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[rodimal_prime_65]

I sold an item with enough pictures for the person to see the condition the buyer got buyer's remorse started a whole big deal left negative feedback the whole thing. Ebay told me to send him a shipping label so he could return it person never returned the item now eBay is telling me that they can't do anything about negative feedback or anything like that even though they told me that they could and would once I sent them the return label and after 10 days they didn't return the item for the refund. What is my recourse here or should I just remove my account? I've tried to get in contact with customer service to get them to call me but it always says they tried but it's never gone through.

[ilikehockeyjerseys]

Here is what you need to do in this situation.

-I assume the buyer opened a return and you already sent them a label. 

-Wait 15 BUSINESS DAYS from when you sent them the label. Check the return tracking number. If it has not been scanned in at all, eBay should close the return for you. If they haven't closed it, you can contact them and ask them to step in at 15 business days. 

-Use the link below, which is the feedback removal portal. Request that the feedback be removed because the buyer's feedback directly refers to "eBay site or program issues", the buyer said "Now I have to open a case to return it.", you provided a label, and they never followed through with the return. Their feedback directly relates to an eBay site issue (how returns work). eBay may or may not remove it. Emphasize that they were given a label and did not return it, and eBay had to step in.

Here is all the relevant info:

Here is eBay's Feedback Removal Policy: https://www.ebay.ca/help/policies/feedback-policies/feedback-policies?id=4208

eBay's Feedback removal portal (You have to sign in on the .com website): https://www.ebay.com/sellerhelp/feedback

https://www.ebay.ca/help/selling/managing-returns-refunds/handle-return-request-seller?id=4115

Seller-provided labels: If you provide a return shipping label and upload tracking, we may close the return if we don't see tracking scans or signals from the buyer showing the item was shipped within 15 business days of when the label was provided. If tracking is not uploaded, we may wait up to 35 business days before closing the return.

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As far as advice about how to handle this kind of situation in the future, buyers and sellers sometimes disagree. The buyer may or may not have been unreasonable, but with media people can sometimes have differing opinions about condition. Buyers can be unreasonable, sellers can drop the ball when evaluating the item, it goes both ways. Ultimately, buyers are entitled to return an item that they perceive is not as described. Because you're going to have to provide the label anyways, it's always best just to give them the benefit of the doubt. "Thank you for reaching out to me about your order. I regret to hear the item did not live up to your expectations. It was described as very good. My criteria for very good is: xxxxxx. This was not listed as mint or like new. If after clarifying that you still feel that I dropped the ball with describing this item, please open a return so that I can provide you with a shipping label free of charge. I do not want you to have to keep an item that did not meet your expectations."

If they open a return, you could also consider offering a partial refund equivalent to the return shipping, since you're going to be out the return shipping anyways when they return it. So long as a return is opened, and they accept the offer, eBay would consider it closed and they would not be able to open another return. Some sellers are opposed to doing this because they fear that buyers who complain are fishing for partial refunds and they would rather gamble on providing a label and seeing if the return will time out. I don't think this is the way to go, unless the buyer's complaint is ridiculous, or their account has many red flags (look at feedback received, and left for others to see hints about whether they have issues often). 

Lastly, feedback doesn't matter that much. I would not open a new account because of one negative feedback. Your feedback percentage will reset after a year. You're not a high volume seller, so one negative looks a lot worse for you than it looks for someone who sells 1000s of items a year - but opening a new account isn't a real solution. 

[byto253]

The rep has indicated the process.  Send a return label and if they don't return it to you there will be no refund.  If you don't they will be refunded and will keep the item.   I would take of that first, and if they don't return it you have a case to have the negative feedback removed.

For eBay, you get strikes for not responding to returns, which is much more serious than feedback.  Feedback does not affect your account standing. 

If the buyer is in the US, you can purchase a label through Shippo.   

[rodimal_prime_65]

So what happened is I responded to the case and eBay advised me to send them a shipping label through messages to return the item and once I got the returned item I had two or three business days to inspect the item and issue a refund. Ebay told me that I could then tell them if something was wrong with the item and deal with it then. The buyer never used the label never shipped the item back the case was closed by eBay after the 10 days or whatever

[byto253]

Thanks for the clarification, I was not sure.  I assume they closed the case without issuing a refund, so it now comes down to the feedback.   @ilikehockeyjerseys provided the link for feedback removal, in case you had not been down that route. 

Under the policy, you may have a shot under a couple of terms.  One is that  "An eBay Money Back Guarantee case or payment dispute was closed with the seller having met their obligations to the buyer" where you can make the case that the item was not returned.   

The other is the "Personal attacks that could harm the reputation of the seller or their business and could not reasonably be viewed as constructive criticism."  The buyer states you purposely hid defects but there were pictures that you indicate provided that disclosure.  

I do not have experience in feedback removal, so no idea if that would be effective or not.  

[ilikehockeyjerseys]

Here is what you should do in that case.

Go on Twitter (create an account if you need to, it doesn't need your real name or info).

Look up an account called AskeBay. These are the top end eBay customer service reps. It's worth it to use Twitter just to reach them.

Write a CLEAR and simple summary of what happened. Be sure to mention that the buyer opened an INAD return, refused to use the label, eBay closed the return, and the buyer left negative feedback.

Ask them if they can either remove the feedback for you or advise you on the policy you'd refer to in the feedback removal request. (go to my original post, the link for feedback removal is there)

As far as I understand it eBay should remove it cut and dry because they never followed through with the return request. But stuff like this is never guaranteed.

It would also be good to point out to them the exact lines on the help pages I linked to you where it states the info you are using to back up your claim.

If they instruct you to fill out a feedback removal request, you could also ask them if they are able to leave any notes on the transaction regarding what you clarified in the conversation with the CSR. I'm unsure if that is something they can do, but it doesn't hurt to ask.

[pjcdn2005]

The feedback is showing in the more than 1 month old column so they may not consider removing it.  

I don't know what happened with your first contact with the buyer but usually the best way to handle it when a buyer is unhappy is to ask them to open a return.  Do not argue about the condition, just say that you are sorry that they aren't happy with the item.   That may avoid getting a negative.