Seller Rights - Buyer returned item they damaged then left negative feedback

Hew

I had posted out a false hair bun to a buyer on ebay one of many bought in the past few years and always received good feedback, this buyer posted the bun back in rather a mess, she had made a mess of the packaging and the bun which looks like she had tried to examine in it by pulling it about so it's not in a resaleable condition, she also sent a letter with it that explains that she thought it had a grip with it (the packaging is clear cellophane, she'd have seen no clip without unpackaging the item) she went on to say she'd tried to make one herself but couldn't get it to sit right and has now found a shop that sells the buns with the attachment and would I refund her.
It is annoying enough that I now have an unsaleble item but she has also left negative feedback which contradicts her letter (this is the first neg feedback I've ever received)
"Not good quality, dark hair over a blonde bun ring which you could see"
What are my rights as a seller and how best can I deal with this (I haven't refunded this woman yet untill I find out my rights).

timbo58

Ebay will force a refund in any case.
I'm afraid you have no rights as a seller anymore.
Best just accept it and move on, the majority of buyers are fine just a few rogue fools spoil it as with everything in life.

You can dispute the unfair feedback in theory I believe but it's almost certainly not worth doing.

They'll be an ebay spokesperson along soon to put their own spin on it for you, I doubt the end result will be any different though I am afraid.

ballisticbrian

You will end up refunding her as a business seller. But one tip for you; if you ask a buyer "will you remove your feedback if I refund you?", and they agree, this represents a business contract, and if they don't remove the feedback by responding to a request (which you will need to send via the appropriate ebay form) eBay will then remove the feedback.

campdave

I was under the impression offering a refund on the condition feedback was changed is against eBay policy- essentially it's feedback extortion in reverse.

ballisticbrian

campdave wrote: »

I was under the impression offering a refund on the condition feedback was changed is against eBay policy- essentially it's feedback extortion in reverse.

No - eBay were the people who told me about it. It's not extortion in reverse, it's someone not keeping thier end of an agreement.

Irn-Bru-Kid

ballisticbrian wrote: »

You will end up refunding her as a business seller. But one tip for you; if you ask a buyer "will you remove your feedback if I refund you?", and they agree, this represents a business contract, and if they don't remove the feedback by responding to a request (which you will need to send via the appropriate ebay form) eBay will then remove the feedback.

This is incorrect. If a feedback revision request is submitted and the buyer declines, even if agreed previously, the feedback will remain.

eBay will not remove feedback just because the buyer said they would and then doesn't.

steveE2

I'm with campdave and irn bru on this
ebay say

Examples of Feedback extortion

• Seller refuses to post the item or refund the buyer unless the buyer leaves positive Feedback or good DSRs.
  

ballisticbrian

You are not refusing to refund the buyer. Merely asking if they will revise their feedback when you have done so and as stated before this was eBay who told me this.

It's a little known fact, that's why it is meeting with such scepticism.

steveE2

and if they decline the feedback stays

ballisticbrian

Yes, and even so, you can only raise 1 request to revise feedback per so many transactions , something like 1000 last time I looked.

soolin

So buyer refuses to revise the feedback and gets a refund anyway?

I suspect the 'work around' is yet another example of eBay not understanding their own policies.