Can buyers threaten bad feedback instead of just returning or replacing?

[legacycoins]

I made an honest mistake and sent a buyer the incorrect item ( see attached pics, the one he ordered is on the right pic, it was an easy mistake to make) instead of opening a return case or a replacement case they sent me this message:

"I would like the items that I ordered. I understand it's your mistake but I'm not happy I gave you money for the item that you listed I would like those items or my money back . If I don't receive the items that I paid for regardless as to whether you return my money or not I'm still gonna leave the negative feedback. I want the items I paid for."

This is copied and pasted from my message. Now the buyer did not even wait for my message which was this:

"Oh my goodness I am so sorry! I just checked and I have the correct ones right here. I will send these our first thing tomorrow, if you don't mind just starting a return and I'll refund you fully. I sent you Kenner parts by mistake."

Once I saw his threat I just refunded him and told him that I would send out the new item right away. NOW the item I sent was 29.99, the item he bought was 19.99. I am not out both, which is my mistake obviously, but before I refunded him I tried to report the issue and there is no option for misuse of feedback. Which is why I ask can buyers do this??

[katzrul15]

@legacycoins 

You can report your Buyer from the transaction view drop down menu.

But I would not.

Good that you worked to resolve this quickly - your Buyer was upset.  I would focus on resolving the issues at hand and Feedback will resolve itself.

Good luck - happens to all of us sometimes!

[drvsway2fast]

Unfortunately, yes. Some buyers are just not happy people and seem to be out to make others suffer as much as they do. If the customer is not happy after you literally bent over backwards and made this right plus some, and still leaves negative FB, then just leave a remark, DO NOT shoot off something unprofessional, just explain what you did to make it right and that they still were not happy i.e., “Customer was fully refunded and the correct item was sent as well. I am sorry I made this error, please accept my apology and attempt at correcting it. I strive for customer satisfaction.” This way the person looks irrational and the negative obviously undeserved. You didn’t call names or get ugly, but showed future customers that you will make errors right. Just be more careful in the future because this was an expensive error, lol.

[legacycoins]

I would of taken care of them regardless, he did not have to threaten bad feedback, if he looked at mine he would know I handle issues correctly, and everyone is happy. I wanted him to follow a return so I didn't lose more money

[mandisattictoyz]

Well since he even mentions leaving a negative review that right there is prohibited and any person on eBay will have any negative review removed immediately.  So while you made a mistake and are trying to correct it, the customer is being unreasonable from the get go.  

[chapeau-noir]

My response would be to set the issue of feedback aside - it's irrelevant - and just take care of your customer as you have done.  If they leave you a neg anyway, do not grovel in your response*.

*You have already apologised.  Everyone makes mistakes and people are more interested in how a seller resolves them than the fact that a mistake was made.

[newlifeforoldstuff2]

You did the right thing. Now block them and report them for feedback manipulation. That's a policy violation. Too many entitled brats out there think the world owes them everything yesterday and no patience or thought at all as to how the other guy feels. 

[luckythewinner]

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@legacycoins wrote:

before I refunded him I tried to report the issue and there is no option for misuse of feedback. Which is why I ask can buyers do this??

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It is not against eBay policy for a buyer to threaten negative feedback if they do not get what they ordered.

eBay has a feedback extortion policy, but it does not cover a buyer who is asking for exactly what he bought.

Buyers aren't allowed to use threats of negative feedback or low detailed seller ratings to try to get something that wasn't part of the original listing.

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/feedback-policies/feedback-extortion-policy?id=4230

It may be rude and counter-productive, but it is not "misuse of feedback".

[luckythewinner]

@legacycoins wrote:

it was an easy mistake to make

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Also, if your inventory system means mistakes are easy to make, then I would suggest that you make improvements so that mistakes are no longer easy to make.

[katzrul15]

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@legacycoins wrote:

I would of taken care of them regardless, he did not have to threaten bad feedback, if he looked at mine he would know I handle issues correctly, and everyone is happy. I wanted him to follow a return so I didn't lose more money

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@legacycoins 

Understood  -  I would want my original shipment back as well, and it may still happen.  

As a Seller, I usually deal with the highest Priority first - "the Buyer" and what expectations they have and work to resolve that first.  Then, I work on whatever, if possible, that affects my "realm" as a Seller. 

I have found that if I do not do it in that order, the Buyer often confuses the process and/or that I am just worried about "me" as a Seller and not their issues.  And this is your "issue" as a Seller - you shipped them the wrong item.

I meant what I said UP thread - take care of the Buyer and the rest will usually fall into place.  Good luck on your resolution with this customer.  Do this well and typically you have a long-term repeat customer for the effort.  

[the_fancy_fox]

I would send them the correct items and in the box I would include a prepaid label to ship the incorrect items back. I would also include a note where I would apologize again, ask them to ship the wrong items back with the prepaid label and perhaps send a little freebie.

but that’s just me.