Fake negative feedbacks - rejected feedback removal requests - Goodbye ebay

[justanotherbritish]

A customer purchased 7 items from me, which were delivered without any issues. However, he made additional requests that I couldn't accommodate because they were unreasonable. He threatened to leave negative feedback if I didn't fulfill these demands, and when I refused, he left 7 negative comments.

In his feedback, he falsely claimed:

• I was a scammer.
• The products were damaged.
• The products were defective and didn't work.

I requested a feedback review, but only 2 were removed, leaving 5 still in place. Despite contacting customer service twice, I received no response.

Due to these false reviews, another customer canceled an order worth approximately £12,000. I'm frustrated with this platform's lack of support for sellers and have decided to leave. These baseless comments continue to damage my reputation and brand, so my lawyer has initiated legal action.

For clarity and to inform other sellers: Why isn't unsubstantiated and false feedback removed? Why is it so hard to contact customer support?

I advise other high-volume sellers to reconsider using this platform.

[bennotbill]

You reap what you sow maybe..........

But even if they were properly registered would it stop anyone coming along and trashing their account on a whim? Because of some perceived transgression. Will that "properly registered competitor" now face a retaliatory threat of the same action?

There's already enough bad behaviour from eBay. The children don't need to join in.

[vikkipollardanddafyddthomas]

The account has clearly been created to trash your feedback. 

[justanotherbritish]

I can honestly say that I wouldn't do it ethically. I never did, and I wouldn't try to take revenge on such a psychopath even if he confessed who he was.

[justanotherbritish]

So why is this problem not removed even though it is clearly seen? They could have at least asked for proof from the Customer. However, they didn't even do that.

[beechvale76_5]

I had a buyer leave negative feedback after they messaged me threatening to leave negative if I didn't refund them for an item they claimed they didn't receive.

I requested the feedback be removed but the automated service declined. I went on the ebay chat and as soon as I mentioned ebays policy about threatening negative feedback the CS removed it. 

[vikkipollardanddafyddthomas]

If you actually speak to someone at ebay (get them to call you) they may remove the feedbacks.

Use this link to have them call you and you will speak to a human. Call after 8 a.m. and you will hopefully get Ireland .

Ebay call back 

[bennotbill]

And if you start by saying "It's against eBay policy to.................................

That usually clinches it.

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@justanotherbritish wrote:

I can honestly say that I wouldn't do it ethically

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Neither would I but it's one good reason eBay needs to be sensible with feedback. And take action where it's obviously required. It wouldn't take much for it to go all pear shaped.

[4_bathrooms]

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@justanotherbritish wrote:

A customer purchased 7 items from me, which were delivered without any issues. However, he made additional requests that I couldn't accommodate because they were unreasonable. He threatened to leave negative feedback if I didn't fulfill these demands, and when I refused, he left 7 negative comments.

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You need to scroll right to the bottom of the offending messages; you'll see an "Action" pull-down button (the first option is "Report this message"). Where the message is asking for something not offered in the listing you need to report it for demanding something not offered in the listing which is not allowed under eBay's abusive buyer policy. Do the same for the messages threatening negative feedback but this time for breaching eBay's feedback extortion policy.

When reporting abusive buyers you often need to quote the exact policy breach that has been committed. Make sure you quote the linked policies in your report(s).

[justanotherbritish]

I reminded this, but unfortunately they said they could not intervene manually.

[justanotherbritish]

I did this too, They said they would get back to me within 48 hours but it's been 5 days...

[justanotherbritish]

Thank you very much for your detailed answer. Unfortunately, I did all of these, but nothing changed!

[purveyor_of_tat]

Business sellers can sometimes get better results from eBay CS than private sellers. 

Your account is a private one. 

[kath3735_wxmjn]

not sure why anyone would cancel an order, all you have to do is read the feedback, your response and all your positive responses to see where the problem lies!  If i want to buy something i look at the overall comments not just the percentage, it can make a huge difference as to whether i buy or not.

[vinylscot]

I disagree with @kath3735_wxmjn  above. I wouldn't dream  of purchasing from someone with feedback at 91%. I probably wouldn't even bother looking at the comments, but, if I did, I certainly wouldn't be buying in this case. Unfortunately, the replies he has left may well be removed, as eBay will not tolerate buyers being publicly accused of being scammers.

The poster needs to keep plugging away (although, I think he may have blown it, with his feedback replies); hopefully eBay will come around. It may help if he can speak to someone based in Ireland, as they seem to be far more competent. Many posters suggest early morning is the most likely time to strike it lucky and get an Irish rep.

[bits_n_bobs_heaven]

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@justanotherbritish wrote:

A customer purchased 7 items from me, which were delivered without any issues. However, he made additional requests that I couldn't accommodate because they were unreasonable. He threatened to leave negative feedback if I didn't fulfill these demands, and when I refused, he left 7 negative comments.

In his feedback, he falsely claimed:

• I was a scammer.
• The products were damaged.
• The products were defective and didn't work.

I requested a feedback review, but only 2 were removed, leaving 5 still in place. Despite contacting customer service twice, I received no response.

Due to these false reviews, another customer canceled an order worth approximately £12,000. I'm frustrated with this platform's lack of support for sellers and have decided to leave. These baseless comments continue to damage my reputation and brand, so my lawyer has initiated legal action.

For clarity and to inform other sellers: Why isn't unsubstantiated and false feedback removed? Why is it so hard to contact customer support?

I advise other high-volume sellers to reconsider using this platform.

---

The buyer must have messaged you through the eBay messaging system with their ridiculous demands, so get onto an eBay Agent and ask them to look at the message(s) that you received with the threat(s)! That is absolute 100% proof of the abuse of the feedback system and hence, why ALL the negative feedback should be removed without question!

[nigel_paul_wright7557]

Its tempting to fight customers when they are in the wrong but UK distance selling laws and ebays money back guarantee help the buyer.

I tend to just refund on return and not get into arguments with customers.

[justanotherbritish]

The customer calling me a "scammer", saying that the products sent in new condition were broken, and saying that there was a debt for the products were evaluated as "buyers opinion" by Ebay.

Even though I reminded them many times, the Feedback extortion policy rules were not implemented.

It was said that this decision was the final decision.

I wish Ebay good luck in court.

I hope this community post doesn't magically disappear and everyone sees what can happen to sellers.

[dealer-agent]

This is not related to you alone. It is very disappointing that ebay continued to collude with scammers of all sorts to scam honest sellers. And even more annoting is all the time you wasted on ebay making a report and ending up getting no where.

One of the scammer buyers recently purchased a used table from me for £29 which is collection only. He came personally to collect the table. On arrival he immediately demanded a discount of £10 after insinuating about 'scratches' on the table and subtle threats about the leaving of feedback.  However I refused his demand and by his behaviour, I told him that he is free not to buy the table and I can simply relist it.

The buyer however insisted on buying the table and decided to take it. He put it in his car and drove away. The third day he opened an 'item not received'  together with an 'item not as described' case. I replied to the case, stating that  he is a scammer because he examined the table over and over and collected it in the presecnce of the receptionist and in clear view of the CCTV and moreover that he also made a threat of negative feedback becuase I refused the £10 he asked for. I then followed this with reporting the buyer to ebay.

As soon as the buyer scammer read my reply, he immediately replied "this was pure error no further action required ".  In all this, ebay did not issue a reply or interven in the matter.  Few days later the buyer left a negative feedback stating that ''Item not as described'' This was after stating on ebay's platform that his earlier ''item not as described'' claim was ''pure error and no further action required ". 

I then contacted ebay again, re-stating all the above issues and how the buyer has proceeded to carry out his threats of leaving a negative feedback after violating ebay's policies. I also stated that his negative feedback is false and should be removed. However to my shock and horror, ebay replied to me that they have examined the issues and discovered that the buyer has not violated any of their policies and therefore they cannot remove the feedback!  This is despite all the evidence produced including the availability of a CCTV camera evidence.

I have since started moving my ebay listings to alternative online selling sites to save myself all these aggravations not only from buyers but also from ebay.

[dealer-agent]

All those who have experienced issues like this will tell you that no matter wha you ''start by saying'', you'd still get the same result of ebay colluding with the scammer buyers to the detriment of sellers!