posted on October 24, 2001 12:55:21 PM new
I used Square Trade to get an old and senseless neg removed from my feedback profile. In a nut shell, you go to their site and file a case to start the process. Square Trade contacts the other party via email. They, of course, are not obligated to participate. If they do, at some point, you must request a mediator, which costs $15. After an agreement is reached for feedback removal, Square Trade contacts eBay to have the feedback removed. The whole process from start to finish took about six days. In my case, the other party was a willing participant and very cooperative throughout the process. Without that, your unlikely to reach an agreement for removal. Good luck!
posted on October 24, 2001 01:01:38 PM new
i am not asking because i want FB removed, i am just curious. i am looking for answers to the questions i posted.
i was able to get 3 negs removed thru ebay that contained foul language and would never pay 15 bucks to have one removed.
ebays involvement is what raises an eyebrow. why would they remove it for sq trade unless they were getting a cut.
posted on October 24, 2001 01:33:18 PM new
If I understand correctly, eBay actually pays SquareTrade.
From Squaretrade...'eBay will consider your request for feedback removal when SquareTrade notifies eBay that you have:'
Bought or sold an item that does not violate eBay policy.
Obtained the help of a SquareTrade Mediator - this costs you $15. (The remainder of SquareTrade Mediator's cost is paid by eBay.)
Reached an agreeable resolution with the other party, and all terms of a mediated settlement have been completed.
From eBay...'Circumstances Where eBay Will Consider Removing Feedback'
eBay will also accept a ruling from a certified dispute resolution service if a signed settlement agreement, overseen by the certified dispute resolution service, is provided to eBay.
eBay will remove feedback at Square Trade's request because during the mediation process any resulting agreement is legally binding.
According to ebay, the negative feedback left for me did not fit their policy for removal. Since I have no other negative feedback, it was well worth the $15 to have it removed.
posted on October 24, 2001 01:47:57 PM new
now why would ebay pay a service to do this. i wonder who actually owns sq trade. hell if ebay wants to pay the balance of the moderators costs why would they just not let the fine folks at safeharbor handle it. they do that already for the ones they say they will remove and i know they answere millions of emails regarding feedback removal requests........
i think when ebay says they are paying part of the cost to sq trade is total BS
posted on October 25, 2001 03:59:43 PM new
Hi Skeetersdaddy,
I'd like to answer your questions, first by explaining that SquareTrade, a private and independently owned company, is a mediation service. This means that both parties must agree to participate in mediation, and request a mediator, which does cost $15 if the transaction happened on eBay, and both parties must come to an agreement to resolve the situation.
If the solution includes removing negative feedback then we submit the electronically signed agreement to eBay who will then review it and decide whether or not to remove the feedback. Although eBay reserves the right to NOT remove the feedback, I've never heard of that happening once both parties have been through mediation.
SquareTrade provides mediation to other marketplaces besides eBay. The costs for mediation are much much more than $15, however, eBay kindly subsidizes this fee to make SquareTrade accessible to eBay users.
Feedback will be removed as long as both parties agree to it, and usually eBay users turn to SquareTrade when the rules for eBay's feedback removal do not cover the removal of thier negative feedback.
eBay retains venue status, which means that they do not decide which feedbacks should be removed. For more info on this, check out Jeff Dvorak's workshop on the workshop board titled Monthly Trust & Safety Workshop: Feedback Offenses and eBay's Feedback Removal Policy:
http://forums.ebay.com/[email protected]^[email protected]
Also, I understand your frustration with having to pay for feedback removal, however, the feedback system wouldn't be very helpful when researching a seller or buyer if anyone could add or remove feedback at any time.
If you have any further questions, please email me or post again.
posted on October 25, 2001 05:09:59 PM new
I enjoy SquareTrade tremendously and think it provides a valuable service to us harried sellers. Not mediation, though.
I get a real thrill when a deadbeat or abusive jerk opens a SquareTrade case and I get that initial e-mail...because I've never responded to e-mail from SquareTrade and never will.
In the weeks that follow, the jerk has the realization slowly sink in that this organization he has "sicced" on me is powerless, because I refuse to let it have power over me.
It's almost as much fun as leaving the neg in the first place.
posted on October 26, 2001 03:14:46 PM new
Ouch bettylou!
Those are some harsh words... I think I'd be afraid to ever buy from you! I dislike deadbeats as much as the next person, but geez, trigger-happy sellers who delight in posting negative feedback are downright scary.
SquareTrade worked great for me - cleared up a misunderstanding that would have otherwise resulted in a neg.
And $15 is way worth it to get a negative feedback removed... especially since they get a mediator involved. Ever try to get a mediator in the real world? It's bloody expensive!!! My folks had to fork up $350 for 3 hours of mediation in a dispute over their fence with their neighbors, and even then, it was a relief (no more cat poop thrown over the fence, etc.)
posted on October 29, 2001 01:17:58 PM new
SquareTrade is a HUGE joke!! Their Seal program is so ridiculous, I don't know why anyone in their right mind would do it. $100 A YEAR!??! Are they joking?? Boycott this greedy company that eBay uses to make extra money!
SquareTrade is for losers and dishonest sellers. It's worthless.
posted on October 29, 2001 03:26:47 PM new
vst631: If you're a habitual deadbeat or send abusive e-mail, yes, you should be very, very afraid of buying from me.
But then deadbeats don't actually BUY, do they?
And people who send obscenity-filled email or SHOUT AT YOU IN ALL CAPS WITH DOZENS OF EXCLAMATION POINTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! generally aren't interested in completing the transaction successfully, either. They just like starting trouble.
Brought a smile to my face this morning when I got that Square Trade "it's been two weeks and you haven't responded" e-mail. BTW, vst631, this Square Trade case is from a customer who's received what she paid for but didn't like the "tone" of my responses to her abusive e-mail. She thinks ST is going to PUNISH me!
