ebay yarn and a bad seller giving me negative feedback

[jenksie]

Ok, so back in August I won three different auctions from a particular seller. The first two went fine, a little longer than I would have liked, but I gave positive feedback. However the last of the auctions took an extra two weeks (and to tell the truth, I was a little disappointed in the yarn. But that is a personal opinion). Because the order took so long, I gave neutral feedback, and said it was nice yarn (its not their fault I don't like it) but it took way longer than they claim it will in the auction. I probably should have given negative feedback. I emailed requesting info at least three times and finally received an email with an incorrect tracking number. I then emailed about that and they never responded.

 

Today I see that not only did they retaliate by giving me negative feedback but their comment goes like this: "Shop elsewhere - too problemtic..conflicting emails..neutral unwarrented as such". PLUS they finally gave feedback for one of the other auctions and gave a neutral feedback......I gave a positive feedback for that auction!

 

In looking through this persons feedback, it looks like they have done this before, give negative feedback when a neutral of negative feedback is left for them!

 

I don't mean to sound whiny, but when people are this malicious, how can they be a retailer?

 

So all you frequent ebayers out there, is there anything I can do? I don't want to sling mud, I just don't see how this one seller should effect my so-far-good standing.

[lhasaapsolady]

I know how you feel about ebay. I never had problems with any of the yarn buys, however I did have a problem with a collector knife I purchased. The funny thing is I too had purchased from the same seller, and never had a problem, until the last time. They had 2 different shipping prices listed, and of course I paid the final price listed on the invoice. I never got the knives, filed a complaint and ebay peed around. One person in ebay said they owed me the knives, the other said I had to pay the other amount, which I wasn't doing. I got negative feedback for not making a complete payment. I hope that you gave an answer to their feedbacks, I know I sure did. We can't let these sellers get away with it when we know we're in the right.

[Lisaizme]

Hi,

 

I buy a lot and sell a tiny bit on eBay, and have yet to have this kind of problem. But, did you pull their info and give them a phone call? (I think you can do that because you're in a transaction with them). Since emails weren't being promptly responded to..they could be bad communicators or bad sellers or perhaps there could've been family issues going on. You just never know.

 

I'm really sorry that you ran across someone who makes retaliatory feedback a habit though. Try to check their feedback habits before bidding next time and I know that's not a lot of help now.

 

If eBay gives you an opportunity to respond to their negatives or neutral, be very calm & matter of fact in your response. State facts and don't get emotional. It will show that you are rational and reasonable and that the seller might be somewhat goofy.

 

Also, did you pay with paypal or some other method? If you are using paypal, I think the seller has 1 week to get things into the mail. In the future, if you pay with paypal, you can get paypal to intercede for you. I had a seller a year or two ago who wouldn't correspond with me.. nor send the item, until I got paypal involved. After I contacted paypal, I got a refund AND my item. I sent the seller their money back again.. I didn't want a free item.. I just wanted what I had bought.. in a timely manner.

 

You might go into the Answer Center on eBay (at the top of the page, click COMMUNITY, then the third or fouth link down is for the Answer Center) and post your question. They might have some insight that I don't have.

 

The forums and feedback center are also great places to learn more about eBay.. the good, bad and the frightening. >grin<

 

I hope your next transaction is more positive.

[angelfire]

I had a seller give me negative feedback by mistake...she meant it for someone else that didn't pay and didn't respond. I wrote to the seller and she apoplogized but it was still on my record until I went to the E-bay answer center and found out that you can appeal negative feedback...the comments will stay there but if both of you agree the negative/neutral posting can be removed from your record and you can go back to 100% positive feedback. For me it was worth the extra effort...both of us knew she was wrong...but it still took work to get my reputation back...even though I had left her glowing feedback.

[Krystal16]

I left Ebay because of a simliar situation, however they changed the final shipping amount (combined auction, so they could do that) that they quoted me.

 

Ebay refuses to step in - they can't be bothered, they already made their money.

 

I refused to pay until the seller honored their original price. Not only did she leave me negative feedback, Ebay LOCKED me out of responding to feedback (even though I responded to the unpaid item claims, which should have allowed me to leave feedback), so the seller left horrible feedback, when I wasn't the one who was wrong!

 

So, in essence, I left Ebay. It's not worth the stress, and a lot more of the sellers are really getting sneaky. I had problems with the last THREE combined auctions - sellers changing their final price and telling me it was a "handling" charge ($10 on a $17 auction!) and that I had to pay, etc.

[angelfire]

I left Ebay because of a simliar situation, however they changed the final shipping amount (combined auction, so they could do that) that they quoted me.

 

Ebay refuses to step in - they can't be bothered, they already made their money.

 

I refused to pay until the seller honored their original price. Not only did she leave me negative feedback, Ebay LOCKED me out of responding to feedback (even though I responded to the unpaid item claims, which should have allowed me to leave feedback), so the seller left horrible feedback, when I wasn't the one who was wrong!

 

Maybe with this said I will be less likely to shop on E-bay with unknowns anymore...didn't know that E-Bay would lock you out of leaving negative feedback. I do have a couple favorite sellers and will stick to them...thank you for the information.

[crochetsal]

To me, as a seller, I would NEVER leave feedback based on what was said about me. If the payment was on time, there's positive feedback. I try to do it ASAP when I receive payment, but sometimes forget for a couple of days. I know some sellers wait to see what their buyer's feedback is before replying, but in my opinion, that's just not right.

If they leave unwarranted poor feedback, I know you are supposed to be able to rebut. Fortunately, I've had no such experiences, and have only had to leave negative feedback once or twice.

 

I agree, eBay doesn't seem to care (despite their policy) what happens, as long as they get their money.

 

As a seller/buyer, too, when I look at feedback, if they have a large amount of positive feedback, and one or two negatives, I tend to overlook the negative, knowing stuff happens. But I'm sure I would be upset if someone wrongfully left negative for me...kinda like getting a C when you're a straight A student!

 

Try not to let it worry you too much, and I wholeheartedly agree with Lisaizme: <<If eBay gives you an opportunity to respond to their negatives or neutral, be very calm & matter of fact in your response. State facts and don't get emotional. It will show that you are rational and reasonable and that the seller might be somewhat goofy

[knitcrochetandpray]

I seem to have at least one incident a year on e-bay. I have never sold anything, but buy quite a bit. I am very patient. I understand the rules well, and I am a sucker for a hardship story; that being said... Always look through sellers feedback comments before you buy. Even if their % is good they can have or have left some really bad comments. I never buy from someone who has used foul language or called someone a liar or makes excuse after excuse in feedback, this is unprofessional.

 

Also, if you are having problems with e-mail, as another poster has said, you can always call. I know one of the things that we love about e-bay, is the anonimity and the no hassel with people, but sometimes we have to interact with the other person, and there info is available to you when you are in a transaction. Another thing to remember, because the transactions are so impersonal, because we never meet and rarely talk to the other person, and because we know we will never meet or talk to the person, we tend to be snippier, snipier, and just plan rude when things don't go our way; it is the nature of communication is cyberspace, as I have found out.

 

Always respond to negetive feedback, but do so in an objective, mature, professional fashion. Even if someone has had negative feedback, if I see they have handled it well I will purchase from them. I rarely leave neg myself, but will do so when warranted, even when I am sure that the other person will retaliate, but we cannot better the system if we don't take a stand.

 

Another thing that should be said is in regards to the practices of sellers...

1) sellers will rarely leave feedback until buyers do because they don't want to get burned with leaving a pos and then receiving neg from a disgruntled buyer (especially from new buyers that don't know the system-which happens quite a bit), but that means the buyer runs the risk of retaliation from the seller. 2) most buyers policy is that they will give a pos for a pos, a neg for a backhanded pos, a neg for a neutral (as has happend here and to me as well), and a neg for a neg. They feel as if they are doing all the work, and taking all the risk so they will not hassel with a disgruntled customer wether their fault or not. I know this from reading their boards and from experience.

 

E-bay can be great, but you really are out their on your own and as such there are risk. Do respond to the neg and chalk it up to experience.

[theworm]

I have bought and sold on Ebay. I get annoyed when sellers wait for feedback before they leave any. I buy something and pay immediately. That means I did my part of the transaction. I won't leave feedback until I receive the item. I find that some sellers won't leave feedback until the receive some. It's nonsense. I would be angry if I were you, too, but I think we get personal - someone said something bad about me!!! In truth, if you have all good feedback and one jerk says something mean, it is meaningless. Those people reap what they sew.

[Natasha]

As a seller/buyer, too, when I look at feedback, if they have a large amount of positive feedback, and one or two negatives, I tend to overlook the negative, knowing stuff happens.

 

Try not to let it worry you too much, and I wholeheartedly agree with Lisaizme:

If eBay gives you an opportunity to respond to their negatives or neutral, be very calm & matter of fact in your response. State facts and don't get emotional. It will show that you are rational and reasonable and that the seller might be somewhat goofy

 

I agree with Sal and Lisa. If you state the facts in your responses, reasonable buyers and sellers will see that this was just "one of those things" and that you were the victim of a bad seller.

[Suebee42]

To me, as a seller, I would NEVER leave feedback based on what was said about me. If the payment was on time, there's positive feedback. I try to do it ASAP when I receive payment, but sometimes forget for a couple of days. I know some sellers wait to see what their buyer's feedback is before replying, but in my opinion, that's just not right.

 

Totally agreed. I always give my feedback as soon as the buyer has paid me. They upheld their end of the bargain.

 

But, that's the difference between me and a less scrupulous seller, I guess. *shrug*

 

I always be sure to read the whole text before I bid on anything. There are people who actually say that they don't leave feedback until they get feedback. Those people NEVER get my bids.

[NexStitch]

Can't you leave an additional comment after they've left you feedback? I recall I used to do that. I'd leave feedback first, the buyer would leave it, then I'd sometimes go back and say "thanks" for leaving the feedback. I'd see if you can go back and do that. Not sure how it works now that they've changed some things about the site.

[nightowl]

Hi jenksie

 

Amie is right, you can make a reply to feedback someone has left for you.

 

On the main Ebay page, right near the bottom, you will see a link for Feedback Forum. Click on that and you will see several options: one is "Reply to feedback received." Once you click that you will need to sign in with your details and then you can select the disputed comment and leave a reply.

 

As others have said, be calm, reasonable and dignified and it will be obvious who is in the wrong.

[jenksie]

I appreciate all of the suggestions. It was just a bit of a shock this morning. I HAD a perfect 100%. (even after a slight mix up a few years ago when I mistakenly forgot to pay a bidder)

 

I have contacted the seller and hope to get some information from them. I understand that this is opinion and especially sellers want to maintain a good standing, but come on.........I can almost understand why I got the negative for the neutral, but giving me a neutral for another auction that I left positive feedback?

 

Is it so wrong that I emailed requesting status for these auctions when it had been a lot longer than their auctions said it would take for shipping? If you become a seller, you should need to make good on the promises you put in print.....semantics can catch you!

 

I will give it a day or so, in hopes they respond to me. Do I have a day or two to try to contact them before I leave my comment for their feedback?

 

Can I list this sellers name to give warning, or would that be slanderous?

[stormyautumn]

The times I have been a seller I have waited to give feedback until the entire transaction was over (paid and received). Even though they have paid, the transaction isn't over. What if they act like they didn't get the item, or send unwarranted rude emails. I just wait until the whole thing is over. But I have also hardly ever left bad feedback, even when it was called for, usually neutral. I DON'T think I would leave neg. if someone left me neutral though!

 

As for being calm in feedback. That completely counts. If I see one side slamming the other in an uncalled for manner ( getting personal and way to inflamed and emotional over it) I usually give the opposite person the benefit of the doubt, esp if they did not retaliate in the same way.

[Lisaizme]

I think you have 90 days to leave Feedback.

 

I really think you'd be best served by going into the Answer Center on eBay and asking your questions there. There are folks there that are extremely experienced in ebay and know the ins and outs very very well.

 

One of the bits of knowledge I picked up from reading in the AC (answer center) is that FB is the last thing you should do in a dispute. Another is that the shipping time stated is an estimate and not a guarantee (unless you're paying extra for a special type of delivery, but I'm not even really sure on that).

 

I don't know about posting the seller's ID...they might be a member of the 'ville. Or have friends here. If I was going to share anything, I'd share my own eBay ID and then, if they want to, people can track backwards from there.

 

I know how I'd feel to lose my 100% and I'm really sorry this has happened to you.

[Lisaizme]

The times I have been a seller I have waited to give feedback until the entire transaction was over (paid and received). Even though they have paid, the transaction isn't over. What if they act like they didn't get the item, or send unwarranted rude emails. I just wait until the whole thing is over. But I have also hardly ever left bad feedback, even when it was called for, usually neutral. I DON'T think I would leave neg. if someone left me neutral though!

 

As for being calm in feedback. That completely counts. If I see one side slamming the other in an uncalled for manner ( getting personal and way to inflamed and emotional over it) I usually give the opposite person the benefit of the doubt, esp if they didn't not retaliate in the same way.

 

What she said.

[jenksie]

Thanks for the moral support. I guess sometimes my expectations of people are a little higher than our society is capable of meeting.

Maybe I will save a little cash by being more careful on "the Bay".........NAH!!!!! what's the fun in that?!?

[smokeyp81]

I have had a similar situation on ebay. My husband was bidding and buying on my account. He won 3 auctions from the same seller. The seller stated that he couldn't put all the items in one box. He charged him for shipping the items in 3 different boxes. When he received his items they were in all the same box for a shipping cost of $10 less than what he paid! My dh, being slightly new at ebay, left the seller neutral feedback. He said the items were as stated, but the shipping was too high. (I know, he should have contacted the seller and tried to resolve it first) So, the seller responded by leaving nasty negitive feedback say never buy from me again...etc. I got into this then and left a response stating that he left the negitive in retaliation of a neutral left by me. He then responded to me in an e-mail wanting to mutualy withdraw the comments. Even though I thought we were in the right, I agreed to retract the comments because I didn't want my feedback to be under 100% I think a lot of the time sellers try to make "extra" money by charging a higher amount on shipping. This seller tried to make me feel bad by saying that I should have to pay for his listing fee, the paypal fee, etc. My response to that is; put in your auction you charge a handling fee to cover those extra fees...or raise you starting bid price to cover it. Don't rip me off on shipping fees....just my 2 cents as always....

[Suebee42]

This seller tried to make me feel bad by saying that I should have to pay for his listing fee, the paypal fee, etc. My response to that is; put in your auction you charge a handling fee to cover those extra fees...or raise you starting bid price to cover it.

 

Oh like he's the only seller that has to deal with those fees... it's the cost of doing business! LOL! They're cracking down on inflated shipping, but a higher starting bid would be a step...

 

In the end, though, he chose to list on eBay. Having done so, he agreed to accept their fees... making you feel guilty for them is complete BS. What a weirdo. LOL!

[JCB]

Sorry about your negative feedback.. I know there is a way to get it removed, but not sure how.

 

Some of you may already have this link,

http://www.toolhaus.org/cgi-bin/negs

 

but this will list just a seller/bidder's negative and neutral feedback. I am always more interested to see if there is a pattern (i.e. never answers e-mails, or slow shipping) to why a seller gets neg. feedback. It's also valuable to see how a seller responds to negative feedback... does he/she explain rationally, or go off on a rant.

 

Joan

[DEMET]

HI,

 

I sell crochet/tatting threas and finished handmade decorative items on e-bay and buy crochet magazines.

 

When Buyer pays I always post positive feed back because I think the buyer completed their obligation by paying (right time frame, Most of them leave feed back for me when they receive the package. I always provide del.conf. number it is in the shipping cost and I do not over charge for shipping. I ship the packages by priority mail because most of the buyers does not like to wait for their items.SO far things are going well. When they do not leave feed back, I remind them about feed back one time, if they do not leave it I do not push them do to so.

 

Most of the magazine sellers (I am buying from them) are not leaving feed back when I paid ( i pay really fast like in 10 minutes after the auction is over.) I do not understand why, They are asking me to leave them first, so far I am not leaving feed back for the sellers if they do not give me one.

 

demet

[Lisaizme]

Learn about feedback:

 

http://forums.ebay.com/db2/forum.jspa?forumID=113

 

There's lots of thread there discussing who should leave fb first...

 

And a very funny thread about the "awfulest" fb on ebay. 117 pages of it and counting. It's like the fugly yarn thread that Paulette/FunkyReporter started here. Addictive. Go find it from the above link..it's worth the search.

[smokeyp81]

Oh like he's the only seller that has to deal with those fees... it's the cost of doing business! LOL! They're cracking down on inflated shipping, but a higher starting bid would be a step...

 

In the end, though, he chose to list on eBay. Having done so, he agreed to accept their fees... making you feel guilty for them is complete BS. What a weirdo. LOL!

 

 

I totaly agree.....that's why I really didn't want to retract my feedback, but I really wanted that 100% positive! LOL

[AuntyM]

Always always check a seller's feedback before bidding on an auction. Read the auction ad carefully. Are shipping prices listed? If not, Ask before bidding, and keep the shipping quote email, you may need it later. Is the item an original or a copy? If the ad doesn't say, Ask! You'd be surprised how many people sell copies which is against copyright law and eBay rules. Is the yarn soft? If the ad doesn't say, Ask! (I once bought several skeins of yarn and the dye lots did not match! The auction didn't say, and I assumed. Lesson learned.)

 

As for being disappointed in the quality of the item, you aren't alone. Pictures may be worth 1000 words but it is near impossible to ascertain quality with just a picture. Ask as many questions as you can think of. If you are disappointed for whatever reason when you receive the item, email the seller immediately and explain the problem (poor quality, etc.). A good seller will work with you to resolve the problem, either by accepting return of the item at your expense and offering a refund, or partial refund, or sending a replacement item, or whatever. Give the seller an opportunity to make it right. If you do not hear from the seller, request contact info and call. If you have exhausted all possible remedies and are still not satisfied, then is the time to leave a neutral or negative comment.

 

Ebay does not get involved because they are a venue for the buyers and sellers. So it's up to the 2 parties to resolve the issues of the sale & purchase.

 

Hope that helps.