Moral question

rose_sparky

I've had a negative feedback left with no contact at all from a fairly newish buyer. They said the item was faulty.

Now they have sent a curt message wanting their money back and I'm ashamed to say I feel like ignoring it.

It's not a great amount, about £15 and I'm normally a very honest person but I was really peed off with the haste they left the negative.

frivolous_fay

Let them do the running. If they want to open a dispute, fine.

Or... nasty, but you could tell them that feedback marks the end of the transaction. As they have left feedback, you consider the transaction complete.

But I don't think it will help.

Timmne

frivolous_fay wrote: »

Let them do the running. If they want to open a dispute, fine.

Or... nasty, but you could tell them that feedback marks the end of the transaction. As they have left feedback, you consider the transaction complete.

But I don't think it will help.

Ha!! Good plan....

aqueoushumour01

they have given you no chance to sort out the problem with the item (if indeed there is one) so it's tempting to just be blunt with them. However, it might be best to neg them, have them send the item back (at their own cost of course) and issue a refund then at least they'd be more likely to cooperate with a mutual withdrawel of the negative feedback.

cafenervosa_2

In this situation where the buyer has left you negative feedback before giving you the chance to sort it out is unfair on the seller.

If you replace or refund the item after the neg then how can the buyers feedback be changed?....it can't.

I agree with the other person, feedback marks the end of the transaction. If they ask for a refund or replacement tell them you would have helped them but how can I now I've got a neg.

Moglex

cafenervosa wrote: »

I agree with the other person, feedback marks the end of the transaction. If they ask for a refund or replacement tell them you would have helped them but how can I now I've got a neg.

I don't really think that's a good idea.

Yes, the buyer has done things in the wrong order but that doesn't excuse you from doing what is right.

Remember that the buyer probably considers the feedback to be a quite trivial matter compared with the fact that they have (probably) got a faulty item.

This is a problem with new ebayers and feedback, even with the tutorial.

After all, if you bough something at a shop and it was faulty so you had to go to the trouble of returning it, you would be quite justified in viewing the overall transaction in a negative light, even if you were impressed with the shop's response.

I think it is the difference in the perception of the importance of feedback that creates a lot of the problems with ebay newbies.

greeneye

The buyer seems to be using feedback as a tool to express their displeasure and to motivate you to fix it for them and make them feel better.
They obviously haven't quite grasped the concept that feedback is the ominous dark cloud that hangs over all sellers and in the main gets them to do the right thing.

Trying to explain this concept to the infant/newbie buyer may prove futile. Personally I would adopt a parental stance in this instance and give them a big fat strongly worded horrible neg and then send them to their room to think about it.

moneymakestheworldgoround

If they paid via paypal and open a dispute, they will win regardless of whether they left feedback hastily.

I'd do as other people have said - email them, get them to send it back at their cost, refund them the money on the understanding they withdraw the feedback.

rose_sparky

Thanks guys, still not sure which way I'm going on this. I may feel in a different frame of mind tomorrow.

John_T_5

A per eBays terms & conditions you are not obliged to refund the buyer any costs they incur returning the item to you, perhaps you might want to consider not refunding those costs, it will certainly teach the buyer not to be so hasty in leaving bad feedback, they can't leave any further feedback, only a follow up reply to any feedback you choose to leave for them.

Personally I am tired of tip toeing around idiots and making excuses for them because they are new, manners cost nothing and if someone can't have the diplomacy to resolve an issue in a mature and responsible manner why should sellers make an effort to be extra nice, people like that never learn and are never satisfied.