Feedback concern from a veteran seller of 22+years

[orangegroveroad]

OK, I have a huge beef with ebay and its feedback guidelines.  A buyer is allowed to leave feedback claiming something is not authentic, fake, or whatever yet they do not need to provide any other proof?  That is a DANGEROUS precedent.  In my book falsely leaving that word in a feedback for a seller is worse than profanity, and any other reason feedback can be removed. What in the world is ebay doing?!  Sure, I can leave a thoughtful response, request a revision, talk to the buyer....all suggestions done, and zero contact from the buyer, zero.  No other communication except for this surprise attack on feedback, which I hold dear, and have for 22 years!   BUT, I will NOT "give in to terrorists" as they say.  I will not fall for feedback extortion, etc.  I sent proof to ebay merchant support with a claim that they cannot accept it as I may have "doctored it" in some way.  ARE YOU SERIOUS.  the product in question is only sold on its parent site and Sephora to legit buyers.  Selling fake anything is ILLEGAL and against ebay policy. Do you think I would risk my reputation, a lawsuit, etc?  YET, the buyer, who has a history of doing this to other sellers, gets to leave this inflammatory feedback.  NOT one ounce of help for the legit seller of 22 years.  Excuses of they did not violate ebay policy.  WELL, the policy needs to CHANGE, and now.  Customer service asked if I left the word "authentic" or provided proof via pictures in my listing.  WHAT?  Sellers are now supposed to provide this information in a public listing, proprietary information?  I want the upper echelon of ebay legal to address this.   Once again, seller protection is severely lacking.  I market my listings, I ship for free, I offer free returns, help is needed eBay!  PROTECT YOUR SELLERS. Rid the site of the buyers that create an UNSAFE environment for us to do business.

[redlinear]

I think buyers and sellers should be able to leave a Green+ or a Red-
and that's it. 
No paragraph of whiny rant or reply of argument.  Or pics.

[soh.maryl]

Due to the great amount of sales you have, that FB is already on page #4.

Is this the very first negative you have received in 33,524 FBs? Congratulations.

The current feedback guidelines have been in place for many, many years, and pretty sure you know that.

Sometimes we just need to roll with the punches.  

[luckythewinner]

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@orangegroveroad wrote:

A buyer is allowed to leave feedback claiming something is not authentic, fake, or whatever yet they do not need to provide any other proof? 

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Correct. No "proof" the buyer sends can be trusted, just as no "proof" that a seller sends can be trusted.

eBay is not going to send an authenticator to the seller's home to observe him mailing the package, and they are not going to send him to the buyer's home to observe him opening the package.

eBay has to take someone's word, so they choose the one that benefits eBay the most. 

[stuff4divas]

@orangegroveroad   much easier to read books with paragraphs

[orangegroveroad]

This is not about that, you are missing the point.  "roll with the punches" solves absolutely nothing. That is not the way to invoke change.  I have had plenty of reasons to complain over the years and because I have been around as long as I have...I have a great deal of insight into what is good or bad for the site.  As a buyer, I look for meaningful feedback on the person I am buying from, I don't want to wade through stupid negative "Product review" feedback. I have already done the due diligence on said product.  BUT if this product review feedback is effecting the seller, I will not even take the time to purchase from them.  SO, the point is "Fake, not authentic"...is problematic for a seller with ETHICS.  I would take an FU comment of profanity over a "not authentic" comment any day.  FU makes the buyer look bad, not the seller.  WHEN feedback policies need changing or review, speak up!  DON'T be apathetic.

[femmefan1946]

What about the other seven negs received this year? They report similar problems.
And the 16 neutrals,which had different problems.

[orangegroveroad]

Of course they don't.  You are also missing the point.  eBay needs to vet their buyers as hard as they do their sellers.  If a buyer is consistently making false claims on sellers on the majority of their purchases, it is generally a way to get a seller to refund them or keep the product.  How does this protect the seller? The easiest way for customer service to answer a seller is "they did not violate ebay policy" Why do shoes and luxury goods, etc. now have programs that offer authentication?  IT IS BECAUSE THERE WAS RAMPANT FRAUD AND EBAY was losing credibility.  I am also floored by how many sellers remain on the site with severe negative feedback issues, severe.  GET RID OF THEM.  

[orangegroveroad]

much easier to read books with paragraphs...

Your comment was useless, snarky, and in need of punctuation.  Troll elsewhere.

[coolections]

You actually listed Home Depot lawn bags and sent Walgreen lawn bags ? Did you think the customer would not notice ?

[orangegroveroad]

That is also the reason sellers should opt into FREE SHIPPING/FREE RETURNS, a good way to establish trust.  Do you use that?

[orangegroveroad]

You can easily read my responses per feedback.   I offer free returns, many are buyers that just wanted to get the product for free, never opened a return, etc.  I take all feedback seriously, and address it.    You man or may not have been here long enough to see the amazing drop in sales over the years.  Especially this year.  I am an advocate for the site, but when it is warranted nagging problems should be put out there for discussion, not swept under the rug.  

Do you participate in the free returns program?  Or no returns.  No judgement, just asking.  We all pay a lot in fees to run our businesses on this platform.  If there are problems that corporate needs to address, not in a lazy way, a meaningful way....speak up!

[new_spin_boutique]

I totally agree. There are a number of policies and procedures that make no sense. They either cost the seller, or eBay, or both, while providing no real benefit to any party with the exception of scammers. There are policies , such as the automatic return approval with no ability to ask eBay to arbitrate an obvious scam, that invite fraud. 

And, when we do have a, what should be, a simple issue such as the one you're describing, we end up having to play roulette with the CSR contacts until we find one who knows enough about eBay policies to get one to take action against a violation. Cuz the other reps will tell you clear violations which should be intervened on are "not policy violations".  Then we have to escalate, escalate, escalate until we get someone who speaks English, and after sometimes hours of phone calls and emails we get a rep who knows what they're doing. 

Your last comment about GET RID OF THEM - That's my sentiment. Why keep these people around? Act on the reports. Get rid of the scammers. Get rid of the habitual offender sellers, particularly.  

[dqdistribution]

Regardless if a seller provides free returns, they don't get back the inconvenience and wasted time of the transaction. No reason they shouldn't give negative feedback.

Sending Walgreens products for Home Depot listed product and actually defending yourself instead of just apologizing. 😂

[orangegroveroad]

Is this the very first negative you have received in 33,524 FBs? Congratulations.

No, and you can easily verify that.    The point is AUTHENTIC/Fake.  So here is a helpful tip directly from customer service....put authentic in your title, and item specifics, and include a picture of your receipt to "help" provide authenticity.   Don't bother putting anything in your description.  eBay does not take the description into the account "because many buyers do not even read them".    Oh, well that is helpful, right?  Why bother?  What is the algo on the listing then, should we even bother spending time on crafting one?  Good sellers will continue to do that, as it helps establish trust but how does one vet the authenticity of the information provided in item specifics.  THE REQUEST IS TO treat the word fake and not authentic very carefully in ebay feedback policy....as serious as the use of profanity!!!!!