eBay

rio1953 · ‎12-28-2020

I am just fuming. This buyer opened a claim through eBay stating that the item (a Swarovski item in original box with padding around and double boxed) had arrived broken. She opened the claim without contacting me at all.
I accepted the return and told the buyer I would give her a full refund plus reimburse the return shipping once I would get the item back. Anyways to make the story short she hasn’t even waited for me to receive the item ( because delivery is late ) and had left me a negative feedback.

How can respond to it and would eBay remove it?

Thanks everyone.

needsmorerobots · ‎12-28-2020

Did you take a photo of how it was packed?

Did you tell the customer their return was going to take some time to arrive because of postal issues?

I don't know if eBay can remove the negative mark against you but in the meantime you can at least respond that item was packed well and intact before being passed on to the postal service. You can also say customer was offered a full refund.

marnotom! · ‎12-28-2020

To add to @needsmorerobots's excellent post, you have a feedback rating of over 1000. Not breathtaking in 2020, but very solid. How you respond to your buyer's comments in the feedback section will speak volumes, and they have some excellent suggestions on how to do so.

Feedback isn't just a numbers game. Good buyers read the feedback left by others and see how the seller handles it. A negative feedback with a calm, credible response will actually encourage buyers to buy from you rather than avoid you.

darak10 · ‎12-28-2020

this advice is the way to go. plus you look at amazon feedback and some of these places have like 78% or 85% (COVID has just killed positive feedback on that platform) so one knock on here is nothing to be that worried about. Be angry on your time, but when it comes time to respond to negative feedback be professional. You could call ebay and ask them about it, but its at their discretion. I had one years ago where a customer lost their gourd on me due to what I think were mental health issues and I was like 'heres a refund" + goodbye. They got a free item and then months later left a negative. I called and asked what could be done about it, they reviewed the messages, and decided to wipe the red mark. Different situation than yours, but a complete fair response to me. Its up to them, but if it concerns you, you can always call and ask, they most they are going to say is no.

reallynicestamps · ‎12-29-2020

Do not refund until you get your item back and ascertain that it is in fact the one you sent.

Then refund, thus winning the Dispute.

Yes, you're still out shipping, but .... you have the sympathy of us seller/posters on that. We've all been there.

If it's not broken, relist it . Valentine's Day is coming.

After the refund, call Customer Service about removing the neg. You have to live with it for a while, unfortunately, but this should give your more oomph in your request for removal. You have done your job.

You are allowed to Respond to any feedback, including your own left for her.

Don't.

The only ones who will read it are your future customers and they will be judging you not the nasty customer.

(Actually they might judge her on her poor grammar. I am not the only language snob here. )

pjcdn2005 · ‎12-29-2020

The first one hurts the most!

I would be surprised if they removed it as the buyer hasn't broken any rules.

It is very frustrating when something like that happens but offering a refund once the item is returned doesn't make the transaction a positive experience. Did you offer to send a return label or send the money for a label? If the buyer paid for return shipping they have to take your word for it that you will refund the money for the label.

If an item I sold arrived broken, I might have asked for a picture (so I knew that it really was broken) and then refund without a return. A broken crystal isn't of much use anyway.

sylviebee · ‎12-29-2020

@pjcdn2005 wrote: Did you offer to send a return label or send the money for a label?

I was left with the same question when I read the original post. Rio1953, You stated that you ""accepted the return and told the buyer I would give her a full refund plus reimburse the return shipping once I would get the item back. ""

It sounds like you weren't willing to pre-pay the buyer's return shipping cost. ??

Your post makes me wonder what transpired between the time the buyer opened the case and the actual return. Did you exchange emails? If so, were those messages about pre-paying the cost of return shipping?

EBay has a system which includes the seller sending a label or paying cash for the return label prior to the actual return. I've come across numerous sellers who have no intention of paying return shipping cost and instruct the buyer the way it looks like you instructed yours. Again: I'm not saying this was your intent, but the buyer has no way of knowing that for certain.

rio1953 · ‎12-29-2020

I respect your view on the matter but I want my item back to do what I wish with it before I refund. It is my prerogative and is eBay policy.
Plus, I don't know what you sell and a broken Crystal would have no value for you. But I know, that bird's tail may only have come apart (Older Swarovski pieces do that) and makes perfect sense to get it back.
Thanks

rio1953 · ‎12-29-2020

I told the buyer that I accepted the item and give a full refund + return shipping right on the claim. She forwarded a picture of the amount she paid for the shipping and the shipping label. Everything had been arranged . Ebay was aware of the arrangement. The only way I can explain this is the process was taking to long for her and she wanted her refund yesterday. I have tried to please my buyers in a lot of way, not the last by upgrading the shipping at my expenses.
Everything was done according to eBay instructions. And eBay allows that option.
Trust goes both ways. I have to trust that she sends back "my" item, and she has to trust me.
Thanks

sylviebee · ‎12-29-2020

But PJ did also suggest that a picture of the broken item could have helped. I don't always agree that pictures help, but in this case it would have made sense.

You're right. Swarovski pieces tend to break at the seams when the glue gets old and these can be repaired (but they're never the same). If the break was at the seam a return might be in order but if the piece is smashed that's another story.

Also, if it's broken at the seam you'd have no insurance claim while you "might" with a smashed item. Since the PO does not cover glass breakage it would touch and go.

In any case, once the item has been returned you are no longer in a position to file an insurance claim so that's a moot point now.

sylviebee · ‎12-29-2020

@rio1953 wrote:
I
Everything was done according to eBay instructions. And eBay allows that option.

I have never come across a case where the seller pays for return shipping only after the item has arrived back with the seller. It's certainly not built into the process which has specific steps. I believe that the second step is for the seller to provide a label or funds for the return. Where do you see that it's legit to skip step 2 and pay for return shipping after-the-fact?

Not saying you're wrong. Just asking you to verify because that's new to me.

reallynicestamps · ‎12-30-2020

This problem (how to pay return shipping ) comes up when the buyer is in a different country.

We can buy USPS shipping labels on Shippo. I have done it once* and it was not too difficult, even though I am a technodolt and don't normally use Shippo.

Other countries?

I gather eBay will send the appropriate label and charge the seller for it? Perhaps the hivemind can confirm that?

*The buyer, who was complaining that a "hinged" stamp was hinged, did not use the label and eventually my Shippo account was credited. Something to be aware of with return shipping labels.

If it's not used, you are not charged for return shipping, and of course you win the Dispute.

rio1953 · ‎12-30-2020

When you get a claim and accept the return eBay gives you the option to send a label or not. I thought it was easier to have her deal with it ( last time I tried I couldn't do it. Maybe now things have changed). Next time I will try again.

rio1953 · ‎12-30-2020

She provide one picture where the tail had come off. I am not even sure if that's my piece. She did say "no damage to the shipping box or the actual Swarovski box and sleeve".
I am holding some hope that I can have it repaired by Swarovski.

sylviebee · ‎12-30-2020

@rio1953 wrote:
When you get a claim and accept the return eBay gives you the option to send a label or not. I thought it was easier to have her deal with it ( last time I tried I couldn't do it. Maybe now things have changed). Next time I will try again.

If the buyer files a claim for Item Not as Described there is no option to send a label or money to buy the label with. It's a given.

The cash or label has to be provided prior to the return. Perhaps you negotiated with the buyer to send the money after the fact but that is NOT sanctioned by eBay.

If a buyer ships the item back without first receiving the label or cash there is nothing the buyer can do if the seller doesn't reimburse the buyer.

eBay "may" step in and make things right but there is no promise to do so.

sylviebee · ‎12-30-2020

@rio1953 wrote:
She provide one picture where the tail had come off. I am not even sure if that's my piece. She did say "no damage to the shipping box or the actual Swarovski box and sleeve".
I am holding some hope that I can have it repaired by Swarovski.

These pieces can fall apart at the seams just sitting on the shelf because the glue ages.

Your piece could been on its last legs and the jostling of shipping may have been the last straw.

pjcdn2005 · ‎12-30-2020

When an item arrives in a 'not as described' state and the seller indicates that the item needs to be returned in order to be refunded but does not provide for a return label ahead of time, the buyer can escalate the claim, the seller would get a defect and the buyer might be refunded without a return.

If both seller and buyer are willing to do it the way that you did it, that's great and is probably the easiest for the seller. I'm just saying that if the buyer ignored the agreement and escalated the case before the return, you would be considered at fault by ebay. I've read dozens and dozens of situations were the seller did say they would reimburse return shipping but then ignored the buyer when it cam time to do that. I'm sure that some buyers are not very trusting in that regard. I'm just delivering the message.:)

nostalgicaftertaste · ‎12-30-2020

It wouldn't hurt to send a support email asking if the negative can still be removed regardless, on the grounds that the customer did not wait to return the item before leaving feedback and you did your part to work out a solution so that the buyer's concerns would be addressed — not to mention the fact that you have a perfect track record and have never had this happen before.

This may be a dissenting suggestion, but it's definitely worth a shot. The last time I suggested to another seller that they follow up even though they didn't think anything would come of it, their negative did get removed in the end.

matchboxsuperfast2023 · ‎07-02-2024

lol A little late to the party but I can feel you here.

I negotiated postage with a buyer with 8 transactions and then then left negative for the postage which was removed for violation.

30 Days later they left negative that one of the 4 items was not as described lol but so not lol.

It was obviously revenge for the first removal.

Chat agreed it was predatory and vengeful.

Could it be removed, not a chance, apprently the buyer can make up anything and leave negative feedback and you can't do anything about it at all, I am sure that it was an attempt to extort a refund or blackmail me into a free item, the reason being is they would have complained about the item first not the shipping.

Ebay allows this heinious abuse and they lose a lot of great sellers because of it, I currently suspended all sales and am seriously thinking of terminating my account.

You have no protection from this whatsoever.

Sorry for your experience.

gifts_of_elegance · ‎07-03-2024

I am a Swarovski Collector and Seller. I have shipped a lot of pieces so I know a lot about them fallling apart. Believe it or not, the worst thing you can do is keep it in its box. The glue dries out and pieces fall off. In shipping, the shaking during its journey causes parts to fall off, regardless how well you pack it. Judging by all the damaged pieces in summer, I strongly feel that heat also has a lot to do with it, so I no longer ship Swarovski crystal in the summer. Then you also have the people who have no idea how to pack. I received a candle holder for three candles in a white paper envelope. A Swarovski Apollo bowl (you know with the colored spikes) wrapped in a flimsy paper box and shipped in a larger box without any packing to keep it from being tossed around. If all the pieces are in undamaged condition, you can get it repaired, just take it to your local Swarovski store or to someone that specializes in it. Never try to repair it yourself. You need a special glue that will not turn yellow. If the repair shows, it becomes worthless. Best advice is to offer your purchaser a discount. Good luck!