Negative feedback threat
This is occurring on our main selling account:
Over the course of listing thousands of items, we will make a few mistakes. When we do, we own them and make it right. This particular mistake is easy to fix if the buyer wants to fix it. $20. We would pay for it or let them return it if they don’t want to mess with it. Today we got this:
“Hi. The item I bought is +1†in length. You advertised as standard length. Fortunately I have the tools to cut it down. You can either credit me back $20 for the fix and my efforts or I can give u a negative rating and send it back. Just wanted to give u an option. Thanks.â€
We don’t know to feel about this. We have no issue with the refund, it’s what we would do anyway. Is this extortion when we’re acknowledging we’re at fault?
chapeau-noir
·2 years agoEnough sellers are led around by the nose when it comes to feedback that some buyers threaten it right out of the gate. When it has happened to me, I've dismissed the entire feedback issue as unimportant in favour of the thing that IS important, addressing the problem to their satisfaction.
simply-the-best-for-you
·2 years agoI mean ok, the buyer shouldn't be extorting you BUT, you made a mistake, so bad FB would be a very legit possible scenario anyway. I'd just refund the $20 b/c that's the right thing to do if you made the mistake.
legalbeagle52
·2 years agoI totally agree with you that the mistake needs to be corrected and the buyer should be refunded. I just wasn't sure how to proceed since the buyer is violating ebay's feedback policy. Probably the best would be to see if the OP can reach someone at ebay first and proceed from there. If not, I agree to refund the $20, quick apology, NO mention of the feedback threat and REPORT!
simply-the-best-for-you
·2 years agoI wouldn't contact Ebay. I would just send them their $20, but I tend to view FB differently than most here. If I screw up, then I deserve NEG FB & am happy if I don't get it. Either way, the outcome can still be NEG FB, so what difference does it make? Why cause extra work for yourself? That's just my POV.
legalbeagle52
·2 years agoEither way, this buyer needs to get his $20 back. But I would contact ebay just to make sure that this gets reported. He is using an inappropriate tactic to get his money back. Ebay has policies in place, there's no need to make threats about feedback or anything else.. His message would been fine if he had just left out the part about leaving bad feedback. Sounds like the seller would have refunded quickly too.
I know I hated it when my buyer threatened me with bad feedback just because I didn't leave him feedback soon enough. We want to break the buyer of this habit so he doesn't keep using it when he sees that it works! That's why I would call ebay to make sure it gets reported. We all do what works for us. Just my 2 cents. 🙂
legalbeagle52
·2 years agoIt is most definitely extortion & is a violation of ebay's policy. Definition of extortion is
"the practice of obtaining something, especially money, through force or threats:
ebay policy:
https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/feedback-policies/feedback-extortion-policy?id=4230
It reminds me of the rude message I got a few yrs. back from a buyer that said "leave me feedback or you won't like the feedback I leave for you." I called ebay to see what their response would be (US based rep) and they said not to respond & to report the buyer, which is what you need to do as well. Good luck!
nick101902
·2 years agoI've had good luck with eBay customer representatives with this specific issue. I had eBay call me, I told them the issue, they looked at my messages. They saw the buyer was threatening me with negative feedback. Told me to do nothing and they would handle it, I never found out what happened due to privacy issues but I didn't receive negative feedback and didn't have to refund.
Good luck
vintagecraze50
·2 years agoGenerally speaking though. The buyer is coercively using bad feedback to get what they want which is an extortion attempt. You cannot coerce a seller in that manner on here as far as I know.
rugerskick
·2 years agoWhatever you do, report the buyer to ebay fraud and security for feedback extortion as well as refund extortion, which is insane for them to do since you gave them that option anyways. Ebay will be able to reference the emails. Make sure you tell them to review the emails.
vintagecraze50
·2 years agoRefund the 20 dollars. It sounds like that was your plan anyway correct ? Assuming it was your mistake.
12345jamesstamps
·2 years agoEmails back and forth don't really mean much for helping a seller or buyer. She told it like how it might get played. There's been less and less of help from customer service from emails like this.
I would block the buyer. And think do I want a negative feedback or can I afford to give $20. away.
Asking for a return would probably get a negative feedback. It's a really bad buyer. And they can always do a cc dispute which a seller never wins.