This needs to stop!

[hafoster]

eBay is finally, officially open today --

and then this?

Hi, Good day to you. We are sorry to inform you that the item you purchase is last one we have in our warehouse. Unfortunately, we found out the item was damaged we had to cancel this item off of your order. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, and for the delay in contacting you. The money has been fully refunded as well.

The seller cancelled your order

We are sorry to let you know that [seller] cancelled your order and mentioned the cancelled reason as Buyer asked to cancel the order
The seller refunded $[amount] back to your original payment method, and you don't need to do anything else.

[the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth]

You know what, it's one thing if the seller has an accident and drops an item. Stuff happens. However if the item is missing because the seller kept poor inventory, dropshipped or sold the same item on multiple venues then that is not an accident that is an on purpose.

If a seller lies to get out of a deserved defect then that is also an on purpose.

It is not entitled for a buyer to expect a seller to be professional and not cause problems ON PURPOSE.

[mr_lincoln]

@zterx13

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@zterx13 wrote:

I was under the impression "Buyer Request to Cancel" had to be approved by the buyer.

Regardless I don't understand what the big deal is. The buyer was refunded. There was no loss to them other than a minimal loss of time and maybe a psychological loss from not getting an item they wanted and felt entitled to. Anyway, I have gone to Walmart before and found them out of stock of a certain item I wanted. I was upset, and even on occassion told CS but did not stop shopping at Walmart, because of the low prices and wide selection of goods. If eBay eliminates sellers based on one off 'defects' for not having an item in stock it is only going to reduce the number of goods available on its marketplace and increase prices. Buyers are always worse off when there are fewer sellers to choose from. Reviewing feedback on a seller should be sufficient to tell a prospective buyer whether it is worth the risk to buy from them. Many people here seem to think things are better when Mama eBay steps between the buyer and seller but fact is this just juvenilizes the buyer and seller and leads to more unproffessional behavior and misjudgements.

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A Seller can cancel without a defect if the Buyer requests it in an eBay message.  Apparently they get reviewed.  A Seller who picks "Buyer requested"  when in fact the Buyer did not request it then that is an OOS strike on the Seller's account and if enough of those are accrued the Seller can lose privileges.

The "big deal" is that eBay expects Sellers to NOT run out of stock to enhance the Buying experience.  Someone posted ath sometimes things get broken prior to shipment and that is probably more common with antiques and collectibles then with new products.

There's another scenario that we have experienced on a few rare occasions and that is an item that was SOLD getting relisted ... in one instance it sold a 2nd time.  There is nothing in place to deal with that other then a call to home office which could possibly cause more issues.  In this instance I elected NOT to do that.  I shipped the Buyer two similar items with a note explaining what happened and if they checked my sold history they would see the original item indeed sold ... I advised that if for any reason they were not happy with what I sent they had 30 days to process a return and I would gladdly pay the return shipment ... never heard a word from them.

[southern*sweet*tea]

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@zterx13 wrote:

I was under the impression "Buyer Request to Cancel" had to be approved by the buyer.

Regardless I don't understand what the big deal is. The buyer was refunded. There was no loss to them other than a minimal loss of time and maybe a psychological loss from not getting an item they wanted and felt entitled to. Anyway, I have gone to Walmart before and found them out of stock of a certain item I wanted. I was upset, and even on occassion told CS but did not stop shopping at Walmart, because of the low prices and wide selection of goods. If eBay eliminates sellers based on one off 'defects' for not having an item in stock it is only going to reduce the number of goods available on its marketplace and increase prices. Buyers are always worse off when there are fewer sellers to choose from. Reviewing feedback on a seller should be sufficient to tell a prospective buyer whether it is worth the risk to buy from them. Many people here seem to think things are better when Mama eBay steps between the buyer and seller but fact is this just juvenilizes the buyer and seller and leads to more unproffessional behavior and misjudgements.

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I think it has recently changed now, and the buyer has to approve the cancel. Not sure, though.

Sellers make mistakes, things get damaged, out of stock, whatever. I get it. Just be honest, let me know and I'll be more than happy to agree to a cancel. Stuff happens, people are human. Not a problem.

Don't LIE to AND about me just to cover your mistake.   (your in the general sense as a seller, not you personally) 

^^^THIS^^^ is what sellers have been doing to save their hineys. Lying to and about their buyers. This type of behaviour keeps the BAD buyers and runs off the GOOD ones.

[zterx13]

@mr_lincoln

Every retail establishment runs out of stock of certain items some times. My local Walmart does, actually suprisingly frequently, and yet I don't stop going there because they still have a wide selection of items to choose from at low prices. Surely most sellers who are out of stock were not deliberatedly trying to mislead buyers and yet by acting punitive toward the occassional OOS seller eBay ultimately pushes them out reducing the selection of goods and raising prices in the marketplace.

eBay is deeply misguided, in general, to think that sellers are expendable or that there is an unlimited supply of sellers, particularly for used, specialty goods.

Buyers who feel that they were harmed by an inventory error have unrealistic expectations at best and are delusional at worst. No human system functions 100% pefectly and yet eBay demands something like 99.7 % performance. At what cost? Imposing additional rules and regulations on market place activities and ostracising non-performing sellers only increases transaction costs and prices while reducing selection ultimately causing buyers to look elsewhere. Seller feedback ratings and comments are sufficient for buyers to tell if they should buy. eBay is cutting off its nose to spite its face.

[johnsonsales-wisconsin]

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@elitefashions12-0 wrote:
Buyer lost nothing, if the item is damaged it's damaged, it happens,no big deal, he gets the defect on the account but you want to add to the punishment, things can get missed, obviously you never made a mistake at all in life.

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Thanks for your post.  Pretty harsh opinions posted here.  Things can get damaged in storage.  I have had it happen.  A defect can cost a seller lots of money.  If top-rated status is lost - and it doesn't take much to lose it - you lose the "boost" in your listings in searches as well as a discount on fees and there are a few other benefits lost.  What comes to mind is the amount of a credit you get for promotions.  I would think that that should be enough "punishment" for screwing up.  To get a public trashing doesn't seem to be called for.  I remember when eBay had groups, but they got so snarky they ended.  If this seller had good feedback and not trying to cheat buyers, what would it have cost to give her/him a break?  Nothing.

I recently started a discussion that was just meant to give a heads up of a possible problem that sellers might experience.  I could not believe how many people came out of the woodwork to try and pick a fight with me and some calling me names.  And none of it was about the point I was trying to make. 

I can't figure out why so many eBay members are so friggin' hostile to other members.  eBay gives sellers a kick in the teeth time after time.  Why would people want to do it to each other? Is it the crab bucket mentality that we think we can only win but pulling someone else down? 

What the heck is all the anger about and why is it being vented in discussions by attacking each other?  

[johnsonsales-wisconsin]

Thank you!!

[johnsonsales-wisconsin]

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There's another scenario that we have experienced on a few rare occasions and that is an item that was SOLD getting relisted ... in one instance it sold a 2nd time.  There is nothing in place to deal with that other then a call to home office which could possibly cause more issues.  

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This has happened to me more than once.  And it was eBay's doing - not mine.  I try to keep on top of it, but when you have around 800 to 1000 unique items offered, it is pretty easy to miss something that got sent to your "Unsold" list in error.  I've gotten defects for eBay's glitches but lucked out once or twice when someone asked a question about an item before purchasing and I discovered that it was a sold item. 

[mr_lincoln]

@zterx13

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@zterx13 wrote:

@mr_lincoln

Every retail establishment runs out of stock of certain items some times. My local Walmart does, actually suprisingly frequently, and yet I don't stop going there because they still have a wide selection of items to choose from at low prices. Surely most sellers who are out of stock were not deliberatedly trying to mislead buyers and yet by acting punitive toward the occassional OOS seller eBay ultimately pushes them out reducing the selection of goods and raising prices in the marketplace.

eBay is deeply misguided, in general, to think that sellers are expendable or that there is an unlimited supply of sellers, particularly for used, specialty goods.

Buyers who feel that they were harmed by an inventory error have unrealistic expectations at best and are delusional at worst. No human system functions 100% pefectly and yet eBay demands something like 99.7 % performance. At what cost? Imposing additional rules and regulations on market place activities and ostracising non-performing sellers only increases transaction costs and prices while reducing selection ultimately causing buyers to look elsewhere. Seller feedback ratings and comments are sufficient for buyers to tell if they should buy. eBay is cutting off its nose to spite its face.

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EXCELLENT post BTW!  As to running out of stock ... if a Walmart does they don't have their store closed after so many violations like eBay (although one of them around here I wish they would!).

[missjen831]

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@southern*sweet*tea wrote:

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@zterx13 wrote:

I was under the impression "Buyer Request to Cancel" had to be approved by the buyer.

Regardless I don't understand what the big deal is. The buyer was refunded. There was no loss to them other than a minimal loss of time and maybe a psychological loss from not getting an item they wanted and felt entitled to. Anyway, I have gone to Walmart before and found them out of stock of a certain item I wanted. I was upset, and even on occassion told CS but did not stop shopping at Walmart, because of the low prices and wide selection of goods. If eBay eliminates sellers based on one off 'defects' for not having an item in stock it is only going to reduce the number of goods available on its marketplace and increase prices. Buyers are always worse off when there are fewer sellers to choose from. Reviewing feedback on a seller should be sufficient to tell a prospective buyer whether it is worth the risk to buy from them. Many people here seem to think things are better when Mama eBay steps between the buyer and seller but fact is this just juvenilizes the buyer and seller and leads to more unproffessional behavior and misjudgements.

---

I think it has recently changed now, and the buyer has to approve the cancel. Not sure, though.

Sellers make mistakes, things get damaged, out of stock, whatever. I get it. Just be honest, let me know and I'll be more than happy to agree to a cancel. Stuff happens, people are human. Not a problem.

Don't LIE to AND about me just to cover your mistake.   (your in the general sense as a seller, not you personally) 

^^^THIS^^^ is what sellers have been doing to save their hineys. Lying to and about their buyers. This type of behaviour keeps the BAD buyers and runs off the GOOD ones.

---

Nothing changed. The buyer doesn’t have to approve the cancellation. 

Only on some international sites does the buyer get to accept or deny the cancellation. 

[sidemouse]

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@zterx13 wrote:

I was under the impression "Buyer Request to Cancel" had to be approved by the buyer.

Regardless I don't understand what the big deal is. The buyer was refunded. There was no loss to them other than a minimal loss of time and maybe a psychological loss from not getting an item they wanted and felt entitled to. Anyway, I have gone to Walmart before and found them out of stock of a certain item I wanted. I was upset, and even on occassion told CS but did not stop shopping at Walmart, because of the low prices and wide selection of goods. If eBay eliminates sellers based on one off 'defects' for not having an item in stock it is only going to reduce the number of goods available on its marketplace and increase prices. Buyers are always worse off when there are fewer sellers to choose from. Reviewing feedback on a seller should be sufficient to tell a prospective buyer whether it is worth the risk to buy from them. Many people here seem to think things are better when Mama eBay steps between the buyer and seller but fact is this just juvenilizes the buyer and seller and leads to more unproffessional behavior and misjudgements.

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One more time....

The seller should have chosen "out of stock" as the reason for the cancellation.

 There is no "feedback review" when a seller choses "buyer asked" as the reason, any feedback is removed.

[missjen831]

There is some misinformation on this thread.

buyers cannot leave negative neutral feedback when THEY ASK to cancel the transaction. They CAN leave positive feedback and it will stick. 

feedback CAN be left when the seller uses “buyer requested” as the reason for cancelling. 

Negs and nuetrals are ONLY removable WHEN THE BUYER ASKS TO CANCEL. The seller can’t just lie, use that reason and then get the feedback removed 

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/getting-paid/cancelling-transaction?id=4136#section2

[hafoster]

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@hafoster wrote:

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@southern*sweet*tea wrote:

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@sidemouse wrote:

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@southern*sweet*tea wrote:

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and be sure to tell CS that the seller LIED and is dodging a defect.  Leave appropriate feedback.

I am sick, sick, sick to death of sellers that do this.

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Unfortunately the feedback will be removed since "buyer asked."

They have it down to a science, these sellers who are gaming the system.

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No, it won't be removed, not if the OP calls and gets the seller on record. I've done this three times, all three times the feedback sticks.

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Wondering could you see, any of those times, that the reason did change?

Thank you @mr_lincoln, I did call, and was possibly snowed -- please see post #8:

I called again in the morning, to cross-check night shift against day shift --

(didn't mention the last call) and that rep said the reason showed:

Buyer asked to cancel the order

but promised to fix the reason and put the seller on record.

BTW are posts disappearing from this thread?

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UPDATE: Though the seller cancelled and refunded using the reason:

Buyer asked to cancel the order

and NO ITEM WAS RECEIVED, eBay sent this today:

Subject:    Do you like your 'Revlon Portable Styling Folding Handle Compact Hair Dryer Travel Small Mini' ?
From:    eBay (ebay@ebay.com)
Date:    Monday, August 6, 2018 5:38 PM

Share your product review now and help millions of people shop smarter on eBay.
We’ve made it quick and easy!

Revlon Portable Styling Folding Handle Compact Hair Dryer Travel Small Mini
Rate this product

[ten_o_nine]

This happens with most retailers not just on ebay and sometimes it's true that item is damaged.

[southern*sweet*tea]

Nice

Almost as nice as a handful of sand in your eyes.

Sometimes I wonder if anyone is piloting this ship.

[odds*n*olds]

Yesteday I made a BIN purchase.  Today I had a cancel/refund from the TRS seller claiming buyer requested cancellation.  NOT TRUE!

I did receive a messge from eBay asking me to accept or decline the cancellation.

I declined.  Cannot give feedback for seven days because the seller is TRS.

Not happy.