Seller promised a 50% refund if I changed feedback, then reneged after I changed it.

[bluenote7373]

I received an item that was of significantly lesser quality than advertised, and return shipping will be very expensive, so a return where I pay shipping is actually worse than nothing.

I wasn't getting anywhere, so I left negative feedback.  Then suddenly they will play ball, offering me a 50% refund.  

But, they require me to leave five stars and positive first.  I, naively, thought I would have recourse if they did not deliver.

Once I changed my feedback, they then only refunded less than 20%, and I can't seem to find any recourse.

What can I do?

[kennyboy36]

Do you still have a copy of this agreement somewhere(email etc) that you made with them. If you can prove they agreed to it, ebay might be able to step in. At the very least you should be able to modify your feedback to include the most recent actions.of the seller.I mean isnt that what feedback is all about. The "whole transaction experience" not just some of it.

[bluenote7373]

It's right in the ebay message center.  Everywhere on ebay I look there doesn't seem to be anywhere I can do anything about this though.

[pjcdn2005]

You can't modify the feedback but you can add another comment to the feedback already given. On the bottom of your feedback page and click on 'reply to feedback left'

[bluenote7373]

I have done this. But I was really hoping for something better. Won't ebay look at the messages and see that they were jerking me around?

[femmefan1946]

So you got a 20% discount on the item, without the expense or hassle of a return.

It is less important that eBay read your feedback than that other buyers do.

Leave the Response. Those stand out on a page.

Like the most effective FB, the most effective Response is calm and factual. 'Changed FB for 50% refund. Didn't get refund.' should cover it.

When you changed your feedback, did your Detailed Seller Ratings also change? If not, and you left anything less than Five Stars, the seller's account may be restricted, especially if others do the same. For future reference ONE Star is the lowest rating. No stars is a free pass because: arithmetic.

[bluenote7373]

Of course they specified I had to leave 5 stars, so I did. 😕

The real point here is these people are dishonest crooks, and I dont think something like this should be 1) able to happen and 2) go unchallenged. 😞

[bluenote7373]

I am on the phone on hold after talking to 2 reps so far, and basically they are just trying to get rid of me.  They don't give one **bleep** that I've been ripped off and lied to, and won't take two seconds to look at the messages between the seller and me where they tricked me into giving them a good rating.  I'm not sure how they think the system can have any integrity when this goes on.

They won't restore my original feedback, and they won't enforce the refund promised either.

Well, a couple lessons learned so far.  Ebay customer service is terrible, and sellers can be completely dishonest and nobody cares.

Im going to take this up with my credit card company tomorrow if I don't get any satisfaction today from ebay or the seller.

[femmefan1946]

Im going to take this up with my credit card company tomorrow if I don't get any satisfaction today from ebay or the seller.

Yep.

[bluenote7373]

Actually, it seems I was able to get satisfaction from Ebay with further perseverance.  Since my last post, I talked to a 3rd rep in Escalations, they opened a NAD case for me, and told me to wait until that could be escalated and call back.

I did so, and called back today, and I was told they are making a decision of a forced return, and that they will provide me a shipping label to pay for the return shipping.  So I get a full refund, and return shipping is paid for.

My only problem is, they told me I could print that label through the website, and I see no such option!

Well played ebay, well played!

[pjcdn2005]

You hadn't already opened a not as described case?

Instead of paying for a shipping label to China they will probably just do a courtesy refund without a return.

[debtou]

I am curious as to what you changes you made to the feedback. Obviously you werent a sastified customer. You stated that they mislead you as to the quality of the item that you received. The fact that you were willing to upgrade the feedback in return for a partial refund doesnt really make your feedback worth much.

Now any other buyer that falls into that trap was helped along by you because they assumed all the gold stars that the seller had were honestly earned.

I also have a problem with a sale but I realized it is buyer beware and I needed to get information the best way to handle the situation. A: Most important ...Reporting the item as being *Not as described* Ebay followed up on this immediately and started the process for me. No results yet but I have spent the time educating myself so I know how to deal with the matter.

I think it is only fair to all buyers that the feedback is as honest as possible and not open to bribes.

[pierrelebel]

A seller can ask a buyer to revise feedback.

For more information: http://pages.ebay.ca/help/feedback/revision-request.html

[debtou]

Yes, I see that a seller can ask to have the feedback changed but if they arent deserving.. is it really fair to give them a positive feedback when there are other options for handling the issue.
Bluenote stated that the item was of inferior quality. She wasnt getting anywhere with the seller so resorted to negative feedback to get a response.
Why then give them 5 stars for Item as described.. which it was not. 5 stars for communication ..which was poor until forced into it by negative FB 5 Stars for shipping and handling.. seems to be a real headache taking care of the return shipping for the item.
Maybe it is just me, but I dont think it is fair to change the feedback to positive when it clearly was not a positive experience thereby misleading other buyers.

[mater721]

"but I dont think it is fair to change the feedback to positive when it clearly was not a positive experience thereby misleading other buyers."

I agree.

Seller was trying to buy positive feedback with, truthfully, unfair leverage.

Buyer made a mistake in trusting a seller that had red-flags.

I doubt I'd give that seller positive feedback under any circumstances, after what transpired.

The "discount" would have to be quite substantial for me to consider revising to Neutral feedback - and with blank stars.

And only after my "discount" was "in the bank".