Feedback and Blocked Buyers

[alacar-8]

Can a buyer leave you negative feedback after they have been blocked?

[rocketscollectibles]

Someone could confirm but i'm pretty sure they can. If not sellers could remove the freedom of speech to anyone they want

I mean we could just block any buyer when we feel like a potential negative feedback is coming and some legit negatives could not be shared

[msau4301]

If you've blocked someone from bidding they can't leave feedback since feedback is attached to a sold item. If they've paid for something and you blocked them afterwards I think they can still leave negative feedback. However if they were very difficult to deal with and rude (I've had my share) and their feedback is just because they are mad at you - especially if you have proof with damaging messages from them, you could probably have it removed by eBay.

I've had to block a few harassing, rude individuals (life's too short!) and never had a problem (knock on wood).

[alacar-8]

Yeah, mine is from an INAD where the item was exactly as described if not better than described, but you know what that gets you.  The buyer was new and doesn't understand how grading works,and I am forced to accept a return.  I just refunded and blocked the buyer so I won't have to waste my time or resources on a repeat performance.  Maybe a little hasty, but.......

[rocketscollectibles]

mine is from an INAD where the item was exactly as described if not better than described, but you know what that gets you. The buyer was new and doesn't understand how grading works

I'm selling collectibles too and this is clearly an awful situation to experiment. Grading is subjective, that's exactly why personally i describe my grading scale (for not pro graded items) and that i also state that no return or partial refund are given on the disagreement of the grade i gave. I'm not sure if it protect in the eBay rules tho, but at minimum you can defend yourself that it was stated in the listing if this case happen

[msau4301]

You are right rocket, everyone should be able to give legitimate negatives as you say. That is what the feedback is for...so we can talk about our experience.

I think most sellers (at least myself anyways!) block someone who was very difficult to deal with (for various reasons....rude messages, non-payment, etc. so they would not have to go through another painful experience with this person, not for the purpose of avoiding bad feedback.

[reallynicestamps]

Keep in mind, you can have a No Returns policy, but you do not have a NO REFUNDS policy.

However, even with a No Returns policy, the seller can demand the return of the purchase before refunding.

The seller may/probably will have to pay for return shipping.

And as a side note to that, Shippo sells USPS postage labels to Canadians.

[pjcdn2005]

i describe my grading scale (for not pro graded items) and that i also state that no return or partial refund are given on the disagreement of the grade i gave. I'm not sure if it protect in the eBay rules tho, but at minimum you can defend yourself that it was stated in the listing if this case happen

 eBay wouldn't look at your 'rule' so that would not protect you.  As far as 'defending' yourself..in most cases there is no point in doing that.  eBay is going to rule in the buyer's favor if they open an inad return so it doesn't matter who is right or wrong. It's best to either accept the return or just refund.

[alacar-8]

Nobody is trying to avoid perceived negative feedback, just trying to avoid vindictave negs

[alacar-8]

I have to revisit this.  I really hope that you are not implying that I am blocking a buyer for the purpose of avoiding bad feedback.  That sounds morer like a buyer than a seller.  I have no bad feedback. I just don't need a "painful" experience to cut my losses

[msau4301]

Oh my goodness, sorry no I was absolutely not implying anything negative about you!

I am on your side, I have blocked many a pain-in-the-butt buyers and bidders! I was responding to the comment rocket hideout left (2nd one at top after yours, he's left more than one but it was his first one I was replying to) where he was talking about freedom of speech for feedback, it was nothing negative about you at all. So sorry if you took it the wrong way! (Please see his comment at the top of page...that was what I was referring too.)

[msau4301]

Replies are posted based on time entered, unfortunately not following the comment being replied to!

Makes it confusing some times. 

[rocketscollectibles]

eBay wouldn't look at your 'rule' so that would not protect you.  As far as 'defending' yourself..in most cases there is no point in doing that.  eBay is going to rule in the buyer's favor if they open an inad return so it doesn't matter who is right or wrong. It's best to either accept the return or just refund.

But i mean in a case where lets say i grade my card ''near mint'' and it's stated in my listing description that a near mint card can have scuffs, and the buyer claim that the card was not near mint cause it have scuffs, he win an item not as described case? If you don't write it, he's in his right cause it's subjective and was not obviously on pictures, if you write it in your listing then it's as described, no?

Anyway i think it's good to describe our grading scale cause buyers have a better idea of our grading ranges. Everyone have a different vision of giving a grade. And if a buyer like OP situation leave a negative cause he disagree i can answer on it easily for others to read: it was stated in the listing. This description makes me right and buyer wrong in a case like here. If a buyer try to extorct me a partial refund, i can tell him that it's my policy to not do it too

I know ebay policies are over sellers policies but i think that my description still protect me or gives me easy answers to give in many cases, it remove a part of the subjectivity of grading

[reallynicestamps]

that's exactly why personally i describe my grading scale (for not pro graded items) and that i also state that no return or partial refund are given on the disagreement of the grade i gave.

Everybody is right on this.

While such a policy would not affect the outcome of a NAD, it may discourage a mildly dissatisfied, sane buyer of a low value item from filing the dispute  in the first place.

But a really unhappy, cantankerous buyer will be filing an NAD for the slightest scuff and/or leaving negative or neutral FB  in spite of the seller's policy.

We regularly see plaints from members who believe that the seller's No Returns policy means the buyer cannot be refunded.

There are a lot of negative feedbacks that obviously come from buyers who did not even try to open a Dispute.

[pjcdn2005]

But i mean in a case where lets say i grade my card ''near mint'' and it's stated in my listing description that a near mint card can have scuffs, and the buyer claim that the card was not near mint cause it have scuffs, he win an item not as described case? If you don't write it, he's in his right cause it's subjective and was not obviously on pictures, if you write it in your listing then it's as described, no?

Yes, the buyer would still win an item not as described case. eBay does not look at what you have written in your listing (many buyers don't either) and even if ebay did look, they do not have the card in hand.  They don't know if you sent the card you've pictured or if it was damaged in shipping or if your description was accurate. Most item not as described cases are he said/she said situations so ebay expects the seller to either accept a return or to refund without a return. 

I only looked at a couple of your listings but in both you have tons of info in your description field  about shipping and ratings and zero information about the card you are selling.   Imo the first (or only) thing written in that description field should be a description of the card that the buyer will be sent.  It doesn't have to be long but I would think something like - no corner wear, light scuffs etc.  would be helpful to the buyer and cut down on not as described complaints. Taking good pics and writing accurate descriptions is simply being proactive.  It will not prevent all problems but it will definitely help.

[rocketscollectibles]

I only looked at a couple of your listings but in both you have tons of info in your description field  about shipping and ratings and zero information about the card you are selling.   Imo the first (or only) thing written in that description field should be a description of the card that the buyer will be sent.  It doesn't have to be long but I would think something like - no corner wear, light scuffs etc.  would be helpful to the buyer and cut down on not as described complaints. Taking good pics and writing accurate descriptions is simply being proactive.  It will not prevent all problems but it will definitely help

There is just too much place to subjectivity. Anything we could say, someone could see it differently. And lets say as exemple you write there is heavy wear, someone could consider it as light wear, but you'll scare him. Everyone sees condition differently. I personally describe noticable imperfections or unusual ones

If you look at cards selling platforms, they do not describe the cards too, they really only give grades and have a grading scale for buyers to have an idea. They do not even provide pictures of cards

This is not professionally graded so whatever we write will never be perfectly accurate and always debatable at the end. People still debate about graded cards given grades by professionals, so imagine the raw ones

[ricarmic]

It is for this reason that I do not include a grade for my individual stamps or sets, which is abnormal in my field.

What I call "Very Fine" (a stamp grading term) someone else would not. Generally I believe I grade harder than the average seller, but I have found that if I list as ungraded and take nice expandable pictures of the front and back (and a close up of any flaws that I note) the buyer can decide for themselves what the grade should be in their eyes. The stamps still sell so I do not think it is hurting me to do it this way, and I for sure have no arguments with any buyers about the grading as a result.