Negative feedback from first time Buyer

oceana888

Hi - looking for some advice. I've been making purchases from e bay for a number of years and built up a nice 100% positive feedback score.

I have sold only 10 or so items and just received a negative feedback without warning from a first time buyer. Buyer claims an item advertised as new with tags shows signs of wear - its not true!! its never been worn as doesn't and never has fit (its been in a drawer for over three years). I carefully checked the item before advertising it and it was not marked in any way.

Had the buyer contacted me frankly for the sake of £ 5 + postage I would not have hesitated to have refunded in full.

I've responded to feedback saying not true + written to buyer assuring them item was new and asking why they did not contact me + I've reported the feedback to ebay. Obviously what I want really is it removed - is it likely ebay will agree to remove it ?

Really upset and feeling like just deleting my account.

soolin

I think you are doing the right thing by contacting the buyer. They might not be aware they can returns goods- do you happen to have 'no returns' set by any chance?

If they can be persuaded to return it you can then send them a cancel feedback request and they can choose to remove the neg.

Incidentally I sell a lot of new items that are actually older stored things (I buy at bankrupcy sales etc) and tend to sell as new 'other' and explain about the storage or sometimes even as 'used' but still with tags if I think items are dusty or not quite as fresh as they might be. Mine are not clothes though as I think that is a difficult market, but the same sort of thing applies.

Crowqueen

Put this on your listings - "Please feel free to contact me if there are any problems or delays" and the same thing in a note to the buyer after you post an item. This helps buyers know that if there is an issue with the sale you will listen when asked.

eBay, not being capable of adjudicating on each individual item/case, will probably say the feedback is the buyer's opinion and as such it will not necessarily be removeable if you ask them.

Clothing is a difficult market to sell in so you need to be prepared for differences of opinion on quality. Three years in a drawer might have got the item crushed, dusty or in contact with other items of clothing that are less than clean or have imparted smells from item to item.

You need to learn to sort these things out amicably between you and your buyers, particularly if you sell clothes, and not just say 'well, if they'd got in touch'. Salvaging things when you get a neg is as important as not getting a neg in the first place, given the ease with which many people will revise things if you assist people.

oceana888

Thanks so much for your replies - i had no idea that selling was such a minefield.

The buyer has read my e mail to them but not responded. E Bay said I can fill out a defamatory form and then wording can be removed but rating cannot.

The item was clean as had been stored in a bag in the drawer and I looked at it carefully before selling to check that it was unmarked - my guess is it didn't fit the seller and so they thought they'd leave negative feedback.

Oh well - I've removed the few other items I had on sale - my selling days are over...