12-18-2019 10:05 PM
Hi, All!
I have been selling on eBay periodically for 10 years, with 300 reviews and 100% positive feedback since the beginning. Never a bad review.
Here is the situation for which I am looking for some guidance:
Thank you!
Jeff
12-19-2019 10:01 AM
@jsb-chicago wrote:Hi Everyone!
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Jeff, the Seller who posted the original message here....
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The eBay Community is a great group! Thank you all for your responses. They were very helpful.
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Using some of the ideas in the many replies I received, I wrote back to the Buyer and gently suggested that I knew he was scamming me. Surprise, surprise. He CLOSED the refund request with no action required on my part.
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It's nice to know that I don't have to refund the money anymore; however, I still have the negative feedback from him.
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I appealed to him and his "good sense" via an eBay message, asking him if he would remove the negative feedback. If he doesn't reply to my initial request, I am thinking of offering him an incentive of a refund of half his shipping fee, $6.00, to incentivize him to action. Any thoughts on this? I hate to reward him....
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OR, is it possible that eBay, seeing the history of this transaction and recognizing that the Buyer closed the case with no action on my part after less than a day, will remove the negative feedback? Again, any thoughts?
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Once again, thank you all for your help and advice. Happy Holidays!!!
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Jeff
jsb-chicago
Don't offer that $$ incentive. That is against the Ebay rules. It could get you into trouble. You are not allowed to trade money for FB.
12-19-2019 10:02 AM
Ebay is not going to remove the negative by themselves. You are not a top-rated seller, you do not offer free returns, so you don't qualify for removal. They couldn't care less how good your reputation has been up until now.
Offering to refund money in exchange for removal of feedback is bribery. It is illegal and unethical. It is entirely against eBay's rules. It could get you suspended. Not trying to be harsh with you, just hoping to have you see it from a different perspective.
You can live with that negative. Sellers succeed in selling with negs on their accounts, often with many, many more than you have. Ninety-nine percent of buyers never even look at feedback. It is a blow to your pride, the first one you get really hurts, but it doesn't make you a bad seller, it doesn't stop buyers from buying from you.
12-19-2019 02:15 PM
12-20-2019 04:42 AM - edited 12-20-2019 04:46 AM
Even though your underhanded buyer closed the return request, be sure and report them using this new handy Seller Help Hub. https://www.ebay.com/help/seller-help?from=HELP_HUB Go to Request Assistance function. Ebay says they are now keeping better track of such things.
I'd still call and ask that they remove the neg. If that ultimately doesn't work, you can also add a nice reply to the red donut. Keep in mind that you will be addressing future prospective buyers, not this scammer stellar ebay citizen...
Here's my suggestion for a FB reply...exactly 80 characters-- Damaged outer shipping box not mine. All valid claims will be properly resolved.
Sometimes FB reply assistance threads can be quite amusing around here! Sorry this happened to you. Good luck!
12-20-2019 05:09 AM
@snowbirdliquidations wrote:They might not be replying back because they know they are caught
If they have filed an INAD, there is no reason for them to reply back, they know they will get their refund if they reply back or not.
If they file an INAD, you only have a few days to accept the return and provide return shipping.
If you don't and buyer ask Ebay to step in, they might refund the buyer from your Pay Pal account and let them keep the item.
12-20-2019 05:34 AM - edited 12-20-2019 05:35 AM
Sad. Dropped you down to a 90% feedback even though all your other reviews are positive and glowing.
Reasonable people know you have zero control over people at shipping companies that sometimes damage packages.
What about the contents inside the box? Maybe I skipped that part, but did they initiate the refund solely due to the box damage? Seems kind of drastic. I know for a xmas gift the box intact would be nice, but how does ebay deal with box damages when the contents are fully functional. I guess in a way the listing is also for the box as well since there are also costs associated with the box and the whole presentation thing.
I'm dealing with a return now for an INAD because it didn't record, but did when I tested it. I'm sure it's going to arrive functional and I will still be out pp fees, eb fees, and shipping x2.
It's really at the point where a buyer could purchase a flat screen TV, hit it with a baseball bat, file an INAD return and the seller would still have to foot all the bills. I've been reading so many horror stories of what sellers have to go through this past week and it's sad.
Wish I had some valuable info to offer you 😞 .
12-20-2019 08:46 AM
12-20-2019 09:41 AM
12-20-2019 09:46 AM
12-20-2019 12:59 PM
12-20-2019 02:33 PM