Ebay Purchase - Bribery to Remove -ve Feedback

[Deleted User]

I purchased a plug on ebay.., turned up and it wasn't rubber, it was literally a 2ml thick plastic circle. I was given an immediate refund when I pointed out that this was a plastic disc, not a plug.

I did leave negative feedback but said that I was sent a thin sliver of plastic rather than a plug and was given an immediate refund.

Now the director of the company has offered me £10 in addition to the refund if I upgrade my rating.

I refused a refund of a lot more some years ago when I received a couple of dud RAM sticks (only offered if I removed my negative feedback) because of the principle of the thing and I felt other buyers needed to be warned (the trader only had one other negative feedback item and their attitude was awful so felt sure this practice had worked on others so the company was able to continue sending dud things out).

So no go for me.., but can I report this company to ebay for bribery?

the last half of the email reads:

"If you have already been refunded (for example if your item was out of stock), I am willing to refund you a further £10 via PayPal as compensation to apologise for your bad experience.
If you can accept my personal apology and accept the offer being made I would be greatly appreciative if you could revise your feedback to a 5 Star Rating as a reflection of my efforts to try and rectify the problem.
Please reply to this email and I can send you a feedback revision request, prior to processing your refund."

Its no big issue, only a plug for goodness sake lol.., but principles and all that.

wealdroam

deannatrois wrote: »

...can I report this company to ebay for bribery?

Of course you can.

Anyone can report anyone else to whoever they like, whether it is worth doing is another thing.

It doesn't sound like bribery to be, just that he's asking you reconsider your feedback... not conditional.

What do you expect ebay to do about it?

By the way, did you know there is a board dedicated to ebay?
See here:

The Ebay, Auctions, Car Boot & Jumble Sales Board

Takeaway_Addict

its not bribery, you could just take the tenner and not upgrade the review.

Alot of stores will offer a voucher of compensation for something going wrong...personally I think you are making a mountain out of a molehill

chickendipperbabe

I know you were disappointed that the item wasn't what you were expecting but was there really any need to leave a negative considering the seller issued a full refund when notified of the problem?

If someone offered me a tenner to amend feedback I'd bite their hand off and not moan about it on a forum. Only saying.

mel48rose

Sounds like a scammer to me:eek:

[Deleted User]

The last line makes it clear to me. That's why I put it in bold. Money only after I change my feedback or make a commitment to do so. Seems like bribery to me.., you do this, I'll give you money.

And why should the receipt of £10 make my experience any different?

I believe in honesty.., if I leave feedback its honest, if other buyers want to read it, it can let them know what the trader is like, good or bad. Having someone offer me money to change that impression is wrong to me.

wiogs

deannatrois wrote: »

The last line makes it clear to me. That's why I put it in bold. Money only after I change my feedback or make a commitment to do so. Seems like bribery to me.., you do this, I'll give you money.

And why should the receipt of £10 make my experience any different?

I believe in honesty.., if I leave feedback its honest, if other buyers want to read it, it can let them know what the trader is like, good or bad. Having someone offer me money to change that impression is wrong to me.

Exactly. Your feedback can inform others.

I would just say thanks but no thanks.

Takeaway_Addict

Didn't see the last bit so now agree it is bribery.

Money-Saving-King

Takeaway_Addict wrote: »

Didn't see the last bit so now agree it is bribery.

I read it though as you'd still get a standard refund if you don't change your feedback but if you change the feedback you'll get £10 extra. I don't see that as bribery if that's what the seller means.

If a mistake happened and the seller refunds the full amount straight away (as the op seems to say will happen) then to leave negative feedback is wrong.

It seems to me though that the buyer left feedback before the seller got chance to refund which again to me would be the wrong thing to do. If you got refunded as soon as a mistake was pointed out you should have left positive (with a comment) or neutral only, not negative.

stugib

Money-Saving-King wrote: »

I read it though as you'd still get a standard refund if you don't change your feedback but if you change the feedback you'll get £10 extra. I don't see that as bribery if that's what the seller means.

What's your definition of bribery?! It's an inducement to take a particular action and not be honest - do you think the OP had a '5 star rating' experience?

philatio

I had a similar thing recently.
Ordered a mains adaptor for an ebook reader. Picture showed a Sony branded one which said 5A on it.
Received a plain black one with 3.5A on it.

Complained and got a refund. Then I left a neg, pointing out that I got my refund OK but the item was completely not as described.

Then I got an email promising the £10 if I removed the neg.

Just ignored it. I neg-ed for a reason and I thought the chances of actually getting the £10 would be miniscule.