Lost my Top Rated Seller Status-Ridiculous

[valdesauctions]

So today I lost my Top Rated Seller status.  Looked at my dashboard to see why.

 I had two "Items not Received" defects (both of which I immediately refunded).  Last time I checked, I'm not the post office so why I am held responsible for their lack of efficiency.  One of the buyers I refunded actually got the item and I told them not to bother repaying.

I had 5 Return Requests: Item not as described.  Again, I issued immediate refunds and an apology with no need to return the item.  I'm going to rethink that. Let's face it, a lot of sellers are selling used stuff, so once in awhile there is going to be something wrong. At least I made it "right".  

So out of 411 transactions, 9 have an issue (the other two were low stars and no complaint ever made to me--which I would have made right) and I lose Top Rated Seller status. 

I hate to say it, but it looks like a money making scheme for eBay to me.  I'm an honest and hardworking seller that they should be happy to have and yet they take money out of my pocket.  

Kinda ticked off......

Marcus

[retrose1]

Last year auto refund meant no defect.  This year is different - refunds= defects.  And next year will be different too.

[ywhat4now]

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@valdesauctions wrote:

Kinda ticked off......

 _____________________________________________

  Under the current defect system, solving the problem doesn't help.

Not Eligible for Removal

The following defects are not eligible for removal: A seller resolves a buyer's problem after an eBay Money Back Guarantee request is opened. A Feedback comment that violates eBay policy, such as containing profanity or links. (The Feedback comment is removed, but the Feedback rating and any related defects aren't removed.) Shipping-related defects when the transaction doesn't have tracking that enables us to verify on-time order fulfilment and delivery. When an eBay Money Back Guarantee case results in a refund to the buyer by eBay as a courtesy, without a ruling of who was at fault.

[newenglandnew]

You seem to have a pretty good sell through rate and you get good prices.  But right now with only 26 listings, those problem cases make up a very large percentage of selling.   Maybe you could get more listed?  With more listings and more that end with good results you could get your TRS back, probably in a few months.   If you don't have enough inventory you could buy some stuff to sell cheaply--make 100% certain that they are as described-- and that would get your rating back up.

It IS unfair how we sellers become damaged just because the post office doesn't deliver on time.  That's something we can't do anything about.

[valdesauctions]

I just remembered as well:  One of the defects was a buyer who had put their address in without their apartment number.  I printed the label from the eBay system. So it was returned as "undeliverable".  eBay didn't side with them, so I didn't refund anything and the buyer was out in the cold.  When it was returned, I resent it (at my expense) so that the buyer wasn't out $50.  Tell me again how that keeps buyers happy?

Marcus

[valdesauctions]

NewEnglandNew:  Thanks for the observation.  I'm only a part time seller, but I try to have a full time attitude! I'm only mad at eBay today.  Tomorrow they will be my best friend again.  I know there is no better game in town.

[postingboardsonly]

If they show delivered, call Ebay now and have them closed in your favor - that will remove the not received defect.  I have had 2 of these in the last few months and they removed the defect.  

[ywhat4now · Accepted solution]

  OP, if you had fought (and won) just one of those cases instead of refunding immediately...you'd still be TRS. INR cases are especially easy to win if pkg is just a bit slow arriving...AND....you have up to 120 days in which to get a defect removed.

  Next year (Feb), there will be no defect if you refund or otherwise solve the buyer's problem...but, that's not the way it is now.

  You need to get at least 1 defect removed or increase your sales by 40 transactions to regain TRS.

[retrose1]

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@valdesauctions wrote:

NewEnglandNew:  Thanks for the observation.  I'm only a part time seller, but I try to have a full time attitude! I'm only mad at eBay today.  Tomorrow they will be my best friend again.  I know there is no better game in town.

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If you look around, you might find that you are mistaken in your belief.

The majority of my listed online items are vintage, but they are not listed here.

And no, we are not allowed to mention where.

[faithandbutterflies]

This is one of the reasons I closed my store and quit selling awhile back. Unfair loss of TRS. I lost mine due to selling 99 in a year instead of 100. Plus other things. I had over 700 items up for sale and hardly had any page views and sales were slow. I had been a devoted seller for over 12yrs.

[valdesauctions]

Thanks for the information!

I just called and they are removing one of them.  The other is outside of the 120 days.  I just learned some valuable eBay policy information.

Thanks again!

[giant_fan]

I have started putting a packing slip into every shipment, asking that the buyer message me before leaving any neutral or negative feedback, requesting a return, or any other problem

This has cut my defect rate in half, at least per the current rules.

This does not stop the defect when the buyer is looking for revenge or trying to scam you, but most buyers are honest and just trying to get what they paid for.,

[hyperrush]

oddly my feedback dropped again 95% to 94%, system must be rubish 😕

[valley-jewels]

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@hyperrush wrote:

oddly my feedback dropped again 95% to 94%, system must be rubish 😕

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No, what likely happened is that one of your positive feedbacks was a year old and dropped off so there are less positives to offset the negative you received a while back.

[lightwing_studios]

We just got TRS...and don't care.