Has anyone else had a "buyer" leave feedback for an item that they never purchased?

[hiddentreasures49]

Recently I had a buyer purchase an item at the BUY IT NOW price then cancel the transaction.  I was surprised to see that they were able to leave feedback for that same item.  Why are people who go back on a deal permitted to leave feedback for an item that never came into their hands in the first place?  Has this happened to anyone else?

[pierrelebel]

Great question for Raphael on Wednesday.

Of course it should not happen.  But... this is eBay.

[reallynicestamps]

Why the buyer left feedback? She might have been happy that you let her out of the transaction.

Or she might have been doing a group of FBs together and yours got lumped in with them.

If it was positive, well that's not a problem, really.

The problem would be if the buyer then went on to leave Detailed Seller Ratings for anything other than Communication.

Or if the FB on the cancelled transaction were negative.

Still, on the third hand, a buyer might cancel a transaction after an impulse buy when she notices that the gorgeous dress is a Chinese size 2 rather than the Canadian size 22 she thought she saw on her phone while driving and yelling at the kids in the back of the SUV. And leave FB as a sort of apology for wasting the seller's time.

All in all though, best not allowing a failed transaction of any sort to have feedback.

[momcqueen]

Totally. The first time it happened to me, I was taken aback. The buyer had bought something and then requested a Cancel Order within the hour, maybe one of the first times it ever happened that they did so quickly, and then left positive feedback a week later. I've also had a seller who cancelled my order leave me positive feedback as a buyer. I might mention that both were members from ebays overseas where, perhaps, the rules of ebay and/or ebay etiquette are different.

Don't worry unless the feedback reflects poorly on you.

[dmil8030]

Hello 'hiddentreasurs49',

<<Why are people who go back on a deal permitted to leave feedback for an item that never came into their hands...?>>

As far as I know, people have always been able too leave feedback after a cancelled transaction.  It is certainly 

not new.  

There may be many reasons for cancelling, -- not just because a buyer had second thoughts.  Usually, when a 

request to cancel a transaction arises, sellers have to decide to proceed kindly and just end it, or to dismiss the

request and file the Unpaid Item case if the buyer refuses to cough up the dosh.  If the annoyed buyer pays, however,

the seller then has a very unhappy buyer who can most definitely leave feedback. 

But as I say, the reasons to cancel a sale are almost without limit, - one of the most common being that the seller 

listed an item at too low a price and then cancels, refunds, and leaves an indignant buyer who feels tricked and

deceived.  Or sellers who say the shipping fee was too low and require an extra £8 sent to their paypal account

in order to send it.  Or those who reinvoice for a higher amount because "the auction price was too low".  Or who 

add on a previously undisclosed 'handling' charge post-sale.  Or sellers who claim to be out of stock, but have a 

"better quality" item they can send instead.  Or those who list items they don't have at all.  . . . .

Lots of reasons.  

I suppose the reason a cancelled transaction can still result in feedback is so that tricksters cannot continue 

to hide behind a protective silence.

That's my theory, anyway. 

[cumos55]

Buyer bought, not paid, asked for a cancellation... cancelled quickly... and  the buyer left positive feedback.

Buyer  bought, paid  and asked for a cancellation... quickly refunded... and then buyer left positive feedback.

The quicker one cancels the transaction and  refunds...if necessary.... the happier the buyer.

Many times a seller will question the buyer.... as  evidenced several times on eBay.com discussion boards... and many times the buyer will get frustrated....

There has never been  a problem with a cancellation.... so it has been a very quick cancellation... with a refund if necessary...

--------------------------------------------------

If a seller opens an unpaid item dispute.... buyer never pays.... and dispute is closed by seller...   buyer cannot leave feedback...

and if buyer does leave feedback .....  before the dispute is closed by the seller...... the feedback  will be removed....

[mr.elmwood]

I do not monitor my feedback. Huge waste of time.

[nan*55]

I had a buyer leave me feedback this afternoon... for a item that was mailed this morning 😉

[zee-chan-jpn-books]

I had that happen before too. Got feedback 2 days after I mailed it small packet air to somewhere in Europe. Pretty sure it doesn't get there that fast but I ain't complaining about a positive