removed) negative feedback was from a newbie who had difficulty using Billpoint because the service was down.
posted on April 22, 2002 09:39:04 AM new
ITALIANO- Can you pleae explain the free tracking? I pay USPS for DC and wonder what FREE service I am missing.
I too am going through a buyer nightmare, I had just signed up for trial of aquare trade, and am trying there service will see what happens, it is a buyer trying to get her item for free and has done this to others.
Of course like an idiot I gave positive feedback first! Never again.
I would like some wording to change my feedback policy, I want to be friendly but make a point, if any one has something to add?? Thanks so much and good luck
posted on April 23, 2002 05:24:30 PM new
"Apparently the Barbie had "loose knees".
$3.14
Does anybody ever notice that the cheaper the price, the more of a problem child they are.
Thats to bad that they negged you, but I would respond to it.
"loose knees", sheesh, would of gone well with this idiot's loose brains. A matching set!
Does not pay to sell cheap stuff, brings out the trash bidders.
posted on April 23, 2002 06:14:27 PM new
Buyers shouldn't even be allowed to leave negative feedbacks. If the seller scammed the buyer in any way, the buyer should take the legal route, call the police, contact the FTC, whatever to have them investigate. If a seller is slow (30 days or more), if the seller didn't abide by the law and send the buyer a note of the delay, they also can take the legal route. If the seller is rude, or packaged the item in a diaper, don't do business with them anymore.
An idea just popped in my mind. I'm going to put my feedback private, and just copy and paste the positive feedbacks for the last thirty days on the listing, or on "my ebay."
posted on April 25, 2002 06:22:32 PM new
As a buyer, the only reason I can think of for hidden feedback is that the seller really does have something to hide. As a Seller, a negative feedback is your opportunity to prove you can handle situations where things don't go right in an adult manner. I love to read negative feedback responses when I thinking of bidding on something. Some sellers are so calm and factual you feel assured they could handle any mishap in a transaction in the same way. And from the responses some other sellers leave, you know that if you win their item, you better hope all goes well because this person can't handle it if it doesn't!
Let's face it, Target gets unhappy customers, Marshall Fields gets unhappy customers, even Macy's gets unhappy customers. The thing that let's people know you're a professional is when you have an opportunity to demonstrate how you handle adversity.
posted on April 25, 2002 10:52:07 PM new
hair2dye4
is a buyer trying to get her item for free and has done this to others.
I this has happend to us a couple of times, only, the buyer usually wants a partial refund and to keep the item. Stick to your guns and contact safeharbor about it. I always cc the buyer when I contact Ebay about a dispute (of this nature). I also include all email that has been exchanged with headers.
posted on April 28, 2002 01:38:45 PM new
I also got my first negative feedback. I was the buyer. After reading all your remarks, I just want to say you all sound like you don't even know how bad sellers can be.
I bought a rug for $36. It arrived so dirty, I thought the sellers had used it for sopping up their oil-change pit. I wrote and said that the rug was really dirty and would need a cleaning that would cost more than the rug- how did they want to handle it? "Go ahead and get it cleaned. We'll work it out". $90 later, I informed them that the rug had cost me $90 to have cleaned, couldn't be restored to decent condition and would they just refund my original $36.00. That way they'd only be out one filthy rug (that they would have had to pay to dispose of in my town!) and I'd still be out $90, but would deal with it since I should have just sent the damned thing back in the first place. But no! Of course, they acted like I should just be HAPPY with their garbage and then they waited until I left them the negative feedback they so richly deserved deserved and then left ME negative feedback in retaliation!
People like that give sellers a bad name and make buyers feel like they are going to get screwed at eBay.
posted on April 28, 2002 02:39:58 PM new
gueritaville
It is too bad that most of the people here that say don't leave feedback first is because they are trying to justify their completely bad customer service by holding the feedback they rightfully should have left hostage. If they give bad service, they deserve a negative. If the item they send is not what they said it is, they deserve a negative. They are also the same people that tend to complain about retaliation negs when it is themselves, guilty of leaving retailiation negs after a buyer has a left a negative for the right reasons.
You will also find that none of those complainers use their actual identity here so potential bidders will know who to avoid when placing a bid.
[ edited by caffeitalia on Apr 28, 2002 02:44 PM ]
posted on April 28, 2002 04:18:14 PM new
gueritaville, let's look at this rationally instead of emotionally. What is the original price of the rug vs what you paid? I bet you paid nowhere worth what it costs brand new. If you paid 10% of the brand new price, are you really shocked to see the rug in 10% of the original condition?
That is how it works realistically in life. If I buy a car at 10% of its original price it's usually because the car only has 10% of the value of its life left.
I'm not taking sides, I'd be upset just like you, but being upset is an emotion, and emotions aren't rational, so we may as well not go there.
Caffeitalia, what do you base your feelings on? Is it a theory of yours that sellers hold feedack because they offer bad service? Let me tell you an example, last December, a prduct I sent out got damaged. It was fragile and could be damaged just by misandling it. The buyer blamed me that it must have been like that when I sold it. It wasn't, I'm not a moron, nor a scammer. The buyer naturally complained and wanted a refund. I was polite and professional, and offered partial refund. The buyer got extremely nasty, I sais, ok, I'll give you a full refund. The buyer never sent the item back to me. A month later I accidently left this Biche a positive (A POSITIVE). The next day that buyer left me a negative. My customer service was excellent.
As a matter of fact, the negatives I get are due to the buyers fault. ie. buyers making ass-u-mptions. Yes, good service may have negated those problems, but again, the problem is these buyers do not even email me. They just leave a negative.
So your theory is not relative to real life. It may work great in la la land.
posted on April 28, 2002 05:01:18 PM new
Honest sellers say, "This rug needs cleaning." Rugs cost so much per square foot to clean - only a moron couldn't see how much the final cost will be if they have to have it cleaned. I would have KNOWN that the rug would cost me over $100 and bid accordingly - in fact, I wouldn't have bid.
If someone sold you a jacket that you found out had been used to wipe their dipstick for the five months since the photo was taken, you'd probably be emotional, too, especially if the shipping and handling was going to cost you more than the cost of the jacket if you chose to return it. I think this was a deliberately deceptive description by the seller and I don't think I deserved a negative feedback because of it. La la land is not where I live- I just think when someone is dishonest, they should be the ones to pay.
JUST HIT 830. 11 NEGS. ALL FROM,,,,,,,,,,,,YOU KNOW WHAT. AH HECK. YOU KNOW WHAT THEY ARE,,,,,,,,,,IDIOTS!
YOUR WOUNDS WILL HEAL AND YOU WILL BE,,,,,,,,,,STRONGER!!!!! NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, GIVE FEED BACK AS A SELLER 1ST. OUTTA HERE. SORRY IF YOU THOUGHT I WAS YELLIN'............HAHAHAHAHHAH, I WAS. NEVER! GIVE IT FIRST. THEY WILL,,,,,,,JU