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Neutral Feedback: Buyer admits item arrived as described, but buyer breaks item after days of usage.

I sold someone a two piece bag set and the buyer leaves neutral feedback.

Buyer's feedback comment was that she herself broke the item after a few days of usage, but also at the same time admits that the item arrived as described in the listing.

 

Some background on the item the buyer purchased:

Listed as brand new with tags, even tags that had the original retail price on it (sold to her at 50% off), I have a receipt of authenticity, the item was listed for sale because I ran out of storage space immediately after purchasing it but didn't want to return to the store. I was listing other items for sale so I figured my loss is someone's gain. As I've said, the item was described accurately. It was new with tags and was authentic from the store in which the item is sold. Pictures show the item in perfect condition and all the details are within the listing.

Buyer purchases the item and I ship the next business day. She receives the item, uses it for a few days, and she breaks it. I've already made it obvious in the original listing that I'm not the manufacturer or the company that made it, I'm an impulse buyer.

Instead of contacting me about the item upon receipt, she leaves neutral feedback days after she's been using it. Now, I would assume that since she did not claim it was damaged in transit (which wouldn't be possible because I packaged it with plenty of protection), that the fact she broke it was her own fault. She says the zipper broke two days after use, which means that she mishandled it herself. Item was in perfect working condition when mailed, and obviously in perfect working condition when it arrived, yet she herself managed to break the item.

She doesn't give detail into how she broke it, just that she broke it in a couple days time. Zippers break, its common knowledge that they break -- zip up your jacket one day like normal and it runs off the track, that's happened to us all at least a handful of times in our lives; you overstuff or try to close a zipper on something that is barely hanging on because it doesn't fit and then the zipper busts off track itself; overstuff a bedding bag and the excess weight you jammed in busts the zipper open. But can you really blame the person who sold it to you, or should you blame the company that manufactured it? Train cases (which this item was) don't come with warranties or anything because the bag lasts depending on how you as the consumer take care of it.

 

Now because the buyer admitted that the item arrived as described, is it unfair that I'm being judged as a seller because she breaks the item somehow after she's been using it? There's no telling how she broke the zipper after two days, could also be that her kid got hand of it and broke it, but I would assume she probably overstuffed it.

 

She didn't message me asking to return it, she didn't message me telling me that the item was defective. The item couldn't be defective because I've provided more than enough supporting evidence that the item was perfectly fine when I sold it.

 

I as a seller can't control what you do with something once you accept the package and you like it.

I did everything right as a seller, from listing and describing accurately to proper packaging practices and shipment faster than what is noted in my listings (2-3 business days but I ship within the same day or next day).

 

I understand that neutral feedback doesn't effect negatively my % feedback score, but it just doesn't settle well with me that a buyer blames a seller for something they admit arrived as described. She knows I'm not a retailer, manufacturer, or company employee, so I don't think it's right to assume that I'm responsible for her mishandling her items, especially when I have evidence on my side. I would appreciate any (respectful) opinions in this while I await eBay customer service return contact.

 

So my ultimate question is, would eBay consider removing the feedback because she did say the item arrived as described and working fine BEFORE she broke it herself?

 

Thanks in advance.

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Neutral Feedback: Buyer admits item arrived as described, but buyer breaks item after days of usage.

Waaay to long to read. 

 

However I don't see in the feedback "that she herself broke the item".

 

It's only a neutral...move on.

You are at 100% & that's all buyers notice. 

 

You could though stop leaving FALSE POSITIVE feedback for buyers/non payers. 

It's a selling violation. 

It does NOT help other sellers. 

Buyers can have that feedback removed. 

Please use the tools that eBay provides.

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Message 2 of 11
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Neutral Feedback: Buyer admits item arrived as described, but buyer breaks item after days of usage.

Waaay to long to read. 

 

However I don't see in the feedback "that she herself broke the item".

 

It's only a neutral...move on.

You are at 100% & that's all buyers notice. 

 

You could though stop leaving FALSE POSITIVE feedback for buyers/non payers. 

It's a selling violation. 

It does NOT help other sellers. 

Buyers can have that feedback removed. 

Please use the tools that eBay provides.

Message 2 of 11
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Neutral Feedback: Buyer admits item arrived as described, but buyer breaks item after days of usage.

I've already spoken to someone at eBay concerning that, and I haven't left feedback like that since then.

Now when someone skips out on something they've purchased or tries to scam me, I just report and don't respond to the feedback, so after the alotted period ends, I won't have to leave feedback for them.

 

If my post was too much for you to read, you didn't have to respond, it's alright, I was really just looking to a respectful answer to my questions, not judgement on something else and the fact I wanted to include as many details as possible. Thanks though.

Message 3 of 11
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Neutral Feedback: Buyer admits item arrived as described, but buyer breaks item after days of usage.

Well, cutting to the chase here (there's gotta be a better cliche than that old tired one), if you're really worried about that neutral you maybe able to get it removed on the strength that the buyer broke the item.

 

But really, it makes the buyer look like a goof, not you.

 

If you can't get it removed, unfortunately you're going to have to let it go.  A reasonable, professional reply is your best course if you want to do anything. I've noticed some sellers are now addressing their replies to the actual buyer name rather than this opaque string of letters now assigned.  Up to you.

Message 4 of 11
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Neutral Feedback: Buyer admits item arrived as described, but buyer breaks item after days of usage.


@*help_no_brakes* wrote:

Waaay to long to read. 

 

However I don't see in the feedback "that she herself broke the item".

 

It's only a neutral...move on.

You are at 100% & that's all buyers notice.


Agreed.  It's only a neutral that won't affect your feedback score at all and she's not blaming you for anything-- in fact, she even says that the item was otherwise as described.  She's just stating that the zipper broke.

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Neutral Feedback: Buyer admits item arrived as described, but buyer breaks item after days of usage.

Thank you so much for your kind response.

I did draw out the possibilities and address what I felt should be considered when I sent a message over to eBay CS about it.

 

Because its not affecting the overall percentage, I guess if it doesn't turn out the way I want, at least it is not a negative, right?

 

I overall just wanted to ask, I'm relatively new to asking the community for help on topics. I usually just google everything but it leads me back here anyway so I thought I'd give it a shot. Just wish I could figure out how to turn off responses -- responding on some topics is disabled, I'd like to figure out how to turn this one into one of those now.

Message 6 of 11
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Neutral Feedback: Buyer admits item arrived as described, but buyer breaks item after days of usage.

You are correct in that I did not need to respond. 

However I chose to. 

My thoughts on the neutral still remain...I am unable to see where the buyer stated that they damaged the item. 

When I received a neutral for less than stellar packaging I apologized to the buyer & sent a replacement...I did not obsess

over it or feel the need to post such a trivial matter on a discussion board. 

 

Good to hear that you are no longer leaving false positives. 

Hopefully you are opening & closing UPI's, using your BBL & have your Preferences set accordingly. 

Message 7 of 11
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Neutral Feedback: Buyer admits item arrived as described, but buyer breaks item after days of usage.

Way too many words. Goes to durability though. Something should not break after a few uses. Retail stores get returns or bad reviews for just that kind of thing very often evenn though they didn't make it.




Forget keeping up with the Joneses. Be the Finklegrubers!
OK kids, time to get the Dodge loaded up again. I hear 'Poppy's By the Tree' calling. This trip might be a long one too.
Message 8 of 11
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Neutral Feedback: Buyer admits item arrived as described, but buyer breaks item after days of usage.

Adding .. it's $30 and VS is not known to be high quality despite their prices.


Forget keeping up with the Joneses. Be the Finklegrubers!
OK kids, time to get the Dodge loaded up again. I hear 'Poppy's By the Tree' calling. This trip might be a long one too.
Message 9 of 11
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Neutral Feedback: Buyer admits item arrived as described, but buyer breaks item after days of usage.

It depends on what the CS rep decides.  Personally, since I know they don't like to remove using "that's the buyer's opinion" from reading this Board, you may get that same response.  They may feel disinclined to remove a comment on something that breaks as it can reflect the quality of what you sold.

 

I think it is possible she overstuffed the bag and the zipper broke but it is also possible the zipper was faulty and so it broke quickly.  I believe another poster remarked that this brand is not high quality.

 

At least it is not a neg! 

Message 10 of 11
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Neutral Feedback: Buyer admits item arrived as described, but buyer breaks item after days of usage.

I have never seen any eBay rule that said that quality of product can't be part of the feedback.  On the other hand, some sellers apparently can get any feedback removed if they keep calling back.  Good luck....

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