Negative feedback Policy leaves sellers without adequate protection

[emohawk11]

I've sold on eBay for 21 years and for the most part very much enjoy the experience with helping customers and their positive experiences of my products.

However, recently I've received negative feedback without any prior communication for an item which does not fit. I offer free returns as standard and messaged the buyer to offer help. There is no reply back and eBay won't remove the feedback as it does not violate their feedback policy. I know the product is fine as it's been sold since 2016 and it's a good seller. 

I'm wanting to share my experience to see if anyone else has a similar issue, and whether there is any advice please. I currently feel the customer fitting / not fitting is an area I have no control. 

[btr.style · Accepted solution]

That's the way eBay is sadly. 

I used to care about getting negative feedback, always good having that 100% record but some time ago I stopped caring. 

The reality is what does it matter? The best of the best get lots of negatives. I've seen huge eBay stores taking in 100 negs a month and many could be appealed but likely aren't (negs saying "very happy", "great service" and so on). 

As long as the vast majority of feedback is positive, buyers won't mind some negatives as people know how easy it is to have been left one. 

[tressygirl]

It unfortunately as you know,  hasn't broken any feedback rules so won't be removed. 

However,  you left a very good follow up , and when I read it , it just showed me,  that the buyer simply didn't know How to fit this item.

[tressygirl]

Would language here be a barrier to the understanding of the fitting of this item ?

Could you use Google Translate to send them the fitting instructions,  then when all is good, item fit for purpose,   you could send them a feedback revision to complete.

[*knight-rider*]

I completely agree with all your points, i buy items off people with negs, because very often, the negs say as much about the buyer, than they do about the seller. When your selling a few hundred items a week, i think it's almost impossible to maintain 100% feedback, in fact, i think negatives are just so common now and people are so fed up with the feedback system, that many buyers don't even look anymore, because lets face it, if buyers actually took any notice of half these negs, these sellers getting 100 negs a week would have gone bust years ago 😉

[antiques-maps-prints]

I Have had a buyer who bought five items then sent them back they where refunded all there payments but still left negative feedback which I have asked to be removed with no chance, a buyer who only joined the day before the first purchase then puchased again a week later my fault for being trusting and not refusing new buyers. Where is the help from Ebay and just like you I have been a member since 2002 obviously counts for nothing.