Top Rated to Below Standard with 100% Positive Feedback!

[smilenini]

EBay has given me below standard rating, even though I have been a seller for 12 years and have 100% positive feedback.  The negatives were a couple of cancellations and giving refunds that I did not understand would negatively impact me.  I am such a small seller that I probably cannot bring my rating up anytime soon.

It is ironic that eBay will punish you by making it harder to sell and get your rating back up. 

My buyers who filed cases (one broke her item and decided to file item not as described) and another's did not fit so filed a case (item not as described) even though the item was exactly as described.  Me not knowing just offered her a full refund rather than fight and was penalized for it.

It is clear that eBay has no loyalty whatsoever and cannot decide on a case by case basis when a seller does not deserve this rating.  

I am putting all of my vintage items on Etsy and all of my books on Amazon and will be looking into Tradesy, Bonanza etc for the rest.  Sellers, don't put all your eggs in one basket because eBay will not support you even though you are supporting this billion dollar enterprise.

There are tons of videos online of people who have migrated to Amazon.  They are crushing the resale market, especially in books, videos and games, dvd, cd, etc.

[smilenini]

Thanks.  I have been jumping through hoops but the sales are so slow...trying to advertise outside eBay to bring buyers in.  I can't list, I can't put things to auction, but I do have a few sales and hopefully that will bring me through.  I am trying to find other sources though for my items.  eBay has a history of treating their sellers like **bleep** and now they are driving out all the small folks.  Big companies are coming in and selling so they don't need us anymore.

[smilenini]

Thanks!

[smilenini]

Yes, that is what I mean!  People are so judgmental but eBay is ruining people's careers - if you ever looked at my feedback you would see that I provide excellent service - my customers love me!

That's why I said that I am not putting all my eggs in one basket - taking my clothes to Etsy and my books to Amazon.  I also will try to set my web page up and sign with other sites.

I think one of the other posters said that the buyers know that eBay has changed and they are totally taking advantage.  I agree.  You cannot even plan because you never know when you will run afoul of a bad buyer who will ding you for no reason other than greed and selfishness.

[cynthealee2]

12 years of feedback means nothing to eBay and hasn't for years.

100% postive feedback means nothing to eBay and hasn't since last spring.

How many DEFECTS did you have over what time period / Transactions... THAT'S what matters to eBay.

If you have enough defects that you have been kicked from selling enough of your buyers did not love you or your items...

[flowforth]

rufusmi616 wrote:
. . . eBay did not "give" you below standard rating . . . you worked hard and "earned" it all by yourself . .
Nobody has to work hard to "earn" below standard. This is set up to fail, it's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when..... The writing is on the wall, look at the volume of these threads.
_____________________________________

Absolutely correct. These know-it-all buyers quick to pounce on other's misfortunes on these boards will find themselves afoul of all this at some point. There is absolutely no reason to act sanctimonious and immune this awful defect policy - unless you are selling at a volume as to where it can't effect you. Plenty of top sellers are gone - there are thousands that went from TSR to 'below standard' in the blink of an eye. All it takes is a few bad customers - an unlucky streak - or some unforeseen situations. For many, it happens very quickly - as I can attest to myself. The defects will come - and they'll come whether you follow policy or are extremely conscientious or not. A lot of them come in weird circumstances, which multiple calls to CS does not remedy. It's just a matter of time for most sellers - and whether you can work your way out of it or not is largely a matter of luck. Once you get into defect trouble eBay makes it doubly hard for you to sell your way out of it. It's an extremely cruel and vindictive system that punishes sellers over and over for a single offence (many of which are unavoidable or arbitrarily given!).

[airlandseagps]

At first, the CSR said that buyer CANT do that because they haven't received the item. She said they were going to close it out. But then CSR called me back and said she can't close it out. CSR said the buyer had every right to do that, because I had a 14 day return policy.

I called back shortly afterwards to get a different CSR; and that was when they told me the same thing, and while on hold, the CSR took the liberty of escalating it and deciding on it in buyers favor for a return.

Buyer then finally signed for the headset and never returned it and the return finally closed out because he never returned it.

But I got dinged. And yes I've called several times to try and get the issue resolved. I think they 'flag' people like me. I never call ebay, but have several times the past few months because of stuff like this... so I suspect they have record of me as a complainer.

[cynthealee2]

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@airlandseagps wrote:

At first, the CSR said that buyer CANT do that because they haven't received the item. She said they were going to close it out. But then CSR called me back and said she can't close it out. CSR said the buyer had every right to do that, because I had a 14 day return policy.

I called back shortly afterwards to get a different CSR; and that was when they told me the same thing, and while on hold, the CSR took the liberty of escalating it and deciding on it in buyers favor for a return.

Buyer then finally signed for the headset and never returned it and the return finally closed out because he never returned it.

But I got dinged.

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oooo ugly... you got more than a defect for that...

How long ago did it happen?

[airlandseagps]

about a month ago... I just checked the resolution center and the appeal option was still there and it let me fill out a comment section and appeal.

I coulda swore that option wasn't there a few weeks ago; when I clicked on appeal it just said call ebay; which I have several times to no avail.

Anyways I just filled out the appeal stating the buyer opened a not as describeed case BEFORE signing for the headset days later... and ebay CSR escalated it to a return and stated that the buyer can go sign for it, and return it, or keep it and return will expire.... which it did... BUT in doing so, CSR damaged my seller rating.

[cynthealee2]

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@airlandseagps wrote:

about a month ago... I just checked the resolution center and the appeal option was still there and it let me fill out a comment section and appeal.

I coulda swore that option wasn't there a few weeks ago; when I clicked on appeal it just said call ebay; which I have several times to no avail.

Anyways I just filled out the appeal stating the buyer opened a not as describeed case BEFORE signing for the headset days later... and ebay CSR escalated it to a return and stated that the buyer can go sign for it, and return it, or keep it and return will expire.... which it did... BUT in doing so, CSR damaged my seller rating.

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Now that you have filled out and sent in the appeal... call and go through the appeals department... point out ONLY what happened... keep it short and sweet and let the CSR come to the conclusion that something went wrong here and fix it...

Is it showing as an unresolved by seller on your dashboard?

[awolfe27]

...

[airlandseagps]

Hi, update:

I called ebay around 930am pacific, and got indians.... anyways after three transfers they gave me to escalations. It was still a indian CSR; but she was friendly and claimed to remove two defects. She said it will take a week to show up on my seller dashboard, so we'll see.

1. a memory card where the buyer left a low DSR star for item description. I messaged him and he said he must have left it by mistake. CSR read my ebay messages and removed.

2. the headset I sold with signature confirmation, and the buyer opened a not as described case, 3 days BEFORE receiving/signing for the headset. This was the 6th or 7th phone call to ebay, but this CSR FINALLY claimed to remove the defect. At first she said the case is still open. I said I just appealed it this morning, but I would like the defect removed regardless of the case outcome. She put me on hold and then finally said she agreed that this defect should be removed.

Then I tried my luck with the a-hole seller who left me 4 defects for 1 item (the netgear router where it was described in 3 locations that it has poor wifi range). She said she couldnt do anything about that one since it was appealed and lost.

[vtg.pickin]

eBay is the extortinist. They make and break rules at their own discression. Loyalty is one sided in the eBay arena. They dont like handing out 20% discounts so they crashed their own system by culling sellers with defects . In their minds this way we cant blame them, we blame the buyers. But the fault is ebay and their unethical policy. The buyers just take the oppourtunities ebay provided them in their dash boards. Often the choices they make are not deliberate but the option given.. And then there are the preditor buyers that ebay rewards as their most valued culling tools.

[recped]

Then I tried my luck with the a-hole seller who left me 4 defects for 1 item (the netgear router where it was described in 3 locations that it has poor wifi range). She said she couldnt do anything about that one since it was appealed and lost.

The 4 defects from one transaction should only count as 1 when the actual evaluation happens.

[recped]

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@vtg.pickin wrote:

eBay is the extortinist. They make and break rules at their own discression. Loyalty is one sided in the eBay arena. They dont like handing out 20% discounts so they crashed their own system by culling sellers with defects . In their minds this way we cant blame them, we blame the buyers. But the fault is ebay and their unethical policy. The buyers just take the oppourtunities ebay provided them in their dash boards. Often the choices they make are not deliberate but the option given.. And then there are the preditor buyers that ebay rewards as their most valued culling tools.

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If eBay wanted to give out less in discounts they could simply reduce the percentage or eliminate it all together. it's a carrot they dangle to keep people in line, the line they want them to take.

Nobody is going to jump for the carrot if they are just lying all over the ground.

[hindu0804]

Same with me smilenini - I have 181 transactions so far, almost 5 star on all ratings, and got the below standard rating.  One example was a foreign currency bill that was worth maybe $10 that I sold to someone with 0 transactions before mine.  They asked me to drop shipping rate from what it would take me to send certified, insured, etc, so I mailed it to them, and then they claimed they never rec'd.  So, I had a receipt from USPS showing I took it and paid postage for it, had my 181 transactions with 100% positive feedback, and they still decided in this liar's favor, made me give them the refund, and then also used it in their data for below standard rating.  I work very hard to give good detailed descriptions, but gave the refunds in maybe 2 or 3 other cases where the buyer wasn't happy, and it still counts against me.  Even department stores take hundreds of returns each day, so some of the used items we sell on here will absolutely be returned for one reason or another.  Anyone posting comments derogatory to your post, smilenini, either have not experienced your situation, or are not very rational people. 

I agree with you 100% and look forward to the day that Ebay faces a serious competitor with some fairness to honest sellers.

Keep up the good work, and I'm going to your site to buy something 🙂