Being told to change feedback when I think it is appropriate?

[TheSecretCervixDNCOP]

Bought something on ebay before christmas, as it was coming from Hong Kong gave it the decent amount of time to arrive before contacting seller to say sadly it has not arrived.

VERY reluctantly they refunded me. Yesterday I left feedback on all my recent purchases, I gave neutral to this one (as I didn't recieve it) and simply said item did not arrive but refund given. I felt this was appropriate and was not doing it out of spite, this is the whole reason of the feedback system yes?

Apparently not. I have logged into Ebay this morning to this message from the seller:

dear buyer
sorry to bother you
we noticed the feedback you leave for us
sorry for the delay
we can experience your mood
but as you know that the shippment is out of our control
the only things we can do is send your item out asap
really hope you can understand
we have finished refund.
as many customers may do not know that the netural feedback still affect us a lot
could you pls kindly help us change it to a good one ?
or just withdraw it ?
many thanks for your help
waiting for your reply
nice day

I have messaged back the following:

No. You need to understand that your customers are entitled to leave a feedback appropriate to their experience with you. I felt the feedback left is acceptable given that I did not recieve item and refund was reluctantly given. Good day.


Okay I was probably a bit harsh, but I'm sorry I am not going to be coerced into making their business look better. It doesn't benefit me does it? It benefits them and I don't see why I should comply.

[fergoose]

you must not change it to positive, that is ridiculous

the only reason I would change it now would be to make it a neg. They can't bully you into changing your opinion, that is harassment

[TheSecretCervixDNCOP]

I have sent a message back stating the feedback stands as it is and I will be contacting Ebay customer support about the matter. (I probably won't unless I am messaged again, but figure that will put the frighteners on enough and they will stop)

I won't change the feedback unless I am indeed contacted again in which case it will be to neg and will state why.

[loveisagirlnameddaisy]

If they'd refunded without complaint, I would have rated them positive but given details. Since they were reluctant to refund, I think neutral is more than fair.

They're being very polite about asking you to change your feedback but it is still harassment. I would imagine your last reply about passing on the details to eBay will shut them up.

[WhateverTrevor]

I think you're being really mean, it isn't their fault it got lost. They are trying to run a business here and neutral feedback clearly effects their business.

[NadiaWadia]

But the feed back is just that - neutral. And fairly reflects the customer's experience. So quite reasonable.

I think its quite ridiculous the way eBay has gone with, what you can only call 'feedback inflation'. Every bog-standard transaction has to be marked with 5 stars and comments like "top eBayer " etc, etc, it's seen as the norm. And if a buyer should dare to leave a neutral, or (God forbid!) a negative feedback, than this is the end of the world apparently.

I have bought 20 or so things from eBay over the year, and left positive feedback in 19 cases, but when I left a neutral recently for an item with a dodgy description, the seller Was Not Pleased.

They were one of those sellers, who when a buyer has left them neutral or negative feedback, instantly throw a hissy fit and reply with snippy self-justification, something like 'I have sold loads of these and no-one else has complained!". OK, if the buyer has been really unfair then they should just respond in a dignifed way stating their case, otherwise it comes across a bit pathetic, really.

[NadiaWadia]

SecretCervix - I hope your Hong Kong seller stopped pestering you in the end?

[pottypeppa77]

Ebay doesn't allow you to change feedback once you have left it. I was contacted by a seller recently and asked to change a comment I'd left in my feedback and when I contacted ebay customer services they advised me that I couldn't change my original feedback but I could leave a 'follow up comment' (which gets added on to your original feedback)