Beware: eBay doesn't remove feedback on won case
Summary: chicweb shared a situation where a customer asked to combine orders, leading to the cancellation of an initial order and the creation of a new one. Although successful in disputing a PayPal chargeback with proof of delivery, chicweb was frustrated by a negative feedback left on the cancelled order, which eBay did not remove despite their efforts. sapphyres-designer-jewellery suggested persistently seeking assistance from agents, while rosepeak recommended empathetic communication with the customer and addressing potential delivery mishaps. The discussion focused on the complexities of feedback policies for cancelled orders and related customer service challenges.
Here is the situation:
A customer accept an offer, which create an order in the system. They write to us asking us if they can buy multiple items. We accept but we tell them we will have to create a listing specifically for this and cancel the other order to include it in the new listing for easily combine everything for him and calculate shipping. They agreed.
We cancel the first order with "Cancellation requested by buyer", create the new item, they buy it.
We send the items in one box. There's tracking. It shows as delivered.
The customer write to us telling us they never received it. We show them the tracking, try to understand what is going on.
They then open a chargeback to PayPal. At this point, we have to send the documentation to prove it was sent. We screenshot everything, send to chargeback form, we won the case.
So far so good. BUT.....
The customer left a bad feedback on the first cancelled order.
I try the removal feedback because it is on a cancelled order.... Their answer? "Removal refused, no proof of delivery"... Uh? What??? How can there be a proof of delivery on a cancelled item?
I call them. They say they would ask their offline team to look into it. I chat with an agent, they say the same thing.
Today I recevei an email saying basically that the feedback won't be remove.
So, sellers, take notes: Even if you won a case, customer can leave a bad feedback on a past cancelled order and ebay won't remove it.
rosepeak
·2 weeks ago · EditedAm I the only one here who thinks that the buyer did deserve a refund if their package was misdelivered as they say (and if they haven't found their package)? Not out of the seller's own pocket, obviously, but I do think the seller has a responsibility to at least help the buyer by 1) advising them to search their neighbour's porches for the package if they haven't already done so, and if they still can't find it then 2) explaining to the buyer that they could file for a refund from Ebay, but only if the seller purchased the shipping label directly from Ebay, if not then 3) the seller needs to file a case with the shipping company and see if said company can reimburse the shipment to the seller so the seller can in turn refund the buyer.
I mean, just because tracking shows "Delivered" it isn't proof of actual, correct delivery. Only a signature from the recipient (after they've provided ID) is proof of that.
Also, OP, while the first order was technically cancelled, the buyer did make another order from you that was a modification of the first one, so maybe Ebay thinks they have a right to make a complaint about it even if they posted said complaint under the first order rather than the second one?
OP, I'm sorry that this happened to you, but since Ebay won't help you, I would try to contact the customer and apologize that I couldn't be more helpful to them, and/or apologize to them on behalf of your shipping company, and see if they'd be willing to remove the feedback now that they've found their package. I mean, even if it wasn't your fault, surely you can understand how upsetting it must have be for a buyer to not be able to find their package when their order shows "Delivered" (because misdeliveries DO happen, it could happen to you too if you shop online) and also how upsetting it must be to receive no help from the seller and to feel like you have no recourse to get a refund?
Explain to the buyer that the misdelivery wasn't your fault, but that the experience must have been frustrating for them. Try to word your message empathetically and help them feel better about the stress it must have put them through. Even if you don't really feel it, you could at least try it for your own sake, to get the feedback removed?
sapphyres-designer-jewellery
·2 weeks agoI was just addressing the issue of feedback not being removed, I didn't get into discussing the transaction details and customer service issues. It seemed from their post they were just advising us feedback wouldn't be removed, and I responded that they should try to fight this since it doesn't seem right to receive negative feedback on a cancelled order.
chicweb
OP2 weeks ago · EditedWe did try to help the buyer. We are a business that do its best for their customers and will always do.
Normally we refund if we see the problem was our fault.
We tried to see with them, explained to verify with neighbhors. The customer even told us packages get stolen in their appartment building.
They didnt even open an INR. Straight to chargeback from Paypal.
At that point, the only thing we could do is to provide proof that all was sent.
To win a chargeback case, insitutions are strict. They almost always side with their customers.
After providing all the documentations, we won the case.
Anyway, here, the problem is not with the case. Its with the feedback.
As I understand from eBay, it is now allowed to leave a feedback on an order (even cancelled) about a totally different order and winning a case gives no protections at all to sellers about feedback.
rosepeak
·2 weeks agoFirst of all, even if packages do often get stolen in their building, it doesn't prove that this particular package wasn't delivered to the wrong address. So the onus is on you to file a claim with the shipping company you used so they can investigate. If the delivery person didn't take a picture of the delivered package (at the correct address), or if they didn't get a signature from the recipient, then they have no proof that they actually delivered to the right address.
Secondly, if the tracking shows "Delivered" there's no point for the customer to open an INR case, because they won't win the case. That's a fault with Ebay, because Ebay doesn't take into account that "Delivered" doesn't always mean "Delivered to the right address".
Did you offer to file a claim with your shipping company for the customer about a possible misdelivery, before they filed the chargeback?
chicweb
OP2 weeks agoWe were still trying to help the buyer when we received the chargeback from Paypal.
But again, this is not about the case. This is about the feedback left on a different order that was cancelled.
Isn't it bypassing eBay's feedback system protection in place?
rosepeak
·2 weeks agoIt's great that you were still trying to help the buyer. I know the situation must have been (and still is) stressful for you too, when the fault was with the shipping company as (judging from the buyer's feedback) they misdelivered.
About the feedback, like I said it wasn't a completely different order, at least not from a practical standpoint, because the second order was a modification of the first (like, it includes the first order), so the feedback still kinda applies to it, or at least maybe that's how Ebay sees it?
Either way, I do hope you'll find a way to get the feedback removed.
chicweb
OP2 weeks agoThank you for your comment.
This is a complicated situation indeed and I'll focus on positivity and continuing building our store. It is just very concerning that this can happen.
From now on, we won't initiate cancellations ourselves. If a buyer wants to combine items into a single listing, they'll have to request the cancellation first, and we'll simply accept it. Lesson learned: we won't touch that feature at all...
sapphyres-designer-jewellery
·2 weeks agoI'd keep fighting on that one. The buyer requested the sale be cancelled so the item could be combined with other items. There was no sale that took place, and when a buyer requests a cancellation you are not supposed to receive negative feedback for that.
See if you can talk to an actual agent, don't argue with AI. If the agent isn't listening, get a new agent. Someone should understand what happened and that feedback shouldn't have been left for the cancelled sale.
hansatrade
·2 weeks ago · EditedBut I think this feedback is removable - left for another transaction (not permitted) and containing false information of no delivery. I would contact Ebay FB, they are truly professional and helpful.
sapphyres-designer-jewellery
·2 weeks agoIt may be so that a buyer can leave feedback if the seller initiated the cancellation as a technicality, but the buyer asking for an item to be cancelled is a buyer initiated cancellation, so feedback should be removable.
hansatrade
·2 weeks agoThe buyer didn't ask. The seller proposed a cancellation, and the buyer agreed. Still, the feedback should be removed for the reasons I mentioned above.
chicweb
OP2 weeks ago · EditedWe did contact by phone and chat agent.
Both said they would send to offline team.
The result is an email stating they wont remove it.
I replied that I want a supervisor to verify the case.
Feedback on a cancelled order.
Feedback about another order.
Chargeback won on that other order because we provided the proof of the shipping to the correct address and that tracking show as delivered.
It's surprising (and honestly.. infuriating) to see this.
There's a reason why the buyer didnt leave that feedback on the actual order... They cant. eBay wouldnt allow it because we won the case.
So, why allowing it on a totally different cancelled order?
I'm speechless.