Two Questions ...

[slc_shop]

1.  A buyer opened a case against me because an item shows as delivered but they apparently didn't get it. They sent me a message first and I told them to contact the post office because there was nothing I could do at this point. That's when they opened the case. It's been open since Sep 2 and it still shows that it's being reviewed by eBay. I called customer service yesterday and the girl I spoke to didn't seem to know what she was doing. She almost closed in the customer's favor, so I had to do her job for her and explain why it should be closed in my favor. (I feel like I sound like a difficult customer, but I was polite at the time. I'm just fed up now.)  Anyway, she finally said it would be closed in my favor ... But it's still "being reviewed." Is that normal? I could be wrong but I feel like anytime I've called customer service in the past and they close a case, it shows up almost immediately. 

2.  A buyer left negative feedback on my store. They bought a DVD for $1.99 + free shipping and were upset that there were some minor scratches on the bottom. I take a picture of the bottom of all the DVDs I sell to try to avoid this, but they still left the feedback. The DVD still plays as well. So, it's not like I sold them a defective item. My guess is they didn't even try it out. Besides, they only paid $1.99! Anyway, I digress. Is there a way to get the feedback removed? I know you can contact the buyer, but does that ever really work? I mean, they're obviously upset. What do you even say to them?

[upgradedendmills]

The tracking would be useless because it wasn't uploaded at the time of shipping.

     I hand print my labels because I don't want eBay involved with my shipping. I have also found that sellers will sometimes print labels and then delay shipping because they feel they are covered for TRS rating by that act. Nothing scientific, but it happens more than most people think. I also like going to the Post Office and sliding my packages across the counter and leaving with a receipt that shows them all as scanned. I will never drop my packages off and hope that they are scanned and handled properly. 

     I make a loop while I go to the Post Office and pick up anything I need at the grocery store and go to the library to purchase books. Gives me a good reason to shower and get out and participate in the world.

[uniwarehousewares]

Here are some tips for future
1 : after someone left you feedback,at first place always ask the customer in message that you can make it right for him if he is unhappy where he will be satisfied, after he get resolution you may ask him to help you revise his feedback, if he agree and do not remove it then call ebay and get it removed easily.

1 : if in future some one open case on ebay " item not received case" always provide them tracking information in the case section, after you provide tracking information, call ebay and get case close if tracking shows its delivered. After case is closed if he left any feedback that can be remove by calling ebay as case is closed in your favor.
2 : Always report a bad buyer before you call ebay.
3 : reach customer service three to fours times if its standard customer service but do not reach directly to feedback removal department , call customer service and explained them you already ask buyer to make it right for him and if case is also closed already in your favor and then buyer left feedback, if case is closed in your favor then feedback could be remove.some times its remove automatically by ebay.
4 : first two years if it let you eat cost do it to save yourself and build good feedback.
5 : if you contact buyers in polite and professional manner mostly buyers prefer to get money back or replacement in order to get resolution.
6 : if after you give resolution to buyer in term of replacement or full refund and buyer not revise the negative feedback then call ebay.
super tip ****** while you been a part of standard customer service, always send first message to customer to solve matter for him, if he do not reply then , send him negative feedback revision request,so he can revise it , do not reply the feedback untill you get resolution from customer or from ebay.
7 : don't be panic, and try with customer first, if no response by customer, then reach to ebay and explain them situation.
supper tip2********* customer service representative in standard customer service from feedback department are not very professional they just read the policy lines and ignore some times situations, so don't be be panic, call second time and speak to different customer service representative and be humble and in requesting mode and show them how sincere you are with your business. never use rough tone with any customer it can put you in more trouble.
IF YOU SALE GO VERY GOOD AND GOOD FEEDBACK ONE DAY MAY YOU GET INVITATION FROM EBAY CONCIERGE WHERE YOU WILL SEE A LOT OF EXTRA PROTECTION IN TERM OF FEEDBACK REMOVAL.

I share on my all experience with you so it can help you for future.

[slc_shop]

Because I have a picture of the bottom of the DVD, showing the condition, which is not "scratched to hell and back" like the feedback suggest. After reading that person's response, I admitted that it was my fault for not specifically writing it in the description if (and only if) the pictures truly don't matter. That's all.

[upgradedendmills]

Great points Tulips!  Maybe eBay could do a semi-seller protection process where an unhappy buyer such as this would be required to contact the seller for a resolution before ruining them with a negative. Do it 100% through eBay messages and have a record of it for review if problems arise later. I see where this could create nuances and a few problems of it's own, but might prevent a $2 item from turning into a serious issue that ruins a good seller for at least a year.  Sort of like forced arbitration with eBay having more information to make reasonable decisions.

     Might help weed out both bad sellers and unreasonable buyers. Could even be developed with a low dollar cost threshold of $25 or so as that is where a lot of these problems seem to crop up. It could easily eliminate habitual scammers at some level or be tied into a finite number of feedback removals over a given period of time.  I hate the thought of ceding any more control over our listings to eBay, but I bet they would do it if they could charge a fee and monetize the process.

[slc_shop]

To be fair, I paid more for shipping than I got for the item. I recently listed a bunch of books and DVDs, some of which are cheaper than fees and shipping, only to get rid of them quickly and get credit for selling something in my store. I don't really need to profit on those and I'm not losing that much on any one item. 

Also, this buyer is returning the DVD at their expense. So, they're paying more to return it than they paid to buy it in the first place ... Just to be petty. They could easily just sell it themselves and make a small profit, but whatever floats their boat. 

[slc_shop]

I don't offer free returns because I don't want to make it too easy on the buyer to return things, but that's what really made this buyer get upset in the first place. I don't know.

I'll wait and see if this happens again, but I think I might remove my DVD listings if renting them is a common thing. I had never even thought of that. The scams that people come up with on here baffle me. 

[namele365]

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@upgradedendmills wrote:

The tracking would be useless because it wasn't uploaded at the time of shipping.

     I hand print my labels because I don't want eBay involved with my shipping. I have also found that sellers will sometimes print labels and then delay shipping because they feel they are covered for TRS rating by that act. Nothing scientific, but it happens more than most people think. I also like going to the Post Office and sliding my packages across the counter and leaving with a receipt that shows them all as scanned. I will never drop my packages off and hope that they are scanned and handled properly. 

     I make a loop while I go to the Post Office and pick up anything I need at the grocery store and go to the library to purchase books. Gives me a good reason to shower and get out and participate in the world.

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I wasn't aware that you couldn't add tracking after an INR case has been opened.

With regard to gaming the TRS by printing label then waiting,  I thought that would be negated by the requirement to have an acceptance scan within 24 hours of payment, but perhaps I am misunderstanding that.

As for your other reasons I completely understand  🙂

My P.O. insists we leave the prepaid packages at a specific counter stall, and the line is usually LONG for the clerked stalls.  Makes me nervous to leave them there, but no lost or stolen packages in 13 years.

I like to do the circle route thing also.  Helps to break out of hermit mode 🙂   I've been spending a LOT more time sitting around lurking on these boards, than years past when I was selling lots more stuff.

Thanks for your explanation 🙂

[upgradedendmills]

We have a lot in common!!! 

[southern*sweet*tea]

You can get that feedback removed because it contains a curse word.

[this*old*attic]

Damage is subjective - what’s ok to one person is horrible to someone else. Best to overdescribe because you don’t get to judge for the customer- only for yourself.

[inhawaii]

About the feedback.  I know we all have our different way of doing things.  I would have responded with this:

"Sorry the DVD was scratched. Next time contact me first. I would have gladly given you a refund."

At this point i would still apologize to the buyer for the mistake (even if you feel you were not wrong) and offer to give him a full refund.  Wait a few days and see if he revises the feedback on his own.  If he doesn't revise the feedback on his own,  send him a polite email asking if he would.

Good luck to you. 

[inhawaii]

I've always wanted to do this.

Buy a DVD. Watch it. Then return it saying "That movie sucked!"   😃

[slc_shop]

That's why I left a photo. I always take photos of anything that might be considered damage. I seriously can't understand why eBay doesn't think photo evidence is more important than the words you write in a description. 

[slc_shop]

Wait ... Seriously? That's all it takes to get feedback removed?

[southern*sweet*tea]

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@slc_shop wrote:

Wait ... Seriously? That's all it takes to get feedback removed?

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Yep. Call, reference the policy and get it removed.

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/member-behavior-policies/profanity-policy?id=4258

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/member-behaviour-policies/membertomember-contact-policy?id=4262

"Feedback containing language that is profane, vulgar, obscene, or racist, as well as comments containing adult material or physical threats"

The word left in  the feedback is, at least where I'm from,  considered profanity.