Recently scammed on here for the first time and eBay refuses to help me. What would you do?

[rexboyce]

I've been a seller since 2018, almost 1000 total sales with no issues. I recently sold a used apple pencil for 40 dollars to a relatively new eBay buyer, all was fine until he received the product and requested a refund because he said it wasn't working.  Now I had tested it and I know it was working, but I accepted the refund right away because I just wanted to keep my customer happy and 40 dollars isn't a big deal. He immediately left me my first ever negative feedback, even after I refunded him. He then proceeded to let me know that he would not be shipping the item back because "it was broken and he already threw it away", he then refused to change the negative feedback he left me now permanently falsely tarnishing my account. I called eBay for help and the customer service agent on the phone who barely spoke english agreed with me that I was in the right and that they would help me if I pushed to escalate further, but when I did that I got an automated decision made in the buyers favor and now I can't do anything. I don't even care about the $40, I'd rather not have the made up negative feedback on my account. This platform is so bad, it won't even let me leave the buyer a negative feedback, it only lets me leave him a positive one so I had to leave the guy positive feedback, with a note in the message warning everyone he is a scammer. This whole situation makes me not even want to use eBay anymore, what would you do?

[conservitvs]

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@rexboyce wrote:

It's honestly completely unfair that this is how eBay works. What is the point of feedback if I'm only allowed to leave the buyer a positive feedback? Even if the guy completely scams me I'm not allowed to let other people know? Sounds completely unreasonable to me. I appreciate all of the replies

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Maybe. But those are the rules. We all agreed to them and so too must we follow them, whether we agree or not. 

You were not scammed. You made an unfortunate decision to voluntarily refund the buyer in full before receiving the item back.  In that case, there is no requirement for the buyer to return the item.

[house*of*paws]

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@rexboyce wrote:

It's honestly completely unfair that this is how eBay works. What is the point of feedback if I'm only allowed to leave the buyer a positive feedback? Even if the guy completely scams me I'm not allowed to let other people know? Sounds completely unreasonable to me. I appreciate all of the replies tho

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@rexboyce 
I agree that it's unfair ... but it is eBay policy nonetheless, and one it takes seriously when it's brought to their attention.

eBay allowed buyers to receive negative and neutral feedback until 5/2008.  It stopped being allowed because too many sellers automatically left their buyer bad feedback as soon as they received it ... as you did.  Buyers were leaving eBay  just for that reason ... so eBay finally changed the rules.  In exchange, sellers received several benefits that they didn't previously have ... such as giving buyers nonpayment strikes and being able to block buyers automatically who have received 2 or more nonpayment strikes.

eBay is the only venue where buyers receive feedback at all.  [It's a remnant from the start of eBay, where members could 'trade' items ... meaning there wasn't a clear line between a buyer and seller.]  It probably would be better to stop allowing feedback for buyers altogether ... but many sellers appreciate that their feedback rating is increased by the feedback they've received as a buyer.

And to be clear ... you did NOT perform the return properly.   You were supposed to wait until you received the item back before refunding the buyer.  The buyer was told that they didn't have to return the item once you refunded them ... AND they also lost access to your free return shipping label.  You weren't scammed if you voluntarily refunded the buyer.   

[rexboyce]

Thanks I know I didn't follow protocol. I know this is not how eBay works, that's why I'm here complaining asking what would you do. Thanks for the least helpful response yet 

[rexboyce]

thanks for the smart ah reply you weirdo I don't know anything about 2008 ebay practices

[rexboyce]

Yea I agreed to not get taken advantage of when I signed up for this platform and that's what happened in this situation. Yup it's my fault. It just makes me want to stop using this crappy platform, they don't care about their sellers at all

[grand-and-glorious-purpose]

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@rexboyce wrote:

thanks for the smart ah reply you weirdo I don't know anything about 2008 ebay practices

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Obviously.

As was stated before the last time a seller could leave a buyer a negative was in 2008 which means you are quite a bit behind in reading.

If you are 17 years behind on how feedback works then it would stand to reason that you are not up to date on plenty of other policies.

Start with the MBG and work your way from there.

[glorybells]

@inhawaii ‘s response:

This is NOT how ebay works.

You did not follow protocol.

Wasn’t the “least helpful”, it was the most succinct.  You didn’t properly follow eBay procedures, you ended up with a mess.  You’re wanting to know what to do now?  There’s nothing you can do about the negative feedback or the refund/return issue.  The only thing that you can do is to contact eBay about removing the feedback you left for the buyer before the buyer reports it and you get a ding against your account.

[fbusoni]

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@rexboyce wrote:

This whole situation makes me not even want to use eBay anymore, what would you do?

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@rexboyce 

I'd start reading the material on these forums... lots of very experienced sellers here who have walked their fellow sellers through thousands of different scenarios, including the one you describe above.

There are a few categories that I do not sell in -- and electronics (anything that plugs into a wall) is one of them.   You need to keep in mind that something electronic which is used -- even if tested -- stands an even chance of not working upon delivery, or at least not working properly.

Meantime, it stings to both lose your money and receive negative feedback, especially after you went out of your way to make the buyer whole.

Try to look at this as a relatively inexpensive lesson learned.  regards

[luckythewinner]

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@rexboyce wrote:

It's honestly completely unfair that this is how eBay works. What is the point of feedback if I'm only allowed to leave the buyer a positive feedback? Even if the guy completely scams me I'm not allowed to let other people know? Sounds completely unreasonable to me. I appreciate all of the replies tho

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eBay has much higher standards and exerts much greater control over sellers than they do over buyers. 

Those are the rules that eBay has established years ago, and there are reasons why eBay adopted them.

And the fact that there are 1.5 billion items still listed here suggest to me that eBay is not terribly worried that you think it is unfair.

[glorybells]

You’re way off base saying that @grand-and-glorious-purpose’s reply was a “smart ___” reply.

Their saying:

I would spend some time getting more current than 2008 on best ebay practices and polices.

You were your own worst enemy here.

is telling it like it is.   You really were your own worst enemy.  And you continue to be, because you won’t accept that you messed up because you weren’t current on policies.

[grand-and-glorious-purpose]

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@rexboyce wrote:

they don't care about their sellers at all

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I tend to agree with you from the lens of the management team at ebay has zero clue what it is like to be a seller or what that entails.

Caring doesn't occur to them as a thing that benefits ebay. They need buyers to spend their money freely and to hit quarterly earnings reports.

Eventually there will be a come to jesus moment and ebay will have to work in some protection for buyers but as of now that is too expensive an issue for them to possibly want to have to try and figure out.

[sugarnspice777]

Watch him. I am sure one day he will want to sell something.

[aproudparent2010]

You never give a refund before you get your item back so you did this to yourself.

Once a refund is made the buyer is no longer required to ship the item back.

[aproudparent2010]

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@rexboyce wrote:

It's honestly completely unfair that this is how eBay works. What is the point of feedback if I'm only allowed to leave the buyer a positive feedback? Even if the guy completely scams me I'm not allowed to let other people know? Sounds completely unreasonable to me. I appreciate all of the replies

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He didn't scam you, you scammed yourself by refunding before item was sent back. Also buyer can get feedback you left removed and you get a violation for it.

[aproudparent2010]

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@rexboyce wrote:

Yea I agreed to not get taken advantage of when I signed up for this platform and that's what happened in this situation. Yup it's my fault. It just makes me want to stop using this crappy platform, they don't care about their sellers at all

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You took advantage of yourself though....