I want to start out by saying that I rarely leave negative feedback. I do utilize eBay's feedback system for almost every single transaction I make. Out of my last 400 purchases, I have only left one neutral feedback, and one negative feedback for an item listed as a brand new Blu ray, DVD and digital download combo that arrived only as an ex rental DVD that was so scratched up it would not play. I sent messages to both sellers before leaving less than positive feedback.
Recently negative feedback I left was removed.
I totally understand how eBay's feedback system can be abused by buyers. This includes not understanding how the feedback system works. I check the feedback from buyers before I make my purchases, so I have definitely seen other buyers leave negative feedback because an item took longer than they expected to arrive, as well as leaving negative feedback based on whether or not they liked the book, record or film, etc... that they purchased, not as to how the seller handled the transaction. That isn't cool and sellers should have the right to have feedback like that removed.
After having the negative feedback I left for a seller removed, I feel like that seller is abusing eBay's system.
The feedback I left was for a seller who blatantly lied to me more than once, was unresponsive, rude, and blamed me for the mishap when the package shipped never made it to the address listed in the order. The package went back to the seller and then sat there for another half a week before I tried to get a refund through eBay, and only after several messages inquiring as to whether they would send the package back out or provide a refund.
In my fist message to the seller I said that a mistake occurred and the package was being sent back to them. I said I wasn't upset, that mistakes happen, especially this time of year. I just wanted to know if they were aware and what was going to happen next. I got no response for 2 days, so I wrote again asking the same thing, if they going to reship it to the address or provide a refund. I received an answer the following day that said they hadn't received the item back, but nothing about what they intended to do.
I wrote again asking what the seller intended to do, but never got a response. The seller told me several times that the package was sent to the shipping address listed in the order and kept saying that I made the mistake. Whatever I entered was where it was shipped. The seller said that they have to pay USPS for returns upon delivery back to them. They still wouldn't answer as to whether they checked the shipping address at all, nor what they would be doing about it when they receive it again.
The address was listed correctly by me (it is a saved address), and it was shipped to the correct address as well. Before that, I did clearly say that I didn't know if there was a glitch when the label was printed or if USPS was to blame. I said that USPS may have made the mistake more than once, but I don't know if it was ever acknowledged. All of this info is clearly available through USPS tracking, where it shows that USPS messed up where upon the day of delivery when the zip code had changed by one number therefore making the package undeliverable.
The seller told me a number of times that I need to be aware of eBay's shipping policy and said after I wrote that not getting any answer as to what would happen after several requests was frustrating, that they think it's "hilarious" that I found the situation that way.
The package was delivered back to the seller and after 5 days of no word I tried to initiate a refund through eBay, but every time I would start the process eBay would say that the package showed as delivered. Any case opened would automatically close in the sellers favor because of this. It was delivered, but not to the address in the shipping order, only back to the seller. Finding any information on how to talk to human eBay customer support as a buyer proved nearly impossible (I wasn't ever able to find out that info as a buyer).
I had a case to be refunded opened through PayPal, who contacted eBay for more information. PayPal was able to see not only through eBay's tracking, but also via the USPS site that the package never arrived at the shipping address listed in my order, that a mistake had occurred on USPS's end when the package went out for delivery. They saw that the package was delivered back to the seller. The case was closed in my favor and I was refunded.
Because I never received the item I paid for, because the seller never once responded to my inquiries, because the seller lied to me and was rude, and because the package went back to the seller who did nothing about it, I found the transaction a really frustrating experience. It was not a positive at all.
I hope that this seller won't treat anyone else the same way in the future, and by leaving negative feedback for this transaction, I wanted to at least be able to show what took place with my order so that if it does happen again it will be listed in their feedback, something eBay and buyers would be able to see.
In the negative feedback I left, I said that both myself and the seller listed the shipping address correctly and that USPS was at fault for the package not being able to be delivered. I said that I had to get a refund because of the package never arriving and the way the seller handled everything.
I received a message from the seller shortly after leaving my negative feedback, saying that the only reason I got a refund is because they sent it, again blaming me for the whole mishap. They said that they had my feedback removed. They even attached an unnecessary photo of the returned package. All of the info as to why the package was returned to the sender had been mentioned multiple times, including in the feedback I left stating that we both provided the correct shipping address.
I wrote back telling them to not contact me again, but they did anyways almost immediately, again blaming me for everything and saying that I don't understand how eBay works.
I don't understand why my feedback for this negative transaction was removed by eBay. I understand that a seller can have feedback removed only three times a year and once it is removed it is almost impossible to have it put back. I feel that this seller abused eBay's feedback system and I want to leave accurate feedback for this transaction, just like I do for almost every single order I make on eBay. I don't know what else I can do about this, but is unacceptable.
