Why is "red" feedback removed after a highly questionable transaction?

[picking10]

Last month I had a transaction of buying a double lp costing £383 total, but when the item arrived it was not as described, and had a serious defect - the poster had a half inch tear, yet there was nothing n the listing description about this - indeed, the listing stated: "On the poster there is a little crinkling, nothing major and as expected from 40 years, no rips or tears" - no mention of any half inch tear, and the "crinkling" too was major and not "little" as drescribed which rendered this poster - and the entire item - not worth purchasing, and, along with the tear, made the item fit be returned. I tried to return the item but the seller declined the return even though this seller had admitted the item "wasn't as described" in her messages to me after I notified her about this serious damage to the poster. The seller had the gall to say she had not noticed the tear, even though the listing showed a pic of the poster with the tear, which I'd not seen when checking, and anyway I took the seller's word that there were "no rips or tears" as she had described the poster having in the listing, so, for all I knew, this pic of the poster in the listing may not have been the one received when purchasing the item. Ebay wouldn't handle the returns case so then I had the rigmarole of having to open a claim with a very biased Paypal, and after sending endless messages and screenshots and pics to Paypal after receiving a stream of highly questionable messages regarding what I had already notified Paypal about, I finally got my money back weeks later [I had notified the Ombudsman too - everything now on hold].  I duly left a red "negative" feedback for the dubious seller on Ebay some weeks later, describing my experience, as one is encouraged to do, stating that the transaction was a "nightmare", which the transaction very much was, and that the item wasn't "as described" regarding the listing description. The seller had been as difficult as she could be, refusing the return after admitting her listing for the item was "not as described" along with sending beligerent comments in her messages to me in response to my messages about this extremely bad buy. The red feedback I had left was justified, and was in no way unacceptable - it included the statements the item "was not as described" and that the transaction was a "nightmare". Then, lo and behold, Ebay removed my red feedback after the seller complained!! Ebay encourage users to tell of their buying or selling experiences via the "feedback" system, and send endless messages when one hasn't left a feedback on something bought or sold, but  when one does, and it's an honest appraisal of the transaction, but a "red negative" on a purchase, it is removed almost immediately!!  How can this be right and WHY THIS HYPOCRISY!!  Removing red feedback has happened before in the past too when I've left an honest appraisal of  an extremely poor transaction, but if it affects Ebay's profits in any way - the said red feedback is removed!! Unbelievable! I lost hundreds on a transaction recently when gold coins were returned after my listing and selling them on Ebay with one coin being received back a completely different coin to that which the buyer had been sent. Ebay were so unhelpful then too, and advised that Paypal should handle this criminal offence, who bizarrely found in the buyer's favour and not mine, meaning I bore the loss and not the crook who had switched and still had the gold coin I originally sent to him. All advised I went to the useless ActionFraud who didn't even bother to tell me theyed abandoned the case halfway through - another bunch of highly questionable characters making out they're legitimate.  Ebay [and Paypal] act so dishonestly yet brag about their returns system, when in reality it is nothing how it's made out to be when, amongst other things, honest feedback is disallowed regarding a dodgy transaction with a highly questionable seller who acts almost criminally in order to get her item sold - it's a disgrace!!! Messages to the Office Of The President are ignored wholesale too, as are other messages to Ebay customer services etc. How can a company be so underhand and get away with it every time? 

[captain*obvious]

You've made a bit of a long winded catalogue of errors. 

To address the feedback first, eBay are removing feedback for sellers when they've either won an eBay dispute or the feedback breaches content policy, or, and this is the new bit, the feedback you leave doesn't seem consistent with the experiences other buyers have had with the seller.

Feedback has become fairly impotent, but your real mistake was to open a PayPal dispute.

You were guaranteed to win an eBay item not as described dispute. Just because a seller refuses a return, that doesn't mean you can't open an item not as described dispute and you would have won that - including return postage. I'm guessing you weren't signed up to returns on us with PayPal or you could have got your return postage back there too.

It's all well and good me being wise with hindsight, I get that, but I wish you'd posted here before you had the problem, we could have helped you avoid most of what you've been through.

[picking10]

The particularly inept comment from tormented-1 was to be expected from an Ebay employee / supporter.
I have been an Ebay member since 2010 and know the score - you are telling me nothing but i understand youre paid to support Ebay even if the criticisms are spot on and show Ebay in a bad light, which is obviously happening here with my appraisal of a particularly negative experience I was forced to be part of. I find your comment irrelevent too. in the circumstances where you have deliberately ignored my points.
The item wasn't as described - the seller admitted this in her messages yet still refused a return, causing much hassle, and Ebay wouldn't intercede and advised me to go to Paypal, which i did.
Because i got my [justified] refund doesn't negate the awful experience i had with this seller deliberately misleading the public with a listing which was far from honest, yet Ebay remove my accurate feedback, [which they send endless messages about making feedback entries] probably because it affects their monetary profit in some particularly minor way. The public deserve to know what's gone on, and they were told via my red feedback, but this was disallowed allowing the seller carte blanche to mislead Ebay users from hereon in. Outrageous!

 This was a dishonest seller and even though asked for my feedback describing my experiences - this feedback was removed, hypocritically. This is wrong,- period - and the facts speak for themselves! You're supporting this malfeasance only makes matters worse. Shame on you!

[picking10]

My original comment was rejected for reasons known only to the character that disallowed it, as this reply will probably be removed.

I note tormented-1 is an Ebay employee, or certainly one of their most devout supporters to give such a reply to an obviosly outrageous action by Ebay of removing my honest appraisal of an awful transaction, and i  note my replies are removed giving me no choice to reply to the absurd reply from tormented-1 but to recap, =  Ebay told me to go to Paypal to make the claim as the dishonest seller had apparently the option to refuse the return even though she admitted after the item wasn't as described. I had a 40 minute phone conversation with one ebay employee, and other conversations with others. 

After seeing the totally biased views of the characters that have commented to my post here - i would never dream of asking for any assistance from this place, except from other bona-fide Ebay users. 

[ruby*tuesday]

Tormented -1 has given you excellent advice. Non of us work for Ebay as you have alleged on another Post. We are just other Buyers and Sellers. Have you ever Read the Ebay Money Back Guarantee?

[picking10]

ruby tuesday = read my original post again. You have ignored everything i said - i have not received any advice here worthy of consideration, and i followed Ebay's instructions to the letter re: this transaction, except for leaving my honest feedback, when, as usual, Ebay took the sellers side completely ignoring the faults that came with the seller's item, and removing my honest feedback which i had every right to show, except it was negative feedback, which again i say might've affected Ebay's profits, thus my red feedback's removal. Despicable and totally unacceptable!

j graham butlincat

[picking10]

i've been on Ebay since 2010. When did you - tormented-1 and ruby tuesday - begin on Ebay? I've had more disputes than you both have put together and, i may add - many of my red feedbacks [half a dozen or so is not excessive for 9 years seeing as i do a transaction nearly every day] have been removed in those 9 years - each and every one an honest appraisal of what my experiences were, yet outrageously removed by someone at Ebay. Totally unacceptable..

[picking10]

I end ,my comments here - i know when i'm wasting my time, and will take matters up with the CEO as something is clearly wrong especially as Ebay go on endlessly when one doesnt leave feedback - then when you do, it is removed because they don't like it! The hypocrisy is staggering!

[ruby*tuesday]

Me 2003. Tormented back in the last Century. My lack of disputes is because I know how to run a Selling and Buying Account. Maybe Ebay is not for you as you seem to be struggling and blaming everyone else?

[*guinevere*]

Responders here have posting IDs, OP. None of them work for ebay but all are immensely experienced and are highly qualified to give you excellent advice.

I suggest you do ads Ruby says and read up on the Money back guarantee so you'll know better next time.

[captain*obvious]

''i've been on Ebay since 2010. When did you - tormented-1 and ruby tuesday - begin on Ebay? I've had more disputes than you both have put together''

1999, not that age or length of membership is any more reliable an indicator of knowledge than the number in brackets next to the author's name.

I am not an eBay employee, I'm simply someone who believes in reading guarantees and enforcing them properly, it's less stressful than threatening companies who dismiss such threats for the nonsense they are.

The single worst thing about your situation is the result you got, you would have got if you hadn't written to anybody, yet sadly, you'll delude yourself into believing you got it because of your threats. You got it in spite of, not because of. You also paid return postage when you didn't have to, so despite your vast experience of disputes (not something to be proud of by the way)

Here's how to get your money back on return postage for your next dispute

https://www.paypal.com/uk/webapps/mpp/refunded-returns

Best of luck to you.

[captain*obvious]

Oh and your eBay dispute wasn't rejected.

You opened a straightforward return for a refund request against a private seller who declined as was their right.

Instead of then opening a not as described dispute via eBay you went to PayPal thereby closing off your access to the MBG.

PayPal give sellers more opportunity to respond so the process became more long winded than it needed to be as an eBay not as described dispute would have seen you get a refund automatically.

You don't need the SAS, Action Fraud, or your local MP to win an eBay not as described dispute, you just need the ability to read.

[pixiesen2012]

sounds like you opened a change of mind return with ebay, instead of an item not as described,

sellers can only refuse change of mind returns, if they don't accept a 'not as described' case you just ask ebay to step in and ebay force the seller to comply.

once a case has been closed, you can't open another one, that is why you were told to go to paypal instead,

ebay have very strict rules as to what can and can't be said in feedback,

also, they will remove feedback if a seller requests it

[ruby*tuesday]

Woh you are certainly making Buying difficult for yourself. Buyers are very well protected on Ebay as long as you open a Case within 30 days of Delivery. You don't even need to keep arguing with the Seller or send any pictures. One message is enough then just open a Case in the Resolution Centre. UK Sellers have to generate the Returns Label within 8 days. If they don't you Escalate the Case for Ebay to step in for a full Refund.

Read the Ebay Money Back Guarantee is on every Listing Page.

And it is Negative Feedback not RED.

[picking10]

27 June 2021: I give up with people telling me my comment is "too long" and other characters chiming in with nothing relevant to say. This forum is obviously infiltrated by know-alls - timewasters - who are of no help whatsoever. Since that 1st comment of mine rgarding that dodgy ripoff transaction was made [the listing appeared off and on for literally months after my experience showing other buyers were as equally as disillusioned] I've had other "red feedback" removed of other genuinely dreadful experiences with sellers on Ebay, and especially with Paypal. I hope and pray all concerned they get their Karma back 10-fold. My MP stepped in to sort out an obvious fraud neither Ebay nor Paypal would do the right thing over - a tiny bit of light shone on this dark world of what, actually, is criminal activity [online fraud]. So be it!

[red_magpie]

Like most people who complain that their feedback was removed, you haven't told us EXACTLY what you said. Without knowing this it's hard to suggest the reason.

The most common reason for feedback being removed is that it mentioned an eBay or PayPal case. Feedback is also removed when a case under eBay's money back guarantee is found in favour of the seller.

If it wasn't either of these, all we can do is point you towards eBay's full criteria for feedback removal, see: http://pages.ebay.co.uk/help/policies/rfe-spam-ov.html

[*vyolla*]

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@picking10 wrote:

Ebay wouldn't handle the returns case so then I had the rigmarole of having to open a claim with a very biased Paypal

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@picking10 

Why weren't you covered by eBay's Money Back Guarantee?

If you open a return selecting the item not as described option then the seller or eBay provide you with a pre-paid returns label, you return the item and get a full refund. 

I'm not sure why PayPal were biased either? I've always found their Buyer Protection to be excellent.  Yesterday I received a top from another online site that had moth holes in it. There was no mention of this in the description, and it's a site that doesn't feature detailed descriptions anyway. I informed the seller and ask to return it for a refund, they ignored me, I opened a PayPal not as described dispute, the seller responded immediately saying that they don't accept returns, I escalated it to ask PayPal to step in, I received a message from PayPal telling me to return the item back to the seller for a full refund. All this within a 4 hour period. 

eBay would likely remove your negative if you didn't go through their dispute process.