Archive for the ‘feedback’ Category

Dear eBay Queen:

I had over 7,000 feedback with a 100% rating until today. Someone with a feedback rating of 8 just gave me a negative feedback.  The feedback stated “Have not received book as of this date. Paid on 9/12/11 have not received by 19^th.”

He bought the book on the 11th, and it was shipped on the 12th with a delivery confirmation. This was shipped Media Mail (as per my listing), and eBay clearly states on the listing page that Media usually takes 4-10 days! I also sent him an email with this information and the tracking number on it.

He never contacted me, and shipping was within the estimated time. I contacted eBay and they said that feedback was a public forum. If they removed it we would be infringing on the buyers rights! There was nothing they could do about it – even though I did everything right! There has to be a better way!  The eBay customer support person I spoke to said that I should send them a retraction notice after the book arrived and maybe offer them an explanation.

I wrote him a nice email with an explanation, and I am hoping that he will be receptive to revising it. Thank you for letting me vent to you. I know that I am not the only one concerned with this annoyingly unfair system!!  Do you think there is anything else I could do?

Christian, Gardner, KS

Dear Christian:

I have been where you are, and completely understand your frustration.  I don’t know if this would be much consolation, but I’ve received five times the number of questions I normally receive in the last 30 days, and 90% of it was related to feedback.  It seems that many people are receiving or giving negatives lately. Maybe it’s something about late summer that makes people impatient and quick to give negatives.

I think you’ve done everything you can do, except for responding to the feedback the buyer left.  I would respond to his feedback with something like this: “Book sent Media Mail as promised New Buyer did not realize the shipping time.”  I hope your buyer is receptive to removing the feedback.

 Dear eBay Queen:

I read what you told “JP” last week, because I had a problem similar to theirs. I recently listed an item on auction and it sold to someone in Turkey that uses a shipping address in New York. (I normally don’t sell outside the USA, and didn’t offer it to international buyers this time.) I sent the winning bidder an invoice and waited for a response. After several days and numerous messages and invoices, I never receive payment.  No response was received from the buyer. I filed a non-payment claim and waited the four days required before eBay closed the case and allowed me to relist the item. The item sold again to a different buyer. Weeks later, the non-paying buyer was allowed by eBay to leave me negative feedback for a transaction that he did not complete. I was dumbfounded. I called eBay to ask why this happened.  They said I would need to send a request to the NON-PAYING BUYER and ask him to modify his feedback.  Are you kidding me? This fool didn’t pay for the item, didn’t respond to any of the messages I sent, didn’t complete the transaction, had a non-payment claim filed against him that was later closed in my favor, and was then allowed to give me negative feedback that stated: “NO SENT”. Who is running this company anyway? This is the last straw for me! Unless you can tell me that the person I talked to was wrong, I’ll be going elsewhere to list my items! Adios eBay!!

Angry Woman

Dear Angry:

I’m not sure how that happened.  Perhaps you were connected to a brand new customer service representative on their first day?  It is even in the eBay user agreement: http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/feedback-removal.html

Negative feedback is removed if: A buyer fails to respond to a reminder about an unpaid item and the unpaid item is recorded on their account.

Your best bet is to call eBay back, and tell them what happened.  I’m sure you will get it removed

Strange eBay item of the week: eBay item: 330588694086 (enter this number in the eBay search box in the top right corner of the home page). Everyone needs a hero and a laugh!  Check out this All Star Comic #8 with the first appearance of Wonder Woman! SOLD $55,0000  http://www.ebay.com/itm/ALL-STAR-COMICS-8-CGC-7-5-1st-APP-WONDER-WOMEN-1941-/310340787170

Suzie Eads is a nationally known eBay marketer and eBay trained Education Specialist. She lives in Rantoul. Do you have a question for the eBay Queen? Email: questions@asktheebayqueen.com

Dear eBay Queen:

I have a customer that wanted to buy four different items out of my eBay store.  My eBay listings say I do not combine shipping, because all my items are pre-packaged.  The buyer called me and we talked on the phone about shipping the items together. He asked me to combine the four items in a large box, which I did.  The next day he bought something else out of my store too, but I shipped that separately.

He emailed me to tell me the smaller box got to him last Friday. The large box has not been delivered and it shows on the USPS website that it never left my Post Office. The buyer is now wanting to wait another week to see if it comes or not.  If it doesn’t arrive by next week, he wants me to refund him and me file for the insurance.  He says it takes 3 months for insurance to be paid, and he is not going to wait on the refund for it.  Should I refund him and file or do I make him file? How should I handle this?  It is my first time I’ve ever had an insurance claim.

Theresa

Dear Theresa;

I have always wondered how well your way of shipping works.  In the last 13 years I have contemplated wrapping the items before I send them, but have never taken that step to do it.

The first thing I would do is contact your postmaster.  Give them the information on your package, and see if they can find it.  While you are on the phone with them, discuss the best way to start an insurance claim.  It’s been awhile since I have had a claim with USPS, but I do know it has to be missing for 30 days.  I’m not sure where your buyer got the 3 months.  I would also ask your postmaster if you need your buyer’s signature that it did not arrive.  If you do, I would send the paperwork to them, and let them sign and send it back before I refunded their money.   I hope your package is found and this works out for you and your buyer!

Dear eBay Queen:

I am going to have to file a non paying claim tomorrow. Can this person, (buyer,) in turn give me a negative feedback for pure spite?  I have been lucky and never received a negative in my 6 years of selling.  This time I think the buyer is a little nuts.  They’ve sent me ALL kinds of weird emails about the transaction.  I have found with most buyers, they won’t even take the time to leave a negative, but this buyer makes me wonder.  I strongly believe that if I have to file a non-paying buyer claim, they should lose the privilege of leaving negative feedback.  Is there such a thing? Can they leave feedback for me?

JP; Gardner, KS

Dear JP:

The answer is yes and no.   Let’s say you file a claim tomorrow, and the buyer leaves you a negative an hour later.  That negative will stay there for seven days until you close the claim.  Once the claim is closed, the negative is eligible for removal.  For more information, http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/unpaid-items.html

I’ve had this happen to me before, and it seemed like the longest seven days I’ve ever waited. I even called eBay it annoyed me so bad.  Their advice was to respond, with something like: “Buyer has not paid”.  Don’t mention anything about filing a claim, as your feedback response will be removed, but not the comment the buyer left, unless it also makes reference to a claim.

I hope this buyer is like most, and pays without problems.

Strange eBay item of the week: eBay item: 330588694086 (enter this number in the eBay search box in the top right corner of the home page) Do you like ice cream? I’ve never given much thought to what I use to scoop ice cream out with.  Have you?  Check out this Pistol Grip Round Tube “Old” Ice Cream Scoop SOLD $292.92  http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pistol-Grip-Round-Tube-OLD-Ice-Cream-Scoop-/110736943334

Suzie Eads is a nationally known eBay marketer and eBay trained Education Specialist. She lives in Rantoul. Do you have a question for the eBay Queen? Email: questions@asktheebayqueen.com

Dear eBay Queen:

I know you have answered a question sometime this year about how to translate words from another language. I’ve looked and looked but can’t find that article.  I received 2 messages from a buyer, and I have no idea what they are saying, or what language it is.  Could you help me?

Here is the first message: 大切な eBay 人、ありがとう良い製品を購入しましょう。ください私と一緒に私の言語はない通信他の知っています。購入し、すべての料金を通信とこれを非常に迅速にお支払いします。くださいこれは速い。

I responded this to the buyer:  “I am very sorry; I do not know how to answer you I will figure it out and let you know as soon as I can.”

I then received this message: 私大切な eBay の人;あなたのメッセージは読み取れません。書くし、私の言語を話す私はすることができますのみ。できるだけ早く私はお金を対応することができますどのくらい請求です教えてください

Please help me with this crazy question.

Tracy

Dear Tracy:

The website you are looking for is http://www.babelfish.com/ .  The Babelfish website has been around quite some time, and one of the best secrets on the internet.  I love that it’s free, and the translation can be used for almost any language.

Here are your translations:

First Message: “Dearest eBay Person, Thank you for let me buy your good product. Please communicate with me in my language as I know no other. I will buy and pay for this very quickly once you communicate all charges. Please do this quicker.”

Second Message: “Dearest eBay Person; I cannot read your message. I can only write and speak my language. Please let me know as soon as possible how much the billing is so I can respond with money.”

In the last few years, my international sales have increased.  I believe it is so important to have good communication with my buyers.  A year or so ago, I received a thank you note from a Chinese buyer thanking me for making the effort and he said that, although he spoke excellent English he appreciates a seller showing “respect” by including the translation.

Dear eBay Queen:

Do you leave feedback after payment, after you receive buyer feedback, or not at all?  Do buyers really care? I’m asking because a friend of mine told me I should leave it immediately after they pay. I leave it when I get around to it; usually a couple of times a month.

In my eBay career I’ve gone from not leaving feedback at all, to now leaving it.  It really seems pointless if they can only get positives. I really feel like the sole purpose of feedback now is to rank/punish sellers and leaving ANY feedback adds legitimacy to the system. If the majority of people did not leave feedback anymore, they’d have to find a new system.

Stash, Olathe, KS

Dear Stash:

So many people debate this.  I don’t believe there is a right answer.  eBay suggests the seller leave feedback once the item has been paid for.  I think you should do whatever makes you feel comfortable.  It’s your business, you should run it the way you want to.

I leave feedback just like you do.  Usually once a week I push a button on my Blackthorne Pro and it leaves positive feedback for each person that bought something from me.  I have had a few buyers complain that I was not fast enough in leaving their feedback. I just apologize and let them know I usually leave feedback on Fridays.

Strange eBay item of the week: eBay item: 330588694086 (enter this number in the eBay search box in the top right corner of the home page) Do you like the Smurfs? Do you like cereal? Check out what this box sold for! Post The Smurfs Pebbles Cereal Box Coco Fruity SOLD $995.99  Check it out HERE

Suzie Eads is a nationally known eBay marketer and eBay trained Education Specialist. She lives in Rantoul. Do you have a question for the eBay Queen? Email: questions@asktheebayqueen.com