Buyer left negative feedback falsely claiming I misrepresented the item

[nrrrd]

I sold an item (a pair of jeans). The buyer paid quickly, I left positive feedback, shipped the item, nearly two weeks passed.

Then, boom! All at once, the buyer sent a return request *and* left negative feedback claiming I misrepresented the item. I accepted the return request-but the item was described very accurately, and I can prove it if anyone would listen.

Unfortunately, what the buyer wrote in the feedback and in the return request reflects an obvious lack of knowledge. This buyer is misusing words with misplaced confidence, and doesn't have a good enough understanding of  "denim geek" vocabulary to know the listing was right and they're wrong. I only get one shot at a revision request, and they'll probably reject it with ignorance and impunity.

Again, once I caught up to it, I opened with offering a refund, even though I was shocked that the buyer gave me no chance to respond before just leaving damaging negative feedback.

I requested eBay remove the feedback and I reported the buyer, but it seems pretty clear from the response I got that eBay mostly only cares about straight insults and expletives. What can I do? Any words I can use to really get eBay's attention and help?

[titipeo]

Thanks for your business, sorry it didn't go as planned, hope not to deal with you again. 

Lets be honest, you got the negative, eBay wont remove it, and your buyer can not see eye 2 eye with you in order for you to help. Don't waste any more energy on this as nothing will be corrected, and move on to more precious matter. 

[simply-the-best-for-you]

It happens.  Not much you can do.  You can ask Ebay for FB removal, follow the Help links to automated FB removal request & make your case (link to an ad showing the wash/selvage from Lee for example), but they probably won't remove it.  Your answer was good.  Block & move on.  

I had a lady wanting a return b/c I didn't say the item was flannel.  It was NOT flannel, it was a knit, flannel is woven.   She didn't know the difference & wouldn't believe me even when I sent an article.  She was totally wrong.  Doesn't matter.   I also had my fave neg, b/c a buyer complained that a 100% wool sweater was "ichey".  I'm like, duh, it's wool.   Ebay wouldn't remove that either.  

[redmodelt]

Then block the buyer after leaving above feedback. Personally, I would think about the last part but leave it off. 🙂

[evelyb30]

...if only because it saves space, and no one else but the seller can read the buyer's ID anyway.  

[this*old*attic]

@simply-the-best-for-you

I got a neg a few years ago because the coat listed as MISSING a button (although there was an easy way to shift a few around)….

”Coat is not intack they’res a button missing”

intact

there’s

Apparently her spelling was on par with her reading

Spider in the box is still my favorite neg, though

[mr_lincoln · Accepted solution]

@nrrrd   I got a less then Positive FB early on from a very low FB count Buyer ... it just came out of the blue, no messaging.  So I reached out through eBay and explained to them that eBay considers a Buyer and Seller as "Trading Partners" and as such they should try to resolve any issues on a transaction before taking action, like leaving less then Positive FB.  I further explained that by simply posting the FB they gave me no chance to respond to any potential issues and that doing that without any communication tends to put Sellers on the defensive.  Below is an excerpt from one of the help pages on Buyers leaving FB for Sellers.

"Negative feedback becomes a permanent part of a seller’s record, and can harm their reputation and their business. If possible, you should try to resolve any issues you have with a seller before you leave negative feedback.

If you decide to leave negative feedback, make sure it’s fair, factual, and relates specifically to your transaction with the seller. Remember, feedback is about your experience with the seller – it’s not a review of the product you bought.

Sellers often respond to negative feedback and may get in touch with you to try to resolve the issue."

I went on to point out to the Seller that the type of FB they leave for Sellers is also a reflection on them and with a low count that FB would stand out more on their account then mine.

In the end they apologized, explained they thought they had to leave FB right away and asked if it could be changed.  I declined to have it changed (mainly because of inexperience and thinking they might screw up the Revision and make things worse ... I know better now).

So at this point if you reach out to the Buyer try to keep it simple and matter of fact and you are more then welcome to use any or all of the posting above.  I  am not saying this will work but it is certainly worth a try.

In the future consider Free Returns so in the event of a return any less then Positive FB is either blocked or removed (if its posted before the return).

Regards,

Mr. L

[divwido]

That feedback reads like the buyer is much more knowledgeable about whatever that term is.  Maybe an  apology, sorry I didn't know the difference, could have gotten them to remove it.  It doesn't read badly, it just sounds like he/she knows what they wanted and that wasn't it.

[luckythewinner]

Again, once I caught up to it, I opened with offering a refund, even though I was shocked that the buyer gave me no chance to respond before just leaving damaging negative feedback.

Your listing clearly stated "Seller does not accept returns". 

And your buyer's feedback indicates that he saw this and respected your wishes. 

Then suddenly you decided to offer a refund.

What changed? 

[redmodelt]

Yes, but that would be a negative positive feedback, which would be breaking the eBay feedback rules. 

[m60driver]

First, you should have never listed the jeans as new.  " I don't think I ever wore these or washed them" is not good enough to list as new.  Second, always allow returns as every buyer has a right to return for just about any reason.  This is especially true when selling clothing online where just about every other platform allows free returns, again, for any reason.  Third, you can dispute the buyers claim in the feedback but never say anything negative about the buyer in feedback.   And to answer your last and perhaps most pertinent question, no, there are no words to get Ebay's attention or get any help removing the negative.

[nocoolnamejane]

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@divwido wrote:

That feedback reads like the buyer is much more knowledgeable about whatever that term is.  Maybe an  apology, sorry I didn't know the difference, could have gotten them to remove it.  It doesn't read badly, it just sounds like he/she knows what they wanted and that wasn't it.

---

Selfedge and selvage are the same thing, only difference is one is the British spelling, the other American.

[dnasilver]

Bummer - the only thing that really caught are eyes was you stating "new without tags" in the item specifics and then in the description you state "like-new"......which is it? You are leaving the door open with contradictions in your ad. Move on and block the buyer. We doubt eBay will remove the neg, but it does not hurt to try.

[fashunu4eeuh]

Sorry this aggravation happened to you. A buyer can be wrong but still prevail on eBay. Buyer’s interests come first and are foremost in eBay’s universe.

To support your efforts, I would have directed the buyer to Lee Jeans official website where they describe exactly what selvage refers to in the 100z jeans (see link below). In this way, a neutral third-party expert is setting the buyer straight. 

https://www.lee.com/shop/men-shop-by-style-selvage

In agreement with another poster about the follow-up comment in feedback. The final sentence warning others to beware this buyer is unnecessary. That’s because the primary audience—the one that counts—is future buyers, not other sellers. Future buyers pay particular attention to how sellers handle themselves when an issue arises. They look for a seller’s concern and professionalism. If anger is present or criticism, it can undermine the seller’s image. 

[nrrrd]

It is true that my listings says that. I would never be strict about it and I've only ever had maybe 1 such requests, which I resolved.

It's there because, until now, I believed it would encourage a buyer to read my listings carefully before bidding.