Does this count as feedback extortion?

[iamalwaysright]

Should I bring this up with ebay for when/if the buyer leaves a feedback?

The buyer messaged me claiming the item is defective and asked for me to send a replacement. I told him to just return it and I'll refund him. I'll also let him know if the item is confirmed as defective compared to the current stock we have. So he can choose whether or not to re-purchase it.

He replies "Its ok i dont have time for reship back to you guys. Ill just give a negative feed back for defective items and alot of hassle."

Does that count as extortion? I see 8 out of his last 17 feedbacks is a negative with the general comment "Bad customer service."

[lamber9347]

No, that doesn't count as FB extortion. If buyer had worded it as, if you don't send me a replacement then I will leave you a neg, that would be extortion. 

What is the policy?
Buyers aren't allowed to:

• Threaten to use feedback or detailed seller ratings (DSRs) in an attempt to force sellers into meeting their demands. For example, buyers can't threaten to leave negative feedback unless the seller pays for return shipping, when the seller's return policy in the listing didn't state free returns

[selsa84]

I think some ebay cs reps would call that "feedback extortion" and others may not. 

[luckythewinner]

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@iamalwaysright wrote:

He replies "Its ok i dont have time for reship back to you guys. Ill just give a negative feed back for defective items and alot of hassle." Does that count as extortion? 

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He asked for a replacement for a defective item - which he is entitled to do. 

When you declined to send a replacement, he stated he will leave a negative - which he is entitled to do. 

Based on what you posted, he put no conditions at all on his leaving that feedback.

[iamalwaysright]

Can't it be perceived that the buyer is saying he won't return it and wants a replacement which is more than what my listing promises? And that he'll leave a negative as a result of me not giving him what he wants? That's what he means by "It's ok... I'll just leave a negative feedback..."

@luckythewinner What about his refusal to return the original item to get said replacement? Isn't that just like asking for a refund claiming the item is defective without returning the item back?

[luckythewinner]

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@iamalwaysright wrote:

Can't it be perceived that the buyer is saying he won't return it and wants a replacement which is more than what my listing promises? And that he'll leave a negative as a result of me not giving him what he wants? That's what he means by "It's ok... I'll just leave a negative feedback..."

@luckythewinner What about his refusal to return the original item to get said replacement? Isn't that just like asking for a refund claiming the item is defective without returning the item back?

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Yes, it can be perceived that way - but just because you perceive it that way does not make it so. 

What you described was retaliation, not extortion. 

[stainlessenginecovers]

You are grasping at straws here with your 'perceptions'

It is NOT up to you to determine someone else perceptions. The buyers perception is you sold and shipped a broken unworking thingy and would not send a working one without a hassle to the buyer. After all, why should they buyer do anything more than 'see item, click item, pay for item, and then use item'. 

Obviously this is not a $300 item, so the buyer, by all rights, just wanted one that worked and does NOT want to hassle returning it, which he stated and has a right to do. He reached out and you did not do things his way. The buyer is allowed to state that you send out broken unworking things. 

[iamalwaysright]

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@stainlessenginecovers wrote:

You are grasping at straws here with your 'perceptions'

It is NOT up to you to determine someone else perceptions. The buyers perception is you sold and shipped a broken unworking thingy and would not send a working one without a hassle to the buyer. After all, why should they buyer do anything more than 'see item, click item, pay for item, and then use item'. 

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The same reason why a buyer can't buy something from a B&M store, claim defect, and get a replacement/refund without physically driving back to the store and standing in line to return it. The defect claim cannot be confirmed without seeing the item in question. Regardless of defective or not, replacements/refunds cannot be expected without surrendering the original item. But some sellers might offer it though. That's beyond policy obligation.

@luckythewinner I wonder if retaliation would protect a seller from bad feedback. It might just be luck of the draw with whatever rep helps you.

[stainlessenginecovers]

True but not. Buying on line and buying from a store are 2 different things. Again, just depends on what the item is and how much.

So, tell us what the item is and how much as we really don't know what we're talking about here. 

[dhbookds]

Start writing the best answer that will make you look GREAT...........

We stand behind our items...........Offered replacement or refund......buyer choose not to return......  etc......  Do NOT attack the buyer.........

[lamber9347]

Buying online and buying from a B&M are not comparable. Different rules apply to each. That said there are B&M stores that will offer a credit without an actual return simply to please a buyer and hope for continued business from them. That's not what your OP was about. 

None of us here are eBay employees. You asked a question and it's been answered by several different posters, including showing you the policy here. Now it feels like you want to argue that you are in the right, but that's an argument for you to have with an actual eBay employee, not anyone on this forum. Stand your ground, stand up for yourself, more power to you-- but do it to an actual eBay employee. No one here can remove the negative that seems to be assured to happen. Best of luck to you....

[dnasilver]

Flip of the coin. It would depend on the rep you dealt with. You do not need to meet the legal definition of extortion. If you did, the courts would be packed. 

[inhawaii]

You don't "confirm" the returned item to see if it's defective. You refund the customer when you receive the item back. I can see where that statement might tick the customer off.  He has to send the item back to you and MAYBE you'll refund him or send him a replacement IF you find his item to be defective.  

The customer needs to understand, and you may have to explain  it to him, there are certain protocols that need to be followed in this case.  You can't just send him another one because he states his is defective.   Any reasonably intelligent person should understand this. 

[a_c_green]

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@iamalwaysright wrote:

Does that count as extortion? I see 8 out of his last 17 feedbacks is a negative with the general comment "Bad customer service."

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There's enough of a gray area here to say that one CS might see it as extortion while another might now. (I assume that the Neg has not happened yet.) 

It would help if you could tell us what item we're talking about and how much money is at stake. In general, if I hear from a buyer to say that the item is defective, I'll say something to keep it simple along the lines of, "I'm sorry that there's a problem. Please send it back in the same box and we'll refund in full as soon it's received. If you would like another instead, we can send it out as soon as the first is received."

I would suggest (for next time, anyway) not challenging him by saying that you want to "confirm" it as defective first, because I think both you and he know that it isn't. If you have a No Returns policy, he's probably working with that strategy and simply wants to bully you into refunding without a return first.

I see what you said about that guy's reply to you where he's basically rejecting the whole thing, and his Feedback Left for Others suggests that he uses this strategy to get free stuff routinely, leaving Positives only if the seller capitulates and refunds. If you do get a Neg and call CS (the Facebook panel is recommended, not the basic Customer Service), see if you can persuade them to look at his messages to previous sellers, where I think they will probably find the same messages, showing him as trying to get close to the line of extortion without actually crossing it.

[fab_finds4u]

You should always 

a)  Apologize if it's defective.

b)  Immediately provide a return label and refund or mail a replacement when you see tracking shows it's on the way back to you. Don't wait until it's been received  you because you'll have to refund or replace  no matter what they return.