Feedback removal = no replacement for calling into support

[einsteinbr]

We recently received a message from a prospective buyer - comparing us to Amazon and other sellers - stating they could get free shipping on the same 5 items (irrelevant) - but they'd rather deal with us, and could they get a combined shipping discount.

Due to obvious hardships for everyone right now - we were not able to respond.

The buyer purchased 5 items from us - and we shipped them on time as described.

Woke up today to 5 negative feeback left (our only negative feedback in 20 years on ebay) - because apparently the buyer felt entitled to whatever discount they wanted... and was upset we never replied to their message.

The new feedback removal tool removed 2 of 5 negative feedbacks - FOR THE SAME ORDER.

This new system is nice - in that - we don't have to call ebay to fight these ridiculous buyers who break ebay policy - however - ebay has declined to removed 3 of the 5 negative feedbacks - and nobody to call to plead our case.

Please fix this - it's extremely stressful - and unfair to sellers who are trying their best.

[einsteinbr]

One more thought, when ebay has an order with multiple items - all in one "order" we're never ever going to ship them separately. What a mess that would be.
Not trying to be "right" or argue - just pointing out that if they were actually purchased separately - in separate orders - then of course they are shipped separately.
Ebay is somehow calculating a total for the buyer when they add our items to cart - along with weight / box size etc
Skateboards are large. It gets confusing. Would love to find a better way, trust me.

[vrie39]

We have unfortunately been running into these types of customers ourselves...

I am guessing everyone else is so clobbered with orders that they come here, our sales are up 100% over last month and this new behavior I had not expected but it's also something that in the past has come along with such increases in sales.

Look what the cat dragged in...

Not sure what to say in ways of solutions, stay professional and courteous, kill them kindness.

[mam98031]

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@einsteinbr wrote:

Thank you to all for your feedback (no pun intended).

Yes, when we have decisions to make daily - a message like "can you combine shipping" gets passed over - because, due to the nature and weight of skateboard decks - we have yet to find a proper setup where it is "automatic" for the buyer.

It necessitates us to create a collage of all the products requested, create a new listing, and then message the potential buyer of the new listing, just for them!

We love doing this - however - if we don't respond with an offer to do so - and you purchase the items at the cost in front of you - I assume you want the items.  And we then focus on shipping them out on time to you.

The only other message the buyer sent to us was a very generic "when will my item ship" message - and their item was shipped that same day - in our mind - message answered - they got their shipping confirmation from ebay = there is your "reply".

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Your reason in the OP was "Due to obvious hardships for everyone right now - we were not able to respond."  But now your reason is different.

When you shipped the 5 items out to your buyer.  Did you ship them all separately or did you combine the shipment?

[mam98031]

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@einsteinbr wrote:

We didn't have the time to reply, spend 15 mins creating a custom listing, then messaging back and forth with the buyer - immediately upon their initial message, no.
Before being responded to - which they could have waited for, if it were so important - they made their purchase.
That tells us - you want what you bought - time to inspect, pack like a pro - and ship as described.

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Speaking for myself only, I never create a listing for a buyer to purchase from unless I've actually communicated with them to make sure they want the items and we are in agreement on the particulars.  Do do it the other way around I have found, through experience, that I've often wasted my time.

[mam98031]

I get buyers that purchase first and then ask about combined shipping.  I also get buyers that purchase a handful of items one by one and not on the same payment transactions.

For both types of buyers I have an email I send them and I let them know I will be issuing them a refund for their over payment of shipping less fees I can't recover.  

A buyer does not have to ask me to do this.  If I can ship the items together, I will and I will also voluntarily refund my buyer unless we are only talking about a few cents.  Then it isn't worth it to anyone.

[*madison]

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@einsteinbr wrote:

We didn't have the time to reply, spend 15 mins creating a custom listing, then messaging back and forth with the buyer - immediately upon their initial message, no.
Before being responded to - which they could have waited for, if it were so important - they made their purchase.
That tells us - you want what you bought - time to inspect, pack like a pro - and ship as described.

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You didn't have time to reply?

But you said..... "Due to obvious hardships for everyone right now - we were not able to respond"

Make your mind up.

[einsteinbr]

"...immediately upon their initial message, no.
Before being responded to - which they could have waited for, if it were so important - they made their purchase."

You're literally talking about a 12 hour work period and yes - we had already paid orders to get out the door - or 50 messages to respond to.

We choose orders over messages every time.

If the buyer hadn't purchased the items before we had an ample time to respond - rather than impulsively buying the items - yes - they would have been responded to.

It's as if time and space don't exist - with some of these replies - and as if this is the only customer we are serving. Far from the case.

[twinkling.smile]

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@einsteinbr wrote:

[...]

The new feedback removal tool removed 2 of 5 negative feedbacks - FOR THE SAME ORDER.

This new system is nice - in that - we don't have to call ebay to fight these ridiculous buyers who break ebay policy - however - ebay has declined to removed 3 of the 5 negative feedbacks - and nobody to call to plead our case.

Please fix this - it's extremely stressful - and unfair to sellers who are trying their best.

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Can you post a link to this new feedback removal tool?

Thanks.

[wesk_36]

"Due to obvious hardships for everyone right now - we were not able to respond."

I understand that you are busy and have problems.

Here is another perspective;

I currently have two outstanding orders as a buyer that are late in shipping, no communication from the sellers, no updates, no response to my questions, nothing.

That bothers me that as a paying customer, a seller refuses to communicate. 

I get the feeling that a simple 10 second answer to the buyers question would have soothed the savage beast.  Instead you ignored them, the buyer felt ignored and slighted, and became angry.

I can relate to the buyer, not because they wanted a shipping deal but because their negatives are complaining that you ignored them, which is true. Communication is king. 

Maybe you should rethink your 0 communication tact?

[2015mhfashions]

Swiftly shipped the item though.

Because they are required to do so within their stated time frame.

The op said they couldn't respond to the buyer  due "to" obvious hardships for everyone right now

No seller is required to answer any messages or haggle the price post sale.

Many thanks for the irrelevant information.

[grovitesalesinc]

Try fighting something more substantial, like a false INAD claim, through emails...it's IMPOSSIBLE. I had a buyer file an INAD claiming they didn't receive all of the parts to an item (they were shipped separately, which this was stated multiple times in the listing).  Then he admitted he had, and just didn't want the item. The claim was filed Sunday March 15th. Monday, March 16th is when the US Customer Service Centers were vacated.  That day and the next, I sat for a combined 4 hours on hold, only to have a foreign Call Center Representative tell me there was nobody there to override the claim. eBay just let it go through their automated system. Then the item was shipped back damaged. eBay charged me for the label and yet failed to insure it at its proper value. Now I'm appealing the return (which they're denying as well)...through emails. It's infuriating.

[mam98031]

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@2015mhfashions wrote:

Swiftly shipped the item though.

Because they are required to do so within their stated time frame.

The op said they couldn't respond to the buyer  due "to" obvious hardships for everyone right now

No seller is required to answer any messages or haggle the price post sale.

Many thanks for the irrelevant information.

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While this is true, then a seller making that choice not respond should also be willing to deal the the consequences of that decision.  It should also be noted that further on in this thread the sellers said that instead of responding to the email they decided to create a listing which encompassed the purchases the buyer wanted to make all together in one listings.  They did that without reaching out to tell the buyer they were working on it and in the meantime the buyer made the purchases.  A quick note to the buyer saying they were working on it and would be back with them shortly would have gone a long way.

And the seller has never answered if they packaged those item and shipped them in a combined shipment without extending a discount to the buyer.

[einsteinbr]

https://www.ebay.com/sellerhelp

[einsteinbr]

We do not have a "zero communication tact" - as demonstrated by the rest of our prior feedback. So many people here missing my point. I'm not explaining myself anymore.

[einsteinbr]

"they decided to create a listing which encompassed the purchases the buyer wanted to make all together in one listings. They did that without reaching out to tell the buyer they were working on it and in the meantime the buyer made the purchases" This is false, and you completely misread what I wrote. Wow, these discussion forums are about as fun as arguing with insane buyers. We weren't "working on it" we were busy shipping other paid orders.
"And the seller has never answered if they packaged those item and shipped them in a combined shipment without extending a discount to the buyer."
Yes, I did.
READ PEOPLE!