Customer Left Malicious Comment Under Positive Feedback

[perfumenmore]

I sold a perfume sample to a buyer two weeks ago. She left a negative comment under positive fb. Her comment said “Bottle was empty.” She never contacted me to complain or contacted ebay either. Besides the fact that I didn’t sell her a bottle of anything. I sold a 5ml. sample. I know it was full when I sent it (I’m not crazy) and it was impossible that it leaked out because I use pipe tape around the bottle and the nozzle, put it in a plastic bag, then wrapped in multiple layers of bubble wrap, then shipped in a small box. I know she received it 3 days after I sent it (I keep track of tracking to make sure customers receive their packages) and left the comment almost 2 weeks later. It was a deliberate malicious lie intended to harm my business. I contacted eBay and they said they can’t remove the comment because she left it under positive feedback and all I could do was respond. I did with - “I sold dozens of samples. No complaints. Customers always cite how well packaged.” Which they do. Is there anything else I can do to get this comment removed besides just responding. Something like this can really hurt my business or open the door to scammers later claiming the same thing.

[perfumenmore]

Oh, also just wanted to add that eBay told me to block the buyer from future purchases with me and I did. 

[city*satins]

Is there something preventing you from contacting the buyer?

The first thing I would have done, rather than assume that the buyer bore me malice,  would have been to contact the buyer and ask if perhaps they meant to leave this comment for a different sale.

Seems like a place to start, don't you agree?

[city*satins]

Besides the fact that I didn’t sell her a bottle of anything. I sold a 5ml. sample. I know it was full when I sent it (I’m not crazy) and it was impossible that it leaked out because I use pipe tape around the bottle and the nozzle, put it in a plastic bag, then wrapped in multiple layers of bubble wrap, then shipped in a small box. 

You realize that this is contradictory, right?   

So if I understand correctly by looking at your listing (which shows a picture of the bottle), you are another of those sellers who puts labelled product into unlabelled containers and sells them.   This seems to be some kind of epidemic in the cosmetics/perfumes/scents category.

I will tell you the same thing as I've told other sellers who do what you are doing.  You need to read this eBay policy:

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/prohibited-restricted-items/cosmetics-policy?id=4290&st=3&pos=1&q...

Pay particular attention to this text in the policy:

Cosmetics, colognes, perfumes, and lotions must come in the original container

[a_c_green]

---

@perfumenmore wrote:

Something like this can really hurt my business or open the door to scammers later claiming the same thing.

---

Not by itself, really. To begin with, it's a green Positive, which will blend right in with the others. The buyer's comment makes no sense next to a Positive symbol, and unless a potential buyer reads every single comment on your feedback page, it won't even be noticed. Those that do see it aren't necessarily going to think that much about it, compared to all your other glowing reviews. At your current rate of sales, it will roll off the first page within around six months.

In short, because it's green, I would have left it alone without any further comment. Your posted reply will now draw a bit more attention to it, but I don't think your record is really going to sustain any harm from it.

Finally, if the buyer contacts you to ask for a refund, tell her to return the item first (even if it's empty). As far as feedback is concerned, she's already shot off her ammunition, so you have no incentive to refund her unless or until she returns the item that you sent to her.

[kensgiftshop]

---

@perfumenmore 

---

The pos feedback won't hurt you, but what will, is repackaging them and selling them as new.

[pink.fish.rule]

I thought decants were against policy?

[city*satins]

---

@pink.fish.rule wrote:
I thought decants were against policy?

---

They are. That's why I posted a link to the policy and quoted the relevant text.

[the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth]

That would have been a good one to leave alone. Nobody would have read it but now they will. Some buyers want to send a message but not hurt the seller with a negative.

plus the response is not comforting. The fact that many people are happy is irrelevant. You didn't even show a willingness to help the buyer fix the problem. It was just a defensive response. Your future buyers are the audience and I would have liked to add a response about what you were doing to fix the problem.

Decants are against the rules, regardless of how well they are taped.

[perfumenmore]

I really had no idea about this.  Since this is the policy why is eBay allowing it? I am not the only seller doing this. 

[kensgiftshop]

---

@perfumenmore wrote:

I really had no idea about this.  Since this is the policy why is eBay allowing it? I am not the only seller doing this. 

---

You haven't been caught or reported yet.

[tdumonde2014]

Put "Decanted Perfume" in your title and they most likely will. 

[perfumenmore]

I have removed them but I am not the only seller doing this.  There are literally hundreds of perfume samples being sold on eBay.  If you do a google search it even comes up with an ad from eBay saying "Seriously, we have everything" then directs you to a page of samples (decants).  Amazing.

[ifyouloveit]

They are still up because no one has reported them as against policy.

[shewat_1547]

---

@kensgiftshop wrote:

---

@perfumenmore wrote:

I really had no idea about this.  Since this is the policy why is eBay allowing it? I am not the only seller doing this. 

---

You haven't been caught or reported yet.

---

And by coming here it's a safe bet they'll get reported.