Why does eBay allow unjustified negative feedback?

[pfoasafehaven]

I've been a seller for 13 years, sold over 4,000 products and never had a single negative feedback until one buyer who NEVER CONTACTED ME to alert me to a problem posted my first ever negative feedback. There was apparently a defect in a DVD he bought, something I would have resolved by sending a 100 percent refund (including shipping) and would have told him to keep, give away or throw away the item. But I never got that opportunity because him simply chose to go negative. I even contacted him thereafter to tell him I what I would have done to resolve the issue and offered to resolve it still but he has never responded directly to me at all. Seems he prefers to be the only damage to a 13 year, 100 percent positive feedback record.

Does anyone agree with me that negative feedback should not be allowed if the buyer hasn't reached out to the seller for a resolution first? I've already contacted eBay customer service but they seem to be oblivious to this as being an issue that sellers shouldn't have to deal with.

[bbravo65]

...can you contact eBay (in writing, not calling/usually useless) through Facebook about this and hopefully they will remove the (-) FB...

...good luck...

[wastingtime101]

Tip: never reply to a negative feedback until you've given yourself time to cool down.

Replies are a way to show future shoppers how you respond to this kind of situation.

Sorry to hear the product had a defect. We would be happy to resolve any issues if you contact us.

There's nothing in the buyer's FB that qualifies for removal under eBay policy - it's just a statement about a product not working.

Did you contact the buyer and send a refund, then after they were refunded ask if they would consider revising the feedback?

Another tip: If you do reach out to the buyer, do not mention FB revision before resolving the situation because of eBay's FB extortion rules.

[klhmdg]

Buyers are not required to contact the seller before negative FB is left.

Would it be nice? Yes but eBay doesnt require it.

CS will not remove the negative. 

The only thing I can say is, your response could have helped mitigate the negative.

When the response starts out "so..." it is not setting you up to look good.

Had you responded "Im sorry you received a scratched item. Please use eBays MBG and return for refund"

This response tells future buyers you are willing to correct issues.

Good Luck!

[luckythewinner]

Does anyone agree with me that negative feedback should not be allowed if the buyer hasn't reached out to the seller for a resolution first

I do not agree with you.

I even contacted him thereafter to tell him I what I would have done to resolve the issue and offered to resolve it

Buyers are not required to spend their time or effort helping sellers remove negatives or resolve issues.

I've already contacted eBay customer service but they seem to be oblivious to this as being an issue that sellers shouldn't have to deal with

That is because what the buyer's feedback did not violate any eBay policy. 

[jameshen1]

I have to agree with the others that as a buyer, the neg left for you would not have bothered me if you had answered it more professionally.  Stuff happens, and a buyer needs to know the seller will work with them if it does.  Your reply makes it look like you might be difficult to deal with.  That scares me away much more than the negative itself.

Not saying you are difficult to deal with, just that you could be based on the response to the feedback.

[pfoasafehaven]

You are correct in assuming that I am not difficult to deal with. Quite the contrary, if the buyer had reached out to me, I would have made a complete refund within five minutes of knowing there was an issue, no questions asked.  I suppose the fact that I "could have handled it more professionally" (my response to his feedback) is a result of never having to deal with this kind of thing before. I guess I have always assumed that a buyer would have to make a simple request for a refund or replacement before being allowed to leave negative feedback. I see I was wrong about that. Makes me kind of sad that eBay wouldn't have a policy protecting a seller with a perfect record of positive feedback over 13 years, but it is what it is.

[katzrul15]

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@pfoasafehaven wrote:

You are correct in assuming that I am not difficult to deal with. Quite the contrary, if the buyer had reached out to me, I would have made a complete refund within five minutes of knowing there was an issue, no questions asked.  I suppose the fact that I "could have handled it more professionally" (my response to his feedback) is a result of never having to deal with this kind of thing before. I guess I have always assumed that a buyer would have to make a simple request for a refund or replacement before being allowed to leave negative feedback. I see I was wrong about that. Makes me kind of sad that eBay wouldn't have a policy protecting a seller with a perfect record of positive feedback over 13 years, but it is what it is.

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That first neg really stings and even today, is very "raw" for you.

1. BBL your buyer.  They may not like your follow-up response.

2.  Refund your Buyer in full.  You have the ability to email them.  Send them a very nice professional apology.

3.  If you have another one of these, replace the set.  Or resource one for the Buyer.  Send it to them with a handwritten note - let them know you care about your Buyers.

Go the extra mile.  THEN ask them to remove or revise their FB.

Good luck.

P.S.  It is a seller transaction.  Try to remove the emotional componet to this and work to resolve.  All the best!

[southern*sweet*tea]

Welcome to the world of being human.  Nobody's perfect, no matter how hard you try. 

This reminds me of a girl I went to school with.  She went 10 years with a 100 average. In 11th grade physics she got a 98 on a test. She broke down in tears and was absolutely inconsolable for days.  She finally realized it wasn't the end of the world and that life would go on as usual. She graduated at the top of the class, got a boatload of scholarships to many different schools and went on to become a successful pediatric dentist.

I guess what I'm trying to say is in the scope of things, it really doesn't matter.  Does it hurt?  Absolutely, it stings badly. I remember my first neg. It stung for like five seconds then oh well, it is what it is.  Do what, if anything, you can to negate it and move on.

[donsdetour]

More complaints of right  feedback removed for sellers these days:

So far as I can tell the user had a negative experience. No mater if you refunded them or gave em a replacement and so on; does that change the negative experience.

In other words it happens.

As far as I can tell the feedback left for you was correct: and does not violate the feedback policy.

You can try and get eBay to remove it:  good luck.

[pfoasafehaven · Accepted solution]

Thank you. That helps. I think you understood my initial pain-and how hard I have worked to stay "perfect"-- better than anyone else who has responded. What hurt me the most is that I wasn't given the opportunity to do right by this buyer---apparently as a result of eBay policy I did not understand because I never expected to be in this position. I thought I would never have another sale again, but see now that I have and that buyers are as pleased as ever. I will learn to live with it. Thanks again.

[pfoasafehaven]

Thanks.

[pfoasafehaven]

It was the lack of a policy to protect sellers with a perfect record over many years that disturbed me, but I see from all the comments-which I appreciate---that there is no such policy. Still disturbing, but at least now I understand how this happened in spite of all the effort I have put in over the years to keep every customer 100 percent happy with our transactions.  I still don't care for the policy now that I understand it but I guess it is something with which I will simply have to live. I was worried that no one would ever deal with me again as a result of this, but it turns out that isn't the case-for which I am grateful. I go the extra mile----I always have. I just find it sad that one individual would rather ruin a perfect record than to notify me of the issue and request a refund. There would have been no questions asked.

[pfoasafehaven]

What is MSB? I have already notified the buyer that he can request a refund but I have heard nothing from him-ever. It gives the impression he would prefer to ruin a seller's perfect feedback rating than to get a refund.

[pfoasafehaven]

I don't use Facebook but I did contact eBay customer service in a chat. The representative suggested I contact the buyer and ask him to request a refund---which I had already done. But he has never responded back to me. Then or before. It's hard not to get the impression that he would rather ruin a seller's perfect record than to receive a refund.