Topic: I love ebay sometimes...

[.RJ]

... sometimes for nothing other than the entertainment value.   I bought a rear fender, that didnt show up 2 weeks later.  I sent several messages to the seller asking about it and received nothing back - if he had said it will go out after the holidays, I'm ok with that, but no response.  So I left a neg feedback and submitted a claim to paypal.

dear mr negative feedback
i did not receive your first massage i dont know what happened.

i received your paymenton the 14th and shipped your package out the following week.
THE PACKAGRE WAS KINDA LARGE AND IM SURE IT GOT HELD UP BECAUSE OF THE HOLIDAY MAIL RUSH.

im not home now but will provide you and pay pal with the tracking information, when i get there.
i cant think of any reason why you would give me negative feedback with my record on shipping,.
obviously it will result in you getting a negative also, unless you wish to mutually with draw them.
i did ship you package out and if you do not receive it i will GLADLY AND CHEERFULLY refund any and all funds in reference to this.
i am sorry about any miss understanding and will correct it.

let me know wheN you receive it, im sure you will

happy holidays
TLJAVA

[Kevin400F]

Ah, I see the problem....

You didn't give him a massage.... 

[swan]

Who is Miss understanding and what does she look like?

[754]

I think some people place way too much emphasis on quick shipping RATHER than well packed and arrives in good order.

However lack of communication sure goes a long way to sour things.

[TwoTired]

Unless you paid extra for expedited shipping, you probably jumped the gun, I speculate.  It's taken USPS over two weeks to deliver stuff to me during non-busy times of the year.  Package delivery IS even slower around the holidays.  Also, with holiday travel and other related matters, internet activities can also take on back burner priorities, particularly when the matter has action item closure (received payment- shipped item).  Not everyone lives to log on each and every day.

Time will tell.  Package delivery services have also been known to lose packages insured or not.  You did pay for insurance didn't you?  Why should the seller guarantee delivery in a manner based on your expectations?

Cheers,

[heffay]

patience is a virtue.
2 weeks is not patience... especially, during the holidaze

[.RJ]

Unless you paid extra for expedited shipping, you probably jumped the gun, I speculate.

Thats possible, and if he had written back to me and said he shipped it, he's busy and will ship it after the holidays, a ninja stole his shipping boxes, or some sort of response I'd have been ok.  I'm not in a hurry for the part, just let me know whats going on.  If I send 3-4 messages and get nothing in return, while he's listing new things on ebay I'm not sure what else to do really.

I just found the message amusing 

[heffay]

but the problem is... during the holidays... not everyone is jumping on the computer every chance they get.

my business partner has been in cabo for 3 weeks and is purposefully not answering the phone or emails.

what we're saying is that the holidays are especially different.  more time is needed for every part of the process from paying to packaging to correspondence to shipping to delivery... and not all of those have anything to do w/ the seller but you came down on him for it.

[.RJ]

but the problem is... during the holidays... not everyone is jumping on the computer every chance they get.

Well, the guy was able to take the time to list new things on ebay... but I hear what you're saying.  I just dont think that 2 weeks for some kind of response, even if its a "hey I havent shipped it yet but it will go out later" is unreasonable.  If it takes a month to get here... thats fine, just let me know.  If he isnt going to send it, I'd rather just get the $$ back and find another one, no hard feelings about it.

[heffay]

your right... if he was away he should have made an auto response to let you know he'd get back to you.

i think his ebay skills are lacking too but, just for understanding's sake... i might suggest that you withdraw your neg. feedback... once you get your part of course

[.RJ]

i might suggest that you withdraw your neg. feedback... once you get your part of course

Of course, I always do - if I get the part (or a refund) I just remove it.  I wish I didnt have to do it to get their attention!

[dusterdude]

bs,if you sell something you need to communicate with the buyer,thats one thing i cant stand about a seller,lack of communication.

[heffay]

bs,if you sell something you need to communicate with the buyer,thats one thing i cant stand about a seller,lack of communication.

hence, my last comment.  never did i say that the seller didn't need to... just that more time and understanding are necessary sometimes. 

the most important comment in this thread i believe to be...

I think some people place way too much emphasis on quick shipping RATHER than well packed and arrives in good order.

and, why would you waste feedback like that if you're just gonna withdraw it anyway?  kinda defeats the purpose in my opinion.

[dusterdude]

i agree,but sellers need not leave buyers high and dry wondering whats goin on with their order.

[.RJ]

why would you waste feedback like that if you're just gonna withdraw it anyway?  kinda defeats the purpose in my opinion.

It gets their attention.  If they never send it, or respond... then I'll let it stand.

[andy750]

For another viewpoint I won some shocks on Ebay on 20th Dec and item was shipped immediately...I emailed the seller yesterday as I noticed him listing the exact same shocks in Ebay and I still had no idea if mine had been shipped or not (even though had paid for them immediately)  .....

...he replied same day with tracking number - I check and UPS has them in Mass. but they wont deliver them to me until 2nd Jan (at least thats the scheduled delivery date) - so they will be hanging around some depot no doubt waiting and waiting....no idea how this works but likely based on priority and how much shipping has been paid. Im in no hurry in any case. Point is, email communication with seller was short and to the point and timely reply - next day. This works for me.

cheers
Andy

[jtb]

I guess I don't buy the holidays excuse.  The guy should have responded to emails in a more timely (read:  when he got them) fashion.

[FunJimmy]

I sell and buy a lot of stuff on ebay.
I always advise buyers of shipping dates with tracking numbers and delays (if any).
As a buyer, I expect the same courtesy, but only receive it half the time.

You are well within your rights to expect timely information on your purchases, but the use of negative feedback as a tool to get their attention is unacceptable!!!! Please post your ebay user name so I can add it to my blocked bidders list.

If you have a grievance with your seller you can file a claim/dispute with Paypal. You don't think that gets their attention! Failing that you still have the ebay feedback system if needed.

What you've done is deny your seller the right to positive feedback as the delays could be out of his control, as stated in the reply. Which, buy the way, the seller appears to make every effort to ensure you are completely satisfied.

Merry Christmas!!!

[MoTo-BunnY]

Did you use the eBay dispute feature, first??

When you file a dispute with eBay, it tends to 'wake up' a lot of otherwise deadbeat buyers/sellers as they receive a nastygram from eBay stating a bunch of legal mumbo-jumbo and that they will also get  a non-payment or seller 'strike' from eBay - regardless of what you do with your feedback. 3 strikes in a month and you get suspended. (weak but something, at least)

Filing a complaint with PayPal also tends to jolt bad buyers/sellers out of their non-action as now you are talking about getting money back out of them whether they want you to or not!

I'm all for the tactical neg but only after all other tools are exhausted first - I generally try to wait a full 30 days actually (but especially with selling and waiting for payment). I also usually check with the search function, to see if they have been active on eBay after their sale/purchase with me (use the search by bidder or seller - including completed auctions) soooo if they have bought and paid for items AFTER mine and I have yet to receive any response or payment from them, OH yeah they get the neg. .  . .lol

Also, I also have heard EVERY excuse under the sun from customers. . jeez louise. Generally, a lot of computer problems, deaths in the family, or extended vacations (who goes on vacation for a whole month right after buying a bunch of things on eBay and not paying for them yet!?!?   wtf!!) A shipping tracking number e-mailed to the buyer after payment goes a LONG way to satisfy everyone (and is quite easy to do-I am amazed at how many sellers STILL don't do this) 

Communication is everything. .  . . . 

[754]

IMO .. a neg is a last resort.
after ALL ELSE has failed.

And anyone using it as a first resort for whatever reason they use to support it is not someone I want to do business with.

It wasnt a diamond engagment ring or legal papers or concert tickets!!, come on ,sometimes life gets in the way...hope the same thing returns to you someday so you get some of yours back!!

That being said, there are a few legitimate reasons for not being able to communicate.. but poor communication is generally unexcusable..

[cleveland]

That's it .RJ, it's settled then.........from now on you're to be addressed as "Mr Negative Feedback" if you please. 

You never know who your dealing with on ebay, but I try to give people the benefit of the doubt.  Of course then I hear about people that play the system just right so that once they are done screwing you, there is not much you can do about it. 

[.RJ]

On the other side, if you had sold something on ebay and not received payment in 2 weeks and no communication from the buyer, would you leave neg feedback?

Did you use the eBay dispute feature, first??

I did not know there was one - I'll look into that next time.  Maybe I was a little quick to toss in the feedback, but there's been 3 or 4 times in the past few months where I've not gotten what I paid for buying some parts for my 750.  It does get a little frustrating.

[FunJimmy]

If a buyer does not make payment within the time frame stated in the conditions of the auction your first course of action should be to file a non payment strike from your ebay account.

Then further action can be deployed if required.

The fact that you received products or services that where not to your satisfaction should not effect other ebay members. That is what the ebay feedback system and Paypal dispute resolution system are for.

[okie]

RJ., I would like to know who the seller was so I can avoid him.  It looks like I am going against 'popular' opinion here, but I EXPECT communication!!!!  I have never shipped a sold item later than the next business day after I receive payment(usually ship the same day).  I ALWAYS notify the buyer about how and when the shipment was made.  I follow up with the buyer if I don't hear from them within a week after shipping. 

My opinion of eBay's dispute resolution process doesn't match what I am hearing on this thread.  Regardless of what your ad says about payment terms, eBay won't even let you file a dispute until a week after the end of the auction.  The dispute process is a PITA and I get the impression that eBay just wishes I would go away and forget it.  As a result, I sell on eBay only as a last resort. 

[SEBNN]

I'd like to thank RJ, because of people who leave negative feedback I have never had a truly bad experience with a seller or a buyer.  With sellers I have always been able to work things out when something isn't right (description etc) because they know that someone may leave them negative feedback.  Usually the sellers with a 97% rating are very responsive as it has happened to them before and they are trying to keep their rating up.  As a seller I like my 100% and do what I can to keep it.  I have had buyers and sellers that have made me wonder, but so far things have been good.  Just one more example of how bad communication in the business world can get you.  I had an online seller that didn't do a confirmation email and left me wondering for 2 weeks if my order would be shipped, and then it showed up.  The guy has a good reputation, but his communication needs to improve or his prices need to drop considerably before I will buy from him again.