Customer Nuisance

[TheRealist]

Happy Holidays everyone!
So my company has sold a pair of Brand New Kids Tablets(Around 80USD each) to a customer around 8 weeks ago. The customer in the last few days opened a case via eBay and has made outstanding allegations, indicating that they are stolen and would like her funds returned. She even went ahead and tarnished my positive feedback (a big headache i have worked very hard on maintaining 100% feedback and always providing exceptional customer service for 2 years!!!)- saying that "product is stolen" which I believe will definitely deter future customers from buying (I always look at feedback before buying from other sellers)

I have told her to rectify these crazy allegations, which she has not responded to why nor uploaded any pictures or anything..since i have a 30 day return policy, she has opened the case after the 30 days, which I have the option to decline the return ( of course she can open a case via PayPal too)

But today she responded with:
"Once resolved I have no issue editing my review. Please provide return shipping label"

I am sure she opened the boxes and the resell value will be low...that is my concern.

Advice?

[MM78]

Refund, Get item back, Move on.

[TheRealist]

Thanks Champ! Done

[phaz0rz]

That's not going to do anything about the negative feedback though.

I would call eBay up on this one and calmly explain the tablets were 100% for sure not stolen and that you can prove it. This sounds like a negative they would remove for you.

[bjammin]

Originally Posted by MM78

Refund, Get item back, Move on.

Best advice right there. Get the headache over with.

Alternatively, they may have given you cause to call ebay for feedback manipulation by the last message they sent you. The way an ebay rep explained to me is they are not suppose to mention or hint to the word feedback or it can be removed. I am sure this is subjective to each ebay rep, but may be worth a try. No telling what they will revise your feedback to if you accept return and refund.

EDIT: wrote this before reading the last post, but his point is very good also

[TheRealist]

Customers have the option of editing their feedback I believe.

[TheRealist]

Originally Posted by bjammin

Best advice right there. Get the headache over with.

Alternatively, they may have given you cause to call ebay for feedback manipulation by the last message they sent you. The way an ebay rep explained to me is they are not suppose to mention or hint to the word feedback or it can be removed. I am sure this is subjective to each ebay rep, but may be worth a try. No telling what they will revise your feedback to if you accept return and refund.

EDIT: wrote this before reading the last post, but his point is very good also

I have accepted the return, and will in addition to this since I am being extremely cooperative with the buyer since she is beyond the 30 day scope, call in to eBay and allude to "feedback manipulation"
Will keep you guys posted..

[Pandoras_box]

Don't flog a dead horse. Cut your loses sooner as you can't come out on top no matter how you play it.

Send the return label ASAP.
Be grateful if you receive the same devices you sent.

In the meantime, email the manufacturer/supplier claiming to be a buyer or reseller of their product (you've been both anyway) supply the S/N and ask them to check if it has been reported stolen. You can follow up with a phone call to speed things up.

Use the correspondence to get eBay CS to remove the feedback.

her eBay ID and email ---> both go on your block list.

In the future, you may decide to be proactive and try to mitigate any damage brought about by unforeseen circumstances.

One thing you can do is create a system that allows customers to sort their problems faster and much better if they come straight to you, then announce this system via loose leaflet boxed with the product.
You can also set your eBay account to send this message after every purchase/despatch automatically.

If you offer a 'system' that is alluring and present it in a 'language' that is casual and friendly, you'd be looking forward to outstanding results.
Goodluck

[phaz0rz]

Originally Posted by TheRealist

Customers have the option of editing their feedback I believe.

Only if you send them a feedback revision request, which you get a very limited amount of (you get 5 per 1000 feedbacks received).

If you send a customer one they have 10 days to respond, otherwise the request is wasted. Trying to get the customer to revise on their own is certainly an option for you here, but since this is a feedback eBay would probably pull for you without much convincing, I probably wouldn't risk wasting a revision request before at least contacting eBay to see if they'll delete the negative for you.

[TheRealist]

Once I receive the items, I'll go ahead and call eBay to see if it can be removed. But she has committed to revising the feedback, which I can use for leverage if she tries to rescind....

[SaiJin]

Originally Posted by TheRealist

Once I receive the items, I'll go ahead and call eBay to see if it can be removed. But she has committed to revising the feedback, which I can use for leverage if she tries to rescind....

ABout your 100% feedback, unfortunately it'll never stay 100%.

Ok, now about your feedback, I'd be firm to have her revise the feedback now.

[nickopedia]

There are always idiot buyers out there like this. They just don't care.

They may even be a nasty competitor trying to tarnish your reputation.

Just refund and block asap. That's all you can really do.

[rsot]

Originally Posted by TheRealist

Once I receive the items, I'll go ahead and call eBay to see if it can be removed. But she has committed to revising the feedback, which I can use for leverage if she tries to rescind....

Good move - keep the forum posted

[Sunspot144]

The tablet burst into flames and flew around the room!

Buyers say anything so they don't have to pay return shipping + restocking fee...

[TheRealist]

Heres the update as promised:
The buyer shipped the items (of course they have been opened and I will look into the units further and so far they look resealable ) BUT my main focus of course was the reputation in regards to the feedback.

I sent them a "feedback revision request form", the customer asked what I would like as feedback!- This customer is apparently compliant and a bit lazy no? But I "hinted" at a positive feedback and the words to read something like "slight discrepancy but immediately resolved"- I could not help myself...

Now I am back at 100% Feedback looking good for 2019. Oh yes and +1 to the Block List.
Thanks Team!!

[walkingupwards]

Originally Posted by TheRealist

Customers have the option of editing their feedback I believe.

Sellers could ask customers to edit their feedbacks, but that option is limited to a few requests per year (I guess it is limited to 10 or something).

[phaz0rz]

Originally Posted by walkingupwards

Sellers could ask customers to edit their feedbacks, but that option is limited to a few requests per year (I guess it is limited to 10 or something).

It's 5 per 1000 feedbacks received, and it renews annually.

Meaning an account with 5000 feedback gets 25 feedback revision requests at the beginning of each year, an account with 50,000 feedback gets 250 each new year, etc, etc..

That's why if you check the feedback profiles of super high feedback accounts you'll often see absurdly high numbers of revised feedbacks. It's not uncommon to see a big seller with "11,251 revised feedback".

[newjerseymax]

Once you get passed accepting feedback will not always be 100% you will live a happier life.

Now its up to you to protect your money... For $1700 I would have taken the negative feedback.

[martyjump]

I concur with the first few posters here. It's something I had to learn when I first started selling on eBay. It's annoying because you know you're not at fault but it's better to resolve issues and maintain a good feedback score than sticking to your guns because you know you're right. Most buyers on eBay are good people but a few here and there are nut cases and have no qualms about trashing your account to get their way. Best thing to do is to eat the loss and move on.