First Neg . . . Heartbroken 😳😥

[mysalonsavings]

I received my first negative today and am absolutely heartbroken. I try so hard to be good to my buyers but I was not even given a warning that this lady was un-happy. Just a negative without reason. I would have given a refund or corrected whatever was an issue if she had contacted me. I have sent a message to the buyer to find out what about the auction that made her think she would be receiving 3 of the items instead of the 1 she purchased as I do not want to have it happen again. If she purchased 3 I did not receive and order for 3 I only received an order for 1? I just feel this is so unfair. 😳😥

[mam98031]

It is very disturbing to suddenly realize that you have a negative on your account.  Many of us have felt just as you do and I'm sorry you are having to experience that.  But your response is likely to hurt you more than the FB the buyer left.  

Potential buyers will understand that stuff happens every now and again.  But if a seller responds to a negative FB in a less than professional way, that can turn potential buyers away.

It appears this was a BIN listing, not an auction.  Not that this makes a difference, they are just different types of listings.  

I actually understand why the buyer got a bit confused about what they were going to receive.  Why did you choose the pics you did for this listing?  Why didn't you use a pick of the ONE tube of color being sold in this listing?

I'm not defending the buyer, I just think that the pics added to the confusion for the buyer and I would suggest revising your pics.  At least the first pic on the listing should be for the single color offered in the listing.  The other thing that may have confused the buyer is that you do have listings for 3 of these for a little less that what they paid for one.  I know that they listings that have 3 are a smaller size, but it still may have confused your buyer since you actually don't tell how many ounces or parts of an ounce are in each vial in any of your listings.  To me that is an important detail you may consider adding.

If I were in your position, I would send a very nice and polite email to my buyer.  I would apologize for any miscommunication and ask them if they would like to return the item for a full refund.  If they agree to that, once I got the item back and I refunded the buyer, I'd email the buyer again and ask if they would consider revising their FB the left.  If they say yes, I would tell them they would receive an email from Ebay shortly regarding this.  The email makes it really easy for the buyer to revise the FB.  Then go send the form and keep your fingers crossed.

[fern*wood]

Showing all the like items you have available to purchase as the gallery is tricky even for variation listings, but your listing isn't set up as a variation listing, so there is no reason to show all of those colors.   That is the perfect type of listing to use variations, so the buyer can pick the color they want.

I agree with others, follow-ups are important and sometimes hard to pull off if you write one off the cuff.  They need to make you look better, not like you just pulled a fast one on a buyer and thought it was funny.  That probably wasn't the angle you planned on taking, but it sure comes across that way.

[mysalonsavings]

If I knew what the issue was I would have corrected it even if it meant giving free product. I think she is saying she purchased 3 of the 4 colors but if she did I am not finding the other two purchases or payment for them. My reply was meant in an asking and what I thought was a gentle manor but after going back and reading it I am appalled at the way it comes across. If she had contacted me we could have worked it out even if it meant giving 2 free ones. I would never try to mislead my customers. 

I have another lady right now that contacted me and said her package was empty with a sticker that says delivered without contents. She stated the package looks like it was run over by a truck. The delivery is just showing the item as delivered. I have given her the option of a full refund or a replacement. I am waiting to see which she wants. The item was a 64 oz bottle of Philosophy fresh cream shampoo. Once I replace or refund I will be out 100.00 or more so it is not the 29.50 of this ladies purchase

 This is a misunderstanding but since she is not replying I cannot make the correction. I think this is so unfair. 😭

[dirk12955]

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@mysalonsavings wrote:

I received my first negative today and am absolutely heartbroken. I try so hard to be good to my buyers but I was not even given a warning that this lady was un-happy. Just a negative without reason. I would have given a refund or corrected whatever was an issue if she had contacted me. I have sent a message to the buyer to find out what about the auction that made her think she would be receiving 3 of the items instead of the 1 she purchased as I do not want to have it happen again. If she purchased 3 I did not receive and order for 3 I only received an order for 1? I just feel this is so unfair. 😳😥

It's too bad that you received your first Neg.    They are irritating and distracting and unfair but don't take it personally.

I wouldn't hesitate to buy from you and I think most reasonable people looking at your items would 

feel the same way.       

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[mam98031 · Accepted solution]

On the customer with the damaged package, I would request a picture of the package before doing anything or offering anything.  If this buyer isn't responding to you, there is a reason, so don't push it.  Ask for the pic and then wait.  As far as Ebay is concerned, you are covered since tracking shows delivered.  Just be patient and give your buyer time to respond.  But do request the pic.

As to the other buyer.  I think it was the pic that confused them.  But JMHO.

[itsjustasprain]

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@mysalonsavings wrote:

I have sent a message to the buyer to find out what about the auction that made her think she would be receiving 3 of the items instead of the 1 she purchased as I do not want to have it happen again. If she purchased 3 I did not receive and order for 3 I only received an order for 1? I just feel this is so unfair. 😳😥

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Only thing I can add to all the useful advice you have recieved so far is to make a mental note to never EVER use the abbreviation Laugh Out Loud in a business situation like in your reply to that Neg. Putting LOL on the end of a sentence just signals that you dont care or that you didnt mean whatever you just wrote. As a reply to a Neg from an unhappy customer who claims that they got an incomplete shipment it just labels you as a seller who doesnt care. We know you DO care but you have to show it in your feedback because thats where future buyers might look.

If you can make the customer happy then you can send them a feedback revision request - but i have no idea how their changing their comment can effect the reply that you posted. I fear you may have welded your reply in place. 

[mysalonsavings]

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@mam98031 wrote:

It is very disturbing to suddenly realize that you have a negative on your account.  Many of us have felt just as you do and I'm sorry you are having to experience that.  But your response is likely to hurt you more than the FB the buyer left.  

Potential buyers will understand that stuff happens every now and again.  But if a seller responds to a negative FB in a less than professional way, that can turn potential buyers away.

It appears this was a BIN listing, not an auction.  Not that this makes a difference, they are just different types of listings.  

I actually understand why the buyer got a bit confused about what they were going to receive.  Why did you choose the pics you did for this listing?  Why didn't you use a pick of the ONE tube of color being sold in this listing?

I'm not defending the buyer, I just think that the pics added to the confusion for the buyer and I would suggest revising your pics.  At least the first pic on the listing should be for the single color offered in the listing.  The other thing that may have confused the buyer is that you do have listings for 3 of these for a little less that what they paid for one.  I know that they listings that have 3 are a smaller size, but it still may have confused your buyer since you actually don't tell how many ounces or parts of an ounce are in each vial in any of your listings.  To me that is an important detail you may consider adding.

If I were in your position, I would send a very nice and polite email to my buyer.  I would apologize for any miscommunication and ask them if they would like to return the item for a full refund.  If they agree to that, once I got the item back and I refunded the buyer, I'd email the buyer again and ask if they would consider revising their FB the left.  If they say yes, I would tell them they would receive an email from Ebay shortly regarding this.  The email makes it really easy for the buyer to revise the FB.  Then go send the form and keep your fingers crossed.

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Hi mam90831, I am not really understanding? I used those pictures to show there are several options available and in the listing I say to see my other listings if they would prefer the other colors to promote my other listings. Is there no way I can remove the reply as it is definitely coming across wrong. Not the way I meant at all.  If she was trying to purchase 3 of the 4 items it did not come across. If she thought she was getting all of the colors why would she say she bought 3 of them? There is a miscommunication here somewhere. If I am at fault I will gladly give her a refund as well as the product or 2 of the other colors. I feel like I am being really beat up because I have obviously made a mistake by both the buyer and my mentors here. I come here because I trust you buyers to lead me in the right direction as to how to handle the issue. You have been here a long time and know what you are doing. I am still learning. I dont understand why I cannot remove the reply if I did not mean it the way it reads. Why would I want to hurt my buyers feelings because a mistake was made. It is not what I meant. 

[femmefan1946]

@mysalonsavings 

It says in really big letters for the other colors to see my other auctions?

Don't do that with pictures.

You can say "Other colours may be available, please ask."

"Buyers don't read." 

[ohnojoey]

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@mysalonsavings wrote:

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@mysalonsavings wrote:

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Yes, there is a picture of all available colors as well as a picture of the actual item. If she wanted three of the colors I am only finding a purchase for 1 of the colors which was the bronze. I checked PayPal also and am only finding an order for the one bronze. I am not sure how to handle this. 

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Maybe she meant she didn't get the three others as shown in the pictures, for a total of four, even though that would have been her misunderstanding, otherwise it doesn't make sense the way she worded the feedback.

I would suggest, as others have, only picture the item(s) you are selling. (As in the last picture)

It has been proven many times over, by sellers posts on this board, that pictures are sometimes misinterpreted as what you see, you get (as it should be).

Some buyers will see the pictures and conclude "what you see is what you get".

[dqdnvwe0]

Well...

And this is the truly sad bit to the negative feedback issue:

1.  The neg will disappear from the seller's feedback scoreboard within exactly one year from the day it was issued.

2. The neg will stay on the buyer's feedback issued scoreboard forever.

Thus...

You will be free from the buyer's feedback within one year, but your buyer has to live with the fact that it was issued forever.

[itsjustasprain]

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@mysalonsavings wrote:
I dont understand why I cannot remove the reply if I did not mean it the way it reads. 

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Becuase unfortunately thats the way it is. Feedback can only be revised or removed under very special circumstances because thats the way Ebay wants it. I would say first try to make the customer happy if you can and then ask them if they will agree to a feedback revision. If they do then send them the request. If you can get them to change their Neg then maybe you could ask customer service if they can remove the reply you left to the original Neg but i have to say Im not optimistic they are going to do that for you. You have nothing to lose by trying.

[lintbrush*]

You are at fault for having a main listing showing more products than the buyer will receive.

They shouldn't have to go looking at other listings to find the other colors that are shown in the picture of another listing.

If you want, you can create one single listing with a multi-variation offering.

Take the advice you are given here.  Buyers expect what the pictures show.    Either go with a multi-variation listing (all colors offered in one listing - buyer picks) or only show the one in the listing.

[friskybusiness]

The first one hurts the most because it stays up for 1 whole year. I looked at your auction, first of all you did say the color was Bronze, you did not say there were 3.

You did have a picture up that showed 4 of them, and this is what might have given the idea that there was more than 1, without going to the last picture that showed 1.

The next time you can highlight the item you are selling with larger letters, and you did say the others if interested were listed in your store....Sometimes buyers do not read the whole listing.  You can ask ebay to remove the negative if the buyer would agree to it. I don't think you owe her anything  extra  myself....Good luck with your future auctions.

[mysalonsavings]

I will give the lady with the missing shampoo her choice of a replacement or refund. I have no reason to disbelieve her. I have received packages with missing contents myself so I know it does happen. Though I dont know her financial situation I have to assume it is better for me to take the loss then the buyer. I can at least write it off on taxes. I am just waiting for her to let me know which way she wants to go. 

[jeannicho22]

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@mysalonsavings wrote:

I received my first negative today and am absolutely heartbroken. I try so hard to be good to my buyers but I was not even given a warning that this lady was un-happy. Just a negative without reason. I would have given a refund or corrected whatever was an issue if she had contacted me. I have sent a message to the buyer to find out what about the auction that made her think she would be receiving 3 of the items instead of the 1 she purchased as I do not want to have it happen again. If she purchased 3 I did not receive and order for 3 I only received an order for 1? I just feel this is so unfair. 😳😥

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Call eBay, ask them to read the listing and then read the FB... They may remove it.  There is nothing on that listing that indicates the buyer would receive 3 items.  They had to use the drop-down to choose a color which clearly shows one item.

I understand others posters criticism of showing all of the colors in the main photo, but this is the way that most variation listings are done.  If the buyer then has reservations about it, the requirement to use the drop-down should clear that up.  IMHO, the FB is removeable.  I suggest a call.  Let us know what happens.