Unfair practice
Summary: juliecburns1223 expressed frustration over unprofessional packaging with reused materials for a purchase and had their negative feedback removed, sparking a discussion. kathiec clarified that sellers cannot delete feedback, but eBay can if it violates policies. Several participants, including yeswayrecords and christworks, discussed eBay’s diverse practices, emphasizing that many sellers are individuals using available materials for packaging. Some advised juliecburns1223 on how to provide constructive feedback and adjust expectations when buying from platforms like eBay.
I recently purchased a gravy boat. While it did arrive unbroken or damaged, it looked like the seller went into their garage can and just picked out different papers to wrap the item! There were old food wrappers, old prescription information, mail, etc. Very unprofessionally packaged. The seller deleted my negative response, and responded that all sellers should be cautious of me. My comment should have remained. How are sellers allowed to trash a buyer at the same time they remove my side of the story?
tobaccocardyahoo
·3 weeks agoHad I received that item, packed in that manner, I would have been angry, but thrown the offending packaging away, and moved on.
The FB system is a useless anachronism created when there was no recourse for much worse behavior by Ebay buyers and sellers. It serves little purpose today, when few buyers leave FB for sellers, check the Ebay auto FB numbers, and buyers cannot receive other than positive FB.
You could probably get the sellers negative comments as a positive FB removed, if you requested it.
I am primarily an Ebay seller. I never leave FB (pos or neg) for any seller, I leave automatic FB for all buyers. I prefer to choose other ways to waste my time.
When I think of the worst packaging materials I have ever received, it has always been on orders for china. I have always been amazed and relieved when the items arrived undamaged.
gosimus
·3 weeks ago@juliecburns1223
< just picked out different papers to wrap the item . . . food wrappers, old prescription information, mail, etc >
Some people might regard that practice as environment-friendly recycling. YMMV, obviously.
simba6
·3 weeks agoIf it arrived undamaged, no need to make a big deal out of it. You can't be as fussy when buying in a venue like this.
christworks
·3 weeks ago@juliecburns1223 As a seller, I can certainly understand why you feel the packing materials were inappropiate. I personally would not use those things unless it was all I had.
I think, however, it should go without saying that many people who resell on eBay and other similar platforms are simply every day people who are not professionals and aren't trying to run a professional business. They are simply trying to get rid of things they no longer need and make a little beer money on the side. They are not going to invesnt in new packing materials nor spend hours searching for free materials from stores. They will use what they have on hand. eBay has no policy against using food wrappers, mail, etc. as packing materials. I've recieved things inside cereal boxes. It doesn't bother me as long as the item arrived safely.
If you are going to continue to buy on eBay, you may run into more of this as shipping costs get more and more out of control. All sellers are caught in the middle. Buyers demand the cheapest shipping possible, but they want their order within a couple of days and they want it is be packed using new materials. There has to be some give somewhere on the part of buyers. Don't you think so?
Since new packing materials are important to you, you need to message sellers before buying to find out if they use materials. I use new stuff, but I also charge a premimum for shipping to cover those costs. I'm not going to charge you $10 to ship a glass bowl and then toss it inside a padded mailer. It's going to be in a clean bag, wrapped in bubble wrap and then double boxed. Those materials cost money, which buyers have to be willing to pay if they are going to buy the bowl from me.
Regarding your feedback, without being able to actually read it, I can only make an educated guess as to why eBay removed it. If you described the packing materials as trash, as you did in your post here, that specific word can be considered an insult to the seller and their business which would harm their reputation. If you are going to comment on something like that, you must also present it as constructive criticism.
The Wrong Way:
The item arried undamaged, but the seller wrapped it in trash as they used old food wrappers, mail, even prescription paperwork!
The above feedback example is removable under eBay policy because the word "trash" implies dirty, smelly, etc. This can lead other buyers to think the seller lives in a dirty enviornment, may have roaches, etc. None of those are things you could possible know, so they cannot be implied through the language you use in feedback. Any comments you make that may harm a seller's reputation or business must be made in the context of constructive criticism. Otherwise the seller can appeal to eBay and have them removed.
The Correct Way:
The item arrived undamged. The seller wrapped it using food wrappers and junk mail. While I'm glad my item arrived safely, I think the seller should use better quality materials given the amount it cost to ship the item.
The above feedback says what you want to say, but presents it as feedback the seller can use to better their business. The comments tie the materials to the actual transaction. That's what you want to do, along with not typing in all caps or sounding like a crazy person. Not saying you did, but adding that for other buyers who read this.
juliecburns1223
OP3 weeks agoThank you for educating me. I’m not a frequent buyer. You made some really great points.
christworks
·3 weeks ago@juliecburns1223 You are welcome. I do understand why it was off-putting. I don't think you are wrong for how you feel. I just wanted to give you the other side of the equation and also give you a tip so that your feedback will stick. Some sellers, if they are new and inexperienced, would appreicate hearing your perspective, especailly if they do want to grow their business.
When I started back reselling, I pulled shipping boxes from the recycling bin. They were clean, obviously, and I pulled old labels off. I never used boxes that could be off putting to some buyers. For example, I never used Chewy boxes even though they are really nice. The reason I didn't use them is that not all people like pets, and some people might not want the item they paid for being placed into a box that may have had dog food sent in it. I also didn't want to give the impression that I have pets because I don't. Some buyers have allergies and/or asthma (as I do) and may not want to buy from me if they thought I had a cat or dog running around and fur was everywhere. These are all important things sellers should think about and decide what they are okay with.
gosimus
·3 weeks ago · Edited@juliecburns1223
A feedback comment such as
The item arrived undamged. The seller wrapped it using food wrappers and junk mail. While I'm glad my item arrived safely, I think the seller should use better quality materials given the amount it cost to ship the item.
is a very good suggestion, explicit and succinct; however, if I received that comment in a negative feedback, I would request eBay to remove the feedback for violating the "positive comments with negative ratings" prohibition specified in https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/feedback-policies/feedback-policies?id=4208 . . . they might not accede to my request, but I think I'd have a pretty good shot.
christworks
·3 weeks ago@gosimus I agree. You would have a good shot at getting that removed.
pickapaper
·3 weeks agoVery unprofessional packaging? You do understand that of the millions of sellers on eBay, most are "mom and pop" or individual people trying to make a living or earn extra income. In this case, you received the item undamaged and as advertised, and that is really all you should be concerned with. Even if you didn't like their choice of packing, at least they packed it to arrive safely. The seller did not deserve the feedback you left for them.
In looking at the feedback you have left for others, there are seven showing and of the seven, five have problems or criticism in them. You left one complaining about the high shipping cost, but the shipping charge was clearly stated before you bought the item. If you didn't like the shipping cost, you didn't have to buy it.
Potential sellers can see the feedback you leave for others and may decide to put you on their "blocked bidder list" so you can't buy from them as they do not want to deal with your problems.
christworks
·3 weeks ago@pickapaper I see a different sevent feedback. Of the seven I see, there is one negative about an item that was returned according to the seller's return policy, then the seller claimed they no longer could refund and the buyer (the op here) was told to contact eBay. There are a couple of positives that indicate there was an issue the seller resolved.
I know there have been some recent issues with some feedback missing lately. Generally it involves a discrepancy between the number that is supposed to be shown verses the number of feedback actually shown. Here, I see there are supposed to be seven feedback comments and I do see seven, just not the seven you apparently see.
pickapaper
·3 weeks ago@christworks Same seven. Just different perceptions in reading them.
mudshark61369
·3 weeks ago@juliecburns1223 ,
Because of your inexperience using ebay, you may not realize that as long as you buy only on this site you will always have a 100% positive rating, because buyers cannot receive negative or neutral (red - gray donut) feedback. However, if you bid on an auction or send an offer to a seller, they are likely to look at the feedback you've left for other sellers, which is how buyers reputations are judged. Because of the comments you've left so far, you may have bids cancelled or offers declined/ignored and be placed on Blocked Buyer Lists, because of the feedback you've left.
albertabrightalberta
·3 weeks ago@juliecburns1223
I'm glad you received an unbroken and undamaged item and I understand that you're unhappy that it was wrapped in (what you considered to be) salvaged trash.
Although I didn't see the feedback you'd left originally, I have to assume you left it in the heat of the moment and whatever you posted violated policy. (If the feedback hadn't been deserved ebay would have removed the neutral rating also.)
Had you left your neutral feedback factually and unemotionally stating that "item arrived safely and undamaged but I wish seller had used clean and unused wrapping materials instead of the soiled wrapping he used," the comment would likely have remained.
bonanza125
·3 weeks ago · EditedSeller didn't delete your comment Ebay removed your comment due to violation. Ebay gave you a 30 day moneyback guarantee. So if the item is not as described you are suppose to file a case to return it for a full refund. You decided to keep it and leave a negative which whatever you said Ebay decided it wasn't appropriate.
albertabrightalberta
·3 weeks ago@bonanza125
Although you say, "Ebay gave you a 30 day moneyback guarantee. So if the item is not as described you are suppose to file a case to return it for a full refund," I think you misread or misunderstood @juliecburns1223 's complaint.
The item was NOT NAD. OP states, "it did arrive unbroken or damaged." The OP's issue is about the packaging used, which is a valid rcomplaint if she isn't exaggerating about the materials used.
bonanza125
·3 weeks agoI completely understand that it did arrive unbroken or damaged and the issue is about packaging. It's a non issue.
juliecburns1223
OP3 weeks agoMy issue was not with the purchased item. It was as described and not damaged. My issue was the discarded trash that was used to wrap the product. Feedback is just that - feedback. Sellers should understand that not every feedback is positive! I respectfully provided feedback. I reviewed ALL policies and could not find a violation other than negatively commenting on garbage trash being used to wrap an item.
bonanza125
·3 weeks ago@juliecburns1223 As a buyer I get all kinds of wrapping or boxed up packaging such as plastic bags, paper towels, Gift wrapping material, blankets, bed sheets, cereal boxes, styrofoam, plastic containers however I wouldn't go as far as leaving a negative to the seller for poor packaging. You have to understand that not all sellers are experienced. Selling on Ebay isn't something they do full time so and at least the item got to you. Ebay just made the decision to remove you feedback. I would've just let it go.
eoma689485
·3 weeks agoThe Feedback the seller left is over 90 days old - Too late to do anything about it at this point.
kathiec
·3 weeks ago@juliecburns1223
Sellers can't delete negative feedback. All they can do is ask eBay to review it. In this case eBay determined the feedback violated one of their rules and deleted it. I suspect they determined that complaining about the quality of the packaging fell into the category of "meaningless content" that had no bearing on the actual item purchased. I honestly would agree with them.
The seller's feedback to you also violated eBay policy. Sellers aren't allowed to leave negative feedback nor are they allowed to leave negative remarks in a positive feedback. If you report it to eBay they'll remove the remark.
I would gently suggest that perhaps eBay is not a good venue for you to make purchases. Out of the seven feedback ratings you've left five express some complaint about the purchase. That's not a good percentage.
yeswayrecords
·3 weeks ago@kathiec You make a good point when you say that the ebay experience may not be for all buyers.
Part of the fun of shopping on ebay is that each transaction will be different and unique, not a cookie-cutter experience.
We have received freebies, bonus items, interesting old newspapers as packing materials, hand written letters, business cards, etc.
Each seller is able to operate their business how they see fit, some for the better, some for the worse.
This is a strength of ebay, not a weakeness.