Ebay Not Removing Negative Feedback on Feedback Extortion Anymore?

[lapulgaproducts]

I'm not much of a complainer, If I get a negative feedback, I try to understand If there is any way I can improve and avoid these types of feedbacks.  I learn from it and move on, however, I had a buyer send me a message on an order that if I did not issue a full refund, he would file a claim and issue a negative feedback.  I explained to the buyer that I do offer free returns if he is not satisfied with the item for any reason.  So buyer did open a return but refuses to send the item back, and sure enough left a negative feedback.  

I have been struggling to get a hold of anyone at eBay so I went ahead and did the online feedback removal but was rejected immediately as if no one took the time to read the explanation.  So I finally go through with on the phone with someone but the rep let us know that it had to be escalated and I would get a message back within 24 hours.  So I did get a message back but it was same canned response "reach out to buyer to request a feedback revision" etc.  

Luckily, I do sell enough volume to counter that negative but I believe this sets a bad precedent where other sellers would just give in to the demands to avoid negative feedback.

[joels-retrocade]

My opinion is you made a mistake when you asked them to return a 3dollar CD.  Nobody wants to do that.  That's just bad business my friend.  Shoulda just sent the refund and moved on.

[fern*wood · Accepted solution]

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@joels-retrocade wrote:

My opinion is you made a mistake when you asked them to return a 3dollar CD.  Nobody wants to do that.  That's just bad business my friend.  Shoulda just sent the refund and moved on.

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Sorry, I don't agree.  That's why too many buyers feel they can do this.  Too many sellers play along which keeps the practice going.  I thought offering free returns provides some protection from bad feedback.  I would contact ebay through facebook and let them look at this.

[luckythewinner]

I would need to know the exact wording of the buyer's message to determine if I thought it was extortion or not.

[stainlessenginecovers]

I have to agree with @joels-retrocade . If the item was just $3- it's not worth the neg for you or the 'return' for the buyer. 

But...to answer your thread; there is a way to get them removed but it's not 'calling' anyone. Facebook reps. 

[kensgiftshop]

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@joels-retrocade wrote:

My opinion is you made a mistake when you asked them to return a 3dollar CD.  Nobody wants to do that.  That's just bad business my friend.  Shoulda just sent the refund and moved on.

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Why.

That's why there are buyers like that, they know some sellers will just refund and let them keep the item.

If they want a refund, they are sending the item back and I don't care if it cost me more then the item is worth, it's as tax write off.

[12345jamesstamps]

It looks like you make enough in sales every month. I would have refunded the buyer and then block them. It was only $3.00+. You have 30 days for a buyer to change a feedback. Maybe refunding might help. 

[gloryglorygifts]

Take a screenshot of the email that you feel is an extortion attempt and get in touch with the ebay reps on FB or Twitter. See if they will listen to you and attach the screenshot. It's worth a shot. 

I don't care if it is a $3 item, feedback extortion is against ebay policy. Good luck to you. 

[sapphire_studio]

If you have free or buyer pays returns and you are a top-rated seller then you have a protection where if you handle a return case right you can get any feedback they leave deleted. Keep trying to get this removed for that reason. Reach out to customer service on facebook maybe. Usually it won't get deleted until the case closes. This one would close for them refusing to ship it back once their window for doing that is over.

[coolections]

The feedback was not only the buyer had to waste time for a $3 CD but also he said it was trash and all scratched up. I would b more concerned describing better and not listing scratched up CD's.

[joels-retrocade]

We'll I rarely come across them; but then again I describe and test all my items thoroughly so I never have issues.  I think that would be the key to solving these problems unless this guy had seven different scammers all say the disc was scratched?  We just gonna overlook the fact that the item didn't work?  You send them a broken item and expect them to return it? very strange.

[inhawaii]

I have to agree with the "refund the buyer" bunch.

I know many sellers flat out refuse to issue a refund without  a return.

I am not one of them.  I will issue a refund without a return under some circumstances.

Sorry of this sounds greedy, but I do what is best/cheapest for me.

In this case, a refund would have been best.

As far as the feedback extortion, as @luckythewinner said, it depends on the EXACT WORDING of what the buyer said.

If the extortion/threat was clearly made, ebay will remove thw negative feedback.

Good luck!

[epowerbargains]

Excellent response. Could not have said it better. The OP did everything necessary to satisfy the buyer. If sellers should just refund any purchase under $3 the expenses and loss just adds up and sets a precedent - a sellers time, materials and shipping costs add up so  in reality the loss is more than $3. 

[albertabrightalberta]

IMO, the buyer's excuse of not having a printer to print the label and not having an envelope for the return is nonsense. And if there was an implied threat of "refund or neg," I'm with getting it removed. And the fact that the seller has free returns, sent a label and had the right response to the complaint should mean that the feedback should be removed. 

But with that said, a seller with so many neutral and negs mentioning scratches not disclosed, I have to believe there's merit to the buyer's complaint. More honest and accurate listing of condition is necessary! 

[lapulgaproducts]

Since you asked, the CD I sent was in excellent shape, I don't sell scratched CDs.