Positive Feedback with Negative Comments
Clocked in to this delightful little number:
Anything I can do here? IIRC, I don't think they're allowed to leave negatives in positive feedback, but I also don't know how exactly to go about removing it, and would love some guidance.
Should I reply to the feedback? I don't entirely know what to say other than I'm sorry that their experience was less than stellar. I don't want to get too heated, especially about the shipping. I only made about $17 on this item; shipping genuinely does eat the costs.
I haven't had any complaints about packaging thusfar, but if I need to make the switch to a different style of packaging, I will. I don't entirely have control over when I can make that change (I run this account for my boss, and he decides when and what I get for shipping supplies), but I really don't want any more complaints like this.
Thank you for the help!! qwq
broto_64
·4 months agoTechnically it's still a positive feedback, after a few more it scrolls down the page... And eventually gets lost in a sea of positives that few future buyers will ever look at, much less spot and read.
We're talking maybe one out of a thousand future buyers will actually read that one positive negative, maybe.
Probably far less than that, maybe in the next ten years two buyers, maybe.
Maybe nobody will ever even read it.
Personally I wouldn't waste effort on it, let it stay, it is ultimately a green dot.
pickapaper
·4 months ago@fabrics24
It's a positive. Buyers don't usually even read positives so they won't even notice it.
If it were me, I would just leave it alone but if you really, really feel you must respond to it, if the shipping amounts are close, you could just say something like "Buyer paid $23.41 for shipping; actual cost to ship was $22.75 (whatever the correct amounts are). Nothing else needed.
fabrics24
OP4 months agoI'm really appreciative of all the comments everyone has left, and after some consideration, I don't think I'm likely to contest this, even though I technically can.
If by some miracle I got it revised...do I really need that? I still got paid; I've still got 100% FB, And more importantly, I'm Above Standard. I don't need a last laugh, and I don't want to antagonize this guy.
I will be adjusting my listings and trying to figure out how to make shipping less expensive; boxes are a must, and if I can find a way to fold up the fabrics even smaller than I thought, I will.
Thank you all for the kind words, solid advice, and help navigating this situation!
albertabrightalberta
·4 months ago1. It's a positive feedback that will get lost among the other positives. Buyers don't read the comments; they tend to look at the color of the feedback and as long as they see green, they're usually comfortable with that.
2. As for not wanting to antagonize the guy, that shouldn't be a concern. He doesn't want to buy from you again (as he clearly announced in the feedback) and it's unlikely you want to sell to him again. So just block him and he'll be blocked from buying and you won't see if he sends angry messages. (Blocked buyers can send messages but the seller doesn't see them. Buyers don't know their messages aren't seen.)
krazzykats
·4 months agoThe shipping cost is higher than the item’s price for me. Can the fabric be folded?
ᓚᘏᗢ
fabrics24
OP4 months agoIt can, but only so much; it's a thick, high-thread acrylic canvas.
I think I'm gonna need to get some good boxes and account for the volume it'll have, but thank you so much for the chart! We have some upholstery fabrics that should fold nicely.
aeparts1
·4 months agoIf you ship the fabric folded the buyer will complain that it is folded, not rolled.
If you ship the fabric rolled the buyer will complain about the shipping cost.
cyber-babe
·4 months agoSorry to hear that you suffered a neg FB. That happens ussually to all ebay sellers including myself - however not with this account - since I keep my buying and selling ebay accounts separate. However, last year I sold an item and the buyer complained about something which I rejected. Did a bit of a research and found out that this buyer was a "nutter".
Ok, cut a long story short I didn't want to get in any argument and I requested the buyer to return the item and provided him with a free return label. When the item arrived I immediatley refunded the seller in full. Gues what? after a week or so he left a neg FB - what ???? I was absolutely furious !!! Tried ebay's neg FB removal tool but it wasn't working for whatsoever AI reason. Buyer was immediately blocked from ever buying from me again.
But I was determined not to let this go since my seller account is 100% positive for many years. I persevered and contacted eBay's CS live chat agent and I was promised (!) that they will look into it. Nothing happend! Alright, I then contacted CS by phone and explained and they fully agreed that the neg FB was unjustified and it will be removed. Checked again but it wasn't - called again and challenged ebay agent - he apologised blah, blah, blah and only then was the neg FB finally removed... Hooray!!!
Sorry to say, but I have lost faith into eBay's CS, which has morphed into something very unpredictable and unhelpful.
However, I would suggest to contact CS by phone and explain.
albertabrightalberta
·4 months agoI don't think it's removable because the buyer is expressing their opinion on the price they paid for shipping.
"I only made about $17 on this item"
If you didn't make enough on the sale, then you didn't charge enough. Buyer paid what you found to be acceptable so any lack of profit would be on you.
"shipping genuinely does eat the costs."
You charged separately for shipping and set the amount, so again, if you didn't charge enough, that's on you.
fabrics24
OP4 months agoThat's a fair assessment; I thankfully charged enough for shipping, which the buyer doesn't seem pleased about. I bring it up only because they seem to think I'm pocketing extra shipping costs. I could be misinterpreting what they're saying, but what I charged for shipping went to shipping.
If there's no recourse, that's fine; I'm just trying to figure out what I can do, and what I should do.
albertabrightalberta
·4 months agoUnfortunately, most buyers aren't aware of shipping costs and how much they've risen in the last few years as well as the surcharges for oversized and irregular packaging.
stainlessenginecovers
·4 months agoThe current listing shows you are charging $25 to ship a piece of fabric, folded couldn't cost more than $12. (Mass to NV) so feedback seems more than accurate.
fabrics24
OP4 months agoUsually I would fold it, and I do that with smaller pieces, but we're talking about a piece so long that it doesn't fit in a mailer, and I don't have access to boxes as of now. I ship it on a roll, double bagged, that measures 47" x 6" x 6", which though industry standard, is not ideal because it does cost a lot. I want to rectify this.
I intend to be sterner with my manager in my need for boxes, because even though the amount they ordered wouldn't fit in a box, there's many of my items that probably could.
fern*wood
·4 months agoYour listings state you ship in a tube to save money, but that won't save any money and it generally will incur an additional fee for irregular. It's not too hard to find boxes, if you can't use mailers, but definitely try to fold to avoid the need to use a tube length in your shipping details.
fabrics24
OP4 months agoThank you for the pointer! I'll edit that out since it's not true, and try harder to get some boxes; I really don't want to deal with this again unless I absolutely have to (i.e.: Orders of >5yds or more)
stainlessenginecovers
·4 months agoI'm not sure what 'mailer' you are referring to, but a 48" x whatever/whatever could easily be folded to fit in a 16x12x? Manila Bubble filled envelope that you can get for $3 at most any local store (I pay less than $1 buying 100 at a time).
fabrics24
OP4 months ago3.5 yards of canvas does not fit in a 16 x 12 envelope/mailer, even when the short side is 46"; that's over 10 feet of a very thick, stiff fabric. It is not a thin cotton; this is heavy-duty, industrial fabric. Even 6 feet doesn't fit in that size envelope. It needs to be either on a roll, or boxed.
For mailers, I've found the sweet zone to be around 1.4yds/4ft; more than that and you risk breaking the mailer.
jameshen1
·4 months agoIf you cannot get it removed, I would not reply to it. That only draws attention to it. It is positive so most people won't even look at it. And hopefully you make some sales soon that push the comment down in your profile.
pastimpressions
·4 months agoMost people that don't ship packages regularly are completely unaware of the actual cost of shipping retail counter rates.
In many cases, the negative impressions are not based upon malice but lack of knowledge.
I know this is no real consolation to the OP.
However, being able to look in the mirror and/or put my head on the pillow at night have real value.
Please don't be discouraged. Best of luck.
fabrics24
OP4 months agoThat actually lifts my heart a lot; I was just going through past feedback, and found a different customer who spent well over $100 on fabric, and they said it was great value and they'd be happy to purchase again. It made me feel a lot better to remember that customers like that exist.
It helps me to remember that this person probably just hasn't bought industrial-grade rolls of fabric before, and might be experiencing sticker shock. They don't mean to sound ungrateful, they're just oblivious, like you said. It hurts, but they're not some evildoer out to get me.
I'll take the positive feedback as positive feedback, and learn from this.
I will give a best answer so people can know how to dispute something like this, though, even if it doesn't always end in success.
meme6253
·4 months agoI had a similar problem a few months ago & nothing was done about it, All I could do is block the customer.
soh.maryl
·4 months agoThat "overcharged for shipping" part is irritating because 1) the buyer saw the shipping price before he completed his purchase and 2) buyers never think about the strong possibility that the shipping supplies aren't free.
Unavailable member
·4 months agoI had to have eBay call me back to have a negative comment removed. The positive donut remains but comments have been replaced by dashes.
boosterboy
·4 months agoI'm sorry you had to wake up to that; I would also find it to be annoying. In this case I might also have a cup of tea and step back and consider the big picture. There are scenarios where in asking for the feedback to be changed, it could result in the buyer changing it to an actual negative, which would appear to put you feedback score to under 90%. As of now, it looks like you're at 100%, which is good.
fabrics24
OP4 months agoThat's a good point; I know I'm especially frustrated because I not only gave them a very good deal on the item and an explanation of where 75% of the money was going (shipping), but the packaging details were articulated in the listing. I know I can't expect every buyer to read the details, but it felt like such a slap in the face, and it's better that I'm talking about it than leaving a heated reply.
As annoying as it is, I have to admit I saw warning signs with this customer and proceeded with the transaction anyway. It's a pain, but you're right. 100% with a rude positive is definitely better than a 90%, especially when I'm this small and a single negative can put me under 95%.
a_c_green
·4 months agoIf that Shipping charge was accurate, it sounds like an oversize charge was involved. Have you considered rolling at least some of the anticipated charge into the purchase price, to lessen the blow of the shipping cost to prospective buyers? (I am not suggesting that it's your fault that the buyer is complaining, since obviously they knew the charge before making the purchase.)
I had a look at the problem listing and also the other one with a wordy feedback. It's a little unclear to me (especially for the listing for two remnants together) what the dimensions are. They are described variously as (in the title) 2 rolls of 2.25yd, then an Item Specific of "Width: 46'' to 60''," "Length/Amount: By the Yard," and finally in text as "Consists of two rolls: 1.25yd [and] 1 yd"
I know I'm a guy with zero fashion sense, etc. (so I'm told), but these numbers and dimensions are a bit all over the place. I would suggest boiling it down to something direct and consistent like "Roll Width: 2.25 Yds" (inches might be clearer) and "Length Remnant 1: 1.25 yd; Length Remnant 2: 1 yd."
I assume you're rolling it for shipping on its shortest side instead of its longest, but can you reduce the package length even further by folding it length-wise before rolling it up?
fabrics24
OP4 months agoThere was definitely an oversize charge; it was checked as an irregular package. The amount it costs to ship them really isn't ideal, and I've eaten the shipping fee on orders before.
I do roll them on their shortest side, but unfortunately that short side is usually at least 46" long, as is the cardboard roll we put them on. If they're an especially small remnant I can pack them in a mailer for only a $8 shipping charge.
Thanks for letting me know the wording is confusing! I'll need to fix that, and probably put those two pieces on one roll to reduce costs.
a_c_green
·4 months ago@fabrics24 : Okay, break out the hacksaw and cut down that cardboard roll. Package Length is your enemy here.
Those original 2.25 yd rolls are ideal for retail sales as they store efficiently, dispense lengths to cut easily and so on. The problem is that mailing them (or subcuts of them) individually goes against practically everything that the USPS is set up to do. Your high Shipping cost (or Postage cost, to be precise) comes from exceeding the following limits (quoting from USPS.com discussing Ground Advantage; Priority is similar):
Nonstandard Fee
You'll pay extra fees for sending nonstandard packages that are harder for USPS to process. Fees vary based on the length, volume, or characteristics:
If your package is:
Ref: https://www.usps.com/ship/ground-advantage.htm
So using your example, if the short side is 46" long, folding it in half just once will net you 23" instead. Folding the two sides into the middle with some overlap can get the width even narrower, if that doesn't add too much thickness to make rolling it up a problem.
If you can roll it up without using that cardboard tube in the middle, definitely do that. (This of course assumes that the material will not be harmed by folding and rolling. Adding a line or two of description to your listing on how you will be packing it might be good for setting expectations.) The goal here is to yield a roll that won't exceed excess limits.
Don't feel limited by your current choice of packaging available. Figure out how to get the most efficient size when packing the material, then find a suitable box. Good luck.
soh.maryl
·4 months agoThis doesn't involve fashion sense. The OP needs to state clearly both width and length.
I shop for fabric a lot and I want to know both the width and the length. Some of yours do state both and some don't. One says 1-2 yards. Which is it? Maybe all Sunbrella is the same width, maybe not. You seem to be a good seller, but some of your listings are confusing to me at least. No matter what I am planning to sew, I need to know what I'm getting. For clothing fabric, almost all patterns specify how much of a certain width the sewer will need. And, yes, I'm aware that your fabric isn't generally suitable for clothing. Your statements of length are bothersome to me. Who wants to figure out how much fabric 1.7 yards actually is? Can you say approximately 1 3/4 yards.
As far as that complaint about the shipping cost is concerned, 1) Sunbrella is heavier than most fabrics and 2) the buyer was shown the shipping cost before making the purchase.
fabrics24
OP4 months agoLately I've been switching to the dimension in inches ie: (61" x 46" instead of 1.69 yds), since it seems like that's easier for people to visualize. I still have a lot of them to work through, but I definitely need to get on that.
The item specifications for fabrics aren't very good (Less than 1yd, 1-2yd, 3-5yd, etc); I need to go in and fix that manually as well.
Thank you for the advice!
kibble-net
·4 months agoEbay will remove this comment if you ask. I had them remove a similar comment earlier this month, from a buyer who complained about the long shipping time (they were literally located in NORTH POLE, ALASKA)
1786davycrockett
·4 months ago@fabrics24
@jonathanbrightlight
@kalyoth
This is BUYER feedback left for a SELLER, so the buyer is permitted to mix negatives with positives in feedback -- which is NOT permitted to SELLERS.
If this feedback is appealed, eBay will very likely state that "This is the buyer's opinion," which is NOT open to appeal.
kibble-net
·4 months agoThis is blatantly false.
Ebay will remove positive feedback with negative comments as part of their feedback removal policy. Don't believe me? Look at my feedback profile. You will find a comment from a buyer that's been replaced with two dashes. That's your proof.
gator08041971
·4 months ago@kibble-net
Exactly how do you report that, when from what I could see, there is no way to do this from the seller's seat?
Nevermind, you have to use the eBay help method. I see it now.
How do we remove feedback?
We use automation to proactively remove feedback that goes against our policy. For cases that are not clear-cut, we can carry out a manual review if you request removal through Seller Help - opens in new window or tab. Depending on the situation, we may remove the comment, ratings and/or images.
If your feedback qualifies for removal, we'll send you an email and the feedback will be removed from your account within 24 hours. If it can't be removed, we'll explain why it's allowed under our policy.
Sometimes buyers raise multiple topics in their feedback. If part of their comment goes against our policy but the rest doesn’t, we may invite the buyer to revise it so it can be published. In this case, both the buyer and seller will receive an email with a detailed explanation and next steps.
jonathanbrightlight
·4 months agoAbsolutely not true.
When do we remove feedback?
Harmful, inappropriate or irrelevant comments and images
We remove all feedback that contains any:
https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/feedback-policies/feedback-policies?id=4208
All feedback, not just seller feedback to buyers.
I would also say it should fall under this guideline:
kalyoth
·4 months agoyou can submit a feedback revision to see if ebay will remove it. Generally negative positives are against terms. But there is positive feedback so its hit or miss with them.
jonathanbrightlight
·4 months agoYou can get it removed, hopefully, as it's definitely not allowed per the official policy.
Go here: https://www.ebay.com/sellerhelp/feedback
Note that it's negative comments in positive feedback, and keep the request simple and short. Most if not all seem to be reviewed by AI initially at least, so anything that might confuse it will hurt your attempts to get it removed.
fabrics24
OP4 months agoI'm having some trouble, as the feedback review seems to only want to look at negative or neutrals. Is there anything special I need to do?