Buyer Feedback Coercion Advice

[michaeljordanmemorabilia]

Hello, I am fairly new to selling on ebay. I take pride in good customer service and having integrity as a seller.

I recently had a buyer send multiple threats to leave me a negative review if I did not provide him/her feedback as a buyer. Here are some of the separate messages I've received from the buyer in the past two days:

• "When I saw 'no feedback' for my payment, I figured it would be crap."
• "If I can get my feedback as a buyer, I will overlook your novice as a seller, and not leave you negative feedback."
• "Just leave me my feedback for paying you, and we will move forward. You seem like a good person."
• "If you are not ok with leaving my feedback, no problem. Very shortly I will leave yours."
• "I simply don't want to go through the hassle of sending things back. Don't care enough about the whole deal. However, I would highly recommend leaving my feedback, as yours is in my hands."

This buyer initially contacted me because she wanted to purchase one item in a listing that was a two item lot. I told her prior to her purchasing that it was part of a set and they would not be sold separately. She then proceeded to buy the lot that included the two items. When she received the items, she complained about both items. Despite my policy of no returns, I made multiple offers to happily accept a return of both items, provide a full refund, and pay for return shipping.  Not surprisingly, the buyer suggested that she would only like to return the item that she didn't want originally and receive a partial refund. I reiterated that I could accept a return of BOTH items and provide a full refund (and pay for return shipping); but explained that I was not able to accept just a partial return. The buyer then had a change of heart and decided to keep the items. Laced throughout her many messages to me, she  attempted to coerce me to write her buyer feedback by threatening a negative seller review if I did not provide buyer feedback.

In good faith, I could not leave positive buyer feedback in this situation (which, as we all know, is the only option). I told her that providing buyer feedback was not mandatory and that I would be declining to provide any buyer feedback. Providing a false positive review completely negates the point of a review system??? As expected, she then left me a negative review. If you look at her page, you can tell from her feedback that this is a pattern. 

What else could I have done in this situation? The buyer clearly bought the lot of items with expectations that she could bully me into returning half of the lot with threats of giving me a bad review. I'd love any guidance or advice from folks who perhaps have been through this kind of thing before. Thanks in advance!

[fern*wood]

That was a good sale.  I imagine if they were not pleased, they would not have hesitated to file a not as described return.   Having said that, the rest of my advice is from my personal view on buyer feedback.  Others do it differently, but I give a thank you for the purchase feedback to my buyers as soon as they pay.  I do not discuss feedback, even if they mention it.  I do not allow something as frivolous as feedback muddy up a transaction or be used as blackmail or a bullying technique against me---it's just not important to me to wait and base my feedback on what they do.  My concern is with the transaction. 

You might be able to get the feedback removed, but I'd be more concerned about the transaction and not losing the money/item in the battle.

[stainlessenginecovers]

Hello; since buyers have a 30 day Money Back Guarantee, the 'feedback' prior to this 30 days would be WAY too soon since the transaction could turn out to NOT be good if it were returned.  

Therefore, I wait until the 31st day after delivery. 

[luckythewinner]

What else could I have done in this situation?

You could have left the meaningless positive feedback for the buyer the first time they asked. Feedback for buyers is utterly meaningless and your 'good faith' moral stance was essentially a case of you cutting off your own nose to spite your face.

[luxgoods]

You are not required to leave feedback. If this buyer did threaten to leave you negative feedback if you did not leave feedback for them, I would contact ebay and see if the negative can be removed. II have done this in the past when I have been threatened and it was always removed.

[klhmdg]

Report the buyer.

Contact eBay and get the FB removed. The buyer put in the FB that you refused to leave them positive FB. You should be able to have this removed especially along with the messages of FB extortion.

Also add the buyer to your BBL

Good luck!

[44012]

As fern*wood and luckythewinner pretty much summed it up....I also leave feedback almost immediately after customer pays as a thank you.

Sadly, feedback for buyers is almost meaningless. I use it as a thank you for payment and buying. I leave feedback the day of OR the day after the product is delivered. I think I just do it this way to keep track of my items in route to the buyer and my shipping times. 

I personally think it is so weird a buyer is asking for this. I only had this happen once before in a good way when a person opened up a new account and they were an existing account already and was starting over on feedback on the new account and needed 10 to start selling (or something like that).

Shake it off, block this buyer and move on. The bear has already been poked it appears. If it makes you feel better I would be upset as heck too. Ebay may remove this feedback with the evidence you have. Give it a try. I absolutely would.  And I would review your returns policy. It is best to just allow returns and pay for them. Seems to cut down a bit of buyer unhappiness (in the event of.....) But that is just my opinion.

[dhbookds]

feedback is not mandatory........that certainly is true......  But, as seller, self preservation via feedback, is a necessity.  She warned you 5x that a neg was coming....  "paid promptly" (I assume) would have been a "true" positive feedback.    She may have left you a neg even with that......but you might have skated by. 

As to the feedback she left.......I would state (if true)....collection was complete and intact.....buyer was offered return, but chose to keep the item.....

I might add that there are buyers who WILL neg you if you don't leave feedback without any warning.....  Best practice (for your own good) is to leave it first.  (my opinion)

[4pawsup*]

@ 

luckywinner,  Says it all .

                    Sellers only look at buyers feedback left for others. Buyers feedback is meaningless. I have mine sefor buyer feedback as soon as they pay.

[44012]

I forgot to add this:

Since buyers do not always leave feedback for the sellers - leaving feedback for buyers is a great way for future BUYERS to see how many feedbacks you (seller) have left for others. I know they can see what you have sold but it is nice to see the feedback left for others and possible future potential buyers may end up buying from you versus someone else. It shows you care about the customer in the end.

[a_c_green]

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@michaeljordanmemorabilia wrote:

As expected, she then left me a negative review. If you look at her page, you can tell from her feedback that this is a pattern. 

---

We cannot see your buyer's Feedback Left for Others because her ID is disguised from us, but eBay can see it. I would suggest following up by requesting a call from Customer Service and having them review the threats you received from the buyer. It looks like her feedback might be removable on the basis of Feedback Extortion. Definitely worth a try.

In future I would just keep the dialogue simple and try not to get drawn into an argument: "I'm sorry that you are not satisfied. You can return it for a full refund." Period.

[tobaccocardyahoo]

There are many buyers who are "feedback needy".

IMO this is a mental affliction and it is easier to give them what they want than argue with a crazy person.

Were they to leave you a negative FB, there is a link to report the buyer.

As for standing your ground on the transaction, that is commendable, so long as you have offered to accept a return you should not see any important repercussions,

Your buyer is not totally dishonest or they would have sent you the partial return.

[12345jamesstamps]

Some buyers ask me to leave feedback.

OK...I can do it. It's no big deal. They got the item.

To me, its no big deal.

[slati_2013]

Is the buyer also a seller? There are some crazed sellers out there always crying for feedback. What the buyer does not realize is other sellers seeing that feedback will block them and very wary of selling to them. If the buyer is also a seller, many buyers will avoid them. 

I would not worry too much if eBay does not remove the feedback. The rest of your feedback is great and this buyer comes off as petty. 

[the_beezwing]

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/feedback-policies/feedback-extortion-policy?id=4230