How to deal with unfair negative feedback?

trooperdore

I've been on ebay for many years with a good track record but recently have had a spate of people leaving negative feedback for unfair reasons.  

Examples include: a) one guy who gave me a negative because I hadn't left him feedback first, b) a woman who bought something that isn't compatible with something that she already has, so she left me a negative without any other contact, c) someone whose only comment was 'ok' and hasn't responded when I asked if he'd meant to leave it?  None of them have responded to polite messages asking if they'd consider revising their feedback to at least a neutral, or if there were any issues that I could help with.

These have dropped my feedback from 100% down to 95% and I'm worried that it's putting buyers off.  I've responded to each feedback comment so that buyers can hopefully see that I'm not a dodgy seller, but a lot of buyers don't look past the item page.  I've contacted ebay about them, and have just had a generic response telling me that they don't qualify under ebay's feedback removal policy.  Has anyone had any better luck getting feedback like this removed?

Brie

Not a seller so can't help in that way.  And I don't buy a lot from ebay but wouldn't be put off with a 95% rating.  Especially when looking at the actual comments made it's often really easy to see through them.  And if the seller is polite in their response that gives some reassurance.

Not completely relevant but a local car place received a really dreadful feedback from a buyer and the seller's response was "what did you expect from a cheap car?"  The lack of respect was the final nail.  

Spoonie_Turtle

Yes I'm mostly a buyer and I think those of us who do take feedback into account, look at the actual feedback not just the score.  The three examples given in the OP say much more about the buyer than the seller!

badmemory

Spoonie_Turtle said:

Yes I'm mostly a buyer and I think those of us who do take feedback into account, look at the actual feedback not just the score.  The three examples given in the OP say much more about the buyer than the seller!

That is what I thought.  I look at feedback & 95% would not put me off unless the bad feedback seemed to have a point.  Ever seen the one about a jigsaw being a piece missing when it very clearly states there is a piece missing.

mtc95

The one time I got negative feedback was in barely intellible English but seemed to saying that the item hadn't arrived.  The tracking showed it had arrived the same day.  I messaged him and he replied with the single word "Sory" but ignored my request to remove the feedback.  I requested eBay to remove it and much to my surprise, they did. 

I'm surprised they wouldn't remove it for your cases a) and c) at least but maybe I was just lucky.

soolin

trooperdore said:

I've been on ebay for many years with a good track record but recently have had a spate of people leaving negative feedback for unfair reasons.  

Examples include: a) one guy who gave me a negative because I hadn't left him feedback first, b) a woman who bought something that isn't compatible with something that she already has, so she left me a negative without any other contact, c) someone whose only comment was 'ok' and hasn't responded when I asked if he'd meant to leave it?  None of them have responded to polite messages asking if they'd consider revising their feedback to at least a neutral, or if there were any issues that I could help with.

These have dropped my feedback from 100% down to 95% and I'm worried that it's putting buyers off.  I've responded to each feedback comment so that buyers can hopefully see that I'm not a dodgy seller, but a lot of buyers don't look past the item page.  I've contacted ebay about them, and have just had a generic response telling me that they don't qualify under ebay's feedback removal policy.  Has anyone had any better luck getting feedback like this removed?

Number 1 is definitely appealable , it is a misuse of the ebay feedback system. Number 2 also, as I have always have mine removed where buyer has made no attempt to open any case and has gone straight to a neg. Number 3 possibly not.

Always phone ebay , if the first person doesn't help phone back. Always use the request on the basis that it is a misuse of the ebay feedback system. It all depends though on how long ago feedback was left as I usually phone as soon as it happens. (although it's only been twice in the past year)

trooperdore

Thanks everyone, I will try phoning them as I used the 'request feedback removal' link and didn't realise that there was a phone option, which took a while to find. The incompatible item negative is particularly annoying as I made a point of mentioning in the listing that there were 2 versions produced and to check the photos to make sure they were buying the right one. Sales have declined dramatically this month, but I'm not sure if it's due to the feedback, the time of year, or people's finances.  Anything that I can do to improve the feedback rating can only help.

charlies_mum

We have feedback of almost 11,000 and have received two negatives recently.    One where I cancelled the order as the buyer wasn’t happy with the Global Shipping cost, they left feedback calling us amateurs and scammers.    The  second was from a buyer we sent an incorrect item to, and two minutes after telling us, he left a negative.    We sent the correct item and told him to keep the other free of charge (value £15)

I can’t get either of them removed.