Unfair Negative

[vantagevault]

Hi everyone,

Looking for some advice on handling unfair negative feedback.

We received a message from a buyer stating:

“Hi, I have received the headphones today. However, only the right one works. The left one is not connecting.”

We responded within 9 minutes and immediately issued a refund to resolve the issue and let the buyer keep the item for free. The buyer didn’t reply or request anything further.

Now, one month later, they have left negative feedback stating:

“Hearing aids arrived not working.”

We contacted eBay to request feedback removal, but they refused, citing that the item was “not as described”—which isn’t correct. We acted immediately, provided a full refund, and the buyer never attempted to resolve the issue further.

Has anyone successfully appealed a situation like this? Any advice on how to proceed? Have already messaged the buyer but they are not responding.

Thanks in advance!

[crg_music]

Unfortunately some people are just petty even when you behave perfectly to resolve, my only one from last year I even had a letter from royal mail apologising for losing my parcel and admitting fault and neither the buyer or ebay were interested. 

All you can do is reply to it stating that unfortunately the item was faulty and that you refunded + allowed buyer to keep it. Most people imo do read negative comments and that feedback will have little affect on future sales if its a 1 off especially for something you couldn't really help. Products do develop faults sometimes, doesnt matter how perfect a seller is they cant control when something will decide to stop working.

[lucy_farmer]

You'll probably have to live with your neg I'm afraid 🙁

Leave a reply to it that is calm, polite, impersonal and truthfull.

(potential buyers do sometimes read seller's feedback, and a good reply can very often 'neutralise' the negativity. It can show the seller to be a resonable, polite person even under stressfull conditions!)

[johnnyrideon2015]

Hi

unfortunately ebay has a very bad record in removing negative feedback...

you can reply to the negative feedback by writing your answer on the feedback message itself.

it does not remove the negative comment  but it gives all your other buyers the heads up on your actions with the buyer and with your full  refund.

good luck...

[crg_music]

Exactly, different buyers have different standards and I think most buyers, well the ones you want anyway will still buy.

If a seller has a list of not as described feedback I'm not buying but any feedback related to pettiness/entitlement or delivery time and I'm perfectly happy buying from that seller. 

[tpogodin]

The feedback system has long been not fit for purpose, the only real reason you can get feedback removed is if it contains profanity.  Everything else is fair game according to eBay.

It really beggars belief, buyers can leave a negative for any reason they like because according to eBay, "that's been thier experience" and yet they removed sellers ability to counter it with negative feedback. This has resulted in certain buyers being left unchecked in their negative feedback rampage. Whenever I've been left a negative I've checked the buyers feedback history to see they're a repeat offender of awarding unjustified negatives.

The best advice as already metioned is to reply to the feedback in a calm manner, I usually do this as a last resort after filing a removable request with ebay (always denied) and reaching out the buyer to try and get it removed voluntarily.

[vantagevault]

Thanks everyone for your assistance which is greatly appreciated.

I think in the future we will ask for the item to be returned so we can check it for defects prior to refunding.

It is possible the buyer is lying about the item being faulty.  We will not issue a refund ever again as a goodwill gesture on eBay if this how the feedback system works.

[vinylscot]

Might it be worth appealing on the basis that the feedback seems to refer to a different product to that which you sold? You did not sell "Hearing Aids".

[vantagevault]

Very good point. Thanks for highlighting this.

Is there a way to appeal once eBay has already refused to remove the feedback?

Many thanks.

[5216elisabeth]

I got a feedback intended for another seller - mentioned an item I didn't sell them - and I replied with a comment stating that I thought the feedback was for another seller but I hoped they were pleased with their purchase,  or something like that.  Hearing aids are not headphones in any way shape or form, sometimes buyers genuinely do

leave feedback for the wrong seller by mistake.

[troopster2525-per]

You won't get anywhere.

On my other account i had a negative saying...not arrived

Item was bought 16th dec and posted using 2nd class which is what they chose 18th dec they decided to open not received case 28 days later and never messaged me at all saying its not arrived

All because royal mail clearly lost the package so i get a negative. I refunded as soon as they open the case since thats when i found out it was not delivered 

Makes me laugh as it was for a 2.50 badge!

So 1 way they did not care about the order since they waited 28 days...and in another way they were so distraught about not getting the 2.50 badge they left me the bad feedback even though royal mail lost it and the left it 28 days to bother telling me

eBay won't remove it either

[chrisd0407]

Had a similar experience. Sold a CPU that evidently had some bent pins. Instantly issued the refund & apologised only to get a neg back in return. Seemed it would have remained a "not as described" neg. It was only some belittling emails I received from the buyer afterwards, that I reported got it overturned. Where sellers apologise and instantly issue refunds, I don't think they should be allowed to leave a neg.

I am still livid about one negative given to me this last 12-months, not correctly addressed by eBay. Sold an expensive pair of speakers & on delivery, asked the buyer had they got the item okay. No response. Then out out the blue, a few weeks later, they left a neg stating arrived with a broken needle & stating they contacted  me several times without response. One, there are of course no needles, and two, no contact whatsoever! Ebay still honoured the left feedback!

Am afraid I have no confidence in the feedback system.

[kath3735_wxmjn]

so true!   I have had a couple of negs recently (not something that happens too often thank goodness) and i did not even bother with running to e bay, just responded with a truthful account of what happened.  It is then up to others to decide which version to believe taking into account all the positives.   I was going to buy something from a private seller a couple of weeks ago and looked at the negative feedback he had given to a customer which was so rude and nasty, needless to say he did not get my custom.