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.

[pjcdn2005]

I'm sorry that you are having hardships but if you could ship the items out, why couldn't you respond to the buyer's message to answer whether you could or could not provide combined shipping?

If you scroll to the bottom of the help and support page, there should be an 'email us' link and in some cases there is a chat link too.

[gamersbaystore]

Buyers are not allowed to ask for anything that wasn't included in the original listing. I would report the buyer and email ebay demanding the feedback be removed.

While I get you should have made a better effort to respond to the buyers messages, what the buyer did is inexcusable.

If there's one thing that irritates me more than anything as a seller its buyers trying to argue over the price after the sale. You have no obligation to negotiate anything, either before or after a sale.

[pburn]

If it helps any, I read those three negative feedback comments. The buyer is obviously a crank, and any potential buyer reviewing your feedback would skip right over those.

I'd buy from you in a heartbeat.

So, all in all, here's where it stands:

Your feedback rating is still at 99.9%--an excellent rating.
You were able to have two of the negatives removed.
The feedback your buyer left says more about him/her than about you.
Your responses to his/her feedback were appropriate and professional.
Your seller account is not affected by negative feedback.

Even though it's difficult to get negative feedback like this, all in all, I'd say you came out alright . . .

[mam98031]

It appears your buyer was upset that you didn't respond to their email, not necessarily that you didn't combine shipping.

Was there or is there a particular reason you don't or won't do combine shipping?  I know you don't say in your listings that you offer that, I respect that, you don't have to, but is there a particular reason you can't?  Just askin.

[per50nl_5]

And at the same time sellers are abusing it to clear honest and warranted feedback.

Purchased something three weeks ago from a seller that never arrived. I had to do all the footwork. Even found out they lied when I called fedex after they stated it was fed's fault. I left the negative feedback and they supplied a third fake fedex tracking number showing delivered to a neighboring city. Then they removed the negative feedback. No refund yet, no item and no negative feedback. Ebay CS still sides with them and it was clear they have no clue what happened. No exaggeration, nothing else to explain than the above and that's still how it turned out.

Typical eBay **bleep**

In between all that the seller gave runaround for the refund...still don't have it.

[zylor4200]

I would have nipped that in the bud by telling that person to buy from amazon then. AND I would put that idiot on my blocked buyers list.

[azaz_8302]

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@per50nl_5 wrote:

Purchased something three weeks ago from a seller that never arrived. I had to do all the footwork.

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This reminds me of that time I bought a piano from a difficult seller with a broken leg.

[victorias_gifts_n_treasures]

Yeah, I would fight to get those feedbacks removed.  It's obvious that the buyer is in the wrong. Even without hearing your story, any buyer will realize you were dealing with a clown and ignore the silly comments that he made. Whether you get them removed or not, it won't really affect you in any way. The buyer made himself look bad by posting those. But as I said, I would see about getting them removed just to get your score back up to 100% again.

[*madison]

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@zylor4200 wrote:

I would have nipped that in the bud by telling that person to buy from amazon then. 

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

Swiftly shipped the item though. 🤔

[wastingtime101]

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@pjcdn2005 wrote:

I'm sorry that you are having hardships but if you could ship the items out, why couldn't you respond to the buyer's message to answer whether you could or could not provide combined shipping?

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That's what I thought when I read it. Seller has a 5 biz day handling time yet they couldn't respond to that message at any point in those 5 days? Not even at the time they were checking their orders and shipping them out?

Hey buyer - I got your message and I'm sorry but we're unable to offer a combined shipping discount. Your items are packed securely and will ship today. Sorry for the delayed reply to your message but due to XYZ we didn't have internet access for a few days. Thanks for your purchase and let us know if you have any more questions. It may be a couple of days before we get to reply again. Thanks, Seller

@einsteinbr wrote:

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.

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Amazon fulfilled shipments for non-essentials are giving delivery dates about a month out so the buyer may have preferred to order from you because they wanted their items quicker. They chose you when there were alternatives available so they should take some responsibility for that. Buyers violate eBay policy when they demand a service you don't offer.

I can understand with all that's going on if you didn't reply because you don't offer that service, however once the buyer decided to purchase the professional thing to do was send a reply even if it was to say no.

CS isn't likely to remove the 2 FB where the buyer's complaint was about customer service and that you didn't respond to their message. Those 2 FB are based on the fact that you ignored the buyer. I would give it another shot to get the third FB removed though - the one that calls you a name (I don't know if I can post the word here?). It's not against policy to call someone a name in FB, but I think the name used here could be considered profanity which would warrant removal.

[mam98031]

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@zylor4200 wrote:

I would have nipped that in the bud by telling that person to buy from amazon then. AND I would put that idiot on my blocked buyers list.

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@zylor4200 

But the OP admittedly did not respond to the buyers initial email and that is what has appeared to upset the buyer.  There buyer says nothing about not combining the shipment in the FB.  They are mad that the seller didn't communicate with them.

The OP seems to thing, judging by what they responded to on the FB, that they have no need to respond to emails.   Most sellers would say that is an incorrect assessment.  

The buyer purchased 5 and they wanted combined shipping.  That is not an unusual request.  Granted the OP doesn't say they offer it in their listings, but they also don't say that they don't.  On this point the seller is standing on solid ground as they remain mute on the subject.

However from a buyer's point of view, they paid about $26.70 per item for shipping.  Times 5 that is $133.50.  That's a pretty good chunk of money.  And likely the seller could have saved the buyer some money to combine the shipment.  The OP also doesn't say exactly how they handled the shipment other than they shipped on time.  They couldn't answer the email but they could ship on time.

So did they ship each item separately or did they combine the shipping but didn't extend a discount to the buyer?

[einsteinbr]

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".

[einsteinbr]

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.

[einsteinbr]

Your numbers are way off, sorry. We didn't get $133.50 in shipping fees.
Even if we did put all 5 items in a box - we then must insure for a higher value. We are talking about approximately $20 difference here, maybe less - after insurance and signature confirmation. As said before - if it were such a big deal - nobody had a gun to the head of the buyer forcing them to purchase before we responded to their request.