Negative Feedback Removed Improperly; Double Standards for Large and Small Sellers

[hfgsr]

Understand, I am a seller, so it is not lightly that I leave negative feedback.  Several times within the last few months, and twice this month, eBay has removed legitimate negative feedback I left for sellers.    Two of those times were for items that were totally misrepresented by the sellers pictures and description.  Once, and this is a pet peeve of mine, where the seller stated the item would be shipped standard shipping but was shipped economy, DHL, instead, and was several days later in arriving.   (Ebay apparently dosen't care if these occurs -  - there are thousands of drop ship listings like this, of seller's in other countries selling items located in the US.  

Also, what is more exasperating, when I called previously to ask that eBay remove improper negative feedback from my account, they told me I would first have to ask the buyer to revise it, etc.  Not one of the sellers that eBay removed my negative feedback from ever contacted me to ask for a revision.  Why the double standard?  Because I do not sell thousands of drop ship items each year?

[mudshark61369]

@hfgsr,

eBay only removes feedback for a very few reasons, one of them is mentioning a dispute or case in any way.  That policy violation has to be reported by the seller for the feedback to be removed. Other reasons for removal are use of profanity,  proof an item was shipped within the seller's given time frame, or because tracking shows delivery. 

If you mentioned ebay or paypal having to step in then the feedback can be removed, but maybe not the defect if the seller received one. If you metioned economy vs. standard, ebay's reps may not know the difference. To be honest except for Media (snail) mail, I don't see a difference, between ground and DHL-USPS assist. To a chinese seller DHL is more costly than standard, since the chinese govt. subsidizes china post shipping.  If your comment was about the shiping method the seller may have been able to get it removed.  However, had you written Item location given as US, but was shipped from China, that would not have been removed, and would have meant more to others, and you could report the item for location misrepresentation.  Maybe if you had looked at the seller's feedback profile and read the negative comments, you might have found they have a history of shipping from China. 

"Understand, I am a seller, so it is not lightly that I leave negative feedback".

Your profile says something different, you've left 6 negs in the last year. Had you looked at their profiles before buying, you may not have run into those issues, most had less than a 99% rating. 

You left two apparently before giving the seller a chance to fix things, though you followed up that they did. You cannot revise feeback, you have to ask the seller to send a revision request.  Since you have tried to do that in the past you should have known that.  If you want a buyer to revise feedback, ask if they are willing before sending a revision request, you only get to send 5 per year.

[myangelandmyprincess]

You say you don't take leaving negatives lightly but honest saying you had several removed in the last few months and two this months just youre removed feedback seems like a high number left.  Your expectations are either too high or you're not vetting your sellers well enough. 

Do any of these sellers sell the same type items as you?   Do you ever mention feedback in communication with these sellers? 

These things can cause your feedback to be removed

[couldabeenworse]

Some sellers know the ropes - they either know how to trick buyers into saying something that makes feedback eligible for removal, or how to badger an eBay CS rep or buddy up to a powerseller rep to get it removed. 

We regularly see sellers come to the boards complaining about a neg that clearly does not qualify for removal, yet the neg disappears when they hit the "right" CS rep.

[hfgsr]

Well, I purchase a good many items and just want the seller to be honest about the actual item they are selling and the actual shipping method (both can make a huge difference). As for vetting, how can you vet the seller when ebay is removing the feedback that would tell you they are not doing right? No, I do not mention feedback. And, no, I don't purchase items of the same kind I am selling.

[hfgsr]

No mention of ebay or paypal having to step in. No threats, etc. There was no reason, absolutely no reason for eBay to remove the feedback. Kudos to your research, but, your looking at feedback I left that eBay did not remove does not tell the story. I just address the two I would have revised: I purchased an item and was sent something else. I returned it and the seller promised that if I would purchase it again they would personally send me the correct item. I did so. Nope, 10 days later they shipped me the wrong item again (because they never have their hands on the item and use a drop shipper). They, again, said they would fix the issue. Did not hear any more for weeks and time to leave feedback was ending so, I did leave feedback. About a month to six weeks later, they seller did send me the right item and asked if I would revise the feedback. I told them I would but, of course, it was too late so they ask me to leave a follow up comment, so, I did. This seller wasted much of my time and caused me to delay work waiting on him to correct a problem that should not have existed to begin with. And, as to other feedback, it a seller states they are shipping an item standard shipping, I expect it to be shipped that way. Standard and economy (DHL to USPS or FedEx or UPS to USPS for delivery can add several days to a delivery, compared to standard shipping).

[little.font.lord.leroy]

I did not check your feedback left, but others have reported on it.

I am a harsh critic of sellers, but even at that in the last 12 months I have made over 500 buying transactions on eBay and last month I agonized for weeks at leaving a negative feedback, because It has been years since I felt compelled to do so.

Yes, I left the neg. Yes, it was deserved. Yes, the dealer quickly was able to have eBay remove it. And there is no logical reason why my feedback would be removed, other than the buyer asked them to.

I just wonder if there should be an outside agency, like Better Business Bureau to report bad sellers to? I mean, it's a little like being an accessory if eBay says "leave honest feedback" and then they remove it on a whim.

[mikeystoyz]

Something you said or did was the cause of the removal.  If you sell the same thing as what you bought, negative feedback will be removed and you could potentially get into trouble.  You can even get a slap from ebay.  Not saying you did but you know, that is one example.