Negative feedback due to eBay International shipping cost
Summary: iwannagofastbmwparts shared their frustration over receiving negative feedback due to a misunderstanding about international shipping fees on eBay. The buyer complained about being charged for shipping, despite the store offering free shipping, and the charges were actually due to eBay's international shipping policies. iwannagofastbmwparts clarified the situation with the buyer and attempted to have the feedback revised or removed. Participants suggested that under the eBay International Shipping Program, negative feedback related to shipping fees should be removable, and offered strategies for addressing the issue, including using eBay's feedback removal tools. There was a discussion about whether the charges should have been visible to the buyer at checkout, and whether Puerto Rico should be considered for international shipping.
Obviously not much can be done when a store is given a negative review. My buyer was frustrated at the fees charged, even though i offer free shipping, and took it out on me and my store a bit stating "Buyer beware! This seller advertised free shipping, but after I completed my purchase, they charged me nearly $16 for shipping. That's misleading and unacceptable. I won't buy from this seller again, and I strongly recommend that others avoid buying from them as well."
with my response being "We've already discussed this in private messages, and I sent a screenshot of your order. My store did not charge for shipping. As an international buyer, the shipping fee was calculated and collected by eBay, not us. Those charges do not reflect my store's pricing or policies. I respectfully ask that you avoid leaving feedback that inaccurately suggests I charged excessive shipping, as it misrepresents the transaction and could mislead future customers. Thank you."
My question is, isn't the fee shown to the buyer at checkout? Buyer messaged not long after order was shipped out stating they would like to cancel due to international duties or something collected by eBay, as they are from an unincorporated US territory, however it was only labeled as "shipping" in the screenshot buyer provided. I cannot see any international fees or additional charges form my end, and provided the screenshot of my order screen to show, as well as included an eBay seller announcement post to explain the charges they're seeing and i am not. I feel it is unfair to have a negative review, but maybe that's just what comes with being apart of eBays International Shipping Program. 😥
(I did request revision, however i don't see it likely on this buyer retracting their review)
mamacassidy
·1 month agoTo be honest, I'm not sure how I feel about this.
Why are you using international shipping for Puerto Rico? Puerto Rico is an American Territory with zip codes just like addresses here in the states. If I saw a US seller offering free shipping and I was in an American zip code, then I too would assume that meant free shipping.
iwannagofastbmwparts
OP1 month agoIts just how the order came through to me. I am not shown any "final destination" info, it just gives me an address in Illinois, and they ship it from there.
inhawaii
·1 month agoRidiculous.
Your buyer could SEE these charges before they finalized their purchase.
That's like ordering a steak then complaining about the price after you eat it.
thriftyfiftyfifty
·1 month agoI can only assume the Territory you are talking about is Puerto Rico...because if you Exclude it, The eBay International Shipping Program still allows shipping through them as I can see in your Solds/Actives. Thus, the Shipping amount the Buyer is complaining about. Yes, they can fully see what the breakdown they Paying are for is. I have personally used eIS myself and it leaves no doubts as to what each Value means when checking out. The good news is under that Program; eBay will remove the Feedback because the Shipping the Buyer is talking about is on the International Trek.
iwannagofastbmwparts
OP1 month agoThank you for your input! Yes, buyer is in Puerto Rico, wasn't sure if that would get the post flagged. Puts me at ease a bit, hoping it will fall off soon!
stainlessenginecovers
·1 month agoTakes 1 year
gurlcat
·1 month agoYeah like stainless^ says, if you do nothing it will take a whole year to "fall off" and even then the comment will remain findable if anyone goes looking.
iwannagofastbmwparts
OP1 month ago · EditedI did report the buyer under "asking for something not offered" since that was the closest thing being there is only two options. "Reason: Requested that I give them a partial refund or discount
Comments: Buyer blamed my store for international shipping charges i have no control over. They left inaccurate negative feedback that could look poorly to new customers"
Am i SOL since i didn't specifically say "please remove feedback"? Again, this is also on top of the revision request.
The "fall off" was bad wording for i hope eBay can get to this request, and remove it.
thriftyfiftyfifty
·1 month agoSure thing. If it never gets removed via the Request, just use the Help for a Callback or Instagram Message (if applicable). I assume you used the online Feedback Tool to "Request Removal" vs. "Revision". https://www.ebay.com/sellerhelp/feedback
iwannagofastbmwparts
OP1 month agoI had no clue this was an option!? Thank you for the tools!
thriftyfiftyfifty
·1 month agoNo problem (yeah, it hasn't been around long).
gurlcat
·1 month agoOkay first of all, are you CERTAIN this item shipped the eBay International Shipping, and not eBay International Standard Delivery?
If it was truly EIS, you are 100% protected from negative feedback about shipping prices. Just report the buyer and in that text box also ask to have the feedback removed.
Anyone else reading: If my instruction^ here isn't quite accurate, please correct me. I haven't had to request this kind of removal before, so I'm just suggesting the first thing I would try.
stainlessenginecovers
·1 month ago · Edited@gurlcat I can tell you, you may not be wrong.
I got an EIS neg about delivery.
I did the 'auto feedback' thingy and it was denied
I then reached out to reps on Facebook (now gone) and it was removed.
I assume you can either try what you stated and or try to
'automated' feedback removal first and if it fails
Contact reps on 'Instagram'? (I would have to 'create' an account there to do that myself).
iwannagofastbmwparts
OP1 month agoYes, it is 100% the International shipping program. I don't currently see it counted in the feedback rating numbers part of the Feedback profile, but i do see it still on my profile. Not sure if that is due to the open feedback revision request, but hopefully eBay will be able to remove it.
gurlcat
·1 month ago · EditedThat thing with the 'tally box' of numbers not matching the comment feed is a current glitch. You will see the '1' for that neg if you look from outside your account, like logged out. And it will appear from your own (logged-in) view soon.