posted on November 20, 2000 04:35:12 PM
I am fuming, and mad enough to do something I'll probably regret later so thought I'd write my thoughts here first to see if your advice helps calm me down. After 2 years on e-bay and being honest about every tiny flaw, measurement, etc. on the items I list, today I got an undeserved negative feedback from a newbie with a feedback of 2. The item I sent had a sticker on it which identified it as being an item used by a certain fraternity. I mentioned the insignia in the auction, although didn't say it was a sticker. Today I get a big fat negative because "star was a sticker which is pealing off." Since this was attached to a leather briefcase, what did she think it was--carved in gold? GRRRRR. I haven't left feedback for her yet, but I'm strongly tempted to see how she deals with a negative like "poor customer" or "seller beware." With only two feedbacks, a negative sure won't look good on her record. I know, I know, "just forget about it," but I worked hard for my feedback, and have always been proud of it! So--now what?
Edited to change the word "insignia" to "star" which is more accurate
[ edited by joycel on Nov 20, 2000 05:03 PM ]
I'm sorry to hear about your negative! I know how it feels to get an undeserved negative - and the ones from newbies who don't know how to handle a transaction properly are the ones that hurt the most! A negative can definitely ruin my whole day. Did this buyer email you prior to leaving negative feedback? Did they let you know they were unhappy with their purchase? If not, I think I would also be very tempted to leave them a negative saying "failed to let seller know there was a problem before leaving a NEG". Did you email them about this? Before they actually go through with the negative feedback a screen comes up saying in big red bold letters to be sure you try to work things out with the buyer/seller before leaving feedback. I would make this newbie aware of that and let them know they did not play by ebay's rules.
But then again, that's just my opinion - and I take ALL my feedback to heart. Positives and negatives. I take them all very personally and I can't stand it when someone leaves a bad feedback without at least giving you the chance to correct the problem first!
posted on November 20, 2000 04:51:23 PM
This is the first time I've heard from this customer since sending her the item. If she was disappointed I'm sure we could have worked something out, but she didn't even let me know ahead of time. No, I haven't e-mailed her yet, but right now I'm thinking of something along the lines of "Do you realize how the feedback system works, and how you just screwed up mine???!!!"
posted on November 20, 2000 04:58:45 PM
Joyce - I would not blame you one bit if you DID send that email. I've done it before. Sometimes it just makes you feel a little bit better to let them know the damage they could or did cause. This is your reputation they are messing with. I would let them know to THINK about what they are doing before they take such hasty action next time.
posted on November 20, 2000 05:02:12 PM
I didn't even use the term insignia in the auction. What I said was "On the front (of the briefcase) is the fraternity star and on the spine it says "Personal Portfolio." The briefcase was made of a fake tooled leather, and this star was glued to the front.
posted on November 20, 2000 05:03:44 PMDo you realize how the feedback system works
A quote from the eBay feedback page:
These comments can be positive, negative, or neutral, depending on your experience.
This buyer is screwed up about how ordinary business works, but not how the feedback system works.
What buyer obviously should have done is tried to rescue a positive experience from the transaction, but instead decided to indulge the negative. However, once having concluded "negative experience", buyer utilized the feedback system perfectly.
posted on November 20, 2000 05:07:06 PM
sg52: Therefore, according to your way of thinking, I also have had a "negative experience" so am completely justified in leaving her a negative as well.
posted on November 20, 2000 05:18:38 PMCool: no feedback reaction to buyer Uncool: attack negative to buyer
So it means more to be "cool" than to let others know about your negative experience with this buyer?
It's also "cool" and let someone try to trash your reputation and just let them get away with it? And not let them know the damage they have done?
When I look at someone's feedback, I check to see how they responded to the feedback they've received. I believe in sticking to the facts. Not always when someone receives the "2nd" negative in the transaction does that mean it was necessarily "retaliation".
posted on November 20, 2000 05:38:29 PM
Well, I'm going to be "uncool" or whatever you want to call it, and leave a negative. I side with Executivegirl--the next seller should know who they're dealing with. Guess my halo doesn't fit quite as tight as SG52s...
I respect your opinion, I just don't agree with it
A newbie - especially - should learn the rules before trying to play the game.
Yes, we were all newbies once.. but I assure you I read every detail in an auction before bidding, and I asked questions if I had any.. and I would have never left any kind of negative feedback without giving the other party a chance to make it right. It's just common sense, really.
If this bidder doesn't have this kind of common sense, or good business practice, then maybe (and hopefully) this negative feedback will make them think twice before acting in haste next time. I do believe this bidder deserves a negative - if not only to make them think before reacting next time - then to warn future sellers of how this person does business unfairly.
Because of the way this buyer reacted, it turned out to be a NEGATIVE experience for the seller - who in my opinion has every right to leave the buyer a negative feedback.
posted on November 20, 2000 06:01:01 PM
Given that you're dealing with a newbie, I'd suggest a NEUTRAL: "Left negative feedback without contacting me to resolve problem." Nuff said?
posted on November 20, 2000 06:39:20 PM
joycel, I've had the same happen to me. Definately email the buyer and point out their error so they don't continue this stealth negging.
If they write back and they understand the error of their ways, leave 'em a positive. If they don't write back, or give you more attitude, leave a neutral explaining that they are a stealth negger.
Believe it or not, you will get over this and forget about it. If you have good feedback overall, this one lousy neg will not hurt your business.
posted on November 20, 2000 09:20:08 PMI'm strongly tempted to see how she deals with a negative like "poor customer" or "seller beware." With only two feedbacks, a negative sure won't look good on her record
Your statement indicates to me that you would be leaving a neg for "payback is a #*!@" and that is the wrong reason. I think you realize that because you also say you hope you don't do something you will regret.
I am like SG52, I look at negs and then look to see who is retaliating. Those sellers who won't leave feedback til after the buyers do and then respond with a neg for a neg will never see a bid from me. Those who write a calm response to the neg on their own feedback, I will bid and buy from.
posted on November 20, 2000 10:16:42 PMSounds like misrepresentation to me
Ok, so it was misrepresented. Mistakes happen, right? I do not think this seller intentionally misrepresented the item. Had the buyer emailed her they could have worked out an agreement and this could have ended up a very POSITIVE transaction.
But... the buyer acted in haste and irresponsibly, in my opinion. Never gave the other party a chance to make right.
A neg to the buyer would not be in retaliation in my eyes.
posted on November 20, 2000 10:22:53 PM
The bidder made a Complaint and now the seller can respond and can make it positive, the bidder can make a response to the seller's response to show the complaint was cleared up. I respect that more than a retaliatory neg from the seller. I am like cariad I check and if it looks like the seller just left a neg because the bidder did, I move on to the next auction.
Ain't Life Grand...
posted on November 20, 2000 10:25:23 PM
Once you receive a negative - although you can "respond" to it - it will NEVER go away. A negative feedback is permanent. 10,000 feedbacks down the road someone isn't going to search a thousand pages of feedback to see if that ONE was cleared up.
posted on November 21, 2000 05:51:44 AM
Yes, the neg is permanent...it's a done deal. Whether they were right or wrong to leave the negative is irrelevant now. What is relevant is how you are going to respond. You have the opportunity to turn this around and actually use it for your gain. To leave a retaliatory negative, obviously full of emotion, will just paint a bad picture of you for all your future potential customers. Hate to say it, but it will not look very professional.
I'm not trying to put you down, and I totally understand how you feel (been there before!), but I hope you think about it a little more before firing back.
"Who's tending the bar? Sniping works up a thirst"
posted on November 21, 2000 07:12:32 AM
I take exception to the term "misrepresented." In fact, I just looked it up in the dictionary to see what the actual meaning was, and it is "to represent falsely." This item was not misrepresented. I included all size measurements both inside and out, any flaws or defects, material the briefcase was made from, where it was purchased, identifying tags, etc. etc. I also included three nice clear pictures from different angles. No, I did not say the star was a sticker--I didn't try to misrepresent it--I honestly didn't give it a second thought. It's just the way it was made. (I also didn't count the number of stitches in the sewing.) I wasn't trying to hide anything, i.e. "represent falsely," just didn't include this one fact on top of all of the others. I believe in describing my items fairly and accurately, but there has to be a stopping point somewhere. At some point the buyer has to take responsibility to read the description, look at the pictures, and then if there's further information needed--contact the buyer before bidding and/or leaving negative feedback.
[ edited by joycel on Nov 21, 2000 07:14 AM ]
posted on November 21, 2000 07:40:25 AM
ExecutiveGirl - Seeing a retalitory (tit-for-tat) negative from a seller makes me reluctant to buy fron the seller, because they are clearly not mature enough to handle the business world.
Seeing a calm neutral lets me know they have their head screwed on straight.
It's the seller's choice how to respond ... like an immature "but they poked me first" whiny child or an adult.
posted on November 21, 2000 07:59:45 AM
I had a buyer awhile back who negged me one business day after the auction ended because she thought I didn't "claim" her PayPal payment. Turns out she had typed in my e-mail address wrong.
She had also tried to pay a Canadian seller via PayPal (PayPal wasn't international then), and she negged that seller too.
The other seller negged her back.
I e-mailed the bidder, explained (rather firmly, I admit) how the feedback system works and what it's for, and after several e-mails, we finally got things straightened out. She paid, and we completed the transaction.
She left a positive for me to make up for the neg, and I left a positive for her as well. It was not the easiest thing I've ever done, but I think the bidder learned something from it, and I feel better now that I took the "high road".
It helps to vent, or even sleep on it, before leaving any kind of feedback. My poor husband was the "lucky" recipient of my venting!
posted on November 21, 2000 08:00:15 AM
The people that buy these fraternity items seem to be very particular. I sold an old frat manual. In my ad I said it contained the fraternity ritual. (I got that from the table of contents) When he got the manual he said it did NOT contain the ritual as I had stated. I didn't have a 2nd copy of the book to double check. I offered him a refund which he declined. So I ended up sending him half of his money back. But I'm pretty sure it contained the ritual.
(not iwannabuy on ebay)
posted on November 21, 2000 08:30:29 AM
Okay, since we're comparing war wounds....
I had a real pain in the butt customer last week. He sent a dozen emails before the auction even ended. My hand to God, a sure sign of impending disaster. He sent payment promptly by Yahoo, but did not include his shipping address.
I emailed him asking for his address. His reply was, "it was included with the payment." It wasn't. I sent him several more emails, and each time rather than providing his address, he argued that I already had it.
Finally, he called me on the phone, told me to cancel the transaction and refund his money. I refunded his money immediately via Yahoo. I then left a NEUTRAL feedback. He returned with a COMPLAINT, saying that I refused to ship the item and wouldn't refund his money.
I don't mind the complaint so much. It's not like I'm a feedback virgin. Ha! But I hate it when deadbeats lie in a feedback profile, just to injure the other (innocent) party.
Now to the question. Hey, SG52! I think you're right, but we're not talking Sir Walter Raleigh or Marquis of Queensbury rules here. As you observed, both buyer and seller have every right to post what they feel is appropriate feedback. And I wouldn't fault anyone for an impassioned response to an unfair neg.
I know I'm going to get flak for this, but here goes. New buyers just don't realize how damaging negative feedback is for a seller. I know, because I used to leave negs for any seller that looked at me cross-eyed, back when I first joined eBay. I was not trying to be malicious. I just didn't understand the significance of negative feedback for a seller.
Joycel, when your customer gets his first red neg, and sees it sitting there at the top of his feedback profile, and realizes the comment will stick with them as long as he does business at eBay ... well, it will be a sobering thought. Go ahead and neg the cretin. Believe me, you're doing him a favor. I am absolutely serious.
