undeserved negative feedback

[riswood]

I had a customer buy an item over a month ago, use the item improperly and then leave me negative feedback. How do I get help in this situation to get it removed? I had 100% and this guy with 13 feedbacks destroyed that. I have over 1500 and been very proud of that. I work hard, as most ebay sellers do, to have this happen. It's not right.

[nowthatsjustducky]

I'm not seeing anything in the feedback compared to the listing that would give hope of getting the feedback removed.

Judging by the wording of the comment, it sounds like perhaps the buyer may have thought they were peel and stick, not even knowing that there are decals that are applied using water (so would have had no cause to ask).

All I can suggest is stating in your listing description, item specifics, and title the type of decal the buyer is getting, aka peel and stick vs water applied.

At least non positive feedback no longer gets used against you in determining seller performance (for now at least); and a negative worded the way your buyer did it would not have any reflection on you either.  The only potential buyers who would be pur off by it are those who only go by the numbers and flat out refuse to deal with anyone who does not have an absolutely perfect feedback record.  And those are buyers you probably would not want anyway.

[chrysylys]

It's the buyer's opinion. Your reply to it did more damage to your reputation.

[nowthatsjustducky]

Meh.  The response simply made it look like there was a Human on the selling end of the transaction.  May come off a bit brusque, but there was no name calling, or insults, or anything else that would be offputting to a "normal" viewer.

[riswood]

Well, I was upset when I replied and did try to keep it calm. It really does upset me when I try so hard. I imagine it does to a lot of sellers that work hard in their stores as well. I just strive for better and I think his opinion is of the decals themselves and not me. It's unfair to judge the sellers because of the product. Especially when that person does not communicate with you.

[riswood]

How do you figure my repy did damage? It was an unfair feedback left from a buyer that purchased more than a month ago (March 28th), used the decals, which he stated that the box decals did the same thing, but yet he left me negative feedback because he is not happy with the manufacturer's decals. It's called standing up for yourself.

[automotivepartsrecyclrs]

We sold a item. Not a peep from the buyer. Delivered within Ebays time frame. 54 days after it was delivered got a negative (Blind Sided) feedback from buyer.

Feedback.......Stand up dance around, scream,sing..........Then move on.

[fern*wood]

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@riswood wrote:

How do you figure my repy did damage? It was an unfair feedback left from a buyer that purchased more than a month ago (March 28th), used the decals, which he stated that the box decals did the same thing, but yet he left me negative feedback because he is not happy with the manufacturer's decals. It's called standing up for yourself.

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Most of us have a bad feedback or two that we felt wasn't fair and certainly undeserved, but at least they don't count as defects now.  I once received one that stated "No good seller" and they didn't even pay.  That was also before an unpaid item case removed something like that, so I wore it for a year.

Follow-ups are more important than you think since that is what most potential future buyers will pay attention to.  They want to know how you are as a seller to deal with...especially if an issue arises. 

Buyers are not required to contact us before leaving bad feedback.  I would have taken the time to think out a better response.  Maybe something about having a return policy.

[treasures_hut]

I think that we are forced into thinking that there must be such a thing as a 100% feedback. Real life is different and I hope that the tension that many sellers have over the perfect ratings should ease and customers should also stop thinking that sellers must have 100% feddback - this is only an illusion after all. I used to purchase a lot and in some cases sellers with 100% ratings sent me bad goods, had poor customer service while sellers with lower rating figure did a much better job. Sometimes I sell items with imperfections (well described of course) and they are appreciated by realistic customers and sometimes a perfect item goes to someone who does not care about anything or anyone. So please, don't think that the 100% feedback reflects your work, just move on and block the nasty one.

[megadestroyers]

When it comes to negative feedback, in some cases.......

"Deserves got nothin' to do with it."

-William Munny

[coolections]

It was only one negative out of 1500. I doubt that will hurt future sales. At least you learned something out of this. A slight change in your descriptions will help any more misunderstandings. I agree with the other poster, your comment is always more of a factor then the actual negative when it comes to buyers making decisions of a purchase. Try not to display that it was the buyer's fault when making a response to feedback.

[double_identity]

It's easy for me to say but you really have to let this roll off your back. We all get bad feedback we think is not deserved even after working our butts off to do a good job.

There is nothing worse than a buyer who didn't take the time to read the listing or read it wrong. People can be mean. That's life.

It may be one of the hardest things you will ever do but next time (and there will be a next time) take a breather and manage your words and your temper before replying. Or better still - don't reply.

Keep in mind 'the customer is always right' and with ebay truer words have never been spoken. 

Be as nice to the buyer as possible and get on with life. It's not worth the sleep you will lose. 

The same thing goes when you post something on this message board. You sometimes get really nasty, spiteful replies. People don't always remember we are human and make mistakes. We must learn from them and move on. Don't let those people upset you either. 

[riswood]

Yeah, I guess it's really not worth getting the blood pressure up. Now that I have had some sleep, I'm still disappointed and almost closed my store, but I guess just move on and continue to do what I've been doing. It still stings though.