eBay removed my negative feedback about counterfeit stamps — twice
Summary: mrpaultr shared their experience of buying what they believed to be counterfeit USPS Forever stamps from a seller on eBay, noting that their negative feedback was removed after receiving a refund. They expressed concern over eBay's policy of allowing feedback removal post-refund, arguing it undermines the reliability of seller ratings, particularly regarding authenticity issues. buyselljack2016 noted that feedback might have been automatically removed, while participatrophy provided links to report counterfeit postage. albertabrightalberta suggested the feedback might have violated eBay's policy.
Short story:
I bought USPS Forever stamps that I believe were counterfeit based on multiple physical characteristics and comparisons with genuine stamps. I left negative feedback warning other buyers. The seller refunded me, and my feedback disappeared.
It happened twice.
I contacted eBay Customer Service and was told that because the seller refunded me, the negative feedback could be removed.
A refund returns my money. It does not make counterfeit stamps genuine.
If negative feedback about suspected counterfeit merchandise can disappear simply because the seller refunds the buyer who catches it, then I no longer consider a seller's 99% or 100% feedback rating a reliable indication of their reputation.
Longer story:
I purchased USPS Forever stamps from a seller and carefully compared them with genuine examples and documented counterfeit diagnostics. I found multiple characteristics consistent with counterfeit stamps, including differences in die cutting, printing, microprinting, and UV response.
I left negative feedback describing what I found so other buyers would be warned. The seller refunded me, and a few days later the negative feedback disappeared.
I later made another purchase from the same seller. Again, I found similar authenticity problems and left another negative feedback.
Again, I was refunded. Again, the negative feedback disappeared.
I contacted eBay Customer Service and asked what was happening. I was told that because the seller had refunded me and resolved the transaction, the negative feedback could be removed.
That's the part I find unacceptable. A refund resolves the financial dispute; it does not resolve the authenticity issue.
This creates what appears to be a serious loophole: a seller can potentially sell questionable merchandise, refund buyers who recognize the problem and complain, have their negative feedback removed, and continue selling to buyers who may never realize what they received.
This is especially concerning given the abundance of heavily discounted Forever-stamp listings on eBay and the well-documented counterfeit-postage problem.
After seeing two of my own negative feedbacks disappear following refunds, I no longer trust eBay feedback percentages the way I did before. If legitimate negative buying experiences can disappear after a refund, a 99% or 100% positive rating does not necessarily tell buyers the complete history.
My question to eBay is simple:
Why should a refund erase a buyer's warning about suspected counterfeit merchandise?
If eBay removes such feedback without resolving the underlying authenticity concern, then in my opinion the feedback system fails at one of its most important purposes: giving future buyers an accurate picture of previous buyers' experiences.
albertabrightalberta
·3 weeks ago@mrpaultr
I wonder if your feedbacks were removed because what you alleged may have violated ebay policy.
What did the feedbacks say? How did you word them?
mrpaultr
OP3 weeks agoThat's a fair question. One of the feedbacks said:
“After inspecting the sheets and comparing them with genuine stamps (including a sealed pane and genuine canceled examples) I found multiple characteristics that are inconsistent with genuine stamps. These include die-cut differences, printing differences, and UV response differences. These characteristics are also consistent with documented counterfeit diagnostics in the Scott Specialized Catalogue of US Counterfeits. I believe the stamps are counterfeit. Buyers be aware!”
I deliberately wrote “I believe the stamps are counterfeit” and described the basis for that conclusion rather than claiming something I couldn't support.
If there is something in that wording that violates eBay's feedback policy, I'd genuinely like to know what it is. The explanation I received from eBay Customer Service, however, was not that the wording violated policy. I was told the feedback could be removed because the seller had worked with me and refunded me.
participatrophy
·3 weeks agoNot answering the question you actually asked so sorry in advance.
https://www.uspis.gov/report That's the one you want for when it's to do with the mailstream + the general public.
https://hotlineform.uspsoig.gov/en-US/ That's for when it's to do with mailstream + postal employees.
https://mailtheft.uspis.gov/ and this is specifically where the first link above will direct you to report counterfeit postage.
mrpaultr
OP3 weeks agoThank you! these are very useful links. I agree that suspected counterfeit postage should be reported to USPS/USPIS, and I will follow up through the appropriate channel.
My concern with eBay is separate, though. Regardless of what USPS ultimately determines, I don't think refunding a buyer should automatically erase, or make removable, the buyer's feedback about an authenticity concern. That removes potentially important information from future buyers before the underlying issue has even been resolved.
buyselljack2016
·3 weeks agoNot sure if it still happens, but sometime in the past it was not a case of "feedback could be removed", but as I understood it................................... the feedback was "automatically removed".
mrpaultr
OP3 weeks agoThat's interesting. In my case, both negative feedbacks disappeared after the seller refunded me. I contacted eBay Customer Service specifically to ask why, and the representative told me that because the seller had worked with me and refunded the transactions, the feedback could be removed. I don't know whether the removals were automatic or requested by the seller.
Either way, I find that policy very troubling when the issue involves suspected counterfeit merchandise. If feedback is automatically removed—or becomes removable—simply because a refund was issued, future buyers may never see legitimate warnings from previous buyers. In my opinion, that seriously undermines the usefulness and credibility of eBay's feedback system.