posted on October 12, 2000 08:07:30 AM
Here's a strange one. Had a transaction completed a month ago, buyer left positive feedback. Today an email with a complaint that one of the books in the lot had missing pages and that if I didn't offer a positive solution, he is considering leaving a negative feedback. Checked my records and he left me positive feedback shortly after the transaction saying items as described. As he paid close to retail for these books, I feel this may be a way of trying to get a partial refund. Under these circumstances and since the amount is small ($5 per book), I simply offered to refund for the one book without proof of defect. Still, I don't like his implied threat regarding the negative. What is your take on this? Any ideas appreciated.
posted on October 12, 2000 08:35:00 AM
You probably did right to offer a refund on the one book, even though he probably couldn't do anything more than threaten.
But what bothers me is how QUICK some of these people are to be nasty, before they give us a chance to do the right thing.
A nicer letter would probably have had the same result with you, and you would have felt good about it, if you're like me. But to do the right thing with a bad taste in our mouth is sometimes difficult.
posted on October 12, 2000 08:57:06 AM
GC2: Yes, I agree, this bidder was too quick to take a negative (excuse the pun) stance on the situation without making a polite inquiry first. My reaction to this is to settle the matter quickly and not get into any dispute with a person with this kind of attitude. Which is why, HCQ, I didn't remind him that he had already left feedback. Since mine is the last completed transaction with him (almost a month ago) I don't know how he could have forgotten since I'm at the top of his feedback (11) list. I think I have found the clue to the situation in his email: "Considering I paid as much for them as if I had bought them new...". To the best of my knowledge, this book was like new as I described and if there were missing pages, I failed to see them. I don't know why he has waited nearly a month to bring this up considering that he left a feedback (items as described). And it was one transaction--a lot of several books. I just checked his bidding record and he's always buying things on the cheap--my auction is the most he's spent ($13 U.S. WOW!). In one other case where I had a refund it was a case of buyer's remorse for paying too much.
posted on October 12, 2000 09:12:00 AM
I get royally ticked when anyone threatens me. This sounds like a bluff. As far as I am concerned, they can take it on the arches when someone pulls that. I'd tell him to return the merchandise and refund it if it was defective.
Dollars to donuts it's not and chances are he never would.
posted on October 12, 2000 09:28:30 AM
mballai: I thought of that--ask him to return the "defective" merchandise. The books in question were in excellent condition many like new and I made a point of going to that particular sale because of that. Making a claim of "missing pages" would be easy enough to do--all he has to do is remove them himself. I guess my question is: is it really worth the hassle to ask for the item back first, especially when it's about $5? I agree with you--this is the first time I've been threatened with negative feedback and I've read in this thread about this nasty business before. Can a seller complain to ebay when a buyer does this--send the threatening email to safeharbor?
posted on October 12, 2000 03:11:06 PM
"Feedback extortion" is a violation of Ebay policies and involves using the threat of negative feedback in order to coerce a buyer or seller into doing something that he normally would not do as part of a transaction. Given that the buyer left positive feedback when he received the merchandise, and now wants you to take it back, you could reasonably argue that he's using the threat of negative feedback to coerce you into accepting a return of merchandise that you normally wouldn't. God only knows if Safe Harbor would agree that this represents feedback extortion, though.
If the buyer has already left feedback on all transactions he had with you, then you have nothing to fear--he can only leave one feedback per transaction.
[ edited by pickersangel on Oct 12, 2000 03:12 PM ]
posted on October 12, 2000 03:47:58 PM
Pickersangel--"If the buyer has already left feedback on all transactions he had with you, then you have nothing to fear--he can only leave one feedback per transaction."
That's the way it should work, but if the buyers feedback forum page looks like mine they Could leave another comment.
I've received multiple feedback for the same item(all positive thankfully). I leave feedback, it appears on the other person's feedback page and then a few days or weeks later it reappears on my leave feedback page.
I've been debating if I should leave double feedback for the same item, when people have left double feedback for me.
posted on October 12, 2000 04:37:26 PM
PICKERSANGEL: The thing is, I would have offered a refund normally if an item was found to be defective or not as described. So it was so unnecessary for the bidder to approach me in the negative, aggressive way that he did. He did not outright ask me for a refund, only a "positive solution." The other thing is that he left this rather late, I do ask in my About Me page to make requests for refunds within 18 days of shipping. I was wondering if his actions constituted feedback extortion. Also, I thought about using the "response" part of the feedback system to leaving a comment below his original praise to the effect of his late complaint and threat.
I've had about 150 completed sales so far and this is the first time a buyer has made a feedback threat like that. It sure does leave a bad taste in your mouth since as I said, it's so unnecessary to transact business in such a negative manner.
posted on October 12, 2000 05:23:32 PM
Sometimes when buyers have gotten burned elsewhere, they have a tendency to adopt a *get tuff* attitude when something next goes awry. (Ask me how I know.)
A pleasant and polite response will go a long way in defusing this buyer, IMO, which sounds like what you've planned.
Don't take it personally. And don't worry about the FB issue.
As for your 18 days -- not all books can get read in that time. I'm not suggesting you change your policy, but just realize that if I buy some books from you, I won't be thumbing thru each to make sure all the pages are there.
I also see a lot of people here talking about buyer remorse and accusing buyers of lying about such things. I don't know what categories they sell in, maybe they are where all the bad buyers are, but I think these two accusations about buyers are overrated. I think there's a lot less buyer remorse and buyer lying (so they can get a partial refund) out there than is commonly thought. Or maybe I just sell in the RIGHT categories??
Anyway, like I said, don't take it personally. Just assume they're having a bad day (or a bad life) and be pleasant in response and I'll bet it works out.
posted on October 12, 2000 05:58:55 PM
Clevergirl: this was a picture book (32 pgs.) from a lot of excellent-condition books which I saw no obvious flaw in when I surveyed them after purchase. In fact, they came from a lot of the best condition kids books I've ever come across. The buyer originally left feedback saying "items as described." This, in combination with his paying almost new prices for them (he underestimated the U.S. to Canadian dollar cost) is what makes me suspicious. In any event, I handled it politely, offered a refund which he has accepted. The interesting thing will be to see if he actually returns the book for refund. I try not to take these things personally; perhaps it's because I was prostrate in the dentist's office today getting a $700 crown put on my tooth.
