View Full Version : Ebay problems, please help!!!
hopesfall
10-30-2005, 04:19 PM
Ok, here is my situation. I ordered a copy of Spyro: Year of the Dragon on half.com from a seller, and it was listed as being brand new. In the item description, the seller states that the item was factory sealed. I received the game, and it was the one that came in the collector's edition box, with the white border. Not a problem, but it was not factory sealed. It wouldn't be a huge deal to me, but I can buy a factory sealed copy of the game from the stores around me for maybe $1 more than I paid this seller, and the game was a gift, so I wanted it to be sealed. I emailed the seller, and asked for either an exchange or a refund. No reply. I emailed again a few days later, and they stated that it was part of the collector's set, and that they had to open it up to sell it. To me, this is clear acknowledgment of the fact that the item didn't come factory sealed, right? So I reply to the seller, stating that I understand they had to open it up, but I paid for a sealed copy, and if they couldn't provide me one then I would be filing a claim for a refund.
10 days go by, and no reply, so I'm a bit annoyed. I had filed a claim on a different item (long story there too), so I didn't think I'd be able to file a claim for this item within the same time period (if I read the rules correctly). I figured I'd just suck it up and deal with giving the opened copy as the gift, and I went to leave negative feedback for the seller, mentioning the lack of communication and the incorrect description for the item. I logged onto ebay just a few minutes ago, and this jerk has left me negative feedback in retaliation, stating that the seller replies to all email and phone calls, and that I'm lying and for sellers to beware! That isn't the end of it, though. The seller requests feedback to be mutually withdrawn, and in the notes portion of the email I got about this, the seller states something to the effect of "I'm a seller, I'm stuck with negative feedback no matter what. Accept the withdrawal and you can have your perfect record back. Shame for you to lose it." That is almost a word for word quote, but I can't remember it all right now. But the point is, I'm pissed. What can I do to get this comment removed? I don't have a "huge" feedback rating, but I had 28 positive feedbacks, without a single negative, and I'd like to keep it that way. I have copies of the emails I sent to the seller, and the email I received this morning about the feedback withdrawal. Since it is pretty clear that this was left only in retaliation, do I have any course of action to take? PLEASE HELP! Thank you guys!
alonzomourning23
10-30-2005, 04:22 PM
I don't think so. Though maybe if they decide to investigage, it depends on how smart the seller is and how he words his reasoning. But I don't think they'll even do that.
hopesfall
10-30-2005, 04:28 PM
What really makes me mad is that if I accept the feedback withdrawal, I'll feel like a chump because I didn't do anything wrong! I tried to email ebay customer service, but they aren't recognizing the item ID # (I'm assuming because it was a half.com purchase).
$hady
10-30-2005, 04:32 PM
They won't take the feedback away unless you mutually agree to it. If you do that it'll be on your feedback when you read through it but will not count toward your totals. The only way it will be COMPLETELY removed is if the person left profanity or extreme slander in the feedback. Recently I left someone negative feedback after them never paying and not responding for a while, then they left me a negitive with profanity in it. I turned it in to ebay and they've since removed the feedback completely from my profile.
Back in the day you'd receive feedback right after you pay, now everyone waits for you to post feedback for them and they return whatever you leave. I can't complain though because I do the same thing...
Graystone
10-30-2005, 04:48 PM
They won't take the feedback away unless you mutually agree to it. If you do that it'll be on your feedback when you read through it but will not count toward your totals. The only way it will be COMPLETELY removed is if the person left profanity or extreme slander in the feedback. Recently I left someone negative feedback after them never paying and not responding for a while, then they left me a negitive with profanity in it. I turned it in to ebay and they've since removed the feedback completely from my profile.
Back in the day you'd receive feedback right after you pay, now everyone waits for you to post feedback for them and they return whatever you leave. I can't complain though because I do the same thing...
Yep its called blind feedback. Leaving feedback without getting merchandise or payment. Also leaving feedback first as a seller is called blind feedback.
Socheata
10-30-2005, 04:55 PM
I've learned my lesson recently with blind feedback. :(
alonzomourning23
10-30-2005, 05:41 PM
I've learned my lesson recently with blind feedback. :(
Same here. Two main incidents happened to me. One, I sell an item, the person said they recieved it. I leave feedback (they never did), and a month later I had a paypal chargeback for the item. I e-mailed the person, they said they miscalculated the amount in their bank and it would be fixed. I never heard from them again.
The second one was someone ordered a guide for 3 bucks, waited 2 weeks and then left me negative. They never contacted me or anything. When I e-mailed them, they blasted me for not sending the item and, if I did, for not asking them if it was recieved.
browneyedgal68
11-01-2005, 09:42 PM
Just respond to it and move on with your life. If you had a perfect record until now, no one is going to ban you from bidding. As sellers, we worry about non-paying bidder stuff, not negs received.
jetlag16
11-02-2005, 06:34 AM
I hate these fucking people that feel that if you give them a negative feedback, even if they deserved it and you didn't, they give you one back too.
sylentwulf
11-02-2005, 06:50 AM
The only other possible chance you have, is if they have ANY kind of false contact info (e-mail, or phone number) You can report them for the, and if they DO have an incorrect e-mail or phone, ebay will remove the feedback. That's a longshot though.
Forward the email about the negative feedback to Ebay's Safe Harbor department. Since he is in essence blackmailing you for you to mutually remove your feedback by leaving the negative for you. It may not get removed but they may give a strike against the seller and it sounds like this might be something he has done before and might be one step closer to being booted from selling on Ebay.
fatherofcaitlyn
11-02-2005, 07:14 AM
If you paid with Paypal, you can file a "Significantly Not As Described" complaint against the seller. That'll put the buyer in chargeback hell.
You can also approach eBay and claim feedback extortion. In that instance, copy and paste the message from the seller as far as reasoning for the feedback withdrawal request.
jeffreyjrose
11-02-2005, 07:46 AM
They won't take the feedback away unless you mutually agree to it. If you do that it'll be on your feedback when you read through it but will not count toward your totals. The only way it will be COMPLETELY removed is if the person left profanity or extreme slander in the feedback. Recently I left someone negative feedback after them never paying and not responding for a while, then they left me a negitive with profanity in it. I turned it in to ebay and they've since removed the feedback completely from my profile.
Back in the day you'd receive feedback right after you pay, now everyone waits for you to post feedback for them and they return whatever you leave. I can't complain though because I do the same thing...
Yep, that's why I hate eBay now. The ratio of idiots to decent people is getting out of control. The feedback system no longer reflects what truly occurs in a sale because more often than not, buyers/sellers with a good experience simply do not leave feedback. They use the system similarly to buying merchandise from an online retailer. If they don't run into any problems, you don't here from them again. This is why I have less than 70 positive feedbacks, but have done well over 160 transactions. My buying and selling on eBay have slowed significantly, and I rarely leave feedback unless left for me first. I've had too many situations similar to the OP's, and eBay/Paypal/SqareTrade just give me the run around.
10 days go by, and no reply, so I'm a bit annoyed. I had filed a claim on a different item (long story there too), so I didn't think I'd be able to file a claim for this item within the same time period (if I read the rules correctly).
I don't know if that is true or not, but you should at least do a complaint with Half. Let them tell you officially that they won't do anything for you because you've had another problem in the past. (And if they do come back with that I'd send a follow up complaint that you feel that is a terrible policy.)
As far as the feedback you can try a complaint. Certainly include the seller's note to you, although since that was part of the official withdraw request (right?) eBay/Half should be able to access it from their servers. I wouldn't count on them taking it off, but it wouldn't hurt to try. If you only use this account for buying and not for selling, I'd just reply to the FB on your record and not do the withdraw. Negative feedback hurts a seller more than a buyer. If you use this account for selling too, I'd probably do the mutual withdraw and then open a new account to use for buying.
I do believe that retaliatory feedback is frowned upon, but not officially against eBay's rules. (I think they have a help entry somewhere that says pretty much that.)
I hate these fucking people that feel that if you give them a negative feedback, even if they deserved it and you didn't, they give you one back too.
Browse through different seller's feedback and you'll see that many of them give neg. feedback for any neutral feedback they receive as well. It's worth taking the time to see how a seller deals with problems before you jump into bed with them IMO. If you see something like:
"Item was cracked in half!"
Reply: "I would have refunded/worked with you, but now that you've left - FB, too bad."
Stay away! (And I see that sort of thing very often.)
electrictroy
11-02-2005, 02:44 PM
I went to leave negative feedback for the seller, mentioning the lack of communication and the incorrect description for the item. I logged onto ebay just a few minutes ago, and this jerk has left me negative feedback in retaliation, stating that the seller replies to all email and phone calls, and that I'm lying and for sellers to beware!
(shrug) So what? You deal with assholes, you'll get some negs. Just post a follow-up to the negative: "Seller said game was new. Game was not new. This neg was his retaliation against me."
(1) Buyers will look at the seller, see the string of negs, and realize HE'S the asshole, not you. (2) You'll still have ~99% overall feedback which is good enough. Hell, Sears only has 95% so you're still doing better than the "real" stores.
Why don't you give us a link so we can see this seller's feedback & avoid him?
"Item was cracked in half!" Reply: "I would have refunded/worked with you, but now that you've left neg FB, too bad."
That sounds like one of mine. He bought a game, which was in *perfect* mint condition, and I packaged it *very* carefully in a box with foam. (Like I do with all my games.) Then suddenly I see negative feedback. He never contacted me. Never asked for a resolution. He just negged me. So I responded: "I would have refunded. But you negged me, so too late now. Next time contact the seller to resolve your problems."
I have no patience for buyers who leave a neg w/o giving the Seller a chance to resolve the situation and/or refund the money. Customer Service is a two-way street. The Seller has to provide good service, naturally, but the Buyer also has a responsiblity to let the Seller fix any problems that might occur.
Leaving a neg without contacting the seller is not an acceptable solution.