mam98031 • Volunteer Community Member • Buyer/Seller since 1999
Please forgive this lengthy post but I'm furious and I need to make other buyers aware of what eBay is doing.
I recently had a buyer to whom I sold more than $189 worth of ties for $97. Which I didn't have to do but I wanted to help the guy out since he was purchasing so many ties. As I was getting the order together, I noticed that I did not have one of the ties he had ordered. I immediately messaged him about this and offered for him to select a different tie at twice the value of the original, which he did. I issued a full refund the tie I didn't have and gave him the replacement tie for free. He agreed and I shipped the order.
A few days later, he messages me and says he didn't get "the most important tie the he ordered." I was certain that I included the tie. So after he messages me stating that he never received it, I contacted eBay preemptively to let them know that this buyer was going to try some funny business. I get a message form the buyer which stated:
"First, you didn't have the Bugatti, then the above Robert Graham wasn't included. Even though your seller rating is problematic, I believed you were committed and capable. While your efforts are noted, it isn't enough. I wish to return the order for a full refund or my review will reflect my disappointment.Thanks"
Here is the link to the original listing so you can review the photos of the listing:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/387351556306
At the suggestion of the eBay CSR, I requested that the buyer send me a photograph of all 8 ties he received in his shipment which he did. Here's that photograph:
As you can clearly see, the tie he ordered is sitting right there in the photograph. Now, my original listings were clear that I do not accept returns on vintage ties. This tie is not vintage and I wouldn't accepted a return. The buyer then leaves the following feedback:
"eBay has a satisfaction guarantee. The above tie was sold to me with 7 others but I found was subsequently replaced with unwearable vintage tie in received shipment. This was after seller told me he didn't have a Buggati tie for the order either. Seller said they couldn't find above tie. I said I wanted to return order which they refused. eBay has a growing problem with deceptive, lazy and incompetent sellers and I will never buy another item from anyone rated below 99.7%."
So eBay's feedback policy states the following:
"
Harmful, inappropriate or irrelevant comments and images
We remove all feedback that contains any:
- Content promoting hatred, violence or discrimination
- Profane, obscene, adult, illegal, or explicit content
- Opinions on any political, religious, or social issues
- Any implied or explicit threats or intimidation
- Personally identifiable information
- Links, URLs, or other content encouraging sales outside of eBay
- Infringement of third-party rights
- Meaningless content or images that aren’t of the item purchased
- Comments intended for a different item or seller
- Negative comments with positive ratings, or positive comments with negative ratings
- Personal attacks that could harm the reputation of the seller or their business and could not reasonably be viewed as constructive criticism"
It goes on to say:
"Extortion and manipulation
We remove all feedback that:
- Is used as a means to extort another member
- Is used to manipulate feedback ratings (see our Feedback manipulation policy)
Creating, soliciting, or using fake, misleading, or manipulated feedback is not allowed. Feedback should always reflect your actual experience with the product or transaction."
I have requested that this feedback be removed 10 times and eBay refuses to remove it because they say "it doesn't violate the policy, that the buyer is expressing and opinion, and that he is discussing something in the listing that wasn't as described."
Every single CSR that I spoke with has agreed with me. I have spoken with eBay leadership about this and they also agree with me that 1. the buyer violated the eBay feedback extortion policy when he demanded a full refund or "his feedback would reflect his disappointment." 2. the buyer's feedback is false. He did, in fact, receive the tie he ordered as per the photograph he submitted. 3. the buyer's feedback is not reasonable constructive criticism. It is a personal attack meant to damage the reputuation of my business. He outright lied about not getting the what he ordered.
The "Backoffice appeals team" refuses to review all the evidence here and because we, as sellers, are not allowed to contact them, I don't know where else to turn to have this removed. It is damaging my business and my sales have dropped to near zero. If I am missing something, please let me know. I can accept when I am wrong and I can learn and grow from it. I bent over backwards to help this guy out. eBay refuses to apply its feedback policy consistently and fairly.
@miceric_83 wrote:Yes, I completely agree with you. My point here is that the buyer clearly lied in the feedback stating that he didn't receive the item that he ordered. If he was that upset about his order, why not open a case and force the issue?
Ebay has never gotten involved in a he said / she said type situation. This is not new. Buyers are less than truthful from time to time when they don't get their way.
If you follow my earlier suggestions on getting it removed. You might just get it removed. I hope everything works out for you.
