Was left neutral feedback for a buyers error

[citrus13]

Hi to all the members here!!  So I sold an Apple iPhone4 locked to fido to a buyer who lives in the USA.  A reseller.  He paid and then 3 days later he messaged and asked if the phone was unlocked or good for AT&T.  We said NO, it's locked to FIDO.  He said crap and asked who could unlock it (this was March25) we told him and then received a messaged today, blaming us for not saying in the listing what it would cost to unlock the phone, said we should of had it in the listing: the listing was for like I said a FIDO phone.  He then asked for money back from us because it was to cost him 120$ to unlock.  After I indicated he received what he bought, I copied and pasted to him what he said in our messages when he admitted fault and then sent this to him.  From there I received this:

made a mistake I have to pay 108$$ in order to unlock it !!! seriously let me !B

Only neutral feedback.  To me unacceptable as it's his fault. Now I can reply, BUT I await feedback from him for another item.  So I don't care to throw mud back and forth so I called ebay, (they won't remove it) but I asked if I said this in his feedback would it be acceptable: Paid promptly but bought wrong item then left neutral feedback

She told me that was unacceptable.. so how do I as a seller let the community know how this buyer is??  It thought feedback was opinion based, but then when I think I can leave my feedback she said it could be removed.. anyone know a way to leave positive feedback that shows the truth??  Again, I don't want to reply to this feedback as it will just throw mud back and forth.. long story short is he bought the wrong item, hadn't a clue what he bought then left neutral.. I don't like neutral... I know it has no effect, but still......

thanks for listening

[ricarmic]

Sadly if you sell enough stuff in ebayland you're going to get this stuff.....my version is under the "chuckle for the day (maybe)" thread - mine comes from a fellow who purchased an auction item that started for 99c (he paid over $100)- none of the messages I've received have been coherent (fellow is in the USA too!) and I see he likes to give out neutrals easily. I am probably going to get at least a neutral from him.... and I don't even know why! These are the times I remind myself it is a business and you have to depersonalize these things and move on to selling to other folks who do appreciate us......hang in there!!!

[reallynicestamps]

Don't worry about the neutral. It has no effect on your standing and very few buyers actually look at what FB says.

Did you offer and did he refuse a return for full refund? If there is trust, and calm professional courtesy encourages trust, he doesn't need to use a Delivery Confirmed service (which would cost him over $20 to Canada). Then you can ask him to remove his feedback. You could even offer to pay for the return postage including DC. Is the removal worth $20-25?

A calm professional Response is okay, but few will read that either. "Phone locked as described. Refused return for refund."

Worry about what Detailed Seller Ratings he left. If he removes the feedback entirely and leaves no other, I believe the DSRs are also removed.

BUT I await feedback from him for another item.

And he had already bought and paid for another item by the time you had confirmed that the first phone was locked to FIDO? Yeah. Worry about that one too.

If you have not yet sent the second item, ask if he will agree to cancelling the transaction. If he is willing, refund his money. Usually you formally end a transaction with a Mutual Cancellation, but not in this case. An MC allows both to leave FB and again DSRs. Just let the transaction go and accept the FVF as a business expense.

Keep in mind that not every sale is worth having and that sometimes transactions go pear-shaped. Build a little screwup insurance into your pricing.