Return for a Refund... advice needed on FB follow up...

[lemarcheaupuces]

so if it wasn't for Ebay (her words) she would have left a Neutral without contacting me.

all my listings say 30 days return.

this buyer has 700FB to her name.

she should know how things work, meaning filing a SNAD.

she collects such items and seems to be a "serious" collector as per her "me" page (she does shows etc...).

i replied and did not argue the issue (NOT an acknowledgement of guilt);

Return for a Refund.

25 years in the hospitality business.

the rule was;

the customer is never wrong, kill them with kindness.

i apply the same rule on ebay.

just saddened at the fact she would have left a Neutral without even contacting me.

i am a busy online buyer and would never do this to a seller.

i almost thought this transaction would end up in a "unpaid" item case.

she took close to 3+ days to pay.

got the email not long ago.

no answer so far.

wonder is this is a "subtle" partial refund request?

i mean it would be "much" easier to tell her to keep the item.

well too late for now till i hear from her.

it is a cheap item.

not thrilled about having to pay for return shipping.

i understand why other sellers cave into partial refunds or just let buyers keep the items.

99.99% of my buyers have no issue with my products.

you tell yourself 1 bad comment and it might open the flood "gates".

so why bother with the other 0.01%?

almost feel like that is what i should have done and be done with it.

but i can't.

that's making it too easy to get free merchandise.

coincidence.

 just cleared my BBL yesterday.

had not added 1 user in years.

had so many names along with "deleted".

well this seller is the first on my "new" list.

1 question.

for now i am waiting.

but for later.

what am i allowed to say in FB follow up?

can i leave a follow up on the FB I already left?

i know it has to be related to the transaction.

i want to say something that is going to stick and not be removed.

i know what to say if she leaves a Neutral;

Offered full refund... blah blah blah...

thanks for any advice on this.

[myboardid]

In the OP's situation, I don't believe the buyer was "stopped" by eBay's suggestion from leaving a neutral.  I believe this is a scam from the get-go, and that the wording of the message was intended to pressure the OP to offer a partial or full refund without the buyer returning the item.  I'd bet the buyer uses the same/similar message to every seller she buys from.  She knows how to threaten bad feedback without actually using words that eBay would consider a threat, so as not to get hit with an extortion violation.   OP's response is exactly right, and the buyer will probably give up making attempts at getting money back without doing a return.  There won't be any feedback left at all, since that would just call out her attempt at getting an after-sale discount. 

[southernfriedbelle]

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@lemarcheaupuces wrote:

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@southernfriedbelle wrote:

IMO, you are stressing about something that doesn't deserve the emotional energy you're expending. I agree that her go-to method of dealing with the issue was not what I would personally choose or advocate, but unfortunately, some buyers just don't know they SHOULD contact the seller if there is an issue.

It's irritating that her first thought was to leave neutral feedback, but I think you may be reading way too much into her actions and motivation, especially since she hasn't yet responded to your reply. Just try to let it go and worry about it IF and WHEN it happens.

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thanks Doc....

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I apologize if my advice was presumptive and unhelpful. I just related to the stress factor because I tend to let things I can't control stress me out beyond belief. I know it doesn't help to be reminded of this when you're going through it, though. Just hope everything turns out okay for you! ((HUGS))

[lemarcheaupuces]

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@southernfriedbelle wrote:

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@lemarcheaupuces wrote:

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@southernfriedbelle wrote:

IMO, you are stressing about something that doesn't deserve the emotional energy you're expending. I agree that her go-to method of dealing with the issue was not what I would personally choose or advocate, but unfortunately, some buyers just don't know they SHOULD contact the seller if there is an issue.

It's irritating that her first thought was to leave neutral feedback, but I think you may be reading way too much into her actions and motivation, especially since she hasn't yet responded to your reply. Just try to let it go and worry about it IF and WHEN it happens.

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thanks Doc....

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I apologize if my advice was presumptive and unhelpful. I just related to the stress factor because I tend to let things I can't control stress me out beyond belief. I know it doesn't help to be reminded of this when you're going through it, though. Just hope everything turns out okay for you! ((HUGS))

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trust me i do to.

i get very issues selling on ebay.

but even in life when a problem rise, i ruminate.

can't let it go just me.

my buyer is not a novice.

she is a seller and a buyer.

after days of silence she finally opened a return.

i accepted and she got the return label.

now more days of silence.

has not returned the package.

well ebay says she has till the 12th to do so.

it is a given i will get a neutral.

i checked her FB history.

she lives Neutrals for packages "lost" in the mail even though she was refunded.

(per her words).

in close to 20 years i am glad i was not slapped with Neutrals for lost packages.

i mean the USPS has lost very few (all my selling venues) so wouldn't be that many.

so for something she claims i didn't describe?

i probably will get one.

well let it be...

[lemarcheaupuces]

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@myboardid wrote:

In the OP's situation, I don't believe the buyer was "stopped" by eBay's suggestion from leaving a neutral.  I believe this is a scam from the get-go, and that the wording of the message was intended to pressure the OP to offer a partial or full refund without the buyer returning the item.  I'd bet the buyer uses the same/similar message to every seller she buys from.  She knows how to threaten bad feedback without actually using words that eBay would consider a threat, so as not to get hit with an extortion violation.   OP's response is exactly right, and the buyer will probably give up making attempts at getting money back without doing a return.  There won't be any feedback left at all, since that would just call out her attempt at getting an after-sale discount. 

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clicked too fast.

that was my first impression too.

this happened 2 other times on this user name and it was all about a partial refund.

after days of silence she accepted the return.

the return label was issued and been a few days.

has not returned the package as of today.

let's see what i get back.

she leaves "Neutrals" for lost packages in the mail (even if refunded).

hard to believe since she is also a seller.

so it is a given i will get one.

well let it be...

[fashunu4eeuh]

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lemarcheaupuces wrote: "...she leaves "Neutrals" for lost packages in the mail (even if refunded).hard to believe since she is also a seller.so it is a given i will get one.well let it be..."

Hi OP. I agree with @southernfriedbelle.

The time to worry about something is after it happens.

In general, i wouldnt worry about Feedback. It cannot hurt you, cannot count against your selling metrics. Every buyer on ebay knows a single poor rating in feedback is taken with a grain of salt. Some customers can't be pleased. It's universal--sell long enough and it will happen eventually. But forecasting a neutral and worrying about it before-the-fact grants you no benefit.

Good luck with your situation, please let us know what happens.

[lemarcheaupuces]

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@fashunu4eeuh wrote:

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lemarcheaupuces wrote: "...she leaves "Neutrals" for lost packages in the mail (even if refunded).hard to believe since she is also a seller.so it is a given i will get one.well let it be..."

Hi OP. I agree with @southernfriedbelle.

The time to worry about something is after it happens.

In general, i wouldnt worry about Feedback. It cannot hurt you, cannot count against your selling metrics. Every buyer on ebay knows a single poor rating in feedback is taken with a grain of salt. Some customers can't be pleased. It's universal--sell long enough and it will happen eventually. But forecasting a neutral and worrying about it before-the-fact grants you no benefit.

Good luck with your situation, please let us know what happens.

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i know all that...

i have been selling since 2000.

my OP was about FB follow up and not about my choice to worry.

by your thinking no one would be posting on this board.

people worry about who should leave FB first.

sales being slow.

cassini search.

listing being hidden.

and so on and so on.................................

these same topic threads pop up by the hundreds over and over...

you won't see me complaining about that.

so why don't you let me worry about what i want to worry?

[coolections]

Offering a refund does not always make it a positive experience for a buyer. The best experience is to get what was described and not have to deal with leaving a neg or a neutral in the first place. You want communication then when a buyer does communicate you assume scam, partial fisher, liar etc. Sometimes a buyer cannot win no matter the situation.

[tunicaslot]

But there are some buyers who would not be happy no matter what you do - that's the way some people are. I just received a neutral as she thought the color was duller than the photos showed. The item was in excellent condition but I always under sell an item so the buyers are pleasantly surprised when they receive their items and my feedback shows that.

No contact from this buyer as I have a 30 day return policy and would have even paid for their return. Looking at their feedback left - they have left many neutrals and false positives - finding fault with over 50% of the items they have bought. I'm one who feels neutral or negative fedback should not be an option until the buyer contacts the seller - but that's not the way it works and every once in a while we'll run across this type of buyer. It hurts when you are truely committed to your customers and want them to be happy.