First ever negative - advice

ads2608

Hi,

I've been on Ebay for 8 years now and did have 100% rating (256 stars) until today.

Was selling 2 items of clothing for someone else and got a negative for "smell disgusting". The items had been stored in a garage whilst I've been listing over last few months, which is the only reason I can think for causing any problem. I didn't notice any problem when packing items.

Items were described as good condition. One of the items had only been worn once.

The buyer made no contact with me prior to the negative to say there was a problem. I would have given him a refund, even though my account says no returns, if he would have asked. I'd want to protect my rating first and foremost.

Is the best way of getting it removed by speaking with the buyer and asking to remove it if I refund? Or do I just accept it and move on?

Thanks in advance.

soolin

You can ask eBay but I think they will probably refuse to remove it. You can also try asking buyer and explain that you will do a full refund if they return the item.

Unfortunately many buyers see the 'no returns' and just assume that seller means it and that they therefore have no option but to keep item and leave a neg

pinkshoes

Just respond to the neg with "please return item for a full refund if not satisfied".

Other than that, not a lot you can do, and the type of buyer that leaves a neg without bothering to contact you probably won't remove it!

SharkyGeorge

Absolutely pursue this with eBay and make the point no effort was made to get in touch with you prior to leaving a neg. EBay are keen for issues to be sorted out among eBay users and may side with you.

Gleeful

For future reference I would always wash anything before sending it. After a day or two trapped in the packaging without any ventilation on its way to the buyer the item may well smell even though you hadn't noticed it prior to sending.

david29dpo

Why does your account say no refunds?

Poppa_G

Had a similar experience when a buyer claimed not to have received their item. Despite giving them a full refund buyer left negative feedback, didn't state that they'd had a full refund, just that they hadn't received the item. Needless to say I contacted ebay to complain about the feedback and nothing was done about it. Wouldn't mind, but ebay wouldn't allow me to respond to the feedback. Up until that point I'd had a 100% rating

superfran_uk

As a private seller, I also say no refunds.

The reason? I cannot afford to reimburse someone just because they changed their mind, or (as in one case) thought they were actually smaller than they were and could squeeze into my old clothes... My advice was for them to re-ebay the items, using my pictures with permission, which was accepted.

However if an item arrived broken, or smelly, or otherwise SNAD I would of course refund without hesitation.

lukerichardson40

If you contact them and say how sorry you are etc, offer a full refund and include postage costs and all the rest, everything to make them happy... then add that you will do this providing they are willing to change their feedback. You can then send them a request to change feedback. Someone just sent me one after a misunderstanding and I changed mine to positive for them after it was all sorted.

techspec

superfran_uk wrote: »

As a private seller, I also say no refunds.

The reason? I cannot afford to reimburse someone just because they changed their mind, or (as in one case) thought they were actually smaller than they were and could squeeze into my old clothes... My advice was for them to re-ebay the items, using my pictures with permission, which was accepted.

However if an item arrived broken, or smelly, or otherwise SNAD I would of course refund without hesitation.

Exactly - another Ebay unthought policy.

If you put refunds accepted - it means you have to let the buyer buy it, try it on , maybe even wear it or use it - and then accept it back. It also attracts people who may want to return a different item. You lose the postage paid too. Not really a good idea for private sellers.

But if you put no returns - people whink you won't accept a return if theres a problem - and thats not the case - and Ebay and Paypal wouldn't let you anyway.

So no returns as a blanket ebay statement is misleading. Its also the default setting - and many sellers have never even put no returns down.

Dunroamin

As a buyer, I wouldn't ask for a refund from someone who says "no refunds" because I would think they meant it.