Seller tried to bribe me asking for FIVE star review to get a refund for a defective item

[lucubrate]

Hi everyone.   Purchased three units from an eBay seller.  These items each performed a miserable 10% of the listing value.  This was verified by an electronics expert.  The seller refused to explain their inaccurate listing, refused to explain their testing, etc.  Since I would have to pay return shipping, it's not worth my returning these items.  The seller offered in writing for me to keep the items and they would issue a 25% refund if I gave them a (fake) five star review.  The seller's communication was poor.

Three concerns:

1.  What to do about the grossly inaccurate product decription?

2. Should (and how) eBay be informed of the seller's bribery, an inducement to get a fake review?

3.  What to do if the seller retaliates and gives me my first poor rating?

Perhaps it is best to simply forget completing the product and seller poor rating and drop this matter.  Would eBay care that the seller was trying to bribe me?

[repairelectronics]

You have 30 days from receipt to return defective/not as described items with seller paying return shipping per eBay's MBG. You have 60 days to leave feedback

You have 180 days from sale to return defective/not as described items via PayPal but then you must supply return shipping with tracking.

What kind of item are you talking about? did you have to change it in any way? Generally defective/not as described items need to be returned as received.

Sellers can not leave a buyer a poor rating, they have to leave a positive or nothing, anything else eBay will remove at your request and give the seller a policy violation.

[lucubrate]

Thank you for your reply.

The items performed 10% of what they should.  Yes, I can return them for a refund, but the seller preferred a 20% refund and I keep the units, but then the seller relented and wrote via eBay that they would pay me 25% (and I keep the units) only if I gave them five stars.   The units are not worth my paying the postage to return them.  The seller then refused and/or retracted their 20% offer.

I'm just disappointed and offended that a seller thinks they can buy a five star assessment, especially when their communication is one star and their product is one star.

They also refused to modify their listing which is clearly false advertising, nor would they provide any shred of evidence for their assertion for the specification of their units.

So if I write an honest one star for the product and one star for the seller, the seller cannot retaliate?

[repairelectronics]

As a rule, feedback is not a place for product reviews but in your case, if it was as misdescribed as you say then yes a 1-star rating would be warranted under that DSR. Make the negative comment short simple and to the point with no emotions.

If seller leaves you a false positive feedback contact eBay for removal.

Also if this is an uncommon electronic item always do your product research on google first and read all of the feedback about the item from multiple sellers before you purchase.

[lucubrate]

DSR ?  Don't know that abbreviation.

I'll bet many of their higher scores were purchased in this manner.   Good that they communicated on eBay in writing so that eBay can read and document their inappropriate behavior.

[laurewatso_76]

Research company reviews on - RIPOFF REPORT - a site only for consumers who have experienced poor customer service and the like ... reports CANNOT BE REMOVED FROM THE SITE and will help other customers like yourself exercise their rights to complain ... word of mouth is powerful, especially on social media today ... The REPORT also allows you to see which companies have had complaints, how many complaints and fraudulent sites ...Good Luck

[repairelectronics]

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@lucubrate wrote:

DSR ?  Don't know that abbreviation.

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Detailed Seller Rating - you can rate 4 areas;

Item as described
Communication
Shipping time
Shipping and handling charges

[omgitlightsup]

I'm a test engineer and my job for a Fortune 500 manufacturer of electronics is to verify that products perform to spec.

Your claim to the performance of the units is really not at issue here, nor is it of any use to us if you don't explain what the units are or what aspect you claim they performed to 10% of the advertised spec in.

The seller is doing what all eBay sellers are basically forced to do, make a customer service effort and offer you a partial refund in exchange for your help in keeping his account in good standing. Many sellers do this preemptively and strongarm partial refunds out of sellers when they buy something and then later feel like they paid too much.

If you aren't happy with them, you should send them back. If you are happy with them, you should accept the partial refund and tell eBay you're pleased with the outcome.

It's extremely common in the electronics manufacturing world for an item that does not meet manufacturer's spec to meet the customer's requirements.