So, someone gave me negative feedback and labeled me a "Scammer"

[Synnical]

This is a $6.50 item. $11.50 after shipping and insurance.

I'm not. The seller became all shades of un-professional when I thought I was giving him/her the courtesy of notification that I was going to leave negative feedback because the item was not packaged properly, and thus, arrived damaged. Because I had paid for insurance on the item, the seller suggested I just take the item to to Post Office and use the insurance I paid for.

When I researched the hassle it would be to use the insurance from the Post office, well, it's just not worth my time for $6.50. The item is worth more than that, but I'd have to prove it - taking more of my time.

The seller also stated - in the negative feedback - that I demanded a refund on the item. This in not the case, at all! The seller offered the refund after what I thought was professional courtesy.

It seems the only way to remove the "scammer" negative feedback is to resort to Fair Trade? I paid via Pay Pal. And thus, Pay Pal must give access to Fair Trade to my account info on Pay Pal?

I'm not comfortable with that. The reason this negative feedback is troubling to me is because I use my real name on E-Bay. Otherwise, I wouldn't care.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

-Cindy in Fort Lauderdale

[demgrrrll]

1. I may be wrong about this but I thought there was some way to mediate

and withdraw feedback. I think there is still a notation that feedback has been withdrawn. Maybe someone else knows more about the ins and outs of this procedure.

[AZBlue]

2. Do you mean your real name is in your ebay screen name?

You can always change your screen name for more anonymity.

Have you left feedback for them yet? I would if I were you - and you can be honest (negative). Then you can do one or both of the following: (1)respond to the feedback that was left for you so anyone viewing your feedback will understand the situation better and/or (2) if you leave negative feedback for them, you can wait a few days and then offer to mutually withdraw your feedback.

Good luck!!

[Synnical]

3. Yes, I have left negative feedback

But my feedback was professional, not personal. I will not withdraw my comment.

. . . Very Bad Transaction. Poorly pkgd, arrived damaged. Seller unprof and un-coop

The seller's comment I want removed:

. . . SCAMMER No Proof item broken, HAS INS refuses to file claim Wants items & Refund

I EM'd the seller pics of the damaged item after the seller posted this comment. Though I offered to send pics immediately after I opened the box.

Thanks so much for your comments.

-Cindy in Fort Lauderdale

[Synnical]

4. Update: The seller contacted me today

Wanting to engage in MUTUAL FEEDBACK REMOVAL PROCESS.

I responded that I won't remove the negative, but would agree to change to neutral, if the seller would remove the personal attack comments.

In case anyone is interested in my experience. ;)

-Cindy in Fort Lauderdale

[grasswire]

5. my two cents

I think most eBayers will not pay too much attention to a dispute over a $6.50 item. I don't think it will harm your trading there, although it certainly is infuriating to have someone blatantly lie.

You could do this. You could post the photos in a public place online -- photobucket or something? And then put the URL to that place in your response to this person. Or perhaps you could offer to email the pics to any trader who is worried about your integrity.

[Synnical]

8. I agree

I think the seller's negative personal attack comments tell more about the seller than me.

Thanks for your positive feedback, :-)
-Cindy in Fort Lauderdale

[Vinca]

6. I need to vent and I'll do it on this thread.

I just had a buyer file a PayPal dispute because she didn't receive an item. That's perfectly fine, but I'm miffed as I can be that she never bothered to email me to let me know she hadn't received the package. It was sent priority, well packed and fully insured. In 5,000+ transactions I've never had anything like this happen. I'll investigate today to see how to file an insurance claim, but I'm very, very annoyed someone wouldn't at least have the decency to email before filing a complaint. Sometimes I really hate ebay.

[Synnical]

7. Some people are like that

I don't think it's E-Bay's fault, they do have prompts in place suggesting that one contact the seller before leaving negative feedback and/or filing a dispute. In fact, as a buyer, never a seller, I tend to think E-Bay protects the seller more than the buyer. My experience above is the one negative I've had on E-Bay.

What do you sell? I collect vintage cigarette cases, ashtrays, and butterfly wing jewelery. (Planning for my retirement in 30 years when SSI will be extinct.) Everything up for auction now is way too overpriced, IMO, due to the holidaze. The starting price should be the ending price, IMO.

Thoughts from a very new E-Bay buyer.

-Cindy in Fort Lauderdale :-)

[Vinca]

9. I sell almost anything - I know very little about a whole lot of things.

You won't believe how my story continues. I went to the post office and they traced the insurance number on her package and it was delivered to her 2 days after I mailed it. I'm giving her the benefit of the doubt and figuring the package was stolen from her porch or something, but you never know. I had one scamster - who turned out to be a bona fide criminal - try to convince me to send "change" (like $200) with the item because her "accountant had made the money order out for too much." You can't be too careful.

[Vinca]

10. Here's how my story ends. The buyer - and this is 6 weeks ago, mind you -

emails me today after I told her the post office scanned her package as delivered and says her neighbor accepted the package. Amazing. You'd think that might have occurred to her before she filed a complaint about me. Fortunately, she was able to cancel it and she did apologize.

[Synnical]

11. You'd think!

Yeah, your buyer was out of line and apparently attempting to scam you. And I agree, you can't be too careful. Glad it worked out okay for you, this time.

My seller hasn't responded to me, so I guess I'm stuck with the Scammer notation. Oh, well, every other seller loves me.

-Cindy in Fort Lauderdale

[Vinca]

12. I've got one negative buried among nearly 3,000 positives, left by

a person who insisted they didn't want insurance and whose package was creamed by the post office. She wanted me to pony up a refund and I refused. I was incredibly upset about the negative, but you can't account for unreasonable people so you just go on and it fades away.