Terrible Customer Service Experience

[newlook87]

More often than not I have had good customer service experiences with eBay on FB, formerly known as eBay for business. However, occasionally, I have an experience so bad with an eBay rep, such as earlier today, that I believe it requires public discussion.

Background

-Drop shipper buys 2 records from me on a friday. All my record listings state I offer combined shipping. They had 3 days to let me know that records were going to 2 different addresses

-Print label out on Monday (thru eBay), rebate buyer shipping on 2nd record, send them a note to that effect. Still no heads up that records are actually going to 2 different locations

-They message me a few days later irate when both records go to same address (Combined shipping, right??)

-They threaten me with feedback extortion if I don't fix it for them. They already got a $10 shipping rebate on the 2nd record

-I contact eBay on FB, as when the buyer starts making these kinds of threats, best to stop talking to them. Their message is basically wait and see what happens. Ok, fair enough

-A day or two later, a bad review arrives (my 2nd in the past year), incoherent message going on about my shipping their records to WalMart??! 

-Contact eBay, they looked up and said yes, I shipped through eBay, used their label, arrived on time, all good and what's the business about shipping to WalMart?! Negative review removed

-Two days later, buyer allowed a second chance at a bad review 

-I contact eBay on FB, explain the situation. Agent doesn't read any previous discussions relating to how or why previous negative review was removed just a day or two earlier. Completely disinterested in resolving any issues, just canned "we know this isn't the response you wanted" canned response, on to the next one. I figured must be a poorly trained AI bot.

-I asked to escalate the matter. My experience is that agents do not like doing this but I've escalated before when the agent I was dealing with offered nothing but canned scripts

-Agent came back moments later (same agent) claiming appeal denied. This isn't how escalations work. The whole idea is to get a manager or at least, a different set of eyes looking at the problem. Otherwise, the motivation is just to say, "sorry, you lose" and move on

-Interaction ended with no opportunity for me to provide a review of their service, which is customary. I've asked twice, no response or acknowledement

TLdr, sold a couple a records, buyer received combined shipping, as stated on my listings, buyer received shipping refund, then shocked when records were actually combined. Got nasty, threatened feedback extortion, left bad review, eBay overturned bad review, buyer left a 2nd bad review, eBay allowed that one, 2nd agent pretty much told me to fly a kite. 

[femmefan1946]

Not usually a good idea, but you can leave a Response to any feedback.

"Buyer gave only one address (Friday Sectober 25). Combined shipping for only address they supplied and shipped Monday Secktober 29.  Delivery  Friday Faustus 7.."

However, why did you find it necessary to ask if there was a second address? What and when did the buyer indicate this was the case?

Or did you only work this out when he got in touch a week or so later?

The problem here is less the feedback, although it does seem to be their poor communication that caused it, and more the "dropshipping " part.

EBay does not allow resellers to advertise on eBay goods that they do not have in stock.*

If you want to continue the appeal, the question should not be about removing the FB, but "retail arbitrage" which eBayspecifically forbids.

Someone else may have a link to the policy, which I don't.

*To confuse things more, this does not apply when the reseller has a formal contract with the supplier, even if that supplier is advertising on eBay.

[msau4301]

I am assuming the second negative feedback (after first was removed) was for the second item, I don't think anyone can re-put feedback once eBay removes it. If you have requested feedback removal in the past you may have reached your limit - I think it's something like a max of five removals per year depending on how many items you sell. Even if the reason for removal is just, if you have hit your limit they probably won't remove it. If that is not the case you can try again, it may depending on who you talk to. Otherwise, as femmefan says you can put a polite response explaining your side. Your explanation would explain to anyone who happens to look you weren't in the wrong. People shouldn't be put off by negative feedback if the reason (explained) is unjust. We all know there are difficult people out there.

[marnotom!]

Just to make sure I'm clear on this, the same address appeared in the shipping details information that you received from eBay?  If the buyer wanted the LPs sent to two different addresses, they should have used those addresses at Checkout.

Sellers can ship to addresses other than the one in the shipping details information at the buyer's request, but doing so invalidates any sort of fraud protection eBay may have to offer on the sale to the seller.  The buyer may have had a seller do this anyway and that was their expectation here as well, but so far it's not clear how well the buyer's request was communicated.

[pjcdn2005]

Are you saying that both records were paid for together and had the same shipping address?  Or that they were paid for separately, had different addresses but that you didn't realize it?   If they had different addresses than the buyer wasn't required or expected to contact you.   I agree that it would have been nice if they had sent a message to confirm that you noticed but regardless, it is your responsibility to check that each address if the items were paid for separately. 

According to the feedback left, it does sound as if each purchase had a separate address and if so, it was your mistake.  It's an easy mistake to make but it is still your mistake, not the buyers

[ilikehockeyjerseys]

You need to be really clear with customer service. They don't know the background to your issue. I am not disputing that you may have had an experience where the CSR was at fault, but reading your summary if I was a CSR I would not entirely understand what happened.

The big thing you need to check is whether you sent it both to the correct address on the invoice. If both orders had separate addresses, and you sent both to one of the addresses, you made a mistake. You should be able to confirm this by viewing the order details pages. 

On a side note, you should never send an item to a different address from what is on the invoice because you void your seller protection. 

You can always contact customer service again. If both had the same address on the separate orders, you did nothing wrong. I would take screenshots of the order details pages, the messages, and the negative feedback. 

https://www.ebay.ca/help/policies/feedback-policies/feedback-policy?id=4208

Based on feedback removal policies, I would point to the "delivery issue" section to justify the removal. If you can prove that you shipped to the correct addresses provided at checkout, I assume the buyers complaint about the item not being delivered to a different address should qualify as a delivery issue.

If the buyer had two different addresses on the invoices, then you made a mistake and they are justified. If anything, you're lucky that they didn't open a return. Although, if they are a drop shipper, I guess they likely don't have that option because they would not be able to use your return label. It's also possible they were ordering these as gifts.

[newlook87]

Lots of good input, quick answer to questions posted above:

1. Two separate orders were placed 5 minutes apart. I did not notice that the buyer changed "ship to" address in those 5 minutes, nor did eBay's system flag it in any way.

2. All my record listings clearly state that I combine shipping. It would seem obvious to buyers that combined shipping would mean going to the same address. 

3. Refunded 2nd order shipping and sent a note, stating reason for shipping refund (combined shipping). No word from the buyer

4. Both records went to one of the addresses from the orders

5. First agent ruled in my favor, removed negative feedback as he stated I fulfilled my obkigation

6. Buyer was allowed to leave another negative review (2 orders). When I appealed that negative review, CSR saw it differently and did not bother to read the thread (and previous CSR ruling), despite my requests

7. CSR "appealed the decision" - to herself - and minutes later justified her position.

Key takeaways

1. Close one of my eBay stores, transition listings elsewhere. 

2. Stop selling lower value items here, no matter how interesting. 80% of my record listings will be transferred to another platform by year end. It's just not worth the headache 

3. Only list new items on eBay that fit a couple criteria and in niches that seem to work (to a degree) on this platform. My strike zone for eBay is typically industrial and related categories. Everything else will go elsewhere

4. Transition 80% of current and 80-90% of new listings to other platforms. I've been expanding sales elsewhere the past year and yesterday's interactions confirm I need to speed up that process, stop looking at this as a meaningful growth platform, look at it as fun money, side hustle types revenues. 

As much as I appreciate and value all the input from members here, what hasn't been mentioned is that combined shipping, from the buyers perspective should be dead simple. A properly functioning platform, where combined and bulk shipping is about 20 years overdue. Were it in place, sellers wouldn't have to do manual shipping adjustments and the situation here would have been avoided. 

Inexcuseable system failure, backed by inconsistent customer support. 

[ilikehockeyjerseys]

1. Two separate orders were placed 5 minutes apart. I did not notice that the buyer changed "ship to" address in those 5 minutes, nor did eBay's system flag it in any way.

There is no way for a buyer to change their address once an order is placed. 

I might be misunderstanding you, but it sounds like they placed two orders going to two different addresses. This is a perfectly valid thing for a buyer to do. 

If you go back and view the order details pages and the addresses are different, then it's your fault, not the buyers. You should have either shipped them to the addresses provided. If they are the same, the buyer is at fault for not understanding that they have to provide the address they want the package to go to at checkout, not you. 

In short, if you shipped to the addresses on each order page, you are in the right. If you didn't, the buyer is in the right. That's not my opinion or me making a judgment on the situation, that's the terms of the eBay seller protection policy. 

Assuming you shipped their order to the wrong address, I don't think the feedback would qualify for removal. Additionally, you don't have any seller protection. If the buyer has proof that one was sent to the wrong address, they could open an Item Not Received case and get a full automatic refund. 

I agree with some take aways about eBay's shipping system being in the stone age but I don't think that is relevant to the primary issue if you deliberately sent this to the wrong address, or accidentally sent it to the wrong address.

Please don't take this post the wrong way. It's not a personal attack. I am just pointing out that based on eBay's policy, they are likely correct not to remove the feedback if you did not send the item to the address on the order details page. 

[femmefan1946]

I did not notice that the buyer changed "ship to" address in those 5 minutes,

The Buyer bought an item. They gave an address.

The Buyer soon after (5 minutes) bought a second identical item. They gave a different address.

You did not notice that the single buyer bought duplicates which were to go to different addresses.

Your mistake.

Your responsibility.

The buyer is in the right.

You are in the wrong.

Whether the buyer is using you as supplier for reselling (on eBay or elsewhere) or whether they were sending identical birthday presents to twin nephews in different cities is irrelevant.

It didn't occur to you that if the buyer wanted two items delivered to the same address they would have ordered two at the same time--- not five minutes apart?

You made a mistake.

[newlook87 · Accepted solution]

This is an idiotic response and with a very immature meme. Do not comment on my posts in the future - take a hike.

The second item was not identical. Who said that it was? Identical only in that it was a record.

The rest of your post is pure rubbish, as you went down the rabbit hole of blame, after you created whatever story in your head and clearly did not read or couldn't comprehend the situation. 

But if it makes you feel better, one of the eBay agents agreed with you (and the other didn't). 

[recped]

I had a very similar post written up last night, decided not to bother posting since it was clear the OP wasn't interested in anything but blaming the buyer.

Attitude confiormed when they selected their own post as the "solution".

I can understand how the OP could make this mistake but that doesn't change the bottom line that THEY made the mistake and they want to lay it off entirely on the buyer.

I've encountered this very situation....only one difference, I DID notice the different addresses! I always check and confirm when a single buyer purchases multiple item WITHOUT using the cart.

[flipistics]

---

@recped wrote:

I had a very similar post written up last night, decided not to bother posting since it was clear the OP wasn't interested in anything but blaming the buyer.

Attitude confiormed when they selected their own post as the "solution".

I can understand how the OP could make this mistake but that doesn't change the bottom line that THEY made the mistake and they want to lay it off entirely on the buyer.

I've encountered this very situation....only one difference, I DID notice the different addresses! I always check and confirm when a single buyer purchases multiple item WITHOUT using the cart.

---

I suspect using the bulk labels feature to combine the orders properly would also detect the issue and prevent one from making the mistake the op did.

[brettjet38]

Well, what a brilliant response to your OWN mistakes, oversights & errors...

You slipped up why all the hostility, blame game and denial, to the people responding to you?

Typical "victim" mentality at play again, a widespread occurrence on the boards nowadays and in the real world in general.

And, BTW anyone can reply to a post you make on these boards and continue to do so in the future.

If you get two different shipping addresses for two separate purchases, you ship separately which means NO COMBINED SHIPPING, very simple...

[brettjet38]

I was going to reply earlier also, but glad I let @femmefan1946 take the lead, and venom lol.

As soon as you read denial cards being used, better to wait and see and there were a lot of victim cards in this post.

[ricarmic]

This does serve as a good reminder to us all at this time of year, with Christmas coming, to make sure and double check the mailing addresses for separate purchases under the same userid.

In my world "Bob" buys some stamps for him, and then also buys some Christmas stamps for his dad/grandpa who lives across the country, changing the shipping address of the second purchase to theirs. Sometimes they even purchase the "same" item (from a multi-item listing) twice separately but close together time wise. 

Because of this, in my "process" I always visually double check that the ship to address is the same for separate purchases from the same ebay userid.