An undeserved demerit

[PrettySquareGal]

I've been on ebay since 2002 and have over 700 positive feedbacks and no negatives. I'm about to neg a seller and it's well deserved. In looking at their feedback I see they leave retaliatory negs. I don't want to give the specifics of this auction and I exhausted all efforts to resolve it. What I want to ask is, have you ever not left a neg to avoid getting one in turn? I could walk away to save my perfect feedback score, but that's not right. But neither is getting an undeserved neg.

 

[ScionPI2005]

While I cannot think of any specific times that I have been pressured into not leaving negative feedback, I know that over the years, I have done that at least a few times. Some sellers just do not understand that a seller and a buyer have separate responsibilities in a transaction. If the bidder sends a prompt payment, their obligation is done. These sellers do not understand that their own shortcomings in the sold item are in no way related with the payment.

In some ways, some sellers bribe bidders into a positive feedback. There are some sellers that say they leave positive feedback in return. I generally try to avoid those, but sometimes it is not possible.

Keep in mind that you can respond to a negative feedback someone gives you; so if you do decide to go ahead and leave a negative feedback, and they do the same to you, you can justify it in your response.

 

[Nathan Flowers]

If I recall correctly, there is a certain time period in which you can leave feedback. If you were to leave feedback right before that time limit was up, the other person may be unable to respond to your feedback.

 

[PrettySquareGal]

If I recall correctly, there is a certain time period in which you can leave feedback. If you were to leave feedback right before that time limit was up, the other person may be unable to respond to your feedback.

Hey I just looked into it and you're right!

 

[Kentucky Blues]

It's possible that the seller could leave bad feedback for you not giving feedback in a timely manner, though I suppose you could use that against him when you leave your feedback. But also, one bad apple won't hurt your feedback score too badly.

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

Hmm,...a sticky situation, and most uncomfortable. I recently almost had to leave a negative with a seller, but they took the return and gave me no grief.
I think most reasonable people, (and I think that is really the majority) take feedback scores with a grain of salt. Especially if a person has only one or two over the course of many transactions. So I wouldn't fear a negative retaliation if there was no recourse.
And then I wouldn't leave a negative unless it was a particularly nasty skank of a seller that blatantly ripped me and other buyers off for substantial sums. I have been known to leave no feedback, which in itself can mean:
I guess it comes down to how severely you feel you've been ripped off?

 

[PrettySquareGal]

Hmm,...a sticky situation, and most uncomfortable. I recently almost had to leave a negative with a seller, but they took the return and gave me no grief.
I think most reasonable people, (and I think that is really the majority) take feedback scores with a grain of salt. Especially if a person has only one or two over the course of many transactions. So I wouldn't fear a negative retaliation if there was no recourse.
And then I wouldn't leave a negative unless it was a particularly nasty skank of a seller that blatantly ripped me and other buyers off for substantial sums. I have been known to leave no feedback, which in itself can mean:
I guess it comes down to how severely you feel you've been ripped off?

It's severe. My worst ebay experience ever. :rage:

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

It's severe. My worst ebay experience ever. :rage:

Have at them then! :rage: Like I said, the majority of people won't hold one or two negatives against you. And if there's not room enough to vent in the 100 or so characters you get in the field, you can add a comment also.
I like Zohar's strategy,...if you want to try and avoid the counter attack.

 

[Diamondback]

So wait 'til that last second and nuke him would be my advice. I gather, if it's at this point, he's had chances to make it right and refused...

 

[carter]

I have only left two negative feedback responses. Both were for the same seller who A. never responded to questions during an auction B. refused to combine shipping on multiple items purchased (2 books) C. charged shipping far in excess of any posted rates D. misrepresented the shipping location of his products and E. would not provide tracking information.
Yes he left retaliatory negative feedback.
Did I respond? Yes.

Check out my feedback score, bncarter06a.

This fellow did not affect my existence for more than a millisecond.

Consider yourself. Consider the seller. Consider others who may deal with the seller in the future.

Have a cooling off period.

Do what you have to do.

 

[LizzieMaine]

In nine and a half years on eBay, I've never gotten or given negative feedback -- just very lucky, I guess. But you do have to be careful -- some people can be very spiteful about what they write, and I think it's best to play safe. If I get the merchandise I paid for, safe and intact, I don't quibble about small details. On the other hand, I've been ripped off twice in those nine and a half years, both times by vendors who took my money and never sent the item. I waited until the very last minute before preparing to leave negative feedback -- but both times the vendors got booted off eBay before I could do it. So that can happen too!

 

[scotrace]

I've left negatives twice - without retaliation. But once you get a big number for feedback that is perfect, I can see why one would think twice! It sure is nice to keep that 100% as long as possible.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

As a seller, I've received one negative feedback rating. It was undeserved, and I contested it via eBay's SquareTrade arbitration service, which charged me $30+ for this "convenience". The buyer never responded to their arbitration offer, so eBay removed the negative feedback rating and comment. My rating is back to 100% positive.


For me, it was worth the ripoff price that eBay charges.

.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Incidentally, I'd left this buyer positive feedback before he left me a negative one ... so there was no way for me to "retaliate" by leaving him negative feedback.

.

 

[PrettySquareGal]

Lots to ponder here...

 

[PrettySquareGal]

Incidentally, I'd left this buyer positive feedback before he left me a negative one ... so there was no way for me to "retaliate" via feeback.

.

That stinks! It's also why a lot of sellers wait until the buyer leaves feedback first.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

When a buyer pays me in a timely way, I leave him/her positive feedback. I've never deliberately waited for a buyer to leave feedback first. Until recently , I've had no problems with this practice.


Negative feedback hurts (low volume) sellers more than it does buyers.

.

 

[Ecuador Jim]

At the end of the day, i think you have to do what you believe to be the right thing. Ebay relies on the community to police itself to some extent. If you let this person stay in business uncontested, you are not doing yourself or the community any service.

I'd say, based on what you've written, that you are being held hostage by your record. Looks like others have weathered the negative feedback storm. Although it would really chap my hide to pay $30 to take a comment to arbitration, it's another way to protect your record.

Follow your conscience.

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

When a buyer pays me in a timely way, I leave him/her positive feedback. I've never deliberately waited for a buyer to leave feedback first. Until recently , I've had no problems with this practice.


Negative feedback hurts (low volume) sellers more than it does buyers.

.

Same here, just seems right. When I see a negative on a seller's record, I investigate both ends of the deal if possible, that is, what both parties said in the matter. If a buyer leaves a negative even after receiving positive feedback from the seller, it makes the buyer look bad.

 

[scotrace]

One or two negatives in several hundred positives, you can chalk up to jerkism.