I'm being targeted by a disgruntled seller

[thelittleemporium]

I'm being targeted by a disgruntled seller who has sent me offensive/ abusive/ defamatory/ inappropriate/ untruthful/ accusatory messages via eBay (after they refused to accept a 'Not as described' return & eBay ruled against them & eBay found in my favour & refunded me).  The seller has also has left me similar comments in his/ her feedback to me AND in his/ her replies to my feedback (AS WELL AS also changing all his/ her listings to directly name my eBay account & to add the same offensive/ abusive/ defamatory/ inappropriate/ untruthful/ accusatory statements to all the listings.  Although multiple representatives at eBay have assured me the seller will be required to correct the listings (or told me the listings will be removed), the listings are still active.  Although the eBay representatives have also assured me the seller will be contacted & reprimanded as appropriate (or banned from eBay entirely), nothing appears to have been done so far (even though multiple representatives have promised to contact me with the outcome following review). FYI, my responses to seller & my feedback were absolutely polite/ diplomatic (with absolutely no reason for the seller to respond as he/ she has - I'd be more than happy to provide all the contact to show this).

I am aware I can take legal action against under UK law (for defamation/ harassment etc.), but I'm hoping to ask whether anyone has any suggestions on avenues I can take with eBay (as eBay obviously have a responsibility to deal with sellers using their platform), in case I can sort this without having to resort to direct legal action against the seller?

[tressygirl]

To be honest,  I'm quite gobsmacked ( other words not allowed here! 😳 ) as to the extent of the vehemence of anger this seller has upheld !

To actually name you in their listings when selling clothing, I cannot believe eBay allow this naming and shaming, it's certainly not allowed on forums.

Unfortunately,  if you get a Customer Service agent whose knowledge does not exceed the script sheet they read from,  you may not get a helpful response,  and this certainly is something I've never seen before.

Poor you, this is awful,  and personally I feel definitely should be addressed.

Contact CS again,  but only very first thing on a weekday when the lines first open  at 8 a.m. as there's more chance of Dublin answering.  Lead them to this seller's first few listings ( I haven't checked them all! ) where your selling reputation is being smeared and dishonoured by their listings and this has Nothing to do with the actual item being sold!  It truly is unbelievable, as said, I'm gobsmacked!

Use this link to contact CS Monday morning at 8 a.m.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/eua?id=5275&mkevt=1&mkpid

Do please come back and tell us what they said,  I do hope they see sense and help you here!

@thelittleemporium 

[plpmr]

adding to the advice already given -

Unfortunately your negative feedback can be removed if the seller asks eBay because you said - "eBay stepped in, issued the refund & contacted the seller to deal with them.".

[tressygirl]

I saw that,  and thought that too.  However, Mr Angry doesn't seem to know the feedback rules,  as looks like he hasn't approached eBay for this .... yet.

It's their actual descriptions of the items they are selling and with a long rant about this poor buyer which has no relevance at all to the items they are selling, but in my humble opinion very detrimental to the items the buyer themselves are selling, besmirching his name.  Truly unbelievable actions !

@plpmr 

[thelittleemporium]

Thanks so much for your reply, which is really appreciated.

The seller's messages were just as bad (in fact, probably worse!), & so was the feedback they left on my account, & they also used the same word to describe me that they've added to their listings (which I believe is an Italian word meant to be offensive term/ word).  They used the same type of comments & word in their feedback left for me too (but that got removed by eBay) although I still have a screenshot of it.  It's quite crazy  really - one of the eBay CS reps referred to the seller as acting 'Un-hinged', which I have to agree with!

They even commented on my listings (which are completely irrelevant), commenting that I'm trying to rip off my buyers, & stated that one of my listings (an F1 promo card hand-signed by the driver) probably had a fake signature (which it certainly isn't, as it was given to me by my partner as a gift after he was given it by the F1 team themselves as he worked for them!).

The seller has added the comments to every one of his/ her listings.  If it wasn't so scary & worrying due to the seller having my address, it would probably almost be funny!

[thelittleemporium]

Thanks so much for letting me know - I hadn't realised this was the case at all & had just assumed my comment was fine as it was a truthful statement about what has happened & my experience with the seller, without being impolite or inappropriate etc. In fact, I was probably way more diplomatic/ reserved about the condition of the item than I could've been, just to be polite.

[plpmr]

As you sell, block them so they cannot buy off you in order to leave bad feedback.

[thelittleemporium]

A couple of the eBay representatives have asked if I've blocked the seller & have advised that I do, so the seller can't purposely buy from me just to leave negative feedback, so I've done that.

[tressygirl]

Good,  unfortunately,  you cannot presently block their messages,  as they've been in a recent transaction with you.

If you do receive any,  do not read them,  just delete and ignore as soon as you see them.

@thelittleemporium