posted on August 6, 2004 05:05:27 PM
Got this one in the mail today. He didn't like my checkout system and that I return feedback after it is left for me.
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I didn't appreciate going through the extra pages to pay for this item. To
show my displeasure at this unwanted extra 'paperwork' this will be the last
auction I will bid from you (unless you discard this silly extra service. On
my end of the process it added nothing and took an extra 10 minutes of forms
and downloading pages from (Germany?) to get this auction paid for. If you
should discard this extra step in the future I may bid in the future, but I
see no advantage from a customer's point of view...
Feedback should be given when your end of the bargain is done, WHEN YOU SHIP
THE ITEM! Not left hostage until feedback from the buyer is left, just in
case you don't like the feedback you have earned. I bid, I won, I paid, and
I always leave APPROPRIATE feedback on how I was treated. You should leave
appropriate feedback on how you are treated by the buyer. If you want
positive feedback treat the other party in a positive manner, it's really
that simple! Holding feedback hostage is wrong, and I object to that. Don't
want bad feedback, don't treat me badly, easy!
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Here are the feedbacks he has left for ohers:
He left somebody a neutral for charging a dollar shipping. I think regardless of my answer that I'm gonna get hit.
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Here's my Response:
I'm sorry you didn't like the system, most of our customers comment on how accurate
everything is. Apparently something went wrong in your case, and I do apologize.
Both our company and MarketWorks are based in the USA, so I'm not sure where Germany fits in. Concerning the benefit for the customer, it often gets your game shipped out a day earlier. It saves having a clerk at this end type your shipping info into our shipping system, and allows for much more flexible shipping options (like various international shipping rates) than Paypal's simple system. I know that doesn't sound like a big deal, but with many orders a day it does count up. And in fact, you COULD have skipped the
checkout system entirely- as our end-of-auction email said, we do accept Paypal, etc. directly.
As far as ever using the system again, if you do, it will actually quicker in the future, as you simply use the account info you set up this time. MarketWorks is a very popular auction management system, and whether you ever choose to buy from us again or not, you will probably run into them again eventually.
Please look at it from OUR point of view for a moment. We list games, we describe them accurately, we ship them quickly, and our customers are happy in almost every case.
The transaction is NOT over when you pay. The transaction is over when you are happy.
That happens once the game is received and you let us know, usually by leaving feedback. If you are NOT happy with our game, then we deserve a chance to correct the mistake, and it's as simple as that. Unlike someone selling one of a kind items, our items are all new from the distibutor, and we can usually replace or fix any problems that arise... IF the customer contacts us.
In the past, we did leave feedback first. In several cases we received negs from people who were unhappy for some reason. They never contacted us to let us make the situation right. They were unhappy and we were unhappy. How did that benefit anyone?
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I would have preferred to simply have ignored him, but after looking at the feedback he's left, I figured I'd better at least TRY to explain it. I've probably already wasted enough time on what's likely to be a neg anyway.
Could anyone have worded or handled this better?
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We do not stop playing because we grow old. We grow old because we stop playing -- Anonymous
posted on August 6, 2004 05:25:15 PM
I think I'm about to block my first bidder. I wouldn't want him to bid on anything I sell even if he'd pay my next 6 month car payments for it.
posted on August 6, 2004 05:25:26 PM
The guy sounds like a jackass. Your reply was friendly and professional. I get emails like that once in a while. I just ignore them. When they bid or do BIN, my terms are stated in the description. If they do not like it after the fact, OH WELL.
posted on August 6, 2004 05:36:08 PM
gosh replay, what a way to start a weekend, Perfect example of not being able to please everyone. I think your response was perfect, kept it strictly business and I understand why you replied in that manner. Feedback left and feedback given shows the type of person one is dealing with. Lets hope because you took the time and effort to email him, and explain to him the steps you take to run your ebay business efficiently will be taken into consideration on his part. Unfortunately I believe he has set the tone and this is someone who will find something at all times to complain about.The funny thing is he is accusing you of feedback extortion. Hope this one ends in a push for you, he leaves no feedback and you do the same in kind. Have a good weekend.
reenie
I don't get even....I get even better Jimmy Hoffa
posted on August 6, 2004 05:39:07 PM
i think you did a _great_ job of explaining the situation (and you have a lot more patience than i do)! had someone complain just yesterday, that he was "surprised" to receive his eBay dispute notice - after the auction had been over for 10 days and i'd never heard from him. like the other person said, OH WELL. i never leave feedback first either. used to, until i got burned twice that way. hopefully, your buyer will be impressed with your very thoughtful e'mail and refrain from negging. you sound like you're too nice to do this, but i've avoided a couple of negs which were threatened in e'mail by just commenting that i always "reciprocate in kind."
posted on August 6, 2004 05:46:39 PM
Oh Where, Oh Where, do they dig up this feedback EXTORTION crap. It ain't over till they GET the Darn piece of junk! I care less if I EVER get feed back and I'll be,,,,,,,,if I ever give it just for them sending a payment they were obligated to send in the first place!
I got one of those IN THE FEEDBACK,,,,,,Seller refuses to give feed back FIRST! hahahaha, I never heard anything from that moron until I saw the NEGATIVE feedback,,,,,OH,,,you can be ASSURED he got a feed back,,,hahahahaha. He never realized it's ah two WAY STREET! POW! NEG! there suckah! Now ya happy?
posted on August 6, 2004 05:48:56 PM
"you sound like you're too nice to do this..."
No I'm not.
And my policy is simple. I ALWAYS neg anyone who negs me. I was honest in my answer to the guy- if someone lets me know about a problem, I'll fix it. There is NO legitimate reason to neg me, ever.
They neg me first ... NEG! +BLOCK! +SPAMFILTER! THE END!
Sometimes I'll reciprocate a neutral, sometimes I don't. It depends on what happened. I do try to be fair.
If you re-read his original message, he didn't really THREATEN me, just left some not-so-subtle hints. I'm pretty sure he already knows what'll happen if he negs me. He doesn't have the option of threatening feedback extortion and THAT'S what I believe has him ticked off.
Time will tell. If he responds, I'll post it here.
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We do not stop playing because we grow old. We grow old because we stop playing -- Anonymous
posted on August 6, 2004 06:22:42 PM
Replay, I thought your answer was super! If I was the buyer I would feel a little silly but certainly come back to your auctions.
I like your answer to the feedback question. I, too, don't leave feedback until the auction is over....when my customer is happy. I say that right in my auction which, of course, only half read but the ones who do are just so nice!
posted on August 6, 2004 06:33:25 PM
I got a response quicker thn I expected:
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You have the right to reply to feedback, unlike when I originally started
with ebay 6 years ago. You are correct that there are many benefits to you,
but if I now see that marketworks logo I will think twice before bidding for
fear of repeating this procedure. I got the impression that marketworks was
a German company for two reasons: First-the interminable wait to upload the
pages from their website (as if the information needed to travel from
halfway around the globe) and Second-the fact that they offered the
secondary language of German to their customers.
By treating all of your customers because of some ignorant (as a seller I've
also had my share of these) buyers who didn't think before leaving negative
feedback. My feedback (both left and receieved, and viewable by all) is a
testament to what kind of buyer & seller I am, and by ignoring that and
treating me as one of these ignorant twits I am in turn insulted. If my
feedback means nothing, then what is it good for? I don't appreciate you or
ebay telling sellers to hold this feedback hostage until I have left
feedback. Of course not everyone who trades on ebay has the good sense given
to a gnat. You ship the item, and your obligation is done. If the USPS or
UPS loses or mangles a package how can you be held at fault? (unless you
have grossly under-packaged an item, and that is fair) The very few times I
have ever had a problem I have always contacted the seller/buyer (did I
mention that I have been buying AND selling on ebay for 6 years?) to come to
some sort of agreement. I have even recommended to a seller to leave me
negative feedback since my money order went astray, I lost the receipt (and
couldn't track, cancel, or recover the money), and I wasn't willing to send
a second money order for another $25.50 USD for a cd (I admitted it was my
fault for losing the receipt after all).
When I receive an item, I always leave APPROPRIATE feedback for the
transaction, anything else would be dishonest. I am glad that you stand
behind your products and offer assistance for damaged goods, espacially if
my package received rough handling. I look forward to peacefully concluding
this transaction.
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Oh, where to begin picking this thing apart? I don't think I'm going to respond to this one, unless you guys come up with something.
I wonder what the likelihood of his product arriving damaged will be? I sent it out this morning before all this started, so I'm not implying I would do anything to it, but just from the history I've given, I doubt this transaction is over just yet.
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We do not stop playing because we grow old. We grow old because we stop playing -- Anonymous
posted on August 6, 2004 07:21:10 PM
Gosh, this sounds like a recent customer of mine! I wouldn't reply to the second post, sounds like he calmed down. From a business point of view, leaving feedback after just makes sense. I got a neg from a newbie because they had not received their item, and said in the feedback that I did not ship! I did ship, within 48 hours, the item is on the way back to me because they gave me the wrong address. Anyway, by NOT leaving feedback after they paid, I was able to leave them a negative in return. I then offered to do a mutal withdrawal of feedback, which they accepted. Since they had 2 negs and 1 positive, I think they were happy to go from -1 to 0.
Friends don't let Friends say stupid things like Friends don't let friends vote Republican!
posted on August 6, 2004 09:45:49 PM
Replay, your original reply to his crummy e-mail was absolutely perfect. As for his latest e-mail, I'd let it just sway gently in the wind and would NOT respond anymore.
___________________________________
My right to speak my mind, to have a voice, to be what some have called "opinionated," is a right I deeply and profoundly cherish. And my only hope is that, one day soon, women--who have all earned their right to their opinions--instead of being called opinionated, will be called smart and well-informed, just like men. ~Teresa Heinz Kerry (bless her)
posted on August 6, 2004 09:50:41 PM
I agree with Roadsmith, just wait and see what happens. "Peacefully concluding the transaction" is a good sign. Hopefully it will be just fine.
posted on August 6, 2004 10:10:57 PM
As many have posted over and over, the transaction is not complete until the customer receives the item and is happy. The situation you are in is a textbook example. Even though you have received payment, it is no where near over. I would not respond to the 2nd email, and just wait it out. Your response to his initial email was a masterpiece. You can count on every seller in this forum plagarizing it
A $75.00 solid state device will always blow first to protect a 25 cent fuse ~ Murphy's Law
posted on August 6, 2004 10:21:37 PM
This feed back is soooooooo juvenile,,,,,you say how wonderful I am and I will say the same,,IF I am NOT happy I will destroy your business! with Negative feed back! I had at least 200 feeds when I got on here and I had absolutely NO idea I was getting them,,(ALL positive of course,,,,,till one crying for feed backer said HEY! respond to my feed back,,,Huh? she told me how and I was like BLOWN away to see all the folks I had slighted.....I alway give them a pat on the back now when I see the number increase,,,,,UNLESS,,,,,it's some weirdo that NEGS ME! THEN Pow!!
And the Beets grow on,,,,,,,,Grass keepsa geetin' taller everyday,,
posted on August 6, 2004 11:47:43 PM
I would say, "Thank you for your understanding." That's it. It lets him know you got his email, but you are not answering his points nor are you changing your policy. Then, as soon as he leaves that Neurtral Feedback, Pop him in the mouth with that Big old NEG he deserves... "Child pornographer, Beware!"
They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. B. Franklin
posted on August 7, 2004 05:30:01 AM
Jack, were you really oblivious to the whole feedback thing for awhile????/ lol!!
Buyers (and some sellers) leave negs for the most ridiculous of reasons. It starts to get hard to tell who is in business and who is using it for grandstanding.
Realplay, the title of your thread reminds me of that skit by the comedian ennie meanie, [think his name was]. He went all over LA singing this song, "I dont care, I dont care..aye-I-ah..eye....dont care", and then he asked others, "Do you care?" One Asian guy gave a staunch, "yes, I do." and he said, "well, get outta here, because we dont care"
lol...guess you had to see it. (nice not to care sometimes, tho! )
Thanks for the heads-up. Another blocked bidder. And, it keeps growing and growing and. . . No longer is it the Energizer bunny, it's the Block Bidder bunny.
Cheryl
. . .if you still try to defend the infamies and horrors perpetrated by that Antichrist- I really believe he is Antichrist- I will have nothing more to do with you and you are no longer my friend.. . - War and Peace, Tolstoy
posted on August 7, 2004 12:52:15 PM
replay: There has been an ad on TV recently where one person has made a faux pas & then says Thank You! That is exactly what you should. Tell him "Thank You" & be done with it. Yeah, I think this going to be a NEG. Sorry for you, but this is why there more horses azzes than horses.
Life Is Too Short To Drink Bad Wine
posted on August 10, 2004 08:04:07 PM
I knew this just wasn't going to go away.
Today's message:
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"I have received [game] in good condition, you may leave feedback now."
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He STILL wants it first.
My plan: Ignore the whole thing. No response. He'll either catch on and give me a positive first or just proceed with the negative.
I WILL NOT leave him feedback first, No Way. No How. Nuh-uh! Unless of course he keeps pestering me, then I'll go with dejapooh's "child pornographer" scenario
Unless you guys come up with some kind of response to the "leave feedback now" message. Any thoughts?
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We do not stop playing because we grow old. We grow old because we stop playing -- Anonymous
posted on August 10, 2004 08:34:32 PM
I would simply ignore the message completely. No way I would leave feedback first here.
Friends don't let Friends say stupid things like Friends don't let friends vote Republican!
posted on August 10, 2004 08:46:07 PM
Aha!!!!!!! he answered it himself,,,,you MAY leave feed back now,,,,,,or,,,you may not, and THAT all depepends on YOU.
posted on August 10, 2004 08:47:17 PM
In other words,He just gave YOU Permission? hahahahaha, hahahahahaha, hahahahahaa, hahahahaha, hahahahaha, hahahahahah.
posted on August 11, 2004 06:18:20 AM
Here is the response I use to people that want me to leave feedback first.
"I do not participate in the feedback program but as a courtesy I will leave it to those that leave it for me."
posted on August 11, 2004 06:29:24 AM
Sounds like stalemate to me. I'd block his emails and just ignore him. You aren't under any obligation to leave feedback. Just simply choose not to leave it at all.
Cheryl
. . .if you still try to defend the infamies and horrors perpetrated by that Antichrist- I really believe he is Antichrist- I will have nothing more to do with you and you are no longer my friend.. . - War and Peace, Tolstoy
