Ebay's Lack of Help

[thebarterersdog]

Buyer purchased two large lots from me. Paid, I shipped by combining shipping saving her money and refunding the over payment back to her immediately. Items went out via expedited.

Buyer received items, thanked me for the timely arrival. Informed me of stone falling out of one brooch en route. I replaced immediately with another brooch. Buyer tells me parts are missing on some. I asked which ones. She wouldn't say. Then claims they're all reproductions no designer. Two are designer, clearly stamped and in description. She went on and on. So finally, I said it sounds like you're not happy with them so send them back for full refund. I then proceeded to attempt to send her return shipping but she lost it, sent me horrible emails. I contacted eBay and told them about her and asked what I was suppose to do. According to them, I did everything I was suppose to so I again proceeded to tell her that I would like to pay for the shipping to have the items returned so that I can give her a complete refund. She demanded that I not contact her anymore. But she had gone through eBay to start a claim so I had no choice but to send her the return shipping so we can resolve this issue. She told me that she was going to end the claim, keep the product and leave negative feedback.

And she did just that.

However, in contacting eBay I discovered that as long as a buyer puts "Item not as described" in their feedback, it cannot be removed. Even if the product is exactly as described and they say it isn't, it doesn't matter. This came from a supervisor and he told me that there was no one else for me to talk to about this.

So run down:

Buyer buys

Buyer pays

Item ships

Buyer receives on time

Buyer contacts me stone missing

New brooch to replace

Buyer contacts me parts missing

I suggest a full refund after returning because this doesn't sound right.

I offer to pay for return shipping

Buyer goes nuts doesn't want return shipping, wants refund and product, I suspect because the majority is exactly what she wanted.

I insist on return shipping going to her to help expedite matters

She freaks, threatens negative feedback,

leaves feedback

eBay screws me  (Seller)

P.S. couldn't leave a reply to feedback on .ca, had to go to .com to leave feedback reply

Affects my Seller ratings which are heading for a swim in a nearby toilet...

Thanks eBay for such a great experience. Sellers beware:  Buyers have found another loophole.

[recped]

However, in contacting eBay I discovered that as long as a buyer puts "Item not as described" in their feedback, it cannot be removed.

There are only a tiny number of reasons that will cause eBay to remove feedback. Buyer opinion of the goods is not one of them. Their opinion is equal to your opinion, how would you feel if you received "garbage" (buyers opinion), gave the seller a neg and then found out that eBay had cleansed the sellers feedback?

Even if your buyer had returned the goods they would still be entitled to leave whatever feedback they liked and it would also be non-removable.

Now if the buyer had opened a SNAD claim, you had immediately offered a return and a label and then they left a neg saying you didn't offer a return you might have had a chance.

[momcqueen]

I think you got misinformation from your Feedback Specialist. Either that, or I misunderstood some part of what you describe. If your buyer opened a Return, and it was ended because she didn't send it back, the case closes in your favour, not hers and any feedback is supposed to removed, good or bad, from both parties.

I would call again and speak to someone else. 

Or bring it up at Board Hour tomorrow? 

[thebarterersdog]

She's now left another feedback, also a negative, giving me 2. I responded to her first professionally. I've called and called. I tried to reply to the second feedback but due to a glitch it won't take my reply. After an hour on the phone, I'm no further ahead.... I am really beginning to hate eBay.

[momcqueen]

Any actual threat of negative feedback is considered extortion. Grounds for removal. Was it done via eBay messages?

[lady.stark]

I totally, TOTALLY, understand what you are going through, because I have a similar situation to yours. I did ask for a photo proof of damage and offered to pay for return shipping. And he has the guts to call me a liar! I really hope you - and I - will have more help from eBay.

[rose-dee]

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@mjwl2006 wrote:

I think you got misinformation from your Feedback Specialist. Either that, or I misunderstood some part of what you describe. If your buyer opened a Return, and it was ended because she didn't send it back, the case closes in your favour, not hers and any feedback is supposed to removed, good or bad, from both parties.

I would call again and speak to someone else. 

Or bring it up at Board Hour tomorrow? 

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I agree.  Under the MBG, if the buyer doesn't follow through with returning the item, that should be the end of it (and of their ability to leave FB).  

Hopefully all your communication with this person was through eBay Messages?  That will help. 

I'd suggest that rather than bringing this up at the weekly Board Session, you contact Raphael directly if you get nowhere with eBay CS.  I would not fail to mention to whomever you speak to at eBay that this person is also a seller, and a potential competitor.  

We have all discovered at one time or another that eBay's "Customer Service" people can be stunningly clueless.