Account Restricted for Leaving Honest Feedback for Buyer Who Missused Returns

[cheyennetradingco]

We have had our account restricted for leaving honest feedback on a buyer’s page.

Buyer requested return for item not as described claiming item not sealed.  We accepted return. Received it back, sealed exactly as stated in listing, uploaded picture of sealed item to return request. Issued refund of cost minus shipping through PayPal.  Ebay overrode our decision, taking money from our PayPal account to refund buyer in full. Buyer sent multiple abusive emails calling us a crook for not offering full refund. Buyer threatened negative feedback in messages and did actually leave negative feedback. We left honest feedback for buyer summarizing the bad experience we had with buyer misusing returns. Ebay restricted account because we were honest in our feedback about the buyer. 

Ebay gives option to leave feedback for buyer after transaction yet filters it so we can only leave positive.  Sellers get penalized with restrictions it we are honest.   Ebay is deciding more of these cases in favor of the buyer leaving sellers to pay the cost in return shipping fees and reputation. Buyers know they can abuse the policies and when confronted Ebay does nothing because they consider sellers as their “employees” instead of the entrepreneurial business people we truly are and consider our customers as their buyers not the consumers who desire our products at our prices. Thinking of moving $36,000 of listings to new platform totaling $80,000 in yearly sales.  Any suggestions?

[castlemagicmemories]

Don't be confident. Just leave it alone. Thank you

[Anonymous]

I can share a specific example that happened to a friend of mine.

Seller canceled order so the buyer (my friend) left negative feedback, factual just said something like "seller canceled order with no communication"

At some point the feedback was removed. Several weeks later my friend received the item in the mail from the seller - sent as a gift - with a note that said her mom unexpectedly passed and she had to leave immediatey - she traveled overseas for the funeral which involved a 30 day mourning period in Thailand.

It was clear that seller worked with eBay and provided necessary documentation to receive seller protections due to the sudden passing and circumstances surrounding the situation. If the seller hadn't reached out my friend would still think her FB was removed without cause.

We usually don't find out what's happening behind the scenes so it can easily appear to buyers that something funny is going on when their FB vanishes. In some cases there could be something funny going on, but I don't think that's the norm. There are many factors why valid, factual FB could be removed that the buyer doesn't have visibility to.

I'm not questioning others' experiences as they are valid. I'm pointing out that it's possible the available information is limited and nobody but eBay can know the full story behind any given FB removal.

[mam98031]

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@Anonymous wrote:

I can share a specific example that happened to a friend of mine.

Seller canceled order so the buyer (my friend) left negative feedback, factual just said something like "seller canceled order with no communication"

At some point the feedback was removed. Several weeks later my friend received the item in the mail from the seller - sent as a gift - with a note that said her mom unexpectedly passed and she had to leave immediatey - she traveled overseas for the funeral which involved a 30 day mourning period in Thailand.

It was clear that seller worked with eBay and provided necessary documentation to receive seller protections due to the sudden passing and circumstances surrounding the situation. If the seller hadn't reached out my friend would still think her FB was removed without cause.

We usually don't find out what's happening behind the scenes so it can easily appear to buyers that something funny is going on when their FB vanishes. In some cases there could be something funny going on, but I don't think that's the norm. There are many factors why valid, factual FB could be removed that the buyer doesn't have visibility to.

I'm not questioning others' experiences as they are valid. I'm pointing out that it's possible the available information is limited and nobody but eBay can know the full story behind any given FB removal.

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EXCELLENT example, thank you for sharing.

[southern*sweet*tea]

**general reply**

Look, this is 2018. We all know how it goes nowadays - only certain opinions are valid, while others are slammed. Everyone may be entitled to their opinion, but only certain ones are valid and acceptable. That's how it is today. There is no such thing as diversity of opinion.  No free thinking allowed!

I have my opinions, but I'm not going to try to ram them down someone's throat. If they don't agree, that's cool. I'm a big enough person to allow someone their opinion, and it sure doesn't hurt my feelings if they disagree.

Trying to have conversations with those who try to force their opinions on everyone are rarely successful, no matter how respectful that conversation may be. Adding certain phrases to try to make it seem respectful is only condescending. 

Apparently disagreement is not allowed, everyone needs to be in lockstep, otherwise it will never end.  Sometimes 'ya just gotta move along, for sanity's sake if nothing else.

opinion

noun

• A view or judgement formed about something, not necessarily based on fact or knowledge.

  ‘that, in my opinion, is right’

Opinions - everyone's entitled to them, but they're not necessarily fact. You can't force other people to agree, no matter how hard you try to ram it down other people's throats.

BTW, this post is my opinion. Nobody has to agree with it, and 'ya know what? That's okay.

[emerald40]

100%agree.  Feedback can weed out the really awful sellers on ebay.

But I do wonder how many people check it.  If so why would there be 20 or 30 negatives for the same thing.  One would think buyers 3 and 4 would get the hint to stay away.

[castlemagicmemories]

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@southern*sweet*tea wrote:

**general reply**

Look, this is 2018. We all know how it goes nowadays - only certain opinions are valid, while others are slammed. Everyone may be entitled to their opinion, but only certain ones are valid and acceptable. That's how it is today. There is no such thing as diversity of opinion.  No free thinking allowed!

I have my opinions, but I'm not going to try to ram them down someone's throat. If they don't agree, that's cool. I'm a big enough person to allow someone their opinion, and it sure doesn't hurt my feelings if they disagree.

Trying to have conversations with those who try to force their opinions on everyone are rarely successful, no matter how respectful that conversation may be. Adding certain phrases to try to make it seem respectful is only condescending. 

Apparently disagreement is not allowed, everyone needs to be in lockstep, otherwise it will never end.  Sometimes 'ya just gotta move along, for sanity's sake if nothing else.

opinion

noun

• A view or judgement formed about something, not necessarily based on fact or knowledge.

  ‘that, in my opinion, is right’

Opinions - everyone's entitled to them, but they're not necessarily fact. You can't force other people to agree, no matter how hard you try to ram it down other people's throats.

BTW, this post is my opinion. Nobody has to agree with it, and 'ya know what? That's okay

******************************************************************************************

Thank you, exactly my thoughts.  Thank you for expressing my thoughts so well; very much appreciated.  Exactly what went through my mind when reading this thread.  Again, many thanks.

[seller*by*day]

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@southern*sweet*tea wrote:

**general reply**

Look, this is 2018. We all know how it goes nowadays - only certain opinions are valid, while others are slammed. Everyone may be entitled to their opinion, but only certain ones are valid and acceptable. That's how it is today. There is no such thing as diversity of opinion.  No free thinking allowed!

I have my opinions, but I'm not going to try to ram them down someone's throat. If they don't agree, that's cool. I'm a big enough person to allow someone their opinion, and it sure doesn't hurt my feelings if they disagree.

Trying to have conversations with those who try to force their opinions on everyone are rarely successful, no matter how respectful that conversation may be. Adding certain phrases to try to make it seem respectful is only condescending. 

Apparently disagreement is not allowed, everyone needs to be in lockstep, otherwise it will never end.  Sometimes 'ya just gotta move along, for sanity's sake if nothing else.

opinion

noun

• A view or judgement formed about something, not necessarily based on fact or knowledge.

  ‘that, in my opinion, is right’

Opinions - everyone's entitled to them, but they're not necessarily fact. You can't force other people to agree, no matter how hard you try to ram it down other people's throats.

BTW, this post is my opinion. Nobody has to agree with it, and 'ya know what? That's okay.

---

Excellent. 100% spot on. I agree with your opinion. 

[mam98031]

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@castlemagicmemories wrote:
Don't be confident. Just leave it alone. Thank you

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These are public forums where we can all share thoughts and ideas.  Certainly we don't always agree and that just should never be a problem.  With that said, I nor anyone else needs your permission to post our opinions, thoughts, observations or anything else, just as  you don't need permission from any other poster.  We just all need to remain civil and respectful of each other.

[castlemagicmemories]

Thank you so much for your extremely kind and gracious explanation but I am already aware of how it is supposed to work.

[mam98031]

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@castlemagicmemories wrote:
Thank you so much for your extremely kind and gracious explanation but I am already aware of how it is supposed to work.

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AWESOME Thank you!  

[castlemagicmemories]

My pleasure. You are more than welcome.

[southern*sweet*tea]

This is just an OT response, I'm mainly just muttering to my self, but

If irony could kill I'd be dead now.

Carry on, y'all!

[castlemagicmemories]

Yes, irony abounds, doesn't it; if you look around to see it. It's in the eyes of the beholder.

[seller*by*day]

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@southern*sweet*tea wrote:

This is just an OT response, I'm mainly just muttering to my self, but

If irony could kill I'd be dead now.

Carry on, y'all!

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The irony has been lost on some. Apparently they aren’t looking in the right place.

carry on!

[the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth]

There's already plenty of carrying on.  Too much maybe.