posted on August 14, 2001 09:43:03 AM new
I just received my first neg (this particular ID has over 200 positives). Although I'm far from happy, I'm not even worried about it because it's just so ridiculous it'll be easy for a bidder to see how stupid it was. I just need to craft the best possible factual response.
Facts of the case: Bidder won auction 8/4 (Saturday) and paid with Billpoint. I shipped item out Priority 8/7 (Tuesday). Buyer leaves neg feedback 8/13 "poor ship time on this item."
I had e-mailed her after shipping that her item had been shipped and gave her the DC tracking number. I don't think I'll be doing that in the future. She misunderstood and frantically e-mailed me 8/10 that the item was being shipped to "Seller's Town," NC and WHY WASN'T IT GOING TO "BUYER'S TOWN, WA???
I e-mailed her right back and explained that the item being accepted at "Seller's Town" meant that it had been mailed and accepted into the USPS "system" at that time and at that place (ie. where I had mailed it). That is the last I heard from her until the neg.
Priority has been slow lately as I had a flat rate envelope sent Priority from VA to NC take five days to arrive last week (I got it yesterday, it was mailed 8/7).
She is a newbie with 4 FB and sunglasses. I was actually proud to have given her her first Positive FB as I leave FB when I ship. (That is my policy and I don't have plans to change).
I also e-mailed her after I saw the neg. I indicated the facts of the matter, stated I was sorry that she had felt it necessary to leave the neg and that I hoped she enjoyed her book.
My first inclination is to leave this response: Impatient new user. Auction ended Sat 8/4. I shipped Tues 8/7.
Is that too emotional? Not matter-of-fact enough? Is the "impatient" part over the top? Let me know your thoughts.
posted on August 14, 2001 09:56:22 AM newNever leave feedback till the deal is done.
This has been debated quite a bit.
Personally, I think that if you don't leave feedback when the item is paid for that you're holding their feedback hostage and leaving yourself room to retaliate if they neg you.
Just doesn't seem right to me.
My experience has been that the number of times a deal has went sour after the item has been shipped has been so small as to be insignificant
[ edited by loosecannon on Aug 17, 2001 07:16 AM ]
posted on August 14, 2001 10:07:18 AM new
I agree, LC. I'm not planning to change my policy of leaving FB when I ship. I'm not going to let the "other person" determine how I conduct my business. Or, one antsy newbie either, for that matter. It's how I feel comfortable doing business and one neg is not going to change my mind.
posted on August 14, 2001 10:10:55 AM new
Loosecannon, you are right, this has been dabated many many times. And I repsectfully disagree. I do not feel the transaction is completed until the buyer has received the goods. I wait until everybody's happy! I do not feel it is feedback hostage.
I liken it to a transaction in a store. The transaction is not complete until I walk away from the register with my merchandise.
posted on August 14, 2001 10:14:44 AM newwbbell...Actually, I did check and I don't think it was ever scanned. It still shows the item was accepted on 8/7 and that's all it shows. I know enough from hanging around the EO that many packages are never scanned, so that's not an indication that it didn't arrive. And, if it hadn't arrived, I'm sure she wouldn't have complained about the "slow" shipping...she'd be complaining about non-arrival.
I asked her in the e-mail when it arrived but I bet I don't hear back from her. She didn't e-mail me back after I responded to her hysterics about the item being "accepted" in NC instead of WA.
Although I'm a little bummed about the whole thing, I appreciate all the responses to my question. Thanks.
posted on August 14, 2001 10:17:12 AM new
Have you checked to see when the Billpoint payment actually cleared your account?
From the timeline you posted, odds are you shipped this either before pmt cleared or on the same day.
I had a bidder comment similarly, and, like you, I post FB upon payment.
With the new "update" feedback, I was able to warn other sellers regarding the inappropriate use of FB, (that the item was shipped before BP had even been deposited).
In my case, the newbie had the widget in their hot little hands less than 96 hours from the close of the auction & claimed slow shipping.
* hrrrrumph *
I used both the "response" and the "update" tin attempt to neutralize the FB on both profiles.
just my 2 cents
posted on August 14, 2001 10:25:23 AM new
Probably a bit harsher than it should have been, but here it is:
>>> FYI ~ names have been changed to protect the innocent <<<
on my profile:
newbiebidder (6) Aug-04-01 item#xx
Praise : Moderate Shipping Speed, but excellent Communication! A+++ SELLER!
Response : Auction closed July 30. Item In Your Hands 4 postal days later. HUH?????
newbiebidder (6) Aug-04-01 item#xx
Praise : Moderate Shipping Speed, but has excellent communication! A+++
Response : BillPoint pmt deposited 48 hrs ago! Shipped PRIOR to clearing...Moderate Speed?
On their profile:
zoomin(not really)(1023)Aug-01-01 item#xx
Praise : *FAST* payment & communication! AAA+++ recommended bidder! thanks
Follow-up : WARNING: considers receiving item w/in 4 days "moderate speed".
zoomin(not really)(1023)Jul-30-01 item#xx
Praise : *FAST* payment & communication! AAA+++ recommended bidder! thanks
Follow-up : SELLER ALERT: Bidder harmfully uses the Feedback system. BEWARE
only ZOOMIN here
edit:silly smiley issues!
[ edited by zoomin on Aug 14, 2001 10:29 AM ]
But, it must be a lot harder to keep track of who you need to (or want to) leave feedback for with your method.
It's hard enough for me to keep track of things the way I do it now. Plus, I'm so certain that they'll be happy with the item I send that I seldom have to worry about trouble later.
[ edited by loosecannon on Aug 17, 2001 07:16 AM ]
posted on August 14, 2001 11:41:16 AM new
I appreciate the suggestions.
Zoomin, I particularly appreciate your suggestion about updating the feedback I left for the buyer (eBay calls it Follow Up). I wasn't aware of this feature until you pointed it out. I will definitely use it.
I take my eBay selling very seriously as I am self-employed and make a significant percentage of my income as a seller. FB is important but it's not the "be all and end all." I'm taking it in stride. Some people are (a) nuts, (b) crazy, (c) ignorant, (d) all of the above. It's inevitable that we as sellers or we as buyers will run into a few of (d) eventually.
Some things are much more important. Like, for example, the fact that my oldest daughter is playing her first volleyball game tonight as a senior at her high school. She's starting for the Varsity squad. And guess who's mom, dad and sister wouldn't miss it? Now, that's important!
I've always really respected your opinion here. You've always made good sense to me.
What is your modus operandi for leaving FB? When is the "deal done" as far as you're concerned? Do you leave FB when it is left for you? Do you ask buyers to e-mail you when item is received and they are satisfied?
How do you handle it? I'd really appreciate your insight.
[ edited by paperfan on Aug 14, 2001 12:55 PM ]
posted on August 14, 2001 01:21:17 PM new
That is the reason we stopped leaving feedback on shipment of the item. Some problem children feel they can neg with impunity (for any nitpicky reason) if they already have positive feedback for the transaction.
Anyone who would neg 9 days after the auction ends for slow shipment is an idiot and doesn't deserve positive feedback, especially when she has the delivery confirmation number and knows when the item was mailed.
We leave our feedbacks in mass (1-2 times per month) usually a couple of weeks after the transaction is completed. It doesn't matter when it is left as long as you leave it.
[ edited by outoftheblue on Aug 14, 2001 01:27 PM ]
posted on August 14, 2001 08:38:55 PM new
paperfan:
Thanks for the compliment but you're really too kind. Anyway, I leave feedback when the transaction is complete. The transaction is complete when 1 of 3 things happens:
1) The buyer leaves feedback letting me know that he/she considers the transaction complete.
2) The buyer sends me an email expressing satisfaction with the transaction (with or without him/her leaving feedback for me).
3) The buyer has given me a reasonable opportunity to MAKE him/her happy after sending me an email expressing dis-satisfaction with the transaction. I may not always be able to make the buyer happy but I don't consider the transaction complete until I have been given a reasonable opportunity to attempt to do so.
As for leaving feedback first (before the buyer leaves it for me), I do it all the time (at the END of the transaction).
posted on August 15, 2001 07:39:53 AM new
I SWEAR to you I am not making this up.
I did hear back from the buyer this morning. She says the package has not arrived. Her letter was cordial but disjointed. Strangely enough, she responded to me almost as if I was not the seller but some interested third party. She indicated that she thought the package had perhaps been sent "book rate." And, the Twilight Zone thing about it is that, although her name is something innocuous like "Beth" she signed her e-mail Syko. Honestly, I am not all that creative...I couldn't have made this up if I had tried!
Anyway, I assured her that I had sent the item Priority mail, and that I would stand behind it with a full refund as she had paid for insurance. I indicated that I felt we need to give it a little more time and that I'll be in touch with her again next week if I don't hear from her first. And, I expressed the wish that she had just contacted me first instead of leaving the negative feedback.
MrBusinessMan...Thanks for your reply. I am considering changing my system. I just have never had a case where the individual didn't contact me first with a complaint. I rarely have any complaints about my items but I am willing to work with anyone who has a problem. In getting close to 1,000 transactions now, I have had only a handful of problems with any of my transactions.
pf
PS...My daughter's team won their game. They were undefeated last year in their conference and the team they played last night (an out of conference team) is the only one that they had been unable to defeat last season.
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