First negative feedback in years

[mustardjo]

I just got my first negative feedback in years.  And the buyer is lying about the condition of the item. She started a return Feb. 11 and has not sent it yet.  The pictures she posted where not the item I sent her. It was a Barbie never removed from box. In one of the pictures she showed her holding the doll outside the box. Was not the doll I sent her.  I have tried to work things out with her. I accepted the refund but will not refund her if it isn't the same doll.  She has left a very nasty negative which has been affecting my sells.  Any recommendations.

[comics-scifi-collectibles · Accepted solution]

@mustardjo   Sorry that happened.  Accepting the return is the only thing you can do.  eBay will not remove the feedback as it doesn't violate their policy.   😞      You an increase your feedback % by using this account to make some small purchases of items you need from sellers that you see leave feedback.  Feedback is based on a % for the last 12 months.  

If the buyer files a refund request saying that the item is not as described then you need to accept the return and issue the return shipping label.  

The eBay Money Back Guarantee overrules your returns policy.   Your return policy only applies if the buyer files a buyer's remorse return:  Doesn't fit, changed mind, etc.  

If you do not accept the return willingly then the buyer can ask eBay to step in and forces a refund. You do not get your seller's fees back, you get a defect and the buyer may be allowed to keep the item.

If the buyer abuses the eBay MBG in some way then you can report them but it doesn't get your money back:

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/resolving-buyer-issues/report-issue-buyer?id=4084&st=12&pos=3&quer...

Sellers have protection for return abuse if they offer FREE RETURN shipping on their listings OR if they are a Top Rated seller and offer 30 days or greater returns.  The seller can then reduce the refund amount by up to 50% if the buyer sends a different item or somehow reduces the value of the item.

Seller protection: 
https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/selling-policies/seller-protections?id=4345&st=12&pos=4&query=Sel...

[mustardjo]

Thank you. I didn't realize that ebay offered more protections to sellers by offering free returns, giving buyers 30 days to return, or being a Top rated seller.  Basically you have to offer free returns anyway so saying no returns does a seller no good. And buyers will still get 30 days to return regardless.   There are many buyers who abuse this return policy.  With Amazon's very liberal return policy...ebay has to compete. The buyers benefit from all this and the sellers lose.

[comics-scifi-collectibles]

@mustardjo   I do agree that it makes sense to offer Free Returns so that you have some protection as some buyers will say it's not as described just so they can get a Free Return.  

I started offering Free Returns a few years back when eBay started the 50% refund policy.  I never had a buyer return an item using Free Returns.  I did get to use my 50% off on a bad return recently and it worked out well.  The negative feedback that the buyer wanted to leave was blocked and it didn't count as a unresolved refund for me.  

[mustardjo]

It does make more sense to offer free returns.  I contacted ebay today to appeal the negative feedback due to dishonesty. The agent gave me the link and told me to wait until I get the item back and the buyer is refunded.  They can't remove the feedback when there is an open case. So I will have to wait a few days when I get it back and we will see if the feedback can be removed.

[albertabrightalberta]

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@mustardjo wrote:

I just got my first negative feedback in years.  And the buyer is lying about the condition of the item. She started a return Feb. 11 and has not sent it yet.  The pictures she posted where not the item I sent her. It was a Barbie never removed from box. In one of the pictures she showed her holding the doll outside the box. Was not the doll I sent her.  I have tried to work things out with her. I accepted the refund but will not refund her if it isn't the same doll.  She has left a very nasty negative which has been affecting my sells.  Any recommendations.

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In my opinion, the buyer had a valid complaint. 

Your listing was listed as "new" and your response to the feedback states that your doll was never removed from the box. The item is neither new nor was it not removed from the box. 

The doll is missing shoes (or they fell off), the wires holding the doll to the backing were cut and the doll's left arm was turned in a different direction than it would be had it not been removed from the box. 

As shown in the following screenshot, notice the difference in the position of the doll inside various boxes between your doll and the other NIB items.

When the buyer returns the item, relist it as preowned and describe the extent of use honestly.