Bad advice and negative feedback

[opaljulie]

An overseas buyer recently won an auction, then said he didn't want to pay for Global Shipping.   We should either send via a cheaper method, or discount the item to cover it.    He became increasing rude and abusive, so called Ebay for advice.     A UK rep advised us to cancel the order  due to 'problem with address', and confirmed that any negative feedback would be removed.

Buyer has now left negative feedback accusing us of being scammers and I can't get it removed.   According to Ebay, the rep gave me the wrong advice and I shouldn't have cancelled the order.    It's shocking that someone can comit slander and Ebay won't do anything about it.   We have been selling on here for 22 years, and it counts for nothing.

[vintagechinashop]

I would ask for removal of feedback on the grounds that buyer has broken the feedback rules by calling you a scammer. That language is defamatory and should result in the feedback being removed. When you asked for removal did you ask them to remove on this basis 

[qualitycardsandgifts]

I've tried four times to get it removed.    The last rep was another U.K. one who told me not to worry, it's only one negative and it won't affect my sales.    I said surely they can't call me a scammer, so he went to check with the 'back room' and they have come back with another no as the buyer wanted the item and I cancelled the order.   

[technthread]

Infuriating, they asked you to do something that wasn't offered in the listing. I can't understand why the eBay agent didn't tell you to use that as the cancellation reason. 

[twofourdeltasurplus]

I think what you should of done right away was report them for demanding something that is not in the listing ie another postage method, and mention please see M2M blah blah blah

Maybe even leave it till 4 days then cancel due to buyer not paying, both of these options should cover for removal of feedback.

Pretty sure replying to feedback makes it damn near to be removed as well now.

[opaljulie]

The buyer did pay, but at that point didn't want to sell to him as could foresee issues.     I asked the UK rep about replying and he said it didn't make any difference to removal, so yet more bad advice.   I cannot belive the buyer is allowed to damage our reputation by calling us scammers.    The main issue seems to be that the buyer wanted the item and we cancelled.   I can't even understand how a buyer can leave feedback for a cancelled order.  

[papso22]

If they hadn't paid you should have cancelled on that basis, then they can't leave feedback.

[opaljulie]

They had paid, but in one message they said they wanted the goods and really wanted to leave positive feedback but we were amateurs using GSP and we should invest in a set of postal scales.   They have feedback of 1600

[papso22]

If the buyer paid eBay expects you to send it.  I think the rep told you what they thought you wanted to hear.

The feedback does break the rules, although they might just remove the comment and leave the red dot, would that be better or worse?

[opaljulie]

So basically there is no point in phoning Ebay customer support as even the UK reps fob you off or don't know what they are talking about.   Confidence on being treated fairly is gone.

We would have sent the item, but his comments about wanting to leave positive feedback made me think he was probably going to leave a negative anyway.   We blocked him but the rep could see subsequent messages he sent and they were all very odd.   

[bravergrace]

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@opaljulie wrote:

So basically there is no point in phoning Ebay customer support as even the UK reps fob you off or don't know what they are talking about.   Confidence on being treated fairly is gone.

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We could be charitable and say that the UK reps still cling to their misplaced confidence that eBay will treat sellers fairly.

But yes, it's appalling.  

Have you reported the buyer for asking for something that wasn't offered in the listing?  Or for feedback-related extortion (implied threat of "if you don't send it untracked, I'll leave bad feedback)?

If not, it might be worth making reports through the "report a buyer" route or the "report a member for breaking eBay policy" route (or both), wait a couple of days and try again.

But in general terms, if eBay staff ask you to tell lies (eg say there was a problem with the address when there wasn't), eBay won't back you up if you follow their advice.  This has always been true.  And it's very frustrating when you've gone to the trouble of trying to do things the proper way.

[opaljulie]

Yes, I've reported him for asking for a postal service we don't provide.   I shall be much more careful when calling ebay support in future.   I thought as long as you got a UK rep, you'd be OK.  The latest UK rep even said not to worry about the one negative as at 99.6%, I'm much better than lots of other sellers.   I used to love selling on here, but lately it's just become really stressful with false EDDs, problem buyers, false INRs etc and no support from Ebay for sellers.