Real-life MMD: Should I change my eBay feedback now the seller's replaced my item?

pb8770

When buying an item off e-bay, it is always worth waiting to see what the seller is prepared to do if they sell you a faulty item. That is why it's worth to hold off before leaving negative feedback as like you say they are wanting to replace it with a more expensive replacement. It sounds like a decent seller who wants to do what's best for their customers.

penedawn

Yes, absolutely. Tell them you will happily give them positive feedback once the new item arrives, and add that 'Providing it is as good as they say'. Why wouldn't you. This seems to be the way commercial sellers do things on ebay and annoying as it is if you get an upgrade and that is what you want then why not. I usually contact the company and then put feedback when I get a response from them. Often they apologise, send a new one and tell me to 'dispose' of the other one rather than them paying for the return. If someone says they will give me a fiver for saying I like them - then I will. I don't like them any the less and you can't put the feedback up until you receive it anyway so they are trusting you to do so I guess. I would tell them though that you feel obliged now that they have asked you to do that and see what they say. They might apologise and say that was not what they intended. Some companies seem hell-bent on getting 100%. My sister goes bananas when someone writes something she doesn't agree with when she sells someting and I have had people put negative things up before they have told me what the problem is, which seems a bit silly. I am not a commercial seller and always give money back or ask what will solve the problem. Seems easier that way, and make more friends.

lean&mean

I'd say it depended on whether the offer of the replacement came before or after your feedback.
If you hadn't contacted the supplier but just left negative feedback, I'd say you were honour-bound to change the feedback.
But if the seller had said 'tough' or not replied to a complaint but your feedback has flushed out the offer then I'd decide whether to change my feedback depending on whether I really wanted the replacement!

I had a similar issue but with the feedback site Trustpilot, after I gave a roasting review to an iPhone unlock site (I can't name them), who had taken a 'pre-order' payment of £19.99, then told me four days later it would cost £105! The company had told me they wouldn't refund my money so I left a negative review. They blocked the review at Trustpilot (that a company can do that is news to me) and threatened me with legal action for defamation which really got me cross! They then said that they would offer a refund if I would withdraw my review. It worked, though I do feel a bit guilty that no-one will know about the rip-off...

MikeXC

Why do people leave negative feedback without contacting the seller first?

I think the seller has acted decently by offering the replacement and regardless of eBay 'rules' I don't think it's unreasonable to ask about changing the feedback.

Buyers don't realise that by leaving an unwarranted petulant negative they are damaging someone's livelihood. Give sellers a chance. I'm sure there's some rip-off merchants out there but there's an equal proportion of crooked buyers (including the person leaving a string of 'did not receive' feedback to different sellers - must be the unluckiest buyer around)

And so the 'eBay spirit' referred to in one post is long gone.