Bad buyer

[yoitsukizuna2008]

It's been a while since I got a bad Buyer. How eBay can manage the environment and make it better for sellers?

This buyer came to me asking "Why my package hasn't arrived?" I told her "Hi(showing her the tracking), USPS is out of my control, also it's over the weekend and your package is just on the way for 2 days which is normal", I showed her the tracking information, she said "I saw it, but where is my item?", and then she claimed I provided terrible customer service. Seriously, can someone tell me how to provide a "good experience"? Call USPS and threaten them to deliver tomorrow or this buyer will give me negative feedback? 

When the package arrived she claimed it was chipping (which is not likely because the part she claimed chipped was in the center of the item, usually if it broke it should be on the edge). But I refunded her anyway.

I went to read her profile and found out that she gave 30% of sellers negative feedback, at least 20 in a year at a glance.  I know eBay probably won't do anything to her but I really hope there could be an option for sellers can filter buyers based on how much negative feedback they give to others. Life is so hard, we need a better planet.

[iamalwaysright]

But why does it look like to me in the photo that you sent the buyer a handful of bees?? 😲

[mam98031]

@yoitsukizuna2008 

Did you report the buyer for abuse?  If you want the buyer on Ebay's radar, you need to report them.

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/resolving-buyer-issues/reporting-issue-buyer?id=4084

[fbusoni]

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@broto_64 wrote:

Customer: Where is my package?
Why haven't I received it?
Have you even sent it out, what are you doing, please don't tell me you're just another lazy bum seller.

Seller:
It's on the way, it was shipped (day of shipment) and it should arrive shortly.
Thank you for your business, have a great day.

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I usually take a screenshot of the item's tracking status from the USPS website (showing green dots -- green is good) and include that in my reply as well.  😉

[spreadlovelikefire]

I would take your emotion out of your response and have a template for shipping inquiries.  I've been selling full time for 13 years and sell on average 20 items a day.  I get these questions all the time and I have 1-day shipping.  Here is my template:

Hello (buyer),

I checked the tracking number (add tracking number) and it shows your item is currently in (city) and moving through the mail system.  Your item was shipped out on (date) and is estimated to be delivered on (date).  I will keep an eye on this. As of right now it looks to be on time.  Should anything arise I will keep you informed.  

Respectfully,

Me

Usually I get a reply of "thank you".  

I will also get inquiries immediatly upon purchasing an item that just says "when will ship this item?".  My reply is this:

We offer 1-day handling time so your item will be shipped out the very next business day.  Thank you so much for your purchase.

[spreadlovelikefire]

This is because ultimately you are the seller and even though you may not have control over USPS, if the package actually does get lost, you would be the one responsible.  So communicating with your customer is key.  They do not need to know you have no control over USPS.  She wasn't accusing you of having control over them.  

[gurlcat]

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@iamalwaysright wrote:

But why does it look like to me in the photo that you sent the buyer a handful of bees?? 😲

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 Wow, without zooming in it does look like a handful of bees!  🤣

But why do you say it's a photo that I sent to the buyer?  -That is the photo she posted for her negative feedback.  Her photo, her hand.   

It's actually a closeup of the tassel pendant at the end of this necklace:


And I also showed closeups of the tassel in my listing, like this:



But what she did is spread the strands out and arrange them so you can see every link of the INTERIOR sides of the strands, where gold finish is slightly worn from surrounding strands rubbing them.  



In other words, she had to pose the item in a way that would never be seen when WEARING it. Looks like she also turned the 'brilliance' down to zero with editing software too, ha. 

 Mind you it's a decades-old piece, which anyone into vintage jewelry knows, will have finish wear.  In fact it's miraculous that it doesn't have green verdigris or black oxidation.   Now, should I have included a photo like hers in my listing, maybe zoomed even closer and circled worn spots on interior strands, maybe mentioned them in the description?  -Debatable at best.  What I didn't do was say the necklace was in "flawless" or "excellent" condition; I believe I said "very good" or "very nice" condition for its' age.  

More to the point, if I had observed that it WAS in flawless condition, I would have PRICED it a lot higher, as would any vintage jewelry specialist.  In other words, it was already discounted for pre-owned flaws that you could find if you dug for them, but not be visible in its' natural environment (hanging from the neck).  And the proof of that is the fact that she clearly intended to KEEP AND WEAR the necklace, LOL.  

Like I said in my feedback reply, an item is either acceptable or unacceptable, and I offer a free, no-fault route of returning any item a buyer finds unacceptable.  She just thought she could rely on scaring me to get some money back, like she surely has with some other sellers.  

[iamalwaysright]

Ha ha ha. Sorry I was missing a comma in my sentence. Let me clarify that statement.

But why does it look like to me in the photo that you sent (or rather attached to us in here), the buyer a handful of bees?? 

[gurlcat]

🤣

Now that would be hilarious.  "I just received what was supposed to be a Monet gold necklace, but I received approximately one handful of bees.  Could I get a partial refund?"  

[gurlcat]

I just created my first AI-gen image.  I typed "necklace of live bees."  -Not bad!!  

[iamalwaysright]

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@gurlcat wrote:

I just created my first AI-gen image.  I typed "necklace of live bees."  -Not bad!!  

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No you didn't. That's just a copy of the photo the buyer put on their feedback 😀

[iamalwaysright]

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@spreadlovelikefire wrote:

I would take your emotion out of your response and have a template for shipping inquiries.

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I'll go a step further and say OP needs to do this to their feedback replies too. I just saw them right now. However, I do like that OP mentioned their phd in there though 😁

I also just noticed the multiple false positive feedbacks they've left for buyers too. These are likely retaliatory from buyers who negged or neutted you. Those are total no-no's and if the buyers knew enough to report you, there would definitely be consequences.

Based on all this and this thread, I'd say dude you just gotta chill a bit when writing these things.

[johnrj1226]

Buyers aren't required by eBay policy/procedure to provide pictures of the damage(s) BUT the carrier will want to see it  at their facility including  all the packing material(s) and shipping box or envelope.

[gurlcat]

A buyer can email the seller and claim (without photos) that the item arrived damaged, just to see if the seller will give a refund without getting the item back or even seeing proof of damage, and that's apparently what this OP did.  But if the buyer is filing a return, the Return Item procedure page does require at least one photograph before the 'Submit' button becomes active. 

Now, WHAT you post a photograph of ...... that doesn't matter.  

I give you the legendary dead ducks post: 

[gurlcat]

Okay so is the name starting with "K" and ending with "aren" now a Community-wide curse word?  Come on man.  

[iamalwaysright]

The female vocalist of The Carpenters is a bad buyer.