Defamatory feedback left by the buyer, ebay removed options to report?

[dza-4617]

Hi,

In the past ( like a few months back), it was possible to report buyers on multiple topics. Now it seems ebay revised the whole reporting section and removed several features? Like now it is not possible to report buyers for claiming non receipt of items when tracking shows delivery?

Anyhow, got an angry fellow from the US. Contacted me once to ask for tracking right after purchase, I added that and sent him a message with a question but no response. A few weeks later guy messages me again stating item is sure to be lost by now, and he wants a full refund. I checked and it was the last day of estimated delivery, checked tracking and indeed item was stuck in transit, for over two weeks yet the buyer did not find it prudent to contact me earlier. Package was past customs and through multiple sorting facilities, seemed like it might be at his local post office since last event was within his state. Replied kindly to check with the post office, provided a link to request package location. Again no response. A day later opens INR case and leave a nasty negative feedback, basically calling me a scammer in all but name, falsely stating that I provided no help and did not respond to his questions. Buyer also called out to other buyers not to buy from me.

In the past ebay had a policy that you could not leave false information in feedback, no matter why. So if the buyer claims non response, when ebay can see that multiple messages have been replied to, would that be removed, or did ebay change policy on this too? The part about urging people not do business with me also seems like it is a violation? 

[jckl1957]

Presumably it is a different account?

If the buyer has now received the item, you could send them a feedback revision request, asking them to remove the negative.

Without seeing the feedback, it is impossible to see if it violates any policies.

If the buyer did not receive their item and you refunded them, you should be able to request that Ebay remove the feedback.

Reporting buyers and feedback policies are separate issues.  Your buyer has not done anything to report.

Have a read through feedback policies using the link below so you have 'ammunition' if you ask Ebay to remove the feedback.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/policies/feedback-policies/feedback-policy?id=4208&st=3&pos=1&query=Feed...

[dza-4617]

Yes it is. I can see in the guidelines it says nothing about providing factually incorrect statements when in the past I had multiple feedbacks removed by cs with minimal hassle that I could point out that the buyer lied about the lack of communication.

I do see there's a section "Personal attacks that could harm the reputation of the seller or their business and could not reasonably be viewed as constructive criticism"

The feedback goes like this "Buyer BEWARE. This seller will be of zero help, happy to take our money but zero help. Reached out twice to seller but they were zero help."

That does not seem constructive and VERY much harms my reputation, right?

I responded to both messages with tracking and support on what to do, plus both messages were sent within estimated delivery date so there was technically no delay at that point.

[lucy_farmer]

The feedback is pretty unpleasant, but : he didn't actually say you didn't respond to his questions.

He just said you were 'zero help'. (i.e. you didn't say what he wanted to hear!)

I think CS will just say 'this is the buyer's opinion' and leave it there.

If it doesn't get removed, you can leave a reply to the feedback.

But the reply has to be polite, calm and impersonal. A good neg. feedback reply can often 'neutralise' the nastiness of having a neg when a potential buyer 'reads up on you'. (some potential buyers still do this!)

[dza-4617]

Well, on the other hand there's the call to other buyers, beware, the seller will not help you. That is an attack on the seller in a general sense coming from a single transaction, which If I understand the policy is not allowed?

Yes, you had, in your opinion a bad experience, but you can't say everyone will have it,  right? If he just left it, I got zero help, and am very, very unhappy, that would be an opinion I can't do anything about. But adding a general statement "this seller will be of no help" is not an opinion but a harmful general statement potentially detrimental to further sales.

[lucy_farmer]

I still think you'll be on a hiding to nothing trying to get CS to remove it ☹️

But by all means give it a try!

[dza-4617]

Well, customer support does not want to deal with this at all, says there's a dashboard to submit removal requests but the feedback is actually not there at all, lol...

[papso22]

You only get 30 days to deal with getting feedback removed.

That sort of feedback won't be removed but it could be mitigated by a well worded response.

[game_raid]

They won't remove it, we have had similar in the past where the feedback stated buyer beware and that we didn't even ship at all which was a total lie, the last scan was in a Hermes hub and it never left there.

It is buyer opinion whether we agree with it or not, it is one person's definition of what regard help is no matter what we do.

Better to leave a factual reply saying you did all you can to help the buyer and the tracking confirmed it was lost in transit/delayed in transit

It really won't affect your sales in anyway and it will soon be out of sight, you have to move on and forget about it, and I would also block the buyer.

[dza-4617]

Actually, just got off a chat with cs, demanded to be connected to a manager who removed the feedback instantly "because it related to delivery and tracking shows it was posted on time", so, the more you know...

Just proves that you have to hammer cs in every situation because you never know what will stick. And I know feedback does not really matter anymore for metrics, but it does matter for some buyers. Especially if your are looking into buying from abroad, and see a nasty feedback about a delay/non delivery, you will probably not care about a 1000 positive comments relating to an opposite experience.

[lucy_farmer]

'a manager who removed the feedback instantly'

Blimey... I'm impressed!

👏

[hugothecockapoo]

Well done..dza-4617 ,being a bugbear of mine for years that buyers can basically try to destroy a well built reputation and business with the press of a button..dont forget ebay HELP

Seller help is changing

Seller help is becoming more personalised, and we're making it easier for you to request the removal of feedback, defects and late deliveries. See "Suggestions for you" below for help with a recent order, or to make and manage requests.

[dza-4617]

Definately not more helpful but less personalised. The cs agent copy pasted info the feedback removal process has changed and there's a dedicated team bla bla bla, you must submit a request through a special dashboard, which of course does not work and you get automatic rejections most of the time. When I demanded to speak with the manager the guy wanted "another chance" to solve my issue and... copy pasted his previous response again, even asking what do I expect of him... which by the way was not "remove my feedback" but look into this and tell me if it qualifies for it or not...

So don't waste your time with the line people, go straight for the managers, does not guarantee anything but at least they don't follow the script 100% of the time, just 90%...