Buyer initiated cancellation and allowed to feedback
Summary: chicweb expressed concerns about buyers being able to leave feedback on canceled transactions, noting potential for misuse. They questioned if this is a policy change or a system glitch and sought clarification from eBay. christworks explained that feedback on canceled transactions is allowed as eBay views it as part of the transaction experience. They suggested that appeals might be more effective if they directly cite policies, highlighting that initial appeals are assessed by AI. Despite chicweb's attempts to have specific feedback removed, they noted frustration with eBay's enforcement of its own policies.
It happened to me twice. Once a negative now a positive.
The positive feedback might be a mistake by the buyer.
How can a buyer be able to leave feedbacks on buyer's cancelled orders? Also happened on automatic cancellation for non payment.
For seller's cancelled orders, I can understand, but when the buyer / eBay initiate the cancellation???
This is extremely dangerous and open the door to abuse and feedback manipulation.
Surely this is a bug.
christworks
·1 week ago@chicweb It is doubtful anybody from eBay will respond to your post as what you are describing is not a glitch. Buyers may leave feedback on any transaction, including one that was cancelled. The reason for this as a buyer still as a right to comment on the overall transaction experience.
Buyers cannot cancel an order. They can request a seller cancel an order, but the seller is the one that has to cancel it. eBay does not expect sellers to cancel orders. They expect buyers to follow through with their commitment. I no longer cancel orders unless a buyer has asked to cancel because they entered the wrong address.
Because I no longer cancel orders in most cases, it could upset a buyer and they might want to leave me feedback about it. In cases where I do cancel, they might want to praise me for working with them. If I don't cancel they might want to leave an angry negative where they call me every name you can think of and then some. Because there was a transaction of some kind, eBay allows buyers to leave feedback on it, even if the transaction was not completed.
I looked at the negative feedback you are talking about. That feedback was left over six months ago. That's unfortunate because the feedback violates eBay's feedback policy as it relates to a different transaction. I don't know if you appealed to eBay to have the feedback removed. You are welcome to let me know if you did. It is too late to do it now if you didn't.
Always appeal negative feedback you believe violates policy. Because AI reviews at least the initial appeal, it is important to quote the exact policy that has been violated as the machine will match key words from your appeal to the policy in order to determine if your appeal should be ruled in your favor. If you go on a rant or fill up the appeal with words that talk about what is wrong without citing the exact words from the policy, appeals can be denied.
chicweb
OP1 week agoThank you for your answer.
I did appeal and they still refused to remove it.
Is this new? In my 3 years selling, I saw this problem occuring only since last june.
christworks
·1 week ago@chicweb For as long as I can remember buyers have always been able to leave feedback for cancelled transactions. Most probably don't. I get them from time to time. I pay less attention to feedback now that sellers get automatic postive. I'm not insane. I don't want a negative feedback. If it violates policy I will appeal to get it removed. I also don't lose sleep over it. I've been at 99% and my sales went up. A lot of times if it is a crazy buyer, the only people who are going to pay attention to those are other crazy buyers. I view it as a way to perhaps get the other crazy buyers to go buy from someone else.
Without knowing how you wrote the appeal, it is difficult for me to say why they did not remove it. It is removable if the feedback relates to another transactions. You can always try contact eBay through the IG page. Sometimes they will go back and remove feedback if it the appeal was auto denied, but six months later may be a tough ask.
chicweb
OP1 week ago · EditedI contacted them over the phone, on the chat. Both said this should be removed.
Received an email saying they will not remove it.
I decided to choose my fight and let it be. But, it is very concerning the lack of seller's support and allowing this to happen is problematic for me and my business.
I guess I will see with time if it becomes too much of an issue, if so, I'll look elsewhere. But I still don't understand how that loophole in their system is allowed... So much abuse can be done with this, I'm.... surprised, to say the least.
chicweb
OP1 week ago · EditedIn fact, in their policy here:
https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/member-behaviour-policies/order-cancellation-policy?id=5298
I see
If a buyer requests to cancel an order – either by submitting a cancellation request on eBay or by messaging the seller – we'll remove any negative or neutral feedback which relates to the cancellation. This applies whether or not the seller accepts the cancellation request.
A buyer can still leave feedback on a canceled transaction, unless the seller canceled the order because the buyer didn't pay.
So basically: we'll remove any negative or neutral feedback which relates to the cancellation
That's what they never did in my case. Even after explaining it multiple time to multiple agents.
So, it is confirmed in their policy: A buyer can leave a feedback on canceled orders. The problem is with eBay enforcing their own policy on the removal of such feedbacks.
What an enormous loophole that can create so much problems.... Unbelievable.
christworks
·1 week ago@chicweb To appeal a feedback you must use the appeal form. You don't speak to customer service as they often cannot remove it, even if they agree with you that it can be removed. A CSR's job, whether on the phone or online, is to tell you what you want to hear to get you off the line as quick as possible.
The first round appeal is handeled by AI, which you get to by submitting the appeal online using the appeal form. It must be done within the allowed timeframe. When you appeal, you must use the key words from the policy so that the AI can match those to the policy it has been fed.
eBay definitely enforces their policy, but it takes the seller following their policy on appeals. It isn't automatic. Perhaps it should be, but it isn't.
chicweb
OP1 week agoHello,
Yes, the online appeal form was used and I specified this was a canceled order.
Their reponse: No tracking, won't remove because they can't see if they received it or not...
On a canceled order...
That feedback removal form is simply not working.
This is when I contacted them. They opened an internal ticket for their offline team.
Same result.
chicweb
OP1 week agoCan we have an official answer from eBay that it is now allowed for buyers who request cancellation to leave feedbacks? Also on automatic non-payment cancellation initiated by eBay?
Or is this a glitch?
@devon@ebay