Negative Feedback received from Buyer without any form of communication

[roadripper905]

Heelo,

I've read through many posts here regarding Feedback, eBay's policies and procedures.

While trying to get back into my business on a full time scale, I have received one negative feedback over the past 30 days and it has brought my rating down (obviously).  I have been working very hard on maintaining my feedback rating.

It is currently sitting at 98.1%.  It was at 99% prior to this persons negative feedback.  The feedback left was extremely biased, unfair and was given without any communiction to me.

I emailed the buyer, offering a refund and I also asked for clarification on what wasn't described properly or how the item received was different from what was pictured and described in the lisitng.  I have had no response.  I also sent in a request for the negative feedback to be changed.

Again, no response, only an email from ebay stating my denial for my feedback request.

This is very upsetting.  I have been hitting a lot of road blocks in the past 6 months and I am honestly trying to make this work -

Is there ANY avenue that us Sellers can use for wrongfully left feedback?

We pay for our store fronts, one would think or would like to think that the ebay would have some sort of Seller/Buyer protection policy in place for instances like this?

If there is and I have missed it, will someone here kindly direct me on how I am to reverse this wronged feedback?

Thank you,

Mrs. Roadripper905

[leb17]

Hi...

I"'ve read through many posts here regarding Feedback, eBay's policies and procedures."

Answer... feedback is voluntery and is given from BOTH the buyer and the seller if they choose to give.

"Is there ANY avenue that us Sellers can use for wrongfully left feedback?"

Answer...the feedback that was given you was Not wrongfully given.

"Again, no response, only an email from ebay stating my denial for my feedback request."

Answer...the buyer can only change it.

"We pay for our store fronts, one would think or would like to think that the ebay would have some sort of Seller/Buyer protection policy in place for instances like this?

Answer... just because you pay your bill to ebay, you think ebay is going to protect you from a negative feedback....its not going to happen.

"If there is and I have missed it, will someone here kindly direct me on how I am to reverse this wronged feedback?

Sorry to say... ther is NO wrong doing with the feedback you were gave, ONLY the buyer can change it.

[femmefan1946 · Accepted solution]

But you've had two negs in the past six months and 4 neutrals in the past year.

Two of the feedbacks were for insisting on higher than advertised shipping, a very serious violation.

So take some time to think about that. Your feedback is actually less important than your Detailed Seller Ratings, and even positive feedback may have included low DSRs.

For the current neg. The pennies are photographed and described properly. I think the problem is that they are cheap. Too cheap to be worth your time selling.

I've been boring posters for months by pointing out that the minimum wage in Ontario is  17 cents a minute. When you sold those pennies for $1.95, that was minimum wage for about 11 minutes of your time. How long did it take you to choose, photograph, describe, package  and ship them? Did you make more or less than $1.95.

And bottom end buyers are the most difficult. It is not a surprise that your buyer left a misspelled neg. He may not have been able to read the description. (No excuses for not looking at the pictures, though).

You can add a Response to any feedback, your own or your buyer's. The most effective responses are calm and factual. Responses don't change feedback percentages but they will be read by your future customers. So no whining, exclamation points, wild accusations or CAPS!!

And drop the items under $10. Unless each of those customers buys multiple items in each order (like they do with scrapbookers or some sportscards) you are losing money on them.

[scifan57]

Unfair as it may seem to you, there is no way for you to have the feedback changed if the buyer refused your feedback revision request. eBay will only change feedback if it violated the feedback abuse policy.

[roadripper905]

femmefan1946,  I was hoping you would be one of the people to respond.  I respect and value your input.  I have followed your comments here on this discussion board.  Thank you.

While I do agree, we have had 2 neg and 4 nuetrals and personally for my standards, none of them are acceptable.  I successfully operated a store with sales grossing in the millions and I know that customer service and communication are very key and very vital elements when dealing directly with customers.

The first neg was a horrible mess.  The funny thing is that the buyer and us (hubby and I) were on extremely excellent talking terms.  There was no bantering, negativity nor animosity.  So that negative, kind of threw us back a bit, feeling a bit stunned by it...but that is how people are... I get that.

This neg. (my last one) is the one that has me perplexed.  Because we are struggling to make a positive go at ebay and we have come across too many road blocks - working on bringing up and maintaining a higher percentage on our feedback was one of our goals.  This just irked me to no end.

The coin sold WAS a piece of crap.  I know it, the pictures depicted it and the listing was by no means an elaborate about anything regarding this coin.  It is what it is.  Not sure what the buyer expected.

I was simply wondering how can I go about defending myself regarding this transaction.  I did not see any options (or our eyes were not focused hard enough lol) on how we could counter-act this neg.  I would NEVER be rude, accusatory or harsh with any feedback I leave, regardless if we are the buyer or the seller - we still have a reputation to uphold.

As for the ROI on this item - these things are listed merely to help get up our feedback rating.  I guess it somehow backfired?  lol

femmefan1946, again, thank you for advice, as always - it is bang on, supportive and non-confrontational.

[heidilynn0_3]

Hi roadripper.. femmefan's comments are spot on. I would have been more descriptive but would have viewed as a piece of crap ( your word lol). Buyer's expectation was otherwise, happens.

Buyer has denied revision so there is absolutely nothing that can be done to change what is.