Passive Aggressive Feedback Extortion / Discounted Transaction

[oddsonfun]

I'm just throwing this out there.  Maybe its a coincidence.

Lately I've run into a few transactions with a buyer that go like this.

1. I receive a lowball offer. Decline.  

2. Buyer buys the item anyway.

3. Upon receipt I get negative feedback for a problem that is highly unlikely to be true.  I'm not being arrogant.  Selling on Ebay since the 1990s.

4. I inquire with the buyer to make right for a problem probably non existent in the first place.  

5. They are vague about the issue, just repeat that x is missing or is broken.  No photos or proof if requested "I threw the piece out already"  example

6. Give them a partial refund.

7.  They remove the negative.

I feel like I'm getting some routine where people work the feedback to get the price they want or get something cheaper on the backend.  Getting frustrating.  Is it me? Is this normal?  Or was I lucky to not get these type of transactions before?  I've had a handful with this back and forth this year.   

Thank you.

[vintagecraze50]

Yes, you can always reply to bad feedback with a factual reply posted in a positive manner that explains what was the truth.

[vintagecraze50]

We handle this potential problem with free returns and always auto approve returns. We rarely if ever give partials. They either want it, do not want it, it’s damages etc so return it.

[vintagecraze50]

It may be a red flag, but remember though, people may just be testing you out on the price and may end up buying anyway, but in general something that is way too low of an offer will not generate a good sale.

[vintagecraze50]

They remove the neg and you lost money, not a good business plan if you ask me.

[vintagecraze50]

Perhaps their tactic is the negative feedback extortion first, then demand the partial. They find ways to try to intimidate. Always tell them return for refund, and then respond to the feedback with a factual reply that explained what happened. In cases where say for example some says in that feedback, “item received damaged etc, reply. “Buyer was given full refund”, you respond in a manner that shows you assisted them, solved the problem etc.

[reallynicestamps]

Don't fear a negative. 

Do ask for a return of the "damaged" item before refunding. If you think they are scamming for a partial, include a return shipping label with your demand request.

Even if you have a No Returns policy you are allowed to demand the return before refunding.

"I regret that you are unhappy with your purchase. Please return it for a refund."

If it really is damaged, you may still be able to sell it As Is/For Parts. Maybe.

If there is nothing wrong with it, you have a good item to relist and resell.

Buyers who put in "too many" claims to the MBG may no longer be able to use the MBG, which is why they will not even try to open one.

Never fear the negative.  eBay does not use it to assess member accounts.

Response : "Sent Shipping Label for return. Did not use it and kept item."

[fashunu4eeuh]

You are playing into their hands.

Like others state, if there is a “problem” with the item, give no partial refunds and tell them to return for a full refund. There may be a 1 in a 100 where a partial makes sense and is appropriate, but these “fishers” just want the discount and to keep the item. Take away their incentive to pursue the partial by insisting on a return. (Btw, eBay buyers currently don’t have to prove damage by providing evidence of such.)

Buyers can’t use threats of negs to get what they want. That is Feedback Extortion and is against policy. But the trick here is to not fear getting a negative to begin with. That takes away the buyer’a ability to leverage  an after-the-purchase discount.

Feedback no longer counts towards s seller’s metrics and most buyers understand that the occasional neg is inevitable, and not necessarily a reflection on the seller. Most know there are some buyers who can’t be pleased, or who try to use feedback to manipulate.

There are other alternatives to giving partials, such as attempts to get eBay to remove the unwanted feedback, or by leaving a non-emotional follow-up comment (like expressing your concern that the buyer did not wish to return the goods as suggested). A Follow up comment to bad feedback is prime real estate on eBay to show off your customer service skills. When done well, such a comment can utterly defuse the negative. (It should not sound angry, defensive, or blaming of course.)

 Unless there is a genuine rash of damaged goods that could possibly indicate some flaw in your packing procedure, don’t use partial refunds in exchange for feedback removal. 

Times are tough right now, so the partial payment extortionists may be more than prevalent than in the past. Have a plan. If the buyer has low-balled you upfront, and then later wants a discount, well, that’s an indication they are fishing. Call their bluff.

[cstpos]

@oddsonfun  I always tell them to please open a return on ebay - that we don't want anyone to keep an item they're unhappy with. Let them know that as soon as they do open a return on ebay, that will enable you to send them a return label. They might have intentionally damaged the item before they send it back, or you might call their bluff and you never hear from them again. Either way,I would rather pay to get it back than to reward a jerk. You may be able to refund minus the return shipping, depending on your account settings.

I would report that buyer to ebay for feedback extortion then add them to my Blocked Buyer List. If I get a really low-ball offer, I will counter 1 time in case it was a mistake. If they come back with another low offer, I add them to my BBL. I had a guy badger me with messages because there were several other listings for the same item I was selling for that cost less money, free shipping, etc. I replied How lucky he is for having so many other places to purchase from. And then I blocked him.

[oddsonfun]

Thanks for all the responses.

I just want to emphasize that the pattern in these transactions is that I am not contacted before the negative and the buyer never asks for a return.  Its really where I feel there is a passive play going on.  Almost as if they are waiting for me to see a very negative review only to be replaced by a very positive one for a small refund.  "Just give me $15 back for my trouble and we're good"  

I'm never ignored after the feedback.  Communication occurs.   I can contact them and say hey you can return, but the feedback has already been left.   Offering a return doesn't stop what they are doing.    They don't want a return.  They want the item.  They just want it cheaper.  That's where it gets shady.  They don't want to show me what's wrong because there isn't anything wrong.  Ebay sets the sellers up to try and make it right and request a revision if feedback is important to you.  If I ignored the negatives and wasn't proactive about reaching the buyer I would have several negatives.   You can say don't worry about the negatives, but they are there and its part of the system.  A couple recent ones on my page into the holiday buying season, I'm not necessarily interested in riding it out.

[gramsmocks]

Posting the truth in a reply doesn't remove the unwarranted negative feedback. I've had three over the last year.  It really hurts feedback score, especially when maybe 1 in 60 leave feedback at all.

[jeffbuzz]

Seems like the scammers are attracted by specific categories or products.  I get them in waves and then nothing for a while.  When the scammers realize you are not an easy mark they move on to someone else.

Best protection policy is having good photos and accurate descriptions.

I am often tempted to outright block people for lowball offers or really bizarre questions that seem like phishing expeditions.  But sometimes those initial lowball offers turn into legit sales and repeat buyers.  So I think it is risky to block folks just based on an offer you may think is too low.  I make lots of offers myself and often they are far, far below the asking price.  What we believe an item is worth isn't always what the market values it at.