eBay

iamalwaysright · ‎12-25-2023

Can someone point me to exactly where eBay says that a feedback is removable comment is referring to a total different item or transaction?

I got a negative where the buyer is talking about a pair of glasses that arrived broken but I actually sold them a hat. The closest I found is here https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/feedback-policies/feedback-misuse-policy?id=5030

where it just says “Feedback content should only be related to the transaction.” but it doesn’t literally say it’s grounds for removal. Yes, one can imply it means this, but given the recent posts about eBay being totally strict with removing feedbacks because of violations, I want to make sure I have as much ammo as possible to successfully remove the feedback. Thanks.

inhawaii · ‎12-25-2023

I hope you can get it removed, but if not...

Feedback: Worst sunglasses i've ever seen.

Response. Buyer is mistaken. I sold her a hat not sunglasses.

That certainly wouldn't keep me from buying anything from you.,

Papa Was A Rolling Stone - The Temptations

ebooksdiva · ‎12-25-2023

You may be able to get the feedback removed here

ittybitnot · ‎12-25-2023

Can someone point me to exactly where eBay says that a feedback is removable comment is referring to a total different item or transaction?

@iamalwaysright

There used to be a policy page with a "list" of feedback that was eligible for removal, and what was not. I can't seem to find it in the "help" files anymore. They seem to have been updated to include information about the "pictures" that can be uploaded to feedback now. Farther down on the page you referenced, there is sort of a list that seems to indicate a definition of the phrase "Feedback content should only be related to the transaction" even though in that section it is specifically for "follow up comments" ???

Feedback content should only be related to the transaction. We don't allow:

*Expressing opinions on any political, religious, or social issues

*Any links, URLs, or other content encouraging sales outside of eBay

*Any implied or explicit threats or intimidation

*The publishing of any personally identifiable information

*Any inappropriate or offensive content

*Any infringement of third-party rights

*Any references to investigations

With eBay, there is often conflict with the written word/intentions/applications of any policy. The supposed intent is for the rating to be related to the 'transaction', not a product review i.e. "The movie on the DVD was really stupid". From recent reports from others, eBay seems to mostly rely on the old standby "It is the buyer's opinion, and there is nothing we can do".

If you contact CS, it would be interesting to hear what they tell you, or more importantly if they act on the situation. Good luck, and happy holidays!

soh.maryl · ‎12-25-2023

Have you considered a calm and respectful reply? Like: Buyer evidently has me confused with another seller. Her purchase from me was a hat, not sunglasses.

kickin.assets · ‎12-25-2023

We received negative last night for a pair of flare jeans. Okay, but we did not sell buyer flare jeans.

Buyer asked for return about a week ago stating too tight, don’t fit. Stated she needed to return ASAP. We accepted return, she still hasn’t shipped. Instead left us negative for something we didn’t sell her and that we accepted a return on?

ittybitnot · ‎12-25-2023

left us negative for something we didn’t sell her and that we accepted a return on?

@kickin.assets

I forgot about THAT aspect. Hopefully, @iamalwaysright won't be hit with an eBay complaint as well for the "NOT HAT" sunglasses .

kickin.assets · ‎12-25-2023

Yes! It's all kind of crazy out there and more like the wild west these days on eBay!!

Sellers generally will bend over backwards for their buyers, but 2023 has been a very turbulent year and there are tons of angry, unhappy people out there! We can only do what we can do, but it would be nice if eBay had not back peddled on their seller protection!!!

Especially for feedback that just doesn't make sense! Buyers who only leave negs/neutrals for their sellers, leave negs for wrong items or that the seller went out of the way to help said buyer and they STILL get a negative? Why just why?!? SMH

iamalwaysright · ‎12-26-2023

@ebooksdiva wrote:
You may be able to get the feedback removed here

Yes that's what I plan on doing. I just wanted to have all my ammo ready for that details text field since I hear this would be my only chance at removing since phone agents are refusing to remove feedback no matter what.

soh.maryl · ‎12-26-2023

Why not contacting the buyer with something like: If you will check more carefully, you will find that we were not the seller of those jeans and therefore you should not return them to us, but to the actual seller involved.?

iamalwaysright · ‎12-26-2023

@ittybitnot wrote:
There used to be a policy page with a "list" of feedback that was eligible for removal, and what was not. I can't seem to find it in the "help" files anymore. They seem to have been updated to include information about the "pictures" that can be uploaded to feedback now. Farther down on the page you referenced, there is sort of a list that seems to indicate a definition of the phrase "Feedback content should only be related to the transaction" even though in that section it is specifically for "follow up comments" ???

Feedback content should only be related to the transaction. We don't allow:

With eBay, there is often conflict with the written word/intentions/applications of any policy. The supposed intent is for the rating to be related to the 'transaction', not a product review i.e. "The movie on the DVD was really stupid". From recent reports from others, eBay seems to mostly rely on the old standby "It is the buyer's opinion, and there is nothing we can do".

If you contact CS, it would be interesting to hear what they tell you, or more importantly if they act on the situation. Good luck, and happy holidays!

Yea that's exactly the same thing I was only able to find. You reminded me that I might as well try and call ebay to see if they'll even consider a manual removal. Because I know they'll agree that the feedback is invalid. Whether they will remove it is another story. And that'll confirm with me if they actually have washed their hands of all removals or not.

kickin.assets · ‎12-26-2023

We have messaged buyer. Buyers feedback shows that it was left for the pair of jeans from us that she stated needed to be returned ASAP (nope, has not shipped back yet). Feedback left does not match item we sent her though. Item sent was adjustable length cargo jeans, not even close to flares.

Spoke to agent today that first, won't remove feedback because this is the buyers "opinion". Buyer states she hates flares. Okay. Still jeans are not flares and ALL measurements were in the listing which buyer surely did not read or truly she does not know what a flare is?

2nd, agent said maybe buyer feels like they are flares to her? Again, okay, but why the negative? Buyer messaged SEVERAL times in the middle of the night, in which messages were answered, even though it was late. Accepted this ASAP return request and what did we get? A negative.

Checked buyers feedback after all this and she leaves negs and neutrals freely. If buyer had sent offer, we would've known this and blocked her and this post wouldn't be.

iamalwaysright · ‎12-26-2023

So I called the CS agent and he said as of Dec 1, they aren't allowed to touch any feedback removals for sellers who didn't use the automated removal system yet. He totally agreed that this removal should be a slam dunk, but I noticed there isn't any preset reason on the automated system for "wrong transaction". I had to choose the bottom "other reason out of my control" reason.

He said humans look thru these requests, not bots. And if it doesn't get removed, I could call back and have it taken care of. He said even if he sees the feedback available for removal on his console, ebay isn't allowing them to touch it if there was no automated attempt. I just submitted the request and we'll see what happens.

iamalwaysright · ‎12-26-2023

@soh.maryl wrote:
Have you considered a calm and respectful reply? Like: Buyer evidently has me confused with another seller. Her purchase from me was a hat, not sunglasses.

Last resort if I'm unable to get it removed. I don't like replying to feedbacks until the very end so I get a good account of the situation, I still have 59 days to decide what reply to leave.

iamalwaysright · ‎12-26-2023

@kickin.assets wrote:
We received negative last night for a pair of flare jeans. Okay, but we did not sell buyer flare jeans.

Buyer asked for return about a week ago stating too tight, don’t fit. Stated she needed to return ASAP. We accepted return, she still hasn’t shipped. Instead left us negative for something we didn’t sell her and that we accepted a return on?

Oooh yea. This is like one of the worst outcomes and has happened to me before with buyers. I think if you are a TRS or something and the buyer formally files a return and it closes, any feedback the buyer leaves is removed. But the ones I've had this happen were from buyers who mentioned they wanted to return it but never actually filed a return and just left a vague negative instead like "bad item". Can't remove feedback due to no return filed, and can't remove feedback because of a vague generic comment. It also makes you wonder if the buyer ever finally realized their mistake and was too prideful to admit it, especially if they seemed very aggressive or upset in their initial messages to you.

It's harder to admit fault if you previously acted very obnoxious, arrogant, and rude. Years ago I had a buyer like this and was super rude and arrogant but mistook me for another seller he bought from. He showed the photo of the item and it was totally the wrong item. Back then I was able to dig around and found the exact seller and listing he bought from, this guy still wouldn't listen to me flying off the handle name calling me and accusing me of trying to trick him. I got ebay involved and they called him to confirm that I was indeed correct about his mistake and I wasn't trying to trick him. After that I tried to send a friendly message and to see if there was anything else I was able to do for him. He replied, ebay told him he mistook me for another seller and demanded I stop messaging him or he will report me to ebay for harrassment.