Unfair Negative Feedback

[frontlinegaming2013]

I have received unfair negative feedback, on the 26th from a buyer who did not bother to contact me first. The item was posted on the 18th and the tracking number was provided. How can sellers be held responsible for items that are in the postal system? The label was purchased via eBay and was Second Class (as stated in my listings). eBay will not remove the feedback as they stated that there is no proof that the item was dispatched or received. Most of the items I sell are large letter size (socks etc) and as such I can post them in a Royal Mail post box which is better for the environment than me driving to the Post Office. I have had things go missing in the post before and if the buyer contacts me, I always send a replacement. I am so angry that eBay have sided with a buyer who is clearly abusing the feedback system. I am now going to have to take every small item to the post office to get a receipt as proof of delivery. However, even if I had done this, eBay did not ask me to provide proof of delivery, they simply clicked on the tracking (provided by them) which shows no information at all. 

[tressygirl]

Unfortunately, some buyers do use the feedback as a messaging system.  Unfair , yes I agree,  but the item is quite a few days late,  I understand totally out of your hands once in the postal system, but it still gave an  'unsatisfactory'  experience for the buyer, therefore eBay will not remove it.

You left a good follow up,  but personally I would have sent that follow up as a message to the buyer explaining the fact it was posted on time , and Royal Mail has let you both down.  Appeasing the buyer,  you could have asked them to complete a feedback revision, which you can still ask them to do this for you.  Worth a shot! 

@frontlinegaming2013 

[masonskingsshop]

Don't worry about it 100% positive feedback is certainly nice but it's not a problem to buyers to have 99% positive. 

And yes buyers do strange stuff. 

Ebays response will be that the buyer had a negative experience and therefore they are entitled to their opinion. 

[frontlinegaming2013]

Thanks for your reply. I did contact the buyer after seeing the feedback. I was polite and explained the situation as I have above. I also asked politely if they would consider revising the feedback if I sent them a "feedback revision" request. They did not respond.

[designedinashed · Accepted solution]

Trust me there are some people buyers who are outright idiots, and there are some who know how to work the system. Anything less than large letter is not tracked even large letters i get about 15% which do not track as the postie does not scan the letters they don't show as delivered frustrating due to the fact some buyers and i have had 2 recently stating after 2 weeks their item had not been delivered yet no comms between that time.
All you can do is either refund or send out another item as eBay will just award them a refund as no valid tracking.
Obviously this only applies to business sellers as private sellers are now forced to use simple postage via ebay.

[frontlinegaming2013]

The weird thing is, they haven't requested a refund! I can only think that the item arrived after they left the negative feedback. Idiots is an understatement for some buyers. As business sellers, we can't say what we really want to say, we just have to grin and bear it. One can only hope that genuine nice buyers see the negative comment and realise that the buyer is out of order and that it won't affect their decision of whether or not to buy from me.

[designedinashed]

I always reply to negs so people can see both sides and sometimes I don't hold back lol

[frontlinegaming2013]

I certainly made sure I did that. In a polite way of course 😉