eBay

regod-70 · ‎12-22-2023

I had a buyer buy a Bissell vacuum from me. It was tested and worked as it should. As soon it was delivered, the buyer sent me some aggressive messages calling me a liar and a scammer. I called eBay and told them to document my account that I might be getting ready to be scammed. I was afraid she might do a switch a roo. I remained professional and told her twice to start a return and once item is inspected I would be more than happy to issue her a refund. I never heard back from her after that. Instead she leaves negative feedback saying I sent her a broke item. (If it’s broke, why not return the item and get your money back?) I called eBay, I contacted eBay for business, I chatted with ebay, I requested ebay to remove feedback through their process, and ebay says she has a right to her opinion. How do I get this feedback off? I’m so frustrated! I take selling very seriously and I want to provide the best service I can. What else can I do???

toomuchstuffagain35 · ‎12-22-2023

I get your frustration. It either works or it doesn't. That's facts, not an "opinion".

If it truly doesn't work you'd think she'd file a SNAD and return it.

The outsourced CSR's idea of what an "opinion" is can be truly amazing at times.

Unfortunately, this one may be a neg you just have to live with.

"If a product doesn't sell, raise the price" - Reese Palley
"If it sold FAST, it was priced too low" - also Reese Palley

inhawaii · ‎12-22-2023

The fact that the item was tested and working prior to being shipped means absolutely nothing.

Things break during transit. It happens all the time. The buyers complaint could have been legitimate.

I'm not sure what transpired between you and the buyer but you should have immediately...

A) Apologize to the buyer and refunded them and let them keep the non-working vacuum.

B) Apologize to the buyer and have them return (at your expense) the non-working vacuum for a full refund.

If you did one of those two things i'm pretty sure you would not have that negative feedback.

It sounds like you kept insisting that it should work because it worked before you shipped it.

I don't think you will be able to get that feedback removed as it does not violate ebay policy.

Sorry this happened to you.

Smoke From A Distant Fire - Sanford Townsend Band

soh.maryl · ‎12-22-2023

IMHO, your returned comments were not as professional as they could have been.

Maybe something like: Offered buyer the opportunity to return the faulty item for a refund.

inhawaii · ‎12-22-2023

@soh.maryl wrote:
IMHO, your returned comments were not as professional as they could have been.
Maybe something like: Offered buyer the opportunity to return the faulty item for a refund.

Exactly how I would have responded too.

Smoke From A Distant Fire - Sanford Townsend Band

allthings-collectible · ‎12-22-2023

How frustrating. Unlike some of the other comments, I think you handled it properly. Telling the buyer that you would refund "after it is inspected" is totally acceptable. This reminds the buyer that there is a process (though not perfect) of checks & balances that their return must go through once they open that door. This especially important now more than ever when so many buyers have learned how to leverage a broken feedback system. I would begin by initiating a revision request to have it on record. Then make another call in hopes to talk to a CS that's willing to listen. Hope it works out for you.

brightlightbookseller · ‎12-22-2023

Except eBay doesn't allow for such checks and balances. You may, depending on the listing and your status, be allowed the option to deduct a portion of the refund, but if they return something to you, you will be refunding something to them. Outside of very rare cases where a scam is both caught and acknowledged by eBay (and returning working merchandise is not considered a scam, at least by them), your "inspection" of the returned item is nearly pointless except to get ready to sell it again.

martin2001 · ‎12-22-2023

@inhawaii wrote:
The fact that the item was tested and working prior to being shipped means absolutely nothing.
Things break during transit. It happens all the time. The buyers complaint could have been legitimate.
I'm not sure what transpired between you and the buyer but you should have immediately...
A) Apologize to the buyer and refunded them and let them keep the non-working vacuum.
B) Apologize to the buyer and have them return (at your expense) the non-working vacuum for a full refund.
If you did one of those two things i'm pretty sure you would not have that negative feedback.
It sounds like you kept insisting that it should work because it worked before you shipped it.
I don't think you will be able to get that feedback removed as it does not violate ebay policy.
Sorry this happened to you.

1. Actually it means a lot that the vacuum cleaner was tested before it was shipped. The accusation in the feedback, that the seller sent them a broken cleaner then is a lie. They may have received a broken cleaner but a functional cleaner was shipped.
2. Apologize to the buyer? For what? That they did not follow the proper procedure for returning their item? I don' t see any reason.
3. You are demanding a lot of the seller in your suggestion, although you know pretty much nothign about what transpired, as you yourself admit.

martin2001 · ‎12-22-2023

My advice: Don' t waste your time trying to remove it. You answered it professionally. It means pretty much nothing to a normal buyer who will check your FB. Enjoy the holidays, instead.

toomuchstuffagain35 · ‎12-22-2023

It's weird, but it seems from reading board posts that vacuums tend to be one of those problematic items.

"If a product doesn't sell, raise the price" - Reese Palley
"If it sold FAST, it was priced too low" - also Reese Palley

inhawaii · ‎12-22-2023

@martin2001 wrote:
1. Actually it means a lot that the vacuum cleaner was tested before it was shipped. The accusation in the feedback, that the seller sent them a broken cleaner then is a lie. They may have received a broken cleaner but a functional cleaner was shipped.
2. Apologize to the buyer? For what? That they did not follow the proper procedure for returning their item? I don' t see any reason.
3. You are demanding a lot of the seller in your suggestion, although you know pretty much nothign about what transpired, as you yourself admit.

1. Actually it means a lot that the vacuum cleaner was tested before it was shipped. The accusation in the feedback, that the seller sent them a broken cleaner then is a lie. They may have received a broken cleaner but a functional cleaner was shipped.

It doesn't matter if it was tested a thousand times before it was sent. They can break and become inoperable in transit. Read the feedback again. No such accusation was made. It doesn't say the seller SENT a broken cleaner.

2. Apologize to the buyer? For what? That they did not follow the proper procedure for returning their item? I don' t see any reason.

How about apologize that the vacuum is not working. It's common courtesy. I think most sellers here would agree.

3. You are demanding a lot of the seller in your suggestion, although you know pretty much nothign about what transpired, as you yourself admit.

Not demanding, suggesting. You are absolutely right. I don't know what conversation transpired between the buyer and the seller. But i'm pretty sure if it was done the way I suggested, that there would be no negative feedback for the seller to worry about removing.

Smoke From A Distant Fire - Sanford Townsend Band

mtgraves7984 · ‎12-22-2023

@inhawaii wrote:
@soh.maryl wrote:
IMHO, your returned comments were not as professional as they could have been.
Maybe something like: Offered buyer the opportunity to return the faulty item for a refund.
Exactly how I would have responded too.

Sometimes less really is more.

downunder-61 · ‎12-22-2023

1. Actually it means a lot that the vacuum cleaner was tested before it was shipped. The accusation in the feedback, that the seller sent them a broken cleaner then is a lie. They may have received a broken cleaner but a functional cleaner was shipped.
He said/she said - none of us can know for sure - so not a lie that is provable
2. Apologize to the buyer? Good customer service
For what? Irrelevant, good customer service
That they did not follow the proper procedure for returning their item? Agree with this
I don' t see any reason. In the world of retail there does not have to be a reason, customer is always right (do I agree? No - Do I want happy customers? Yes)
3. You are demanding a lot of the seller in your suggestion, although you know pretty much nothign about what transpired, as you yourself admit. None of us do, that is the point.

There is always 3 sides to every story.

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I have been imported from Australia and this is my posting ID

retro_entertainment_collectibles · ‎12-23-2023

@toomuchstuffagain35 wrote:
It's weird, but it seems from reading board posts that vacuums tend to be one of those problematic items.

Consumer electronics be the vac's, phones, laptops, PC cards, PC's, sound equipment, game consoles all that stuff is higher problem rates than a literal plethora of other merchandise types. I used to know fella refurb vac's, he buy em' even find side of road, Goodwills etc. He sold em' in a indoor flea market and he knew his stuff. He measure current draw (amperage) running as well as under load. Hoses come off during refurb he's use a pretty powerful flashlight look for holes, replace the hoses or fill them with a flexible sealant if he felt the damage wasn't going spread. I mean he really refurb them right but still get the occasional customer howl.

retro_entertainment_collectibles · ‎12-23-2023

Woe folks...

Things consider... As I said in another post, pre-owned vacuum's can have issues even though they seem fine as I noted, there was fella I sort knew that refurbed them. You can "test" but how long are you testing and against what? There's current draw just running and then under load. Putting my hand at the end of the tube or feeling it grab on a carpet or floor does not mean its working proper.

But all that aside you also have to ask: Who buys a pre-owned vacuum on eBay?

Now that I actually look its not simply a vacuum: Bissell Little Green BLACK HydroSteam Portable Deep Carpet Cleaner

This one of those tiny steam vac's usually people buy because they have pets and they notoriously don't do good job at pet tasks (Urine nor Feces). Even the large one's are notoriously bad at that task. In the case of things like Jute back rugs adding steam (hot water) without pulling 95% of that moisture out will usually result in bacteria growth even without Urine or Feces in the mix. This is why for example when Stanley Steamer comes in which is commercial, a whole whole lot more power in the vac systems will still often place high CFM fan units push air under the carpet. The bacteria reproduces fast and its exponential. Back in the day when I worked for our local schools I was trained in carpet, every type of flooring including wood(s) by Castle Corp. and Hilliard Corp.

Not to put too fine a point on it but home flooring/carpet steamers are garbage. Even the one's you sometimes see for rent, garbage albeit better than the regular consumer models. Folks are better off using a enzyme based cleaner for pets mixing in a spray bottle with hot water (150 degrees thereabouts). Spray a soaking rinse on, wait 3-5 minutes and then using a good normal shop wet vac pull it up. Then repeat and use a soft sponge to agitate the area and repeat with the wet vac making sure to along the grain of the pile. That way you dont damage the rug fiber binding. After, empty the vac, dry the insides with a towel, put the vac into blower mode (attaching hose to the exhaust port) and go over the spot to dry it.

Doing entire rugs with the stand up models is like the worse thing you can do to a carpet.

So... In the end its no surprise the customer likely think that "It doesn't work well" as basically speaking it never did even coming new out of the box nor would the other 23 on the pallet.