When a buyer says...

[rei-npkrlma]

When pushing for their freebie via a refund w/o having to send item back....

[insert whine, whine, whine,  sniveling about any and everything they can think of as in "me thinks thou protests too much]

Then,  the BIG one they're leading up to: "I'll reserve feedback - for now."

Doesn't that sound like a veiled threat, as in feedback extortion? I think it does. eBay's heavily accented rep tells me no, nothing I can do.

Surely I can't be the only one who's had this issue, or similar veiled feedback threats - why even bring up feedback? I never do and thankfully I don't get this often, but every time it happens the first thing  I feel is backed into a corner with a dreaded fear of that ugly red neg dot I work my tail off to avoid and that leaves a sick, helpless feeling in the pit of my gut.

I just refund when they're extorting me like this (that's what it is to me, anyway) and block them to get them off my back. Then I suck it up and apologize for so much grief I caused them but then I feel like a phony and a liar because inside I'm really sorry for myself losing money! That darned free shipping costs more than I earn on  the item for pity sakes.

Oops, didn't mean to get long-winded and vent but this has happened to me about 3 times in the last few months and I feel like a gun is being held to my head every time and I don't care for that. eBay says feedback extortion won't be tolerated, yet something vieled like this they just overlook...

How do you deal with this when it comes up? Thanks . 😕

[ersatz_sobriquet]

Can't say "seller's beware" though, unfortunately it's a violation to post negative comments in a buyer's feedback. According to ebay they are dear sweet angels, even when they are thieves. Just a head's up on that one, you don't need the violation mark on your account. 

You'll grow tougher skin......a few refunds and you'll start asking yourself why are you doing this if your sales are just going to be "freebays"? 

[ersatz_sobriquet]

---

@cb-boards wrote:

Yes and no.   There is a certain price point at which it just isn't worth it.  If a buyer is trying to scam me over a $9 item, then as much as I hate it, I will generally let them get away with it.  If it is a $120 item then I will fight back!   

---

Fine. Post that here, let them all know you're an easy target. 

Me? Not going to happen. "return for refund" even if it costs me more for the postage than the item. 

I'm stubborn like that. The self-satisfaction of knowing I wasn't conned into giving something away for free is worth the first class postage cost. 

[divwido]

You say this and ONLY THIS.

If you are unhappy with the item, please return for a full refund.  And then stop talking.

[cb-boards]

I have not done this but have always wondered what would happen if someone left something to the effect of:

SELLERS, THIS IS not A SCAMMER!

[cb-boards]

And potentially get -FB for a $7 item?

[ersatz_sobriquet]

---

@cb-boards wrote:

I have not done this but have always wondered what would happen if someone left something to the effect of:

SELLERS, THIS IS not A SCAMMER!

---

Too many literal gullible types.....they'd never make the connection lol 

[cb-boards]

There is a reason that I use this ID for my posts and not my listings so I am not letting anyone know that I am an easy target.

I usually get one of these scammers every 5-6 weeks...so all in all, paying off these low-life scam artists costs me <$100 a year. While I can't prove it, I think that the damage to my reputation as a seller would be hurt well more then $100 if those scammers had left me -FB.

You are absolutely right, there are without a doubt times you have to make a stand on principal. This just isn't one of such for me at least. If I could deposit that self-satisfaction you refer to into a bank then I would be doing it in a heart-beat. But at the end of the day it is a business decision that I feel confident in.

[ersatz_sobriquet]

---

@cb-boards wrote:
There is a reason that I use this ID for my posts and not my listings so I am not letting anyone know that I am an easy target.

I usually get one of these scammers every 5-6 weeks...so all in all, paying off these low-life scam artists costs me <$100 a year. While I can't prove it, I think that the damage to my reputation as a seller would be hurt well more then $100 if those scammers had left me -FB.

You are absolutely right, there are without a doubt times you have to make a stand on principal. This just isn't one of such for me at least. If I could deposit that self-satisfaction you refer to into a bank then I would be doing it in a heart-beat. But at the end of the day it is a business decision that I feel confident in.

---

I get it, makes mathematical sense....but I fear the scammers are reading this thread. They don't call this place Free-bay for nothing. 

[chrysylys]

---

@rei-npkrlma wrote:

Then,  the BIG one they're leading up to: "I'll reserve feedback - for now."

Doesn't that sound like a veiled threat, as in feedback extortion?

---

Not to me.  They're saying they'll wait and see what the outcome is before deciding what FB to oleave, if any.  They're not saying 'do this or I'll do that'.

[chrysylys]

---

@cb-boards wrote:

I have not done this but have always wondered what would happen if someone left something to the effect of:

SELLERS, THIS IS not A SCAMMER!

---

Nothing.  That's not a violation, with or without the lowercase word.

[cb-boards]

You are absolutely right that they are not saying anything that amounts to feedback extortion as defined by eBay. But the implication is "do what I want or else I will trash your reputation."

[penguins_dont_fly]

---

@cb-boards wrote:

With all due respect I think you are missing the point.

I didn't miss the point at all.

  The buyer is not, as defined by eBay, make any threat whatsoever.  Of course in the real world a 3rd grader can read between the lines and see that this is extortion.

You need the CSR to READ the policy back to you after reading the messages.

But we operate in eBay's world and there are thousands and thousands of buyers out there who realize how simple it is to "get free stuff" without crossing the proverbial line where it becomes an actionable offense.  

They "realize" it because seller's cave in. As long as there are sellers who give in to their demands, they will continue to threaten.

Just say "No".

"We are sorry you are unhappy with your item, please return it for a full refund."

If you can't get the neg removed ... then ... A response to a neg after that is:

"Offered Return for Full Refund. Buyer Refused"

---

[takikawa4]

Since feedback no longer counts against a seller, why not reply "I'm sorry you're unhappy. Please return for a full refund."

[baantiques]

@rei-npkrlma wrote:

When pushing for their freebie via a refund w/o having to send item back....

[insert whine, whine, whine,  sniveling about any and everything they can think of as in "me thinks thou protests too much]

Then,  the BIG one they're leading up to: "I'll reserve feedback - for now."

Doesn't that sound like a veiled threat, as in feedback extortion? I think it does. eBay's heavily accented rep tells me no, nothing I can do.

Surely I can't be the only one who's had this issue, or similar veiled feedback threats - why even bring up feedback? I never do and thankfully I don't get this often, but every time it happens the first thing  I feel is backed into a corner with a dreaded fear of that ugly red neg dot I work my tail off to avoid and that leaves a sick, helpless feeling in the pit of my gut.

I just refund when they're extorting me like this (that's what it is to me, anyway) and block them to get them off my back. Then I suck it up and apologize for so much grief I caused them but then I feel like a phony and a liar because inside I'm really sorry for myself losing money! That darned free shipping costs more than I earn on  the item for pity sakes.

Oops, didn't mean to get long-winded and vent but this has happened to me about 3 times in the last few months and I feel like a gun is being held to my head every time and I don't care for that. eBay says feedback extortion won't be tolerated, yet something vieled like this they just overlook...

How do you deal with this when it comes up? Thanks . 😕

Tell them if they don't like the item, return it for a refund.

Let them leave their feedback.  Feedback doesn't matter anymore, but some scammer buyers THINK it does, so they will take great delight, after you tell them to **bleep** off, in leaving you a big fat negative that doesn't matter.

Most of the time with scammers like this, if you make it plain you aren't an easy target and refuse to give in, they will disappear and never bother you again.

[turquoisetulips]

Anyway, if you don't mind my asking, what do you do in these situations? The one that I did insist on a return on immediately left me angry neg feedback simply because I wanted him to send it back before I gave him his money back. rei- npkrima ----- 

Since you offered a solution , return item , full refund , its not fair the buyer was still able to leave negative feedback . I think I would be calling e bay and ask them to read the communications  between you and your buyer and hopefully they will remove the negative .