eBay feedback ratings

[Mumbleypeg]

One of the questions asked here often is, why do sellers have 100% feedback ratings if they sell counterfeit or defective knives. I learned something new today.

I purchased a knife from an eBay seller whose listing said the knife was in “near mint to mint condition”. It was a rare knife, and from the seller's photos it looked good. (BTW the seller has a 100% rating, and offered a 14 day return policy). It wasn’t cheap but I bid and won it.

When it arrived the knife had obviously been cleaned, had lazy blades, and a small patch to the pile side stag. All not visible from the listing photos, and definitely not “near mint to mint”. I requested a return authorization. After decIining the seller’s offer of a partial refund I returned it and received a refund.

However upon requesting the refund, the “feedback” option disappeared. And now you know another reason why sellers have high ratings - if you request to return the item, there is no feedback option.

Ken

[Wreichard]

.
However upon requesting the refund, the “feedback” option disappeared. And now you know another reason why sellers have high ratings. If you request to return the item, there is no feedback option.

Ken

[Madmarco]

Yep, I learned this awhile ago, Ken.

[Mumbleypeg]

Thanks. I watch a lot of auctions but rarely buy anything on eBay, and only one other time (several years ago) have I ever returned anything. IIRC back then you could leave feedback on returns.

Ken

[herbva]

Ken, I also thought that buyers on ebay couldn't post feedback after a seller gave them a full refund. But, I recently gave a buyer a full refund (including return shipping) after a knife that he won in one of my auctions never showed up. And, I was quite surprised when this buyer posted feedback on the transaction a week or two after I approved the refund. So there must be some way that buyers can post feedback after they receive a refund. I did file a lost mail inquiry with USPS. Interestingly, about a month later, I received a letter from USPS and enclosed, was a dirty, ripped up piece of the shipping label still stuck to a torn-off piece of the package that I had mailed the knife in. The letter explained that these remains of my package had been found on the floor of the post office, but none of the contents. I'm guessing that someone working in that post office got a nice knife for free, and maybe my package got shredded up in their machinery?

[just bob]

I've faced this same situation and used to know a way around it. I think they have changed that as well. Go to your eBay home page and click account. Click on Feedback and scroll to the bottom of that page and click on Leave Feedback. At one time you could leave feedback for a return that way. It appears they have changed that. You might also try to hover over the My Ebay at the top of the page and click on Purchase History. Scroll to the bottom and see if the item is there. I wonder if they haven't gotten so many complaints from the mega sellers that they have changed this procedure. I purchase vitamins on eBay from time to time and ordered from Swanson and 2 times in a row and they cancelled the purchase saying the item was out of stock, BUT they said in the official reason that I cancelled the purchase, which was untrue. The first time I left them negative feedback for untruthfulness and tried to do it on the second occasion as well, but the procedure had changed, and I could never find the item. There is more wrong than there is right with the eBay feedback system. Why they don't take the effort to update that is beyond me. Feedback is an absolutely useless way to gauge a seller' true reliability. If you can't leave negative feedback what good is the system?

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying-Q- ... p/25875704

[MadeinUSA]

Glad you could get a full refund.

About 80% of my knife purchases are from eBay sellers… 20% from other l online sources (retail online stores or AAPK]

With online sales (and no way to examine in-person), I accept that some of the knives I receive will not meet my expectations.

Pictures don’t always tell the whole story and some sellers don’t really know if a knife has been cleaned, used or even its country of origin.

I was able to leave feedback on a knife I returned just last month. However, I left positive feedback because the seller took the return and issued a full refund (even though it was advertised as no refunds) after we discussed (by messages) the variance between description and the actual knife.

Most of my purchases are now from a group of sellers I frequent on eBay… so my risk of disappointment is diminished.

[centennialknives]

The last 2 years, wife and I have been having an online garage sale on ebay...we found that (after reading tons of info on selling as we spent 18+ years buying only) that you have to wait 7 days to leave neg feedback. I think most forget or just move on.

Never used to be that way.

[1967redrider]

Makes sense as to why ol' Sporty's rating is so high.

[Sharpnshinyknives]

I was able to leave negative feedback on two knives I purchased on Ebay that never showed up. The tracking showed a label was printed but the knives were not delivered to the post office. I got a full refund on both knives, probably through EBay’s guarantee and not the seller. The seller never responded to my emails and didn’t bother to reach out after I opened a case to get my money back. I found the knives on my “purchase history” way down under the knives that were delivered under “returns and cancelled items”. Leaving feedback was right there on the right side of each knife.
You might try scrolling down to the bottom of the screen on your purchase history to find those items there for leaving feedback.

[Ivoryman]

If you wait you can leave negative feedback, I have done it a couple of times recently, and maybe 3 or 4 times in the last 10 years. Rare thing, but it does happen and it will be registered if you jump through their hoops. I know, I always leave feedback, positive or negative. Always. Also FYI, if anyone says they don't accept returns you KNOW that seller is a bald face liar. ALL sellers must accept returns if the buyer is not satisfied. Learned that over and over. They will freeze your accounts and make you bow to their idol, but it's the way it is to ensure buyers 100 percent satisfaction or money back or they wouldn't have any buyers anymore. Buyers run the world of ebeast, not sellers. I laugh every time I see someone claim they don't accept the returns. They do if ebeast demands that they do or they will be whipped into shape and change their mind or lose their listings and be unable to receive payments and even freeze their pay pal account. Never believe it when they say no returns. Total lie. They really do if push comes to shove and I have experienced it on both ends. For sure, no doubt.

[Madmarco]

Good info to know Iman, thanks.

[sallen]

One of the questions asked here often is, why do sellers have 100% feedback ratings if they sell counterfeit or defective knives. I learned something new today.

I purchased a knife from an eBay seller whose listing said the knife was in “near mint to mint condition”. It was a rare knife, and from the seller's photos it looked good. (BTW the seller has a 100% rating, and offered a 14 day return policy). It wasn’t cheap but I bid and won it.

When it arrived the knife had obviously been cleaned, had lazy blades, and a small patch to the pile side stag. All not visible from the listing photos, and definitely not “near mint to mint”. I requested a return authorization. After decIining the seller’s offer of a partial refund I returned it and received a refund.

However upon requesting the refund, the “feedback” option disappeared. And now you know another reason why sellers have high ratings - if you request to return the item, there is no feedback option.

Ken
[Been there]

[Mumbleypeg]

Thanks to the advice of folks here I was able to find the feedback link for the purchase/return of the item, and input my feedback. If you request to return the item the feedback link disappears from its usual place - you have to go hunt for it. .

It may work differently depending on the reason given for the request? My reason was "did not match description". It was a return, not a refund for an item not received.

Ken

[just bob]

Seems like eBay is intentionally making it harder to find and leave feedback for cancelled items and problematic transactions. I had problems this morning with it. As of today, this works.

You absolutely CAN leave feedback for an item that a seller cancelled on you. Here's how:

1. Go to summary

2. Click "My eBay" and you will see your User ID/User name.

3. Click the feedback number beside your User name.

4. Locate "Your purchases awaiting feedback" then click "see all"

5. Go to the search bar and type in the item number. Then press enter. (Item number can be found if you open the message notifying you of the cancellation)

6. Leave appropriate feedback.

[1967redrider]

I posted negative feedback on an accepted "Buy It Now" that the seller later came back and said his associate sold unbeknownst to him. I felt as though someone offered a better price and the seller took it over the one we already agreed upon.

[Madmarco]

I posted negative feedback on an accepted "Buy It Now" that the seller later came back and said his associate sold unbeknownst to him. I felt as though someone offered a better price and the seller took it over the one we already agreed upon.

Yep, what a horrible feeling huh, John?
I've had that happen, and it felt like a personal assault on me.
Just from the way it goes down you can feel something is not right, and that gets confirmed when you see the exact knife that was denied to you re-listed by the seller. Even if I was the type who would jump through all the ebay hoops to get satisfaction, I could never accept anything from a seller who has aroused my mistrust of them, even if it was for the original knife I wanted.
Fool me once shame on you,.....!
My seller's excuse was that all of a sudden his shipping carrier won't ship to Canada, but the knives never were re-listed and I checked for 10 consecutive days afterward. He simply got a better offer, and lost a potentially good customer.

[catspa]

Maybe he uses Buy-It-Now as market research.

“I wonder if somebody will pay 20 bucks for this. Hey, Marco agreed to 20 bucks a little too quickly. I wonder if he’d pay 40? If he buys it again at 40, I bet I can get 60 out of him. And if he wants it at 60, it’s only 20 bucks more til 80! I wonder how high he’ll go?”

Parker

[Mumbleypeg]

Thanks to the advice of folks here I was able to find the feedback link for the purchase/return of the item, and input my feedback. If you request to return the item the feedback link disappears from its usual place - you have to go hunt for it. .

It may work differently depending on the reason given for the request? My reason was "did not match description". It was a return, not a refund for an item not received.

Ken

On the return described in my OP, the listing said “mint condition” but the knife had lazy blades, among other problems not apparent in the listing pictures. Upon in-hand inspection the knife had been taken apart, buffed and re-assembled, probably accounting for the lazy blades. I requested a return because the “item is not ‘mint condition’ therefore does not match seller’s description”. The seller then offered me a partial refund, saying what a wonderful and rare knife it is, and how any knowledgeable collector would love to have it. Said he was offering a partial refund and wanted to just cover what he had paid for it. I declined.

Which prompted a message from the seller accusing me of damaging the knife so I could return it. Seeing no benefit from getting into a “pissing contest”, I simply replied that I was returning it in accordance with the “14 day return” per the listing. “Let’s not make this into something it’s not.” I received a message from eBay saying the seller would send a return within a week. 6 days passed with no communication from the seller. I thought I would have to contact eBay and report it but on the 7th day I received the return authorization. I attached it to the box it came in and dropped it off at the post office.

A few days later I received a message from eBay saying the “return has been delivered to the seller’s address. The seller should issue you a refund by Feb 13, 2023. If you don't receive your refund by this date then you can ask us to step in and help.“ The following day I got a message from the seller saying “I will send your refund tomorrow”, which he did.

After eventually finding the since-moved eBay feedback location, I left “neutral” feedback with a comment that the item did not match seller’s description, but the seller accepted the return and refunded the payment. I struggled with whether to leave a negative rating, especially after being accused of damaging the knife for the purpose of returning it. A few days later I received this message from the seller:

“So you think you did a great deed leaving me neutral feedback. If I had known that you were going to do that. I would have provided my evidence that you manipulated the knife……….. I think you are full of BS.”

And there you have it. Seems some sellers think they can describe items however they want. If the buyer returns the item and receives a refund they should get a great feedback rating. Which explains why purveyors of incorrectly described junk and counterfeit items can maintain 100% feedback ratings.

Ken

[CarMan]

Seems like eBay is intentionally making it harder to find and leave feedback for cancelled items and problematic transactions. I had problems this morning with it. As of today, this works.

You absolutely CAN leave feedback for an item that a seller cancelled on you. Here's how:

1. Go to summary

2. Click "My eBay" and you will see your User ID/User name.

3. Click the feedback number beside your User name.

4. Locate "Your purchases awaiting feedback" then click "see all"

5. Go to the search bar and type in the item number. Then press enter. (Item number can be found if you open the message notifying you of the cancellation)

6. Leave appropriate feedback.

Thank you very much for this. Even the eBay representative I spoke to on the phone said I couldn’t leave feedback, but thanks to you I just did (if it goes through). This did appear to work.