eBay deleted my factual negative feedback for a "top rated seller" - don't trust "TRS" ratings

[dansimpkinss]

I know others have reported that eBay deletes negative feedback, but I felt compelled to report it again to make clear the problem that exists between eBay's policies and "top rated sellers" that do what I encountered, that results in maintaining high ratings they don't deserve.

The "top rated seller" I bought from has listings that state "Clean and excellent condition" with photos that support that, but don't state the photos are not the actual item they will ship. What I received was not in "Clean and excellent condition", and included a letter that states if I open a return choose a reason that won't affect their rating like "Don't like it", and not a reason that will affect their rating like "Doesn't match description or photos".

It's then up to the buyer to decide what to do.  If you open a return with a reason that should negatively affect the seller rating, you risk the seller making the return difficult, and from my understanding of eBay seller protections for "top rated sellers" eBay won't penalize their rating for the difficult return as long it doesn't occur significantly more than their peers (see link describing eBay policy at the end of this post).  Or, you can open a return for a reason that doesn't penalize their rating- either way the seller maintains a higher rating than they deserve.

I chose to return my purchase with the reason "Don't like it", so the return would go smoothly, and it did, then I posted a factual negative review, briefly describing what I have described here, which was posted and a short time later deleted. My assessment is it was deleted because of the eBay policy for "top rated seller" protections, and because eBay deleted it, this "top rated seller" maintains a higher rating than they deserve.

My conclusions-

1.  You can't trust "top rated seller" ratings.   "Top rated sellers" that do this intend to mislead buyers on their rating, they know what they are doing, and they'll get away with it without any penalty until the eBay service metric decides to penalize them- if their peers do this, they will never be penalized.

2.  eBay will ignore this "top rated seller" behavior because of their business volume, until enough buyers stop doing business with "top rated sellers", and some of them either pressure eBay to correct this, or the ones that do this change their behavior because enough buyers stop doing business with them. 

3. I'm not going buy from "top rated sellers" that have high business volume (> a few hundred sales), and post every time I encounter this.

eBay service metrics policy link ( go to "What the service ratings mean" table ) -

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/selling-policies/seller-performance-policy/service-metrics-policy...

[alcoforever]

What you encountered is what I deem to be the new ebay reality on feedback.

I have a friend who sells on ebay full time and makes a nice living doing so.   He gets neg feedback removed on a regular basis such that he normally shows 100% feedback.   HIs most recent neg was a complaint about slow shipping.   Two days later that neg was gone.   Whether ebay automatically removed it or he requested the removal, I don't know.   He had another neg removed a couple weeks ago.   In both cases, the neg did not violate any ebay feedback policy.

I can see where it is in ebay's interest to have all 100% feedback sellers.   It makes the site look a lot more trustworthy than it really is.

[stainlessenginecovers]

You buy; You return; they refund.

There is NO transaction existing between the 2 of you anymore so you don't have the right to leave a feedback at all. When it's a neg; the seller can easily get a 'returned item/dead transaction' removed. 

[buyselljack2016]

@dansimpkinss 

If the seller is top rated, accepts returns, actually accepts and refunds for the item, there is no action required by the seller to have the feedback removed. It is auto scrubbed by eBay as a perk.

and you can post about it until the end of time. few will see your post, and it will make no difference in eBay policies

so, because you interaction with a TRS was what it was...........   all TR sellers are likely to be scammy, and should be avoided?

[mudshark61369]

@dansimpkinss,

"If you open a return with a reason that should negatively affect the seller rating, you risk the seller making the return difficult"

That is absolutely not true, if you file a not as described dispute, and the seller does not respond within 3 days by sending a return shipping label, you ask ebay to step in and receive a refund without having to return the item. They also get a defect on their account, which affects them more than a feedback.

 "from my understanding of eBay seller protections for "top rated sellers" eBay won't penalize their rating for the difficult return as long it doesn't occur significantly more than their peers (see link describing eBay policy at the end of this post). Or, you can open a return for a reason that doesn't penalize their rating- either way the seller maintains a higher rating than they deserve".

The service metrics policy you posted is not how Top Rated Seller TRS status is received or maintained by sellers. TRS status is based more on meeting sales numbers than other factors. The higher the number of sales, the higher the number of defects it takes to affect their account.

  Actually if a seller responds quickly and properly to any dispute their account will not be affected.  If you select a return reason like "Don't like it" which you say you did. That makes it a Buyer's Remorse return, which means you return the item on your own dime in order to get a refund. 

Read the info about TRS status in the link below.

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/selling-policies/seller-standards-policy?id=4347

If you read the terms of ebay's money back guarantee (MBG) and follow its time frames, you will at least get a refund. 

Do you actually check seller's feedback profile pages and click on the numbers of negatives and neutrals they have received, to read only those comments. If you leave a neutral it may not be removed even if you get a refund after leaving it.  Higher volume sellers with a percentage below 98.6% (my tolerance is higher) should be avoided. Buying from them only increases your odds of having issues.

"What I received was not in "Clean and excellent condition", and included a letter that states if I open a return choose a reason that won't affect their rating".

If the seller has their username or real name on the letter, you can try reporting them through ebay's Facebook or Twitter pages. (links below) They are actually trying to scam buyers into losing a part of their MBG return shipping protections.  You would need to take a clear photo or scan the note to add to the complaint you make. You will also need the seller's username and the item number of the item(s) you bought. It may not help you now, but it could put the seller on ebay's radar. 

https://twitter.com/askebay

https://www.facebook.com/eBayForBusiness 

[aproudparent2010]

Choosing don't like it is considered buyers remorse so seller could have not accepted return at all...

[myangelandmyprincess]

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@aproudparent2010 wrote:

Choosing don't like it is considered buyers remorse so seller could have not accepted return at all...

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Except it sounds like this seller was top rated with either returns or possibly free returns since the feedback was removed.  

[stainlessenginecovers]

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@aproudparent2010 wrote:

Choosing don't like it is considered buyers remorse so seller could have not accepted return at all...

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Not if the seller accept returns; which they do. 

[mitchdeerfield]

As long as the seller issues a full refund, Ebay lets them get away with anything, including flagrantly lying.

[atlasesattic]

Absolutely, how can you be dissatisfied? You get your money back and if a seller works with you by giving a refund, what do you need to complain about? Why ruin there 100 % rating, that's why they are a top rated seller because you get free returns and refunds.

[mitchdeerfield]

Rude or abusive sellers.   I want more than my money back.  I want the seller to be sanctioned.  This particular seller has hundreds of complaints but eBay protects them because of  $$$

[atlasesattic]

So much anger....hmmmm

[ittybitnot]

Absolutely, how can you be dissatisfied? You get your money back and.....

@atlasesattic 

As a buyer, perhaps I wanted what was actually advertised, not spending my time to file claims, wait around to  get my money back after the fact for a counterfeit or knock-off item.  Maybe I was unhappy with the $300 jewelry set I bought that was advertised as sterling silver, and showed up a week later made of aluminum.    I am truly dissatisfied, but it's going to be a secret now with feedback scrubbing?  

I suppose it works both ways.  Buyer IDs all have 100% positive ratings even if they are the biggest crooks or chargeback scammers on the site.  eBay transparency at its finest. 

[coinscardsandnostalgia]

Even if they have had some negative feedbacks removed your still discounting all the positive feedback left by happy customers who had zero problems with what they bought just saying

[carey-marie]

That is complete garbage.  Just because money is refunded does not a positive transaction make.  I have had a couple of very bad experiences with so called top rated sellers that absolutely deserved and more importantly other buyers deserved to be aware of the negative buying experience with them, only to have it inexplicably removed.  This renders feedback a lie and a sham period.