Ebay's Buyer Bias: Lack of Concern to it's Sellers

[fmzip]

I've been selling on Ebay since 1998 and strive for 100% positive feedback. I've been extremely succesful of maintaining this through the simplicity of  integrity. Do everything correctly, how can negative feedback ever happen, correct?

Unfortunately, from time to time there is a dishonest buyer or a buyer doesn't understand the feedback process. For example, a buyer purchases an item. The seller purchases a label through Ebay's portal which automatically creates a label, with tracking information, and off goes the package to the seller address. Provided you ship like this, you have what's called "Ebay seller protection".

One day the seller notices that their perfect 100% positive feedback has a blemish. The buyer of the above said purchase posted a negative feedback stating they never recieved the item. However, the tracking number shows it was delivered. So there are two possible reasons for this. One, the buyer did receive it and is being dishonest. Second, the carrier delivered it to the wrong address. 

So the question is, how is it even possible for a buyer to leave negative feedback on the seller in this instance with Ebay's so-called, "Seller Protection"? Ebay states they have seller protection but in order to get seller protection, the seller has to consume hours of their time, going through their chat service and then their customer service and waiting several days for the derogatory blemish disappear from their rating. While the negative feedback is posted, it undenaibly impacts the sellers sales as prudent buyers view feedback as a basis of either buying an item or not. If I had the choice to buy an item through a seller with 100% positive feedabck and a nother with 99.8%, why take a chance on the .2%.  Unless the seller is to look at their feedback on an minute to minute basis, they run the risk of losing sales the longer it's posted. 

My thoughts are this. Since there is a vehicle in place, the tracking information, which shows delivery. The buyer should not be able to leave negative feedback on the seller. The seller didn't do anything wrong here. Yes, the buyer did have a negative experience while purchasing on Ebay but the seller is not "Ebay" nor the carrier. 

I stated the above to countless Ebay customer service reps to no avail. I grasp the concept, they have no ability to elevate it. The system is the system. I am hoping by posting this that enough sellers will chime in to finally get this remedied. As far as I am concerened, it's quite simple. There should be a drop down list to select why you are leaving neagative feedback. If it's for the above, as soon as you click that button, you are then locked out of leaving negative feedback. It's that simple. Anyone else have thoughts on this?

[fmzip]

@inceptions  it would be great for you to share your thought on areas of improvements Ebay should make for their sellers since this one is not on your list as you mentioned. I think I am in the right forum now, is that correct?

[lakefor94]

I am not seeing a negative on this account you posted with.

[kensgiftshop]

If you have a scamming seller that changes the address and the buyer doesn't receive their package, they shouldn't be able to leave negative feedback?

[farmalljr]

Sure, I have a few thoughts....

1 A seller is responsible for the sale, right up to the second the buyer receives it in their hands. If the package is lost, mis-delivered, broken, or whatever, it's still the seller's responsibility. The seller holds all the responsibility, not the carrier and not eBay. 

2 Feedback is 100% the buyer's opinion and feelings about the transaction. Yes, 100% and they are entitled to express that. Like it or not, being fair or not, that's the way it is. No seller can avoid running into a difficult/problem/nutcase buyer. You don't get to screen buyers beforehand, not how it works here. You need to accept it's probably going to happen, resolve the situation, block bad buyers, and move one.

3 Speaking of unfair, a buyer can open up an INAD for any reason. You can describe your item perfectly, use all the availible photo spaces availible to you, give measurements, items specifics, etc. The buyer can assume/presume/imagine something outside of/in addition to/ wish for something you did not describe or include, and eBay allows and supports them to open an INAD case. It's 100% up to the buyer's discretion if you described it right or not. As much as that ALSO may be unfair to sellers, that IS the way it IS here. Buyers are held above what SHOULD be considered "fair" and what should be considered "seller protections". 

The fact is there are hardly ANY seller protections here. Being upset or complaining about the situation, is not going to make it better or change anything. These are the realities sellers face if they want to sell here. 

[maxine*j]

When you're in retail, you get the occasional dissatisfied  customer.  Maybe the customer has reason to be unhappy.  Maybe he does not.  But it's just business.  It's not personal.  You do not, as the young say, give him rent-free space in your head.

You have some of the best feedback I have ever read, and it obvious that you are a superior seller in every way -- in the merchandise offered, packing and shipping, follow-up, customer service.

Any potential buyer who would pay more attention to one neg than to 1800+  detailed, glowing positives is not a buyer you need or want.

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[rugerskick]

Ebay would see any such changes a seller did like that during this time and would be able to see this attempt for what it was.

Always trying to make out the seller as evil, thats what this whole place does.  Very typical.

[luckythewinner]

My thoughts are this. Since there is a vehicle in place, the tracking information, which shows delivery. The buyer should not be able to leave negative feedback on the seller. 

So you are saying that in a case where the seller has delivery confirmation but sent the wrong item, the buyer be prevented from leaving negative feedback? 

IMHO, the idea that delivery confirmation somehow prevents a buyer from reporting a negative experience is nonsense. 

[mam98031]

It isn't as simple as some think.  Ebay has to walk a fine line.  Without sellers we have no buyers.  Without buyers we have no sellers.  So both groups are very important to Ebay as they should be.

" The buyer of the above said purchase posted a negative feedback stating they never received the item. However, the tracking number shows it was delivered. So there are two possible reasons for this. One, the buyer did receive it and is being dishonest. Second, the carrier delivered it to the wrong address. "  Negative or neutral FB that says this can be removed if the tracking shows delivered.  Yours is way too old, they won't help you with that one anymore.  But had you of reported it back closer to the date it happened, they likely would have removed it.  It remains because you didn't take action back when it happened.

By the way, you did a terrific job with your answer.  So many sellers post angry things and even resort to name calling sometimes.  Which is a very bad move as their comments are worse than the FB left and will likely do more harm.  

[mam98031]

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@kensgiftshop wrote:

If you have a scamming seller that changes the address and the buyer doesn't receive their package, they shouldn't be able to leave negative feedback?

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Well the first thing you have to do is prove that this happened.  Ebay never gets involved in a He said She said.

[mam98031]

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@rugerskick wrote:

Ebay would see any such changes a seller did like that during this time and would be able to see this attempt for what it was.

Always trying to make out the seller as evil, thats what this whole place does.  Very typical.

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No they don't.  They have no way of knowing or seeing that the seller changed the label after they received it.

If a seller does this, it seller is wrong.  Changing the ship to address in a effort to defraud someone is wrong on many levels and it is also a crime.

I had an Ebay seller do this to me.  Fortunately I figured it out and I was have to prove it, so I won the INR claim I filed.

[fmzip]

@lakefor94 

Correct...... I had to go through the above steps to waste a solid hour of my time to get the blemish removed. 

[lakefor94]

Good work.

[gloryglorygifts]

When it comes to fb, I don't think there is such an animal as seller protection regardless if it is for a product or the postal service. My last neg came from someone that  bought an item, wore it a few times, broke it, and then left a neg saying it broke. The medal that "fell off" had a triple link on it so it wouldn't just fall off; it had to be yanked pretty darn hard. I just sucked it up and moved on.

I see negs all the time on fb for late delivery or lost mail. Some of them are justified (label created and that's it), and some it is clearly the post office's fault. That tracking showing delivery is your seller protection. You provide it, you are off the hook. There should be a way to have ebay remove fb for postal errors if you provide that tracking. 

[fmzip]

luckythewinner In my one recent example desrcibed above, the tracking showed the item was delivered. The buyer never even contacted me about not receiving it. He was able to leave his feedback freely. I had zero opportunity to even try to remedy it. Had he contacted me, I would refunded the whopping $7 transaction to simply forgo the inevitable negative star.

The point of my post is to attempt to simply state that it would be nice if Ebay consider the impact to it's buyers with some of their policies. Even if I had signature required, the buyer can still leave negative feedback, FREELY, beofre ebay does any due diligence. That's the point, the buyers and sellers fill their coffers, can the provide some assistance to remedy something like this?

Instead of free wheeling negative feedback, how about some canned feedback responses instead . Another example. I sold a side view mirror off my personal car. I listed it as such posted countless pictures, buyer even asked me for others which I kindly apologized. He received the item and immediately threatened negative feeback if I didn't refund him, stating I was a liar. This mirror fits only one car as it's a somewhat exotic car. Long and short, I stood my ground as it hit a nerve. 5 seconds later, Seller is a liar feedback is posted. Again, I got it removed as it took me hours to prove my point to Ebay's CS.