Should I give negative feedback, or would that just be spiteful?

amibovvered

Yesterday morning, I was looking on the MSE Local eBay Deals Mapper - must stop that, I keep buying too much! I spied an item I've been looking for that usually goes for £60+. Start price was £20 with no bids with approx 4 hours to go. I bid £25 as I wasn't hugely bothered if I didn't get it, I fully expected there to be last minute bids.

I had to go out, so fast forward to 8pm which was the first chance I had to check my emails. To my amazement, I had won the item for £20, no-one else bid. Auction ended 12:50, 12:56 came the first message from seller, saying I could collect immediately, but in any case before 6 pm. Second message 14:59 saying if I didn't collect by 6pm they would have to relist it as they were only at that address (evidently not their own address) until 6pm.

Well of course, I'd missed their deadline, but there wasn't a lot I could do about that. I requested their contact details and phoned them but got no response so I messaged back apologising for not getting back to them but saying I still wanted the item.

No further response last night although I tried ringing a couple more times (and that was desperation for me, I'm deaf and rarely use the phone but I felt really guilty). I also messaged them again saying I didn't quite understand what they meant about relisting it, either they have the item therefore I can collect it from them (they live a few miles from where the item was supposed to be collected from) or they don't have it so how can they relist it? The item in question is easily portable by the way. In fact, most sellers would post it, don't know why they insisted on collection in the first place.

This morning, I received this message:

we sat and waited all day for people to collect items, we don't live there, you bid on an item and never made contact all day we sent messages and you didn't even respond until much much later when we had left. we are in a tricky position doing this, this (item) isn't mine, it belongs to somebody else who isn't here, you went out knowing that you had put on a bid, its pure ignorance, as if you wouldnt check it.we waited all day and you decide to make contact after 6pm after we clearly said we were not there. That's not on. stop wasting my time, please stop sending messages, you bid, you never made contact all day, I couldn't wait, I don't live there,stop wasting my time, you missed it,


I was a bit gobsmacked to be honest, I never expect people to collect items from me the day of the auction, unless they want to, of course, and if I needed it to be collected the same day I would say something in the listing - there was no suggestion in the listing at all that there was any urgency. I'm annoyed because the item was a bargain but I wouldn't want a face-to-face meeting with the seller now.

I got on to eBay via Live Chat, they said the seller was breaching their policy by refusing to sell to me and having reviewed the sellers account they would take 'appropriate action' (not sure what that means) and I didn't need to proceed further.

The seller has only 40 feedback, 13 of which are as a seller, and that includes 1 negative but that was back in 2010 so only shows if you look at all the f/b (which I did afterwards of course!). A negative would really impact on him.

What do others think? Should I give him negative feedback, or maintain a dignified silence? At this moment I feel like really ripping into him, but would no doubt regret it tomorrow, apart from anything else, he has my full name and address and only lives about 5 miles away!

wdah

What a crappy situation to be in. I'd probably tell the bloke of his mistake, and then not leave feedback (unless he continues being an !!!!) in the hope that in future he'll have figured out how to use eBay.

mrcol1000

I would leave a dignified silence. They obviously have no concept of how Ebay works. If they wanted it collected the same day that the auction ended they should have put this in the listing.

I would be tempted to leave a negative but if they are local and they have your details.......

techspec

I can't believe you have to ask.

With decent sellers often getting low stars and negs for no reason - its annoying when people like this are let off.

Its a NEG and low stars for comms - no other stars. Just be factual with neg (refused to sell saying i was too late - it was same day)

Clearly they just wern't happy with the price. Then to try and push the fault onto you? The sooner they are off Ebay - the better.

Pippin12

I'm with techspec on this - definitely leave a negative. That's appalling behaviour and other Ebayers deserve to be warned.

theonlywayisup

Have you paid?

You need to pay to be sure any feedback remains.

Be factual with your negative and do not breach policy. But pay whatever you do.

amibovvered

Techspec, Pippin12, you are quite right, I'm just being a coward, plus I did start to wonder a bit if I was in the wrong? Should I have been sitting there as the auction ended, waiting for their email? Well, actually, No!

theonlywayisup - funnily enough, shortly after my live chat with eBay, I got the standard email to say my item had been dispatched. I hadn't paid for it, as it was to be cash on collection which is fair enough, I don't like Paypal fees either and always prefer people to pay me cash when collecting. I then panicked a bit, got onto live chat again as I thought seller might try for non-payment. The eBay guy said mark it as non-paid, and when I checked, it was indeed marked as paid. The seller must have done that surely, but why would he? So I 'unpaid' it. But now you are saying f/b could be removed with no payment?

I'm a bit confused with the whole thing really. The seller will have to open a case to get his final fees back, won't he? Unless as such a novice seller he doesn't realise he's paid fees even if the sale doesn't complete?

ricer10

Its my understanding (and I might be wrong) that eBay give three days for the buyer to make payment once they have won an item.

This seller has a disgusting attitude and needs to be removed from eBay. 1 star for communication, a negative, and do not leave any other stars. Ensure you pay (you will get it back) to make sure the feedback you leave remains.

caringa

Totally unacceptable for the seller to demand this. I have recently sold a stereo system which was for "collection in person" I am still waiting for them to collect it as they want me to package it up and they will send a courier. This has been going on for a couple of weeks now and I've still got the stereo system taking room up in my hall. I have tried to be reasonable and not made any demands on the buyer. The latest message was that he needs to be given more time!

theonlywayisup

amibovvered wrote: »

theonlywayisup - funnily enough, shortly after my live chat with eBay, I got the standard email to say my item had been dispatched. I hadn't paid for it, as it was to be cash on collection which is fair enough, I don't like Paypal fees either and always prefer people to pay me cash when collecting. I then panicked a bit, got onto live chat again as I thought seller might try for non-payment. The eBay guy said mark it as non-paid, and when I checked, it was indeed marked as paid. The seller must have done that surely, but why would he? So I 'unpaid' it. But now you are saying f/b could be removed with no payment?

In theory unless you can prove payment the seller can open a NPB and issue you a strike. The downside to that is that your feedback will be removed (if already left) or you will be prevented in leaving it. I would personally pay. If they don't dispatch, you can file an INR and get your money back. The seller will lose 20p in Paypal fees and won't be able to open a NPB on you.

ricer10 wrote: »

Its my understanding (and I might be wrong) that eBay give three days for the buyer to make payment once they have won an item.

This seller has a disgusting attitude and needs to be removed from eBay. 1 star for communication, a negative, and do not leave any other stars. Ensure you pay (you will get it back) to make sure the feedback you leave remains.

A seller can open a NPB on day 2 and close it again 4 days later, so in theory the buyer has at least 6 days to pay.

Stoke

wdah wrote: »

What a crappy situation to be in. I'd probably tell the bloke of his mistake, and then not leave feedback (unless he continues being an !!!!) in the hope that in future he'll have figured out how to use eBay.

What are you on about? This is exactly what feedback is for.

Unless the seller specifically said in the description:

"Item needs to be collected the same day the auction ends"

I would be leaving them negative feedback. Please leave neg feedback as you will help someone else.