Neg feedback whilst on hols!!

dotdotdot

Really just want a wee moan as i am feeling sorry for myself! Arrived home from hols on sat night....onto e bay on sunday morning to find a dispute for non arrival of item . plus a few messages regarding the non arrival....naturally was a bit shocked as the said item had been posted 9 days before leaving the uk so had assumed there were no problems! However, due to me not responding to the 2 e mails regarding the item, the buyer left negative feedback and opened a dispute. If buyer had bothered to read my 100% feedback for 1500 transactions they might have realised this was not some scammer involved but a very honest e bayer! to cut a long story short, i refunded the £8 and have asked e bay to send a request to buyer to amend feedback from neg. I always thought that if a dispute was opened, then feedback should not be left until dispute was closed...any ideas? i do have all postal receipts etc so will have to file a claim with royal mail for the refund. Sorry for long story but wanted to get it off my chest so to speak! By the way the buyer was fairly new to e bay...so maybe not sure of ettiquette!

lovinituk

A buyer can leave feedback at any stage they want. Your best bet would be to phone the buyer and have a calm chat with them, explain the situation and ask if they would be happy to amend the feedback. If they haven't registered a phone number then I believe that is a valid reason to have neg feedback removed (at least it used to be).

pinkshoes

How long between them sending the messages, and them leaving the neg? They perhaps thought you were ignoring them??

In the mean time, just respond nicely to the neg saying "full refund given as item lost in post".

mikey72

I'm on the other side of that. No goods, no contact from the seller.
Items still for sale, nothing on their homepage about being away.
I wanted the item, and tbh if it doesn't arrive, and the seller doesn't check their emails for a fortnight, (which is easy to do anywhere) what is the buyer supposed to do?
Now there is the ability to get emails from your mobile anywhere, being "on holiday" is up there with "my dog bid on it" after the event I'm afraid.
Ettiquette would be don't ignore the buyer, until they have to open a dispute to get some attention.

nmm

mikey72 wrote: »

Now there is the ability to get emails from your mobile anywhere, being "on holiday" is up there with "my dog bid on it" after the event I'm afraid.

My mobile can't even do picture messaging :rotfl:

soolin

Keeping the phone by you on holiday :eek:

Good grief, that makes it work for me.

dotdotdot

Thanks for all the replies....my hols DO not mean i am tied to checking e mails !! The item was posted 9 days before i left and was sent 1st class...even snail mail should arrive by this time ...yes ,it is annoying as a buyer not to get items the next day or sooner but people have to realise that sellers have a life too...I would have been in touch before day 7 especially since i had left pos feedback and stated it was posted on 26/3/11....however, you live and learn...some folks have no patience and i would not have left neg feedback for an e bayer with 1500 transactions and 100% feedback without letting the dispute be closed first.

dotdotdot

Forgot to mention that i do not use a mobile phone in any shape or form!!! my sons and hubby despair at my inability but i am quite happy!!

macfly

dotdotdot wrote: »

Forgot to mention that i do not use a mobile phone in any shape or form!!! my sons and hubby despair at my inability but i am quite happy!!

Well, on this occasion, clearly not. Cheerfully using the internet to sell, but no mobile?
Car breakdowns, emergencies at home, countless reasons to have a mobile. A buyer should hunt around for clues as to your reputation having received no contact re a missing purchase? You deserve the feedback.

grintricha

while the neg is understandably frustrating i do hear the argument that "lost in the post" is a bit of a "dog ate my homework" excuse, and the buyer quite possibly hasn't looked at all your other feedback

the advice to put a calm "full refund given when item lost in the post" is the best advice, not sure i would want a seller ringing me up asking me to change my feedback (no matter how calm and polite)

1500+ sales shows you are taking ebay selling seriously (I assume you are a business seller) so leaving an on holiday note would be one way forward in future, but I also would not expect all buyers to see that, so maybe a little extra effort prior to a holiday to ensure all deals are tied up is needed, e.g. an email saying that you are on holiday (give dates) and want to make extra sure that everything was ok with the deal (don't mention feedback)

just some thoughts
Richard

mikey72

dotdotdot wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies....my hols DO not mean i am tied to checking e mails !! The item was posted 9 days before i left and was sent 1st class...even snail mail should arrive by this time ...yes ,it is annoying as a buyer not to get items the next day or sooner but people have to realise that sellers have a life too...I would have been in touch before day 7 especially since i had left pos feedback and stated it was posted on 26/3/11....however, you live and learn...some folks have no patience and i would not have left neg feedback for an e bayer with 1500 transactions and 100% feedback without letting the dispute be closed first.

You've got a life.
You sell on ebay.
I've never seen Amazon or Play have an annual shutdown, it's not a lot to expect other online retailers not to behave like an old 1980's factory.
(The buyer has more patience than you, if you would be asking where it was on day 7, they waited a lot longer than that according to you)
Other feedback doesn't mean anything, it's the service you did (or didn't) provide that counts.

I'm self employed. I take my laptop, and pick up my emails daily if I'm abroad, just vanishing for weeks on end would not be acceptable.
Even if it means picking up a mcdonalds just to use the wifi, I'll make the sacrifice.