Stupid negative feedback

[rio1953]

This person, now I know she lives in Mexico, bought a card for 4.99 CND including shipping to be shipped in California. Anyways she left a negative feedback before the allowed time Ebay shows to receive the item " Because she hadn't received the item" and that she will demand her refund. 
Now what I am asking is why EBay won't delete this feedback as it makes no sense.
What the buyer should have done is, wait the time for the item to arrive then contact me or open a claim for INR. 
Why do that and for $4.99.

is there any way to have this removed? If not, can anyone suggest how to answer to it.

 Left it to me I know how I would answer, that's why I am asking for some help on the matter.

Thanks.

[marnotom!]

Does the buyer have a history of leaving this sort of feedback?

[rio1953]

One other seller. He got  the same treatment.

[marnotom!]

I would suggest something along the lines of, "Contact me for a refund if the card hasn't reached your forwarding address by the last estimated delivery date, ___ days from now."

Looks professional and you come off as cooperative, but also sends out the message that the buyer may be a bit impatient and that they're also getting stuff forwarded to them.

@reallynicestamps will probably be able to come up with something better.

[ilikehockeyjerseys]

This.

One negative feedback doesn't matter. Reply in a professional way. How you reply to negative feedback isn't to communicate with the person leaving it (that's what the private messages are for), it is meant to communicate to show future buyers who read that feedback that you are reliable and professional. 

Was this shipped lettermail? If so, it might actually have not arrived. Goods are no longer eligible for non-parcel shipments through Canada Post. 

When you contact eBay to have the feedback removed, you have to be very deliberate with how you ask. Otherwise, they will copy and paste a form letter about feedback revisions. I don't know what their internal policies are, but if you sent this with tracking and you can show the buyer misused feedback in place of the message system, they might remove it. 

Ultimately, 1 negative isn't a big deal. It's always good to try and get them removed when they qualify (or try to fix the problem and earn a feedback revision if it was a mistake on your part), but nobody looks at feedback unless you have an obscenely low rating or they are buying a very expensive high risk item. 

[edubb101]

Hello,

I wouldn't bother trying to get the negative removed.  You will always have a customer leave an irrational negative feedback once in a while.  As others have mentioned just respond to it professionally.  

Is this one of those customers who is located in Mexico but uses one of those shipping forward services located in California?  Usually on the address you will see something like DR1746 or some generic code like that.  The issue could be with the forwarder who has delayed the sending of the item from California to Mexico.

The other thing to consider is sometimes a pre mature negative feedback is used to get the seller to panick and immediately refund.  This way the buyer does not have to open up an INR.  My understanding is that ebay still keeps track of buyers who frequently have items not show up.  I would wait until the customer can open up an INR prior to issuing a refund.

Sorry for this.  Like most sellers we've been in your shoes.

All the best

[reallynicestamps]

Most buyers seem to think that a 95% FB rating is an A+, so your 99.1% is unlikely to discourage anyone.

I'd suggest that the problem is that you are selling game cards.

And gamers gonna game.

With apologies to my many friends who play both RPG and board games, there is a "gotcha" demographic ** who regard getting away with theft as a goal and not a character flaw.

Perhaps you should consider making all your Yu-gi-oh cards (and any similar) Free Shipping.

Free Shipping means your cost of shipping is included in the asking price.

Rather than a $5 card with $3 shipping, you sell an$8 card with Free Shipping.*

Buyers love Free Shipping. They know it's not really free, but still get the warm pink fuzzies. And it is easier to see exactly what the payment will be.

It doesn't work with bulky items which go parcel post and depend on dimensions, weight and destination, you're better off using Calculated Shipping on dotCA with those.

But Free Shipping with the Canadian Flat Rate being $0.00 is in my opinion a winner.

For the Response, if any, "Shipped 19/2/24 Canada Post Air. EBay's date for delivery DD/MM/YY. Feedback left 26/2/24."

Expect to have an INR the minute they can make one. Refund. Don't argue. THEN ask that FB be removed by eBay because of the INR.  It might work.

Refunds are tax deductible as business expenses.

*Or a $9.99 card with Free Shipping (and Cookie Jar Insurance).
** Dolls are another fraught category.

[rio1953]

this card was $4.99 with shipping included and all my buyers have been really great and honest up until this one. 
when you ship letter mail there is always the chance of the letter not getting to destination and I would refund. But she left a negative feedback for not good reason. 

[ricarmic]

Doesn't matter what categories one ships in, if you sell to enough people, eventually you'll catch a "problem" buyer, it can't be avoided...

If you respond to the feedback, make sure to make it non confrontational and professional, as @marnotom! suggested.

It is interesting to note, and news to me that now that they've changed the default view of feedback to "most relevant" it does not show (until the 4th page) as the older positives are placed up front! In a way this is good news, a reviewer has to work to even see the negatives now...aside from the % dropping off 100%, which doesn't affect ones visibility anyway, or so they say.

[rio1953]

I asked for a feedback review.  The first paragraph is what i wrote the 2nd is how eBay or more likely a "bot" answered. 

if I would have know I wouldn't have wasted my time. What a joke..

Reason: Abuse of the feedback process.

There in nothing factual about this feedback. I have done everything required of me to fulfill my part in this sale. The buyer didn't even wait to see if she would get the item, communicate with me and ask for a refund. She went directly to negative feedback and told me at that point that she would asks for her refund after, because she wasn't allowed to do that yet. A process is a process and should be followed the same way by buyers and sellers alike.

The buyer will have until Fri, March 08, 2024 to either revise the feedback or decline your request. If they decide not to respond or decline your request, please respect their decision.

[pjcdn2005 · Accepted solution]

Based on the response you received you asked the buyer not eBay for a feedback revision.  I don't know if eBay will revise it but you could try at the following link.  If it was left before the estimated arrival date I would just state that. The buyer isn't required to fo contact you first so I probably would not mention that in the request.

https://www.ebay.com/sellerhelp/feedback

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

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@rio1953 wrote:

This person, now I know she lives in Mexico, bought a card for 4.99 CND including shipping to be shipped in California. Anyways she left a negative feedback before the allowed time Ebay shows to receive the item " Because she hadn't received the item" and that she will demand her refund. 
Now what I am asking is why EBay won't delete this feedback as it makes no sense.
What the buyer should have done is, wait the time for the item to arrive then contact me or open a

claim for INR. 
Why do that and for $4.99.

is there any way to have this removed? If not, can anyone suggest how to answer to it.

 Left it to me I know how I would answer, that's why I am asking for some help on the matter.

Thanks.

---

@rio1953 

eBay's estimates for delivery have been whackadoodle for years. I sent a parcel to Mexico last year via Xpresspost...A premium service. Estimated date was 7 to 14 days. Same as what it quotes today on ebay. It ended up being in the 30 to 40 day range. (Arrrived in USA decent quick...hovered for a month...reached Mexico and was delivered a few days later.) Because of the pandemic CP still is not on offering the late guarantee for International shipments. According to CP they currently show 14 days guaranteed. The confusion between the 2 platforms definitely can cause grief for sellers and buyers. (Similar to how Canada letter shows 4 days anywhere in Canada  and US letter shows 4 to 6 days. I've had personal mail take 7 to 12 business days to ON from AB.)  Non express Intl services when checked on the CP site no longer even include a guesstimate. They still display on eBay. 

If a buyer asks or is getting worried I always try to explain that estimates in eBay are best case optimistic super hopeful and of the fantasy variety. Please give it a bit more time and they are mostly good with that. Usually with a small attempt at humour they tend to be understanding and patient. 

-Lotz

PS. As a suggestion for anyone shipping internationally it never hurts to Google the address prior to processing. Often there are format issues which ebay does not catch. When in doubt confirm prior to generating a label.

[rio1953]

Thanks for the link you gave me and I am happy to report that they have removed the feedback. I am really grateful for all the help everyone has given me.

[rocketscollectibles]

I did not read everything. But i have the answer for you. Ebay don't do anything. Why i know? Because my only negative feedback all-time is exactly this situation. The buyer purchased and left a negative 5 business days after ordering, and many days before estimated delivery timeframe. I went into the same frustration and talked with support about the situation. They gonna tell you to upload tracking to proove delivery or ask buyer to revise feedback. I made a thread when it hapened: 

Negative feedback on a non-sense situation - The eBay Canada Community