Is this feedback extortion?

[holsteinatlanta]

Buyer purchased a used CD I listed as VG, and it ships via gsp.  He emails me stating that the case is scuffed and some of the teeth are not holding the disk in place. He states that it will cost him $20 to return it and says "Can I have some assistance?"  I never handled a gsp return so I asked him to initialize a return through ebay and I will see what they suggest.  He replies and states he looked it up that he would have to pay return shipping and is not doing so. I reply that I gladly take the item back for a full refund and pay return shipping if he starts a return.  His next reply states "will decide what feedback this deserves in goodtime" and I get a neg the next day.  I see this guy likes to leave everyone negs so I think he does this frequently.  I contacted ebay outsourced customer service, the rep had no idea what I was talking about and pretty much said too bad .

[kaelykat]

He was hoping you'd send him a partial refund. This is a common scam. He could have opened a case for not as described and you would have been on the hook for return shipping.

If he had said give me money or you get a neg, it would be feedback extortion. However, keep that message he sent and call customer service as they may remove that neg he left. Don't take their word for it, refuse to get off the phone until they do it.

[myangelandmyprincess · Accepted solution]

Sounds like the case was damaged in shipping causing the cd to come lose and get scratched?   If that was the case gsp would have been responsible for refunding the buyer and he likely wouldn’t have even had to return.   

As for if the feedback you can see if they will remove it but it’s not clear cut extortion. I would aim me for getting it removed under gsp policy that makes you not responsible for shipping damage 

[lewisburggold]

Seems very close to us.  We think you may have a chance at getting it removed you should call again and try.  Best regards

[casingda]

First off, I’m not even sure what the teeth are that he’s referring to, and why they would have trouble holding the disk in place.  Unless he’s using some CD player that is different from one I’ve heard of, I don’t know where teeth come into play.  At any rate, I am a buyer, and if I were you, I’d ask for photographic evidence of the damage.  The thing is, if you e posted photos in the listing showing that it didn’t have scuffs when you shipped it, then how can you be held responsible for them.  I’m not sure what that shipping method is, not having herd of it before.  Is he blaming the damage on the shippers?  If he is, then he ought to have purchased shipping insurance.  No matter what, this comes down to how well you described the item and how clear your photos were insofar as to what type of feedback he ought to have been leaving.  However, if, as you day, it’s his M.O. on basically all of his transactions, I don’t think it’s any reflection on you as a seller.  I rarely, if ever, leave negative feedback.  Most of the time, if there’s a problem, it is easily resolved by the seller.  As an observation, the one thing that sellers seem to be doing too much of lately is relying on photos instead of verbal descriptions.  I do not like this trend.

[the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth]

I think by teeth he means the little doodad that holds the CD in the case and stops it from sliding around.

[myangelandmyprincess]

I’m pretty sure the teeth being referred to are the ones meant to hold it in place in the cd case.  They are missing thus the disc was loose in the case causing it to scratch.   

A seller would absolutely be responsible for damage caused in shipping.  In this case since it was sent through gsp (global shipping program) if the teeth missing happened in shipment the gap would be responsible. 

@casingda

[coolections]

No it is not extortion. They buyer was unhappy about getting a broken cd case and a scratched cd. He was upset to have to waste his time to return it. He left a negative letting you know of his displeasure of the situation.

[casingda]

That doodad isn’t teeth, though.  It’s a circular shape with a fflat top that one snaps the CD onto to hold it in place in the case.  If he is saying the center spool was broken and would not hold the CD securely in place during shipping, causing it to slide around and become scratched in the process, perhaps that’s what ought to have been clearly stated here.  Then it would make sense to me and I’d understand his complaint.  However, why he refused the seller’s offer to have it shipped back for a refund is something I don’t quite understand.  Perhaps it’s not as easy as it is here in the States to do that.

[casingda]

Never mind.  My mistake.  He said the case got scuffed.  So it’s even more of a mystery to me as to what he’s referring to when he talks about teeth.  And he just ought to have accepted having the refund.  Case closed and everyone happy, more or less.

[turquoisetulips]

His next reply states "will decide what feedback this deserves in goodtime- thecowssaidmoo - unquote---------------------------

It sounds like the buyer was doing his best to hint around for a partial refund . The '' goodtime'' comment  was a good clue , he was giving you'' time''  to think of it . Since you offered him a return and refund there isn't anything else required of you . Under his negative mark  in the feedback section  there's a place for you  to respond . I would simply write , I offered a return and full refund . Tulips 

[starroute-us]

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@holsteinatlanta wrote:

Buyer purchased a used CD I listed as VG, and it ships via gsp.  He emails me stating that the case is scuffed and some of the teeth are not holding the disk in place. He states that it will cost him $20 to return it and says "Can I have some assistance?"  I never handled a gsp return so I asked him to initialize a return through ebay and I will see what they suggest.  He replies and states he looked it up that he would have to pay return shipping and is not doing so. I reply that I gladly take the item back for a full refund and pay return shipping if he starts a return.  His next reply states "will decide what feedback this deserves in goodtime" and I get a neg the next day.  I see this guy likes to leave everyone negs so I think he does this frequently.  I contacted ebay outsourced customer service, the rep had no idea what I was talking about and pretty much said too bad .

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With GSP the buyer has to open a case or the bad FB can be removed, it is stated somewhere in this link:

http://pages.ebay.com/sellerinformation/ship-smart/advanced-shipping/Global-Shipping-Program/GSPUAFA...

[holsteinatlanta]

Sorry I did not respond earlier I never get the notifications that someone replied, they do not go to spam I just don't get them.

I like the response that global shipping may have damaged it. It is a possibility. Today I offered a full refund if he removes the neg, wonder if that is allowed, because that is reverse feedback extortion.

I have come to terms with getting the neg. I was 100% since November 8000 ratings. Once when talking to a Utah C/S rep I was told it is close to impossible to maintain 100% and it is no big deal to have a few.

[jonathankirkland]

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@holsteinatlanta wrote:
Sorry I did not respond earlier I never get the notifications that someone replied, they do not go to spam I just don't get them.

I like the response that global shipping may have damaged it. It is a possibility. Today I offered a full refund if he removes the neg, wonder if that is allowed, because that is reverse feedback extortion.

I have come to terms with getting the neg. I was 100% since November 8000 ratings. Once when talking to a Utah C/S rep I was told it is close to impossible to maintain 100% and it is no big deal to have a few.

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NO!!!! Do not EVER do this!

This is exactly the kind of behavior from sellers that make other sellers on here cringe! You are giving in to the unsavory types and reinforcing the fact that they can extort partial or even full refunds out of sellers all in the name of useless, pointless and meaningless feedback!

Feedback doesn't affect seller performance so it is largely meaningless. Unless a seller is getting left and right out of negligence I don't think a single negative or even a few is going to raise any red flags with potential buyers. People don't care about 100% feedback. It's irrelevant!

Please do not give in to this type of behavior and create the type of bad buyers on ebay that we all despise...

[holsteinatlanta]

YEA got it removed.    Not sure which rule the guy broke but they saw the guy has a pattern of doing this.  I asked the rep what I could do in the future to prevent this from happening again and was told my emails were very professional and the buyer was trying to take advantage.  WOW,  they complimented me and removed it.  Very happy.

Thanks for the tip on not giving full refund for removing neg.  I never did this before.  Usually the seller 'steps in it' and the way they ask for partial refunds is enough to contact ebay. 

100% TRS  .... for now