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 . 😕

[cb-boards]

It still counts in the sense of having a damaged reputation. As I mentioned earlier, we get about one instance every 5-6 weeks where a buyer will try to shake us down on a low-cost item. We fight the higher cost ones but on a $7 item, it just isn't worth -FB. So we pay them off. Costs <$100 a year. I hate it. I really do. But it is a business decision.

While I can't prove anything, there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that having 8-9 more -FB from these scammers would cost me a lot more then $100!

[baantiques]

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@turquoisetulips wrote:

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 . 

---

If the buyer opens a case and doesn't ship the item after 5 days, you can call CS and have the case closed in your favor.  They will also automatically wipe the feedback.

I had a guy buy a part from me that was the wrong one.  It was as described, but he did not do his homework and simply bought the wrong part.  Of course in his mind it was my fault, so he wanted a return for not as described.  I said whatever, and I accepted it just to get rid of him.  Then he demanded I refund him FIRST, then he would return the part.  I ignored his request, then he left a negative.  I waited the minimum number of days, called CS, got the case closed in my favor, which also wiped the negative.  Then I blocked him.

The best possible response from a scammer like this is for them to demand you refund them first.  All you have to do is let them sit on the item for 5 days and it's a slam dunk for the seller.

[retrose1]

OP, the ONLY reason you buyer tried feedback extortion with you is because so many other sellers he tried it on folded just like you did and refunded him before he ever got to you.  Scammers go with what is successful and easy.   

I stick with return for refund with EVERY problem, no matter what it might cost me for return shipping and I rarely get anything back.  Last month had a buyer complain about the color of the jacket I sold and I said return for refund and never heard from them again.

But too many sellers live in the fear that ebay has created and they will do anything, including give away profit just to keep everyone happy except themselves.  Sellers were born with spines - use them.

Besides which would you as a seller want other buyers and scammers to see in your feedback.......A neg that says Seller uncooperative OR a positive that says Thanks For The REFUND!

The last scammer that tried feedback extortion on me (it has been awhile) I informed them that if they leave too many negs, that can be tracked by other sellers who might want to use the feedback left for others tab and I'll report them to ebay and post what has happened to me on sites that discuss scammy buyers.  Didn't get a neg and never heard from them again.

[tina06457]

Return for refund. Just keep sending that message to them. Put them on your BBL and move on. If they leave negative feedback reply to it with offered full refund upon return. Sorry you got a buyer like this. I know what you are feeling.

[takikawa4]

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@cb-boards wrote:
It still counts in the sense of having a damaged reputation. As I mentioned earlier, we get about one instance every 5-6 weeks where a buyer will try to shake us down on a low-cost item. We fight the higher cost ones but on a $7 item, it just isn't worth -FB. So we pay them off. Costs <$100 a year. I hate it. I really do. But it is a business decision.

While I can't prove anything, there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that having 8-9 more -FB from these scammers would cost me a lot more then $100!

---

Not to buyers who know not all negs are actually deserved. And, if you reply nicely, most won't think of that neg as a "damaged" reputation.

[rustictrollop]

@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.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Okay, so now I have a burning question, that has been on my mind for a long time.  Let me preface by saying that I am a complete Ludite when it comes to figuring out computer 'stuff'.  I realize that I need a separate posting I.D., but I seriously have no idea how to set one up.  And you need to explain it as if explaining to a small child, even though many kids are computer whiz's...I am not.  Thanks so much for your help with this!

[cb-boards]

I'm not going to argue the point any further then saying:

1) "Not to buyers who know not all negs are actually deserved."
Which is NOT all buyers. So it will damage the reputation of a buyer but the extent is subjective as not all buyers fall into this category. So a buyer who sees an item from seller 1 who has an item for sale at $34 but seller 1 has a FB score of 98.6% then some very well might go w/ seller 2 who is selling the same item for $35 but they have a 99.8% FB rating.

2) "And, if you reply nicely, most won't think of that neg as a "damaged" reputation." Correct for those buyers who actually read the FB and don't just go by a seller's FB percentage. Again, this is not all buyers.

So when I estimate the damage that I think those -FB will potential do it is still far more then the <$100 it costs me in paying these scammers off. I can't PROVE anything with respect to this but I have picked up a thing or two about how things operate on eBay after selling for around 8 years doing around +/- $250k a year in revenues.

[jason_incognito]

First, so many finding fault with your stuff. I'd take a good look at my stuff. 

Are you overselling and under delivering? If you have the same problem over and over, maybe look to see why? Yes, there are scammers, but if you're getting far more than normal.....

That said, deal with it. It's a part of being here. People will fight the dumb fight. Had a woman claim the spode I sold her was a fake because it wasn't made in England. Spode is made in England. As of a few years back spode took ALL manufacturing out of England.

..........................................

As far as feedback, the negatives are the most important thing I look at to see if I want to buy from this person. Had one not too long ago where the seller only had 4 or 5, but his response to each of them calling names and taking absolutely no responsibility convinced me to walk away. Negative comments will hurt you with buyers far more than any opened cases or seller defects.

[chrysylys]

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@rustictrollop wrote:

@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.

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Okay, so now I have a burning question, that has been on my mind for a long time.  Let me preface by saying that I am a complete Ludite when it comes to figuring out computer 'stuff'.  I realize that I need a separate posting I.D., but I seriously have no idea how to set one up.  And you need to explain it as if explaining to a small child, even though many kids are computer whiz's...I am not.  Thanks so much for your help with this!

---

Exactly the same way you did the first one.  You'll need a separate email address unless they've changed things.  But those are freely available from any number of sources.

[nowthatsjustducky]

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@doubledz-a2z wrote:

A phenomenon that many sellers created here on ebay.  Partial Refund to save feedback.   What a Shame.

---

And the pointy haired folk at eBay can shoulder the lion's share of the blame for that too.

I think that caving to partials to protect feedback got entrenched in sellers' brains back when both negative and neutral feedback, as well as any open request (even if it was unintentional like a buyer just wanting a shipping update but got suckered into opening an INR) generated defects which could easily sink a seller's account.

[k-bar-ksaddles]

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@ersatz_sobriquet wrote:

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@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. 

---

This. This right here.  My first big headache may cost me the shipping back to me, but just knowing they didn't get to keep the item they're crying about being dissatisfied with, plus money back, gives me a lot of (perverse?) satisfaction.

[k-bar-ksaddles]

Also, from a buyer's perspective - 

When I see a 98%, a 97% etc, the first thing I do is look at the negative feedback.  I then look for replies from the seller.

I know not everyone is like this, but I can tell very quickly if someone is posting revenge feedback, buyer's remorse feedback, dumb feeback, etc. but what really cinches the deal for me is the seller response. SO much can be conveyed by a simple, professional response.  If I don't see a reasonable reponse, I consider silence an admission of guilt from a seller, tbh.

I usually utterly disregard silly negative feedback, but I absolutely disregard it if there's a sensible response.

(Ever read resort reviews? If you want some great entertainment, go read reviews for resorts, say, in Cozumel. Some people complain about construction during their trip - they went in the off season though. One person dinged a very nice resort for the OCEAN BEING TOO COLD IN FEBRUARY. Another dinged a resort for enforcing its 'no children under 18 on the adult side' rule (Secrets, Cozumel is the adult side, I can't remember the family/kid side's name. Others complain that there was GASP MOULD in a dark and damp corner of their shower.... SAY IT AIN'T SO! A SHOWER, on a TROPICAL ISLAND!? And there's A SPECK OF MOULD IN THE SHOWER CORNER!  HORROR!)

[femmefan1946 · Accepted solution]

Sorry you are disapointed.

Return for a full refund.

Sorry you are disapointed.

Return for a full refund.

Sorry you are disapointed.

Return for a full refund.

Sorry you are disapointed.

Return for a full refund.

If it's good enough to keep, it's good enough to pay for.

[jason_incognito]

I read one on Target once for a patio umbrella. They left the umbrella up and there was a tornado. They found it in a neighbor's yard and wanted to return it, but Target said no. 

[18704d]

"So when I estimate the damage that I think those -FB will potential do it is still far more then the <$100 it costs me in paying these scammers off."

--------

How about using that -FB to warn future scammers that you don't fall for such free refunds?

Reply to the fb with:  Sorry, but I Never give Refunds unless the Item Is Returned

And I believe the next $500.00 a year in feedback scammers won't bite on your listings, and instead move on to someone whose fb shows they cave in easily.

jmtcw,

Lynn