Why Won't Ebay Enforce Malicious (-) Feedback Reversal Requests?

[lb23cavaliersmvp]

Sold a watch to a buyer who also exclusively sells watches on ebay, some the same brand he bought. The listing clearly indicated it needed a battery and showed in the multiple photos that the original plastic film was still on the watch indicating the battery had never been replaced. Ten days after receipt buyer asked what the battery # was. Indicated I had no idea. I was immediately suspicious because he sells the same watch and he has 2 (-)  feedbacks from buyers and one from a seller (listed as + but text was a rant suggesting fraud). Next day he tells me the watch doesn't run. I immediately replied ask for a return and include everything we sent and we'll refund in full. Never received a return request or complaint via ebay. Today 6 weeks later he leaves (-) feedback and clearly gave me a 1 out of 5 for multiple metrics which altered my three 5's and one 4.8 for shipping (the result of intl buyers complaining about what ebay charges for shipping from the IL hub). I've requested a removal from the buyer which will be ignored or refused. When I use my first request from ebay to reverse it I'll rehash everything but I'm confident I'll be told it doesn't violate ebay policy. I've already reported and blocked him. This is clearly a buyer looking to undermine other buyers as well as trying to get saleable items for free. How many people have to complain before buyer's like this are stopped?

[fbusoni]

@lb23cavaliersmvp 

The feedback buyer left for you is his perception of the transaction.  Unless that feedback falls into any of the categories included in eBay's list of feedback violations, it will stand, despite the fact that it does not comport with your assessment of how things went.  

Every seller on eBay eventually will have the same sort of negative feedback experience, and in many cases it will be unjustified.  It has not yet happened to me but it will, because when you sell to the general public, you are dealing with all sorts of undesirable specimens.

The best way to respond is to do so calmly, factually, and without rancor.    I understand your anger, but telling other eBay buyers to "avoid" this particular buyer as you have done makes no sense, as no one but you knows who the buyer is.

As for the multiple metrics to which you refer above, few people pay any attention to those.  I too have a 4.8 for shipping costs, but it has done nothing to slow down or otherwise inhibit my sales.

[ebooksdiva]

You could try to send eBay a feedback removal request but it may not be removed because it doesn't violate policy. 

[itsjustasprain]

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@ebooksdiva wrote:

You could try to send eBay a feedback removal request but it may not be removed because it doesn't violate policy. 

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I seriously doubt that 'Does not run' is a violation of policy. Especially as the seller said the same thing in the listing. That reply to the buyer looks like it might be removable if the buyer complains about it.

To the OP: did you give him the battery number for his watch as requested? Is he claiming that it did not run AFTER he put a new battery in? These quartz watches do not age well if they go dead.

You have another watch currently listed that you also state to be not working in the description. While that IS accurate it would be much safer for the sale if you did the battery replacement yourself (it is generally not difficult and common watch battery numbers can be bought cheaply - especially in quantity) and let the watch run for a week to be sure that all is good. (The plastic film on the back is just a protective sticker that can be left intact as the cover pops off using the small recess or lip provided for a pry tool on the right side edge.)

[luckythewinner]

If the watch needed a battery, how do you know whether it worked or not?

What condition did you put on the listing?

[lb23cavaliersmvp]

Read by last sentence. Agreed but why is it acceptable to hold buyers and sellers to such diametrically opposite standards. Did ebay really lose buyers by allowing sellers to leave neutral or negative feedback of buyers? I had an experience earlier this year where a buyer opened an account and bought a fragile item from us. Upon delivery they claimed damage and demanded a refund. We ask for a photo to determine if it was safe to return. We were ignored. A return was requested and we accepted. The next day we received a message saying ebay decided the buyer could keep the item and receive a full refund because it wasn't safe to ship. I called customer service and asked if they were provided with proof of damage. They said no. I appealed and received a message saying my appeal was accepted. Although I clearly was vindicated the final message was written as though ebay was somehow doing me a favor and I wasted an hour on the phone. More importantly is the "buyer" still on the platform and if so iare they defrauding other sellers; if I could have left feedback at least there would be a record.

[lb23cavaliersmvp]

It doesn't say it doesn't work but rather needs to be activated and/or the battery replaced. I've sold the same watch and it works perfectly. It would be moronic of me to take a chance on damaging a new watch by changing the battery and most buyers don't want me to. If anything we sell doesn't work just return it for a full refund. To date NOTHING has come back.

[lb23cavaliersmvp]

Used. If there is a problem just return it.

[ebooksdiva]

@itsjustasprain 

I never said the feedback the OP received didn't violate feedback policy. I said "it may not be removed because it doesn't violate policy." 

However, I had feedback removed that didn't appear to violate policy with that removal request form. It doesn't hurt to try. 

[luckythewinner]

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@lb23cavaliersmvp wrote:

Used. If there is a problem just return it.

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eBay says that a seller should determine the condition of an item and accurately describe it. 

eBay does not say that a seller should guess at the condition, and expect a buyer to see if the seller's guess was correct. 

[kennys-kollectibles]

None of that matters really.   Ebay sides with the buyers no matter what. 

And most buyers don't even read descriptions.     

Bottomline:  when you are being scammed, there is not really any way you can

protect yourself without getting some kind of ding from ebay on your sellers metrics.  

You just have to hope that most buyers are good honest people, which they are. 

And note:  it is not against ebay policy to attempt to scam someone, only when you 

actually succeed in doing so.    

[itsjustasprain]

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@ebooksdiva wrote:

@itsjustasprain 

I never said the feedback the OP received didn't violate feedback policy. I said "it may not be removed because it doesn't violate policy." 

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Yes - I was agreeing with you.

[itsjustasprain]

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@lb23cavaliersmvp wrote:

It doesn't say it doesn't work but rather needs to be activated and/or the battery replaced.

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I understand what you are saying in the description about it needing a new battery but at the same time you are in a position where you have no idea whether a battery is all it needs. You are also counting on the buyer to not only buy the battery himself but also manage to get it installed properly and then find it working as it should.

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@lb23cavaliersmvp wrote:

It would be moronic of me to take a chance on damaging a new watch by changing the battery and most buyers don't want me to.

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It is not a new watch. It is a used watch with a dead battery. I seriously doubt that 'most' buyers do not want you to get it working first - and listing a watch that you can state is in working order can only bring you more buyers - not less. I change watch batteries routinely and in most cases it is really not difficult. The Movado in question here is one of the simple ones - not even a screw back.

Yes - I get that you can sell a watch dead or alive - but you are counting on the eventual buyer of a dead watch to know how to get it going AND you are hoping that all it needs is a new battery OR that he will return the watch for a refund and hopefully without complaining. Sometimes the buyer will let you down like this.

[carlmarxx]

The OP has  25 completed   seller feedback  transactions   A  newbie seller  .    is   inexperienced  on  these  goods  and how to list them  .   I read  through  the 25   feedback left by the other buyers  and didn't find  any issues   the last buyer  that left  1 and only  negative  posted about .    I doubt  The  OP thought  to take it to a Jewlers  shop  to have it checked  out   for new battery    and price  out a new  wrest strap  before listing it  .

[lb23cavaliersmvp]

Wrong; it is a never worn and never used brand new watch. Some features on the watch are not functional until the owner activates the watch. All the watches are set to 12 o'clock at the factory and do not start until activated. Unless you are familiar with this model Braun made in Germany don't spread misinformation!