Back in April, my wife received negative feedback following a transaction on eBay. The accusation was that she had misrepresented the item. Having looked closely at it, I would dispute that. However, descriptions are subjective. I also have to say that if she had sought my advice, I would have recommended a slightly more circumspect description. Yes, it did look unused, I believe that it probably was unused, but she was selling it as used, so the final sentence would have been better left off, thereby avoiding the subsequent spat.
Ebay’s policy recommends that disputes be resolved initially through communication – i.e. use your bloody common sense and talk to the other party if you are dissatisfied. This is sensible and pragmatic. Every trader would expect their customers to do this. It is far better to resolve the issue amicably if at all possible than have a dissatisfied customer leaving negative feedback. This individual chose not to; rather, she shot from the hip and left negative feedback with absolutely no communication beforehand. Unfortunately for my wife, she had already left positive feedback upon receipt of the money, so all she could do was leave a follow-up comment on both sets of feedback explaining that had the buyer followed eBay policy, then she would have refunded the money and taken the item back rather than have a dissatisfied customer.
Interestingly, the aggrieved individual then did her a huge favour. She left follow up comments accusing my wife of being a con merchant. As this is libellous, my wife could now take the matter up as an abuse of the feedback system and get the comments removed.
The upshot of this is twofold – people can be really petty, mean minded and stupid. Secondly, if you are the seller, don’t leave feedback until after your buyer has done so. If they don’t, then you don’t. If they leave unreasonable negative feedback, you can respond appropriately. Although, my recommendation will always be to stick to the facts and avoid libellous name calling. This exposes the irrational name-caller for what they are.
The eBay procedure for getting defamatory comments removed is painfully slow and somewhat tortuous. Firstly you have to print out every example of the disputed comment and eBay’s complaints form and get it all signed by a suitable person – a solicitor, for example. This cost £5, a small amount, so my wife did this. As it turned out, the solicitor missed a signature, so she had to go through the process a second time several weeks later. This may then be faxed initially to eBay (presuming that you have the facility) and followed up with the originals. EBay then follow up the case. They say that they telephone the protagonists, but in this case, they did not speak to my wife. Whether they spoke to the other party is unknown. I suspect, though, that they simply did what most reasonable people would do; looked at the comments and drew the rational conclusion that this was someone behaving in an irrational manner. Calling someone a “con merchant” without ever attempting to communicate and resolve the matter is hardly reasonable behaviour.
So, Although it has taken a while (nearly two months) the final outcome is that my wife’s complaint was upheld and the relevant offending feedback was removed.
So, it does pay to complain. And, she has learned a valuable lesson. I would like to think that the other party did, too, but I doubt that somehow
If I’m a buyer, I never lead feedback until the seller has done so. Why? Because if I’ve paid the correct amount promptly, there is nothing else I can be judged on by the seller, and if the seller won’t leave feedback until I have done, I regard that as an abuse of feedback. As a seller, I always leave feedback first. That method makes more sense to me.
Mike,
Yes, I’ve seen this argument before and it has some merit. At least it would if people behaved reasonably. Unfortunately, it is abused. As a buyer, I’m perfectly happy to leave feedback first. If my experience is neutral, I just don’t leave any. So far, I haven’t had a bad experience but if I did, I would probably refrain from leaving feedback.
As a seller, given my wife’s experience, I would not leave feedback until such time as I am satisfied that the transaction is complete and both parties happy. I don’t regard this as abuse; it is pragmatic self preservation. If anything is to blame, it is the eBay feedback system that both encourages abuse and makes removal of abusive feedback incredibly difficult. In my wife’s case, it was only possible because the other party indulged in spiteful name-calling and libel. Traders should not have to go through a complex system to have abusive comments removed. EBay should have an efficient system for doing this automatically, backed up by strict rules on the type of comments that may be left. Frankly, I find them incredibly lax compared with, say, discussion fora where such behaviour would result in deletions and bans – and quite rightly so.
When I was selling a lot on ebay I found squaretrade worthwhile to get negatives removed.
In my own experience, a Seller should not leave feedback until the Buyer does so. The sequence of events will be:
1. Buyer wins bid
2. Buyer pays for item
3. Once payment is confirmed, Seller sends item
4. Buyer receives item, confirms, leaves feedback
5. Seller leaves feedback
I’m sorry if commentor Mike Davies or Mrs Longrider thinks otherwise, but it is generally not the accepted way for a Seller to leave feedback before the Buyer.
This is made confusing by the default arrangement of the icons on the My eBay page, which could imply it is eBay’s intention to have the Seller leave feedback on receipt of cash, before the Buyer feedback.
I have sold a lot so far following this policy, where the Buyer leaves feedback first, on receipt of goods and confirmation that the sale is complete, then the Seller (me) leaves feedback. I have never had anyone query this method and it has been backed up by enquires left on the eBay community board, if you have any doubt I suggest you enquire yourself.
IanLondon said:
Mrs Longrider does not think otherwise. She has learned the hard way that your method is the most appropriate one and that is what she now employs.