"Surely I don’t deserve negative feedback?" Topic

I've never had a negative or even mediocre feedback on ebay.

Now I'm faced with a situation where a guy has bought a figure about a month ago. This has gone missing in the post. I sent out a replacement figure and that has gone missing as well. I've never had anything go missing in the past.

He now tells me that if the figure hasn't been received by Wednesday he will require a full paypal refund and leave negative feedback.

I've told him that I would be willing to give a full refund, but that the negative feedback surely isn't deserved! After all I'll be down two figures and on top of that I will have given him a full refund. What else am I supposed to do?

From his response he still stands by the fact that I will get a negative even if I refund him. Surely this can't be right?

PS. I know I could have insisted on postal insurance, but as it is from the UK to Sweden it wouldn't have been worth the cost of the figure, besides I have never had anything go missing. Stupidly I thought that lightning couldn't strike twice!

How long ago did you send them? I had a package to Sweden take over a month to arrive. Admittedly, that was from the US, but still…

The 1st one about a month ago, the second one around two weeks ago.

Contact ebay and get a complaint in.

He's threatening you.

name and shame, we might have dealt with him too, it sounds highly fishy to me.

kind regards

jim

Sounds like the guy's going to give you a negative no matter what – in which case, I don't see any reason why you should give him a refund. The original missing figure wasn't your fault in the first place, so even sending the replacement was an act of generosity on your part.

Sadly though, if someone is determined to hit you with a negative there's no way you can prevent them from doing so. For what it's worth, from what you've said no reasonable person would behave as this buyer has. Unfortunately ebay is populated by a small but irritating percentage of unreasonable people. Most folks understand this, and tend to overlook the occasional negative on an otherwise clean feedback record.

Tell him you'll wait 2 months before sending him a refund. It could be held up in customs. Sometimes you get a difficult person and you have to take a stand.

To quote Clint Eastwood in "Unforgiven", "Deserves got nothing to do with it."

File a complaint with eBay, have a drink, and wait. I'd certainly hold back on the refund until, or if, eBay demands you refund it. As a buyer on eBay, I look at the whole seller, one negative has never scared me off before.

If you are feeling nice, ship another figure with signature required to pick it up and pay for the ability to track the shipment. It will make nice proof you are doing your utmost to eBay, but if you do so you are going way above and beyond in my book.

LLC aka Ron

I just had one of these as well, but this time from someone in Spain.

Cheers guys,

I just wanted to be sure it wasn't just me. As you can imagine I was pretty annoyed by the latest email and needed to get some unbiased opinions. As well as getting it off my chest.

Hopefully this will resolve itself without any bad feedback or refunds, but I'm not holding my breath at this stage. That said there is still time for the second figure to arrive.

If it goes to a refund paypal will rule in his favour as I didn't get a tracking number, which is my own fault. But giving me a negative after all I've done just seems harsh.

I guess I'll just take it on the chin and chalk it up as a learning experience. I know it's silly, but it's the negative feedback after all I have done that bothers me most.

Fairoaks, I'll post a link to the auction if it doesn't resolve itself amicably. I want to give the guy the benefit of the doubt at the moment. As it hasn't played itself out yet.

LLC, I could send another figure, as I do happen to have one left. But I wanted that one for myself. Besides sending a parcel to Sweden with a tracking number is going to cost me even more than the refund.

Sparrowhawk, This exactly the reason when I sell using paypal I always make sure that items are shipped via a method that meets that paypal requirement for online tracking. Even though it is more expensive shipping wise and I lose a potential customer, it does save on these sorts of headaches. Morally you are totally in the right on this but when this goes to Paypal and ebay they will rule in favor of the buyer in this case. I agree that this totally sucks. It really chaps my hide when you try to do a favor for a customer and then they react as your customer did.

I'd go along with a complaint to eBay, before hedoes.

If he does file a negative feedback, use the facility to respond to this and mention the two figures and the refund.

Just out of curiousity, what's his feedback like at the moment? Does he have any other folks who've been treated the same?

It is not unfeasible for it to take 6 weeks to arrive

Sparrowhawk, the guy has two figures and wants his money back.
He is lying if he says he never got it twice.
Fight it, and give him negative feedback. Call him a liar in your response to his negative.

Then, send Dog the Bounty Hunter to give him a wedgie.

EBay would be so much more pleasant if it weren't for the Buyers. Shipping from the US to Europe has often taken MONTHS for me. But this guy sounds like he may have found a way to get free lead. Definitely report to eBay before he negs you. The new policy states that they are not allowed to threaten Sellers with negative feedback, which this guy obviously has…

I like the Dog the Bounty Hunter idea

I'll give him a little more time though, before calling Dog.

I will lookup how to make an ebay complaint. I've never had the misfortune of needing it before.

Bob, when he won the auction his feedback rating was zero. But now he has a few positives. No mention of anything like this from other sellers.

The first figure could have gone missing, and the second could still be on its way to him. So things could still be OK (fingers crossed).

I'm glad I don't leave feedback as soon as people pay. Instead I send buyers an email explaining that I will leave my feedback once they have the item and email me that they are happy with everything.

I thought sellers couldnt leave feedback for buyers anymore on ebay?

I have had mail taking 4-5 weeks from the UK several times, 7 at the most. (I live in Sweden). He should really wait for at least two more weeks.

On ebay UK I still have the option of leaving positive, neutral or negative feedback. Maybe only ebay.com doesn't allow sellers to leave feedback?

Thanks Megaleif. I will let him know what you have said and it gives me a little more hope that the miniatures are still in the post.

I think If this was me I would try to get the buyer to wait a while before issuing a refund. Hopefully they will prove to be honest, and advise you as and when they recieve the figure. IF they still say they have recieved nothing, and there is no way of proving one way or the other issue the refund before Paypal automatically take it from you, but block the buyer so that they can no longer bid on any of your items in the future. Advise that you will also post their identity on TMP so that others can make their own judgement as to whether they should block this person from buying from them or not.

If the figure is worth say £5.00 GBP – They may have received both, giving them a £10.00 GBP freebie, but would it be worthwhile stealing that from you if they will potentially be blocked from buying for their hobby in the future.

When leaving them feedback, or responding to their feedback, ensure that you clearly state what you have done to resolve the issue. So that even if you end up with a negative, you can still turn the words around in your favour.

If on the other hand, they accept the refund, and leave you positive feedback for helping out with the problem, then just block them from buying from you, but take it no further.

I have done this on one occasion only, when a buyer insisted on a refund, and that I pay for collection of the equipment as faulty, which I did, tested it and found it to be fine. I left neutral feedback, and he can no longer bid on anything I sell.

I was under the impression that so long as you had the stamp printed in the Post Office (by this I mean label that they do for you at the counter) in the UK you had an automatic £28.00 GBP insurance, provided you kept the proof of postage.

Steve P