Top Rated Seller Protection when receiving Negative Feedback

[front_row_collectibles]

I sold Christmas Cards on Ebay in November.  1.5 months later, without contacting me, the Buyer left me Negative feedback with the comment : "Item made of cheap material.  Will go flat soon."

I was confused.  The Christmas cards were "Hallmark, boxed and brand new."   But what caught my eye was the The words "will go flat soon." does not apply to Christmas cards.

I followed all Ebay guidlines.

1. I messaged the buyer twice if she can clarify the feedback & I offered a 100% refund.  I got no response.

2. I filled out the feedback removal form but was denied by ebay.  Their response is that a Buyer has the right to leave negative feedaback.

3. I filled out a "request to revise feedack" to the seller who did not respond.

4. I tried filling out the Feedback removal form but it says I already did this and cannot do another one.

5. I've called Customer Service and they won't forward me to the feedback department cause they say they don't have the number, but they assure me that someone will call in 24-48 hours.  We all know no one will call me.

Before this issue, my feedback was 100%.  I ship same day and I always resolve issues or offer refunds when their is an issue.  I get the monthly message that I am eligible for the "Top Rated Seller Protectionl" and that Ebay will remove a false claim.  Saying that Christmas cards will "go flat soon" is clearly a false claim.

Any experienced sellers who run into this problem have any success in removing this type of negative feedback?

[comics-scifi-collectibles]

---

@front_row_collectibles wrote:

I sold Christmas Cards on Ebay in November.  1.5 months later, without contacting me, the Buyer left me Negative feedback with the comment : "Item made of cheap material.  Will go flat soon."

I was confused.  The Christmas cards were "Hallmark, boxed and brand new."   But what caught my eye was the The words "will go flat soon." does not apply to Christmas cards.

I followed all Ebay guidlines.

1. I messaged the buyer twice if she can clarify the feedback & I offered a 100% refund.  I got no response.

2. I filled out the feedback removal form but was denied by ebay.  Their response is that a Buyer has the right to leave negative feedaback.

3. I filled out a "request to revise feedack" to the seller who did not respond.

4. I tried filling out the Feedback removal form but it says I already did this and cannot do another one.

5. I've called Customer Service and they won't forward me to the feedback department cause they say they don't have the number, but they assure me that someone will call in 24-48 hours.  We all know no one will call me.

Before this issue, my feedback was 100%.  I ship same day and I always resolve issues or offer refunds when their is an issue.  I get the monthly message that I am eligible for the "Top Rated Seller Protectionl" and that Ebay will remove a false claim.  Saying that Christmas cards will "go flat soon" is clearly a false claim.

Any experienced sellers who run into this problem have any success in removing this type of negative feedback?

---

@front_row_collectibles   Something must have worked because I no longer see a negative on your account.   🙂 

[m60driver]

With your feedback rating I would have not even bothered with trying to remove the neg.  I might have left a response asking how a card goes flat.  But the five steps you took, I would not have not have bothered.  I got a silly neg  a few months ago and just left it as not worthy of any response.

[luckythewinner]

I am not aware of any "Top Rated Seller Protection" program that will simply remove negative feedback.

Are you sure you are not confusing this with feedback removal that Top Rated Sellers get when a buyer files a false SNAD claim?

[danmch_2970]

I'd have left and made a smart mouth reply like "Cards unlike beer don't go flat"

[comics-scifi-collectibles]

---

@danmch_2970 wrote:

I'd have left and made a smart mouth reply like "Cards unlike beer don't go flat"

---

Not the best idea... since you want your FUTURE buyers to see that you take care of your customers, even the crazy ones.  Best not to see anything than to vent like you really want to.  I know I sat on my hands a couple of times in my early days of selling.  

[onnius]

---

@luckythewinner wrote:

I am not aware of any "Top Rated Seller Protection" program that will simply remove negative feedback.

Are you sure you are not confusing this with feedback removal that Top Rated Sellers get when a buyer files a false SNAD claim?

---

He's not talking about Top Rated Seller. He's talking about when a listing is classified as "Top Rated Plus", which means a listing by a Top Rated Seller has been set to 'Seller pays for return.'

An Ebay CSR once swore to me that a TRP listing would protect me from frivolous negative feedback if I did everything right as the seller, that feedback would be auto-removed. Unfortunately that hasn't been my experience. And if it still is an eBay policy buried on a policy page somewhere, then a lot of CSR's don't know that policy because it's always a huge ordeal to get frivolous neg feedback from bad-faith buyers removed, even when I paid for the return-shipping.

I really wish eBay would train their CSR's to become more aware of their own policies. 

[futuremarine2011]

ebay wont remove the negative. just move on  and in a year it will drop off. happens to everyone if they sell long enough here

[luckythewinner]

---

@onnius wrote:

---

@luckythewinner wrote:

I am not aware of any "Top Rated Seller Protection" program that will simply remove negative feedback.

Are you sure you are not confusing this with feedback removal that Top Rated Sellers get when a buyer files a false SNAD claim?

---

He's not talking about Top Rated Seller. He's talking about when a listing is classified as "Top Rated Plus", which means a listing by a Top Rated Seller has been set to 'Seller pays for return.'

---

Can you give a link? 

I see nothing about removing feedback under the "benefits" for Top Rated Plus on this page:

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/selling/seller-levels-performance-standards?id=4080

[fashunu4eeuh]

Buyers are not required to contact a seller before leaving feedback. It would be nice if that were the case, but it is not a benefit that eBay offers. 

[10b00ks]

How was the feedback removed?

[front_row_collectibles · Accepted solution]

Hello everyone.

Yes, the feedback was eventually removed.  I made another appeal explaining it fell under the "False claim" category.  The words "will go flat soon" obviously doesn't apply to Christmas cards so seeing that, they did remove it.

Thank you for all your comments.  

[innovatilife]

TRS and sellers who offer free returns are only protected against neutral/negative feedback if the buyer falsely opens a return request and then a partial refund (deduction) was given. eBay is supposed to automatically remove the neutral/negative feedback, but the last time it happened to me, I had to call to get it removed.

In other instances, the neutral/negative feedback stays (unless it violates feedback policies). So if a buyer never opens a return request and just leaves a neutral/negative, you're mostly SOL no matter if you're TRS or offer free returns.

[galaxytrends]

I'm in a similar situation with a buyer who obviously left negative feedback to the wrong seller.

The feedback said that they were charged $36.00 for return when USPS quoted $10.00 and eBay was no help.

1. The buyer never contacted me or even opened a return case.

2. We have free returns so they wouldn't have had to pay anything if they did return it.

3. The item costs only $4.00 to ship so even $10.00 wouldn't be accurate.

I'm hoping that since the buyer insulted eBay they will be more likely to remove it.

[ticketbatman]

I have the same issue. Buyer demanded partial refund [abusive buyer policy violation]. I told her to return it. I I then requested feedback removal, with explanation and was denied.

I received a message from ebay today that reads: if ebay finds a buyers behavior is abusive, we will take action on the buyer and remove negative FB and defects.

what is going on at customer service? do I misunderstand the policy?