I don't blame you at all for negging them... I would have done the same. It's frustrating when bidders blame you because they can't read. I've had some very similar situations... my favorites include:
Neutral: didn't expect advertisement to actually be SEPERATE pages.
(the picture clearly showed separate pictures... plus it was described as a two-page ad!)
Neutral: doesnt disclose item has been cut down from original
(it was a full-page ad... this idiot just didn't realize that the majority of ads are removed from the publications that they're originally printed in... like magazines!)
They both got negatives in return...
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posted on December 24, 2007 08:43:10 AM new
I think in a situation like that, it calls for a neg. I think I have only done it once. A few weeks ago someone won a bid on a knitting book, $3.50. I wrote several times, getting no reply. Finally, I got a message to say that she had lost her job and she couldn't afford it. I gave her the benefit of the doubt, I couldn't be bothered fighting it, so I told her if she agreed to complete the "both parties agree not to continue auction", or whatever it says, and she did that. Imagine my surprise a couple of weeks later to get a neutral feedback from her "I DID NOT PURCHASE THIS ITEM". I immediatly negged her and said that I was kind enough to let her off paying, and then she gave me a neutral. A newbie of course, but I hope now she has learned not to abuse the feedback system.
posted on December 24, 2007 09:04:46 AM new
This is why I always list measurements with the words INCHES and FEET spelled out. I used to use " and ' to represent the same but soon realized some people are too dumb to know what " and ' mean and most would probably not bother to ask but would just assume.
Maybe that's what happened here? I'm not defending her by any means. I would have negged her too.
posted on December 24, 2007 09:33:28 AM new
I agree with the above. Unless a buyer has a bit of hurt when he's been stupid, he may never learn. This way, it stings, and we have to hope there's a slightly more educated buyer out there somewhere.
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posted on December 24, 2007 10:30:34 AM newFinally, I got a message to say that she had lost her job and she couldn't afford it. I gave her the benefit of the doubt, I couldn't be bothered fighting it, so I told her if she agreed to complete the "both parties agree not to continue auction", or whatever it says, and she did that. Imagine my surprise a couple of weeks later to get a neutral feedback from her "I DID NOT PURCHASE THIS ITEM".
Sad thing is your bidder used the feedback system correctly. Neutral feedback is for exactly this situation. When you both agree to not complete the transaction. So what you are saying is, "You gave her a undeserved negative".
You all scream when you get feedback that you think you didn't deserve, but yet give them out in a heartbeat. It's sort of like you can't give me a fair feedback without the threat of getting a poor feedback in return.
You want change in the feedback system, but yet you are the biggest violators of the system.
posted on December 24, 2007 10:43:21 AM new
I usually get 1 neutral or negative each month...generally VERY close to the day of the FULL MOON. My last neutral, I still don't understand...
NEUTRAL---*******missleading description. Postage especially reasonable use of USA post office. ******180171608041
posted on December 24, 2007 12:05:39 PM new
I feel you had ever right to neg her. It was a negative transaction for you. You said ad three times in the description. You had already went to extra trouble - calling her for her correct address.
The seller can and has ever right to leave a negative to a positive feedback if they feel it was negative for them. (I WOULD NOT but it is not wrong, if it was negative to you as a seller)
I have had real difficult transactions and the buyer give me glowing feedback. Of course I gave them a positive while hoping they never bid on my items again. I am sure all have had this feeling.
I do not see that you used the feedback system "incorrectly".
posted on December 24, 2007 12:23:34 PM new
I've had just one eBay buyer with whom I agreed not to complete the transaction. That buyer left me a positive FB, and I did the same for her. We both commented that the other one had been very understanding, etc. . . . .
A neutral feedback for something that wasn't completed seems out of line, if both parties weren't shouting across the miles at each other. A positive FB may have been called for in the case mentioned in this thread--or the alternative would be not to leave any feedback. JMHO.
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posted on December 24, 2007 03:15:57 PM new
Thank you roadsmith, that is what I thought. I think of neutral feedbacks as a negative comment. In my opinion, I deserved a positive feedback for being understanding, or I would have prefered none at all rather than a neutral. I think a neutral is for a small problem, in this case, the buyer was the problem.
posted on December 24, 2007 03:40:00 PM new
I'm back in the "old days" with Stone. A neutral feedback in a sane world means I'm not delighted but the item was not misrepresented. Neither a negative nor a positive. A neutral rating should have no impact on future buyers. Edited to add: posting a negative based solely as retaliation for a neutral feedback seems like feedback abuse to me.
[ edited by pixiamom on Dec 24, 2007 03:47 PM ]
posted on December 24, 2007 04:32:23 PM newMama-of-Pixies opines:
I'm back in the "old days" with Stone. A neutral feedback in a sane world means I'm not delighted but the item was not misrepresented. Neither a negative nor a positive. A neutral rating should have no impact on future buyers. Edited to add: posting a negative based solely as retaliation for a neutral feedback seems like feedback abuse to me
But, Legal-Beagle (figuratively speaking, of course) Ralphie strongly disagrees...
The buyer's feedback was TOTALLY INDEFENSIBLE, & thus caused Beth to suffer a "negative" experience with the transaction...Thus, Ralphie declares: "Off with her head!"
posted on December 24, 2007 04:36:28 PM newposting a negative based solely as retaliation for a neutral feedback seems like feedback abuse to me.
Perhaps it's done because leaving a neg like this is about the only "safe" way to do feedback: It's not like the other person can retaliate, after all.
I suspect a lot of pent-up frustration goes into these nyah-nyah negs.
Sometimes I think it would be good for sellers to get more negs. Then they'd understand the real importance (read: lack of importance) of feedback. I have over 300 negs, after all, and 2007 was my most profitable year ever. (So far.)
posted on December 24, 2007 04:45:53 PM new
Tom said -
The buyer's feedback was TOTALLY INDEFENSIBLE, & thus caused Beth to suffer a "negative" experience with the transaction...Thus, Ralphie declares: "Off with her head!"
Well that is about what I said(except Off with Her Head). I would not have did the neg. BUT Beth certainly did have a negative transaction and had just cause to post neggy feedback .
People seem to forget the transaction involves the SELLER and the BUYER.
The feedback system is all ready slanted against the seller. We do not have a set-up that lets us rate them. Stars ratings, hiding the identity of the seller.
Like
1-Time it took to receive payment
2-Communication post buying
posted on December 24, 2007 06:28:53 PM new
Playing the Devil's advocate, let's say the buyer did everything right: read carefully the item description and terms, bid accordingly, won the auction and received the item timely, maybe not. The item reeks of mildew. Not mentioned in the auction, but not excluded. To be kind or to avoid retaliation, the buyer tries to leave appropriate feedback, neutral but not praising the seller for a stellar transaction. Why should he be punished for an honest response to a less-than-satisfactory transaction? If the seller's behavior is less than pristine, have the buyers no recourse?
posted on December 24, 2007 08:28:02 PM new
Pixia
BOTH the seller and buyer can leave feedback.
Some feel only the buyer can have a negative response.
Of course if it is mildrew on a purchase -- the buyer can justly leave a neutral, neggy or contact the buyer and try to work it out. That is their choice.
I think what the real issue here is -the seller can leave negative feedback if it was a negative transaction, whether the buyer left neg, neutral or anything.
Just as-the buyer can leave negative feedback if it was a negative transaction, whether the seller left neg, neutral or anything.
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[ edited by deur1 on Dec 24, 2007 08:34 PM ]
posted on December 24, 2007 08:51:04 PM new
If buyers can't read or understand the terms or descriptions what makes you think they pay any attention to feedback?
posted on December 24, 2007 10:09:14 PM new
I think that many of us see neutral FB as negative. Sort of like size creep (in women's clothing, anyway). Anything short of positive doesn't feel right. That's a shame, isn't it?!
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posted on December 25, 2007 03:58:27 AM new
We HAVE to see neutral as negative since that is the way eBay sees it now. I am just as afraid of a neut as a neg and will go out of my way to make sure the buyer is happy. I probably would have negged her too.
posted on December 25, 2007 05:19:53 AM new
Here's the deal. I have a 100% refund policy for ANY reason. This is in my WBN, my invoice and on my printed shipping statement that is included with every purchase.
And, I have had buyers contact me before and said it was not exactly what they thought. So I refunded them their money and sometimes tell them to keep the ad anyway. They leave positive or no feedback. I had a guy buy two of an ad one time thinking it was a different one. I contacted him to make sure he wanted the same ad and then refunded his money. He left positive feedback and the eBay system reciprocated.
The part that got me was her saying: Probably sloppy reading.
That statement implies that maybe it was not sloppy reading but actually misrepresented. It was not. It was in fact, her sloppy reading.
A neutral used not to mean anything but as we now know they are treated as negs when it comes to the new eBay system.
Fluffy, I work hard to communicate well, have items just as described and take extra care in combining packaging so as to have a POSITIVE working transaction.
I follow up, I add extra ads if I have one that might interest the collector. I give calendars at the end of the year and pencils during the year.
It is the same way I treat my off eBay customers who can't give feedback or stars. I think it is the right way to do business.
I probably should not have neg'd her. A return neutral would have done the trick but considering the lengths I go to to get a customer satisfied and the fact that they have my phone, address and email to communicate with me if not satisfied, well as Tom said.....
Beth
posted on December 25, 2007 07:32:59 AM new
I recently had the same frustrating feedback experience with a buyer. He made no contact whatsoever after the auction closed. I sent a reminder after 3 days, as I customarily do. No response. After 7 days, I filed NPB, as stated in my TOS. He finally paid. Then he left me this neutral:
Hand some payment issues - but overall a positive experience. Great Item
I was very tempted to neg him, I was so PO'd. Why on earth would the buyer blame me for his payment issues? My neutral response:
Bidder made no contact until NPB notice was issued. Payment issues indeed!
And...I HATE the Stars! What an unfair way to treat sellers. No matter what you do, other than ship free, you never get a "5" for shipping costs. Even if they leave a glowing positive, it's never 5 stars. I despise those damned stars.
posted on December 25, 2007 08:39:07 AM new
I'm with you on the stars, Shething. Just soooo stupid of eBay.
Edited to add: eBay needs to include stars for our buyers; otherwise, it's a one-sided system.
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[ edited by roadsmith on Dec 25, 2007 08:40 AM ]
posted on December 25, 2007 05:12:22 PM new
I'm with you on the stars thing being screwed up. I do chuckle about the Shipping Costs stars. I see sellers provide free shipping and still have about 4.5-4.7 or so - so making a little to cover your out-of-pocket shipping and packaging costs doesn't seem to have any effect at all.
Wayne
Never explain -- Your friends do not need it and your enemies will not believe you anyway.
~ Elbert Hubbard
