Showing posts with label complainers on ebay. Show all posts
Showing posts with label complainers on ebay. Show all posts

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

eBays ETA on shipping screwing sellers over

Once again eBay is making changes. In the all the years we have been selling online eBay has made more changes in the past 5 years then Amazon and etsy combined!

Why is that?  Who really knows, but I am noticing a new things that is really bothering me. Does eBay own the post office now? Amazingly they know delivery dates. Why does eBay think its ok to tell a buyer when they will get the item?  Ive been doing this for many years and yea there are others doing this a lot longer than I have.  But one thing is always the same, the post office service is unpredictable.  How can eBay say an item would take 4 days to get across the country?

Let me explain:

I had a buyer purchase an item on Saturday May 25th after 5PM pm here on the east coast, so 2PM on the west coast. The buyer is located in the state of Washington.  Well naturally we could not ship as our local post office closes at noon on Saturday, not to mention it was already after 5PM anyway!  Sunday we packed it and knew it would not go out until Tuesday because Monday was Memorial day and the post offices across the US would be closed.  Tuesday came we took the package to the post office and it was on the way.

On June 3rd I notice we got a 'neutral' feedback and wonder what now!  Well this buyer is complaining because the package is 3 days late and we are wondering how is that possible.  After researching it, the order is telling the buyer that this item is 'Fast N Free' and will arrive on or before May 31st, how is that possible?  How is it possible for us to ship an order on Saturday when everything is closed and how is it possible they were told it would be delivered on May 31st?  And why does the USPS indicated it would be delivered on June 3rd?  And why does the buyer blame sellers when packages arrive 'late' according to eBay?

This buyer is not taking the time difference or the fact we are on the opposite coast as they are into consideration.  Nor the fact that it was a holiday weekend.

So we call eBay, they think Im asking for feedback removal and I keep reminding them thats not why I was calling. Why would eBay promise to a buyer that a package would arrive by a certain date?  Why would they not take into consideration the fact that the buyer purchased this out side of 'normal business hours' and it was impossible for us to ship the same day? Had it been any other day we would have been able to ship the same day.

When I review my listing Im thinking its because it has 'FREE' shipping!  Ive changed the shipping zip code to NC, FL and CA and it consistently shows the item will arrive in 4 days, how is that possible?  They of course say the feedback would not be removed and I continue to say thats not why I was calling.   Then they tell me I should contact the buyer and ask them to change it!  But this is not something I created, we've done nothing wrong, we never told the buyer it would arrive May 31st,  its something eBay created!

You've seen it,... I have shipped packages to Hawaii that arrive in 4 days, I have also shipped packages 4 hours north of my location and seen it take 2 weeks!  How can they be allowed to make false promises to buyers?

Another peeve I noticed is the time, have you ever tried to print a label after 6PM and it still shows todays date?  If I go to purchase an item after 6PM it will still say it would be shipped today even if it can not be.  Not until around after 8PM if I try to print a label would the system actually adjust the date for the following date.  Call me crazy but they should not include Saturday at all since every location has various hours on Saturday and some are not even open on Saturday.

Their posted hours are on the pacific coast time which leaves the east coast with an unfair advantage.   They need to reconsider their program that gives these ETAs and modify it.

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Personalized Ornaments

Back in January, over 8 months ago I went to an expo.  I saw personalized ornaments and thought I would give it a try.  I have other personalized items which I have had success with. The thing with these ornaments was that I had to write it.  I can do it right?

So 8 months go by and well I forget about it until I got the email that they were shipping my box.  I happened to be away the day the email came in. I should have called and cancelled the order.  But by the time I saw it, it was the weekend and too late.  The packages arrive on Tuesday, the display arrives two days later.  I started putting it all together and the display looks good. I listed a few on Amazon and a few on eBay.  In the past 3 weeks I sold maybe 6. The first personalized one I did was just three letters and it was easy. The next was just as easy.  The most recent one wanted three lines in various places and long details it was a lot. So I did my best creating this ornament with the tiny spaces I had.  Imagine my surprise when I get the email thanking me for sending it out so quickly but the writing is horrible and disgusting.  Man did that kill my smile today!

Im thinking of just selling them without personalizing them but what would be the point in that right?  Who wants to personalize the items themselves? Or blank ornaments?  Not sure if I can return these items. Should I even bother? I feel so defeated right now.  The invoice says 20% restocking fee and the display cost $300 so I think I am stuck with these.


Wednesday, September 5, 2012

High Shipping Prices.

Just got this message in feedback the other day...

'Really light and small charged to much for shipping'.  It was positive score but Im 'positive' they gave a low DSR for the shipping section.  So Im a little peeved because we have very low shipping rates. While many of our products offer FREE shipping, equally many of our products do have a cost. All our rates are based on weight and sometimes we use the flat rate charges instead.  When we enter 1 ounce the minimum eBay shows shipping fees is $1.95 - when we use a flat rate I use $1.75.  (This is under our settings)

A lot of the products are well under 3 ounces, so everything is light. We do get discounts for printing online labels on eBay and Amazon. Free delivery confirmation is one of those discounts but if you took this package to the post office they would charge you the same charge we pay. The lowest price I would pay for shipping is $1.64 not counting the cost of the envelope, my travel time to and from the post office, my time to pack the item and anything else you can think of. At the post office delivery confirmation is an additional fee. When someone wrote $1.75 is too much for shipping I was floored.

We used to send some of the tiny items inside envelopes and sold them like crazy and shipping costs were 50 cents.  Unfortunately because of new eBay requirements they wont let us do that.  I would save everyone a lot of money if I put these things in envelopes and used a stamp.

I thought of just including the price of shipping inside the price of the item and marking it free shipping but then my item would be 'too expensive'.

Call me crazy but if you agree to pay the posted price you shouldnt be able to complain about it.


Blue moon causing crazy online buyers?

This must be the biggest month for complainers this month.

Off the top of my head its the only thing I can think of that is causing this craziness.

Just got a neutral feedback mark on eBay today because the package was delivered two days beyond the estimated delivery date! Two days? Really? Thats a cause for complaining I am sure. I wanted to reply with - guess you have never been pregnant? And Sorry Im not perfect like you must be!  And - there are no guarantees in life only in death and taxes!  I almost wrote - guess you dont know the definition of estimate and guaranteed delivery.  I want to start a blog to post all about the stupid questions and complaints I get! It would be long lol.  I have not replied yet to their remark, I am waiting to calm down.  I may just put the standard about not having control over the post office and your package was packaged and delivered next business day.  What more can you do right?

Another crazy buyer purchased stencils for glitter tattoos.  We sell a ton of these and majority of them are professional artist that know how to use them.  We never include instructions and we sell them in lots of 5 at a time. Sometimes we get special requests when people dont want to order from multiple lots.  I offer a small discount when they do this since I can just invoice them via paypal and remove eBay from the equation.

So one buyer leaves a neutral saying ' I was under the impression it was more stencils that what had come in'  and I was like what?  The listing says lot of 5 stencils how many more were you expecting?  So I added a new line to ALL the listings saying - Lot of 5 means 5 individual stencils.  Sometimes I feel like I am dealing with infants!

Another buyer purchases stencils on Monday and says they want it for a birthday party that Friday from NY to CA. Well I make sure it was delivered the same day.  And I guess they got it since I didnt get notification that they didnt.  Instead I get an email complaining that the stencils were difficult to use and they wanted replacements or a refund!  Again I was like what?  After a few emails back and forth they seemed to back off.  We dont provide instructions on how to use them.  Nor do we refund for them because you dont know how to use them. Its like buying a piece of meat, cooking it, then asking for a refund because it tasted horrible!  Not happening this isnt a restaurant or a place where you can get something for nothing.  I have not heard back from this buyer but I am betting its not over.

A buyer on another platform (Amazon) placed an order on a Saturday and requested 2nd day air. I shipped the item on Monday and it arrived to them on Tuesday that Thursday I get an email from the buyer indicating that they wanted to return the item because they never placed that order. Here is goes, Im like what?  If you cancelled this order I would not have gotten a request to send it to you.  Not only that you have to 'select' second day air its not an automatic option.  So I let the buyer know they can return the item but shipping costs are not refundable.  The buyer became upset and says to us that they will get all their money back because the order was cancelled. About a week later a package comes in, inside was an item I had never seen before along with a letter from this buyer. Not a nice letter AND the product was not mine, it was a product I dont sell. So I called Amazon asking for guidance cause I can see this case can get out of control.  They told me I cant issue a refund if they dont return the correct item. They also told me that once an order is placed the buyer has 30 minutes to cancel the order. Beyond that they can contact the seller to request a cancellation.  Well we never got that and neither did Amazon so we are in the right so far.  I emailed the buyer saying if they want a refund they need to return the correct item to us and if they want the 'wrong' item back they will have to provide a prepaid label.  Its been a few days and we have not heard anything yet so cross your fingers lol.

Today I get an email from someone asking why they cant buy two of said item? Well turned out there is only ONE in the listing... wow really?  I replied you cant buy two cause the listing is for one.  I tell ya, that blue moon cause some crazies!



Friday, April 27, 2012

Buyers strange cancer excuses.

Well it never fails to happen I get a complaint this week.  It say the item they have is cracked and not usable. It was Bamboo incense burner.  Very lightweight and intricate in design a beautiful piece.

The buyer first tells me its cracked so Im thinking manufacture defect right.  I ask for photos to verify, have them return it and Ill contact the vendor. Days go by and no photo in my inbox.  So I email again.  He claims to have been busy but adds if I dont refund him by Monday he will open a case. He also says again how beautiful the piece is and he put the incense stick in it when it cracked. Now it sounds like he broke it. No? Then he says I have to put $11 into his paypal account to return it!

Now I was livid because yea its just business, but now you state you broke it and you want money to return it? What the heck!

I told the buyer since it looks like he broke it you cant expect a refund and ebay states it is the responsibility of the buyer to return the item.

Surprised by the reply he says I do not go to the USPS as I have cancer! Argh now I am disgusted.  He would only ship if back UPS cause he cant stand in the post office. Then he gives me a story that has nothing to do with this issue.  Then the kicker - I dont want to be the 7th person to leave you feedback! Really?  Oh and I didnt inform him it was a fragile item!   Which I believe falls under Feedback extortion so I reported it.

When are people going to take responsibility for their actions?

Is this buyer lying? I dunno, Im not going to assume anything but am I supposed to feel sorry because you may or may no have this disease? Now I have to reply delicately but get my point across.

Do you go into a store, buy something and break it then tell the store they cant have it back and if they do they have to pay for it then demand they have to refund your money?  No? Im sure there are many dishonest people that break things and return them for the money.  But how often with online sales do people expect to keep the product and get a refund! All of them! It annoys me to no end. We will see if I will blog about this guy in the next few days with the correspondence.

If I mess up I will try and fix it.  I have paid for return shipping. I have gone above and beyond for my buyers but when you do something like that I am not helping you!

Thursday, April 5, 2012

I feel victorious! Even with a new negative mark!

Ask me why?

Well I sold an item to someone, it was a Myachi hand sack.  Whats that? Let just say its fun for boys. I dont have to many 'boy' related items in my store so its a big seller. If you know how to use a hacky sack the Maychi  is similar but 'NO HANDS ALLOWED"!

They have various patterns available and for what ever reason some patterns sell more than others.

The item I sold is called Gr8ful Shred in Red.  The buyer right here in NY gets the item in ONE DAY! No mention of that. I get this email:


Dear **,

THE MYCHI YOU SENT ME IS NOT THE ONE I ORDED I ORDED THE GRATEFUL
THIS IS NOT THE SAME AS YOUR PICTURE IF I WANTED THIS ONE I COULD OF BOUGHT FOR $5 DOLLARS WITH NO TAX AND NO SHIPPING.


Remember I do not modify emails, I copy and paste and sometimes use ITALIC.

Im unsure whats going on so my reply was:

Sorry I'm not understanding what your trying to tell me. What did you receive? Can you send an image?



Now Im at an event in south jersey so Im doing this on my mobile phone.  I dont like keeping questions waiting but I needed to verify what was being asked of me.

This was the reply in this size font, remember copy and paste:

YOU SENT A DIFFERENT MYACHI THEN YOUR PICTURE

OK not only was it still not telling me what was received it was large and bold, like yelling right?

So I provide my email address to send an image and ask:

What pattern did u receive? The patterns are on the back of package.

So here is the stock image (1st) along side the one the buyer sent (2nd):


I can see how it can be confusing its not an exact but sometimes fabric is like that.

And my reply:


This image you sent is the pattern indicated in the listing. We have dozens of these and the patterns in the images never match exactly inside the packaged ones.
If your not happy with it please return it.


Then this guy has the nerve to say:

JUST RETURN MY SHIPPING MONEY THAT I PAID AND ADMIT IT IS A DIFFENT MYACHI THEN YOUR PICTURE.


And I simply said:

Please return for refund

I dont think I was mean or nasty at all but the final reply was, in that size font:

DIFFERENT MYACHI THEN YOUR PICTURE END OF STORY.

The buyer also sent this message to the email I gave them to send me the image. So I got it via ebay messaging and on regular email.

Usually after a buyer becomes irate I stop replying and block them from my store.  Then the next thing to do was to wait for them to leave me a negative mark.  I kinda knew it was coming as this guy was sure he was right.

About 6 days go by and well there he goes and leave me a negative mark.  Of course Im pissed because the minute he did that I was leaving positive feedback for my other buyers and accidentally left positive feedback for him! Usually when someone leaves a negative I dont leave any feedback I replied to what I left but nothing I could do now.

Just after that I called Myachi headquarters, maybe I should have called earlier but I didnt think this was going to be an issue and effect me.  I also didnt think this guy would wait almost a week before leaving a negative, I expected it the same day.

I explained what had happened at they understood exactly what I was talking about.  I was close to saying men dont know a thing about fabric! But I didnt have to go there, lol. They said the buyer can call them directly, but I asked them to email instead so there is a trail.  I forwarded them the image I was sent and waited.  Again I should have done this on Monday morning but I didnt.

They were quick to email the buyer and CC myself with this message:



This is **** from Myachi, writing in reference to a purchase you made at The Sell All in Florida, NY.  I understand the myachi you received looked slightly different than the picture you saw.  This is simply a matter of a large pattern within a large piece of fabric being sewn into many smaller rectangles.  Therefore, each small rectangular bag of the same name will look slightly different from the next because it was cut from a slightly different part of the larger pattern within the fabric type.  I looked at the photo I was forwarded, showing the Gr8ful Shred Red myachi in question, and I can assure you, as an expert on myachi collections, that you received the correct item.  The myachi in the picture is most certainly a Gr8ful Shred Red.  Sorry for any confusion caused by the lack of perfect uniformity within each sack name. 
Best,
****


VICTORY!  Sorta! lol.    I feel better since I was right but I doubt this guy will adjust feedback left, some people are just stubborn. This is why I blog about it lol.



***So I had to add this:

I wanted to make sure the buyer got the email so I attached it with this message:

Please find attached a copy of the email received from the Myachi rep. I forwarded your image to them for verification. They emailed you directly from the Myachi company as I requested but just in case I am sending it to you too. And imagine that, they say the same thing I said to you over the weekend. If you want to call them directly I can provide you with the number.


Inserted email from Myachi:


For the record, I do not have a penis.




LOL - OK I was annoyed and had to say that last line! I mean why is it assumed Im a man?  Cause I dont take crap from buyers?  I dunno.

The last email he sent last night was:

STOP WITH YOUR EMAILS YOU SHOULD HAVE MAILED ME THE ONE IN THE PICTURE. INSTEAD YOU SAID I WAS WRONG AND YOU WERE CORRECT.




And I am! No?

I replied again with you can still return it! I mean really people if you dont like it just send it back!

Monday, March 5, 2012

Yet another negative feedback on eBay

Im at the end of my rope, Im so temped to just close my eBay store.  But then I remember I do have so much positive feedback and I shouldn't let one or two rotten apples spoil the bunch right?

So here I am blogging about my experiences, why do I do that?  Well I hope to educate others and share what happened to me and what I did. Sometimes I do not handle situations properly but majority of the time I do and I still get bit in the butt for it.

I am an individual running a business. I sell on multiple platforms online and I have a store, a brick and mortar.  Ive noticed since I have moved in a number of things going missing.  Guess it goes with the territory of operating a store.  On occasion something would just disappear and I would not notice until someone online buys it and I cant find it! So now I look like an idiot trying to sell something I do not have in inventory. It does not happen often but once in a while.

A few weeks ago I got an order for a beanie. I was a little surprised as we just cleaned up our 'hat' section and I dont remember seeing one of those.  Well I looked and looked every where I could think of and I could not find it.  I emailed the buyer with an apology and refunded the money they paid.  This was in a few hours of the purchase.  A few days later I noticed the transaction was still 'waiting to be shipped'... so I called eBay.  They tell me there is a glitch where pay pal is not telling eBay I refunded money to the buyer and that I should just archive the transaction so I 'dont see it'.  So I do and think nothing of it.  Mistakes happen and most people are understanding in this situation, others are not.

Imagine my surprise when last friday I notice a negative remark! The buyer claims I never refunded the money & I wasted their time! Im floored!  So I think back and research, I refunded almost 3 weeks ago! Not only that I did email they buyer. So I call eBay about their glitch causing a buyer to think I did not refund them.  Well too bad it does not qualify for feedback removal so I am stuck with it, I tried to email the buyer and guess what? The email bounced back! Imagine that, how pissed was I. I submitted a feedback adjustment but thats all up to the buyer.   Now I wait and since the buyers email does not work my message will just go unanswered.

Monday morning I wake up to yet another negative remark!  I dont think I have ever gotten two in a matter of 3 days in my whole eBay life!  I check my account on the mobile app for questions and check feedback at the same time.  So no idea whats going on or who the buyer was. I needed to check into it when I get into my store.

Turns out this person purchase a dozen crystal suncatchers from me, this person just put feedback that said: 1/2 the products sent were chipped and damaged.  So on my drive in Im thinking maybe it was damaged in transit cause I know I packed it tight with tissue paper and well it was going to Canada.   So I get into the office and get this email:


**** I copy and print exactly as written, we simply remove contact info: 


Hi There,

I'd like you to know that I've left negative feedback w/out contacting you for the following reasons. I received my box in perfect condition, no damage. When I opened the box and un-wrapped each of the individual crystals I found no crystal pieces to indicated it was damaged in shipping but yet at least 1/2 of them were damaged, ie: many of the crystal pieces at the bottom were chipped & damaged. Leading me to believe that these were wrapped and shipped to me knowing the condition of the product - damaged, as mentioned box was in perfect condition & there was no crystal debris, so it didn't happen in shipping. I purchased these as an added bonus to my brides maid & family gifts for our wedding and cannot not use half of them as they are so damaged I wouldn't even hang them in my own window.

Thank you so very much for wasting my time....




What a slap in the face!  I have never had a fight in my life so all I could do was shake, a few hours later as I write this now Im thinking Bridezilla? I also reviewed feedback they have left for others and this person is a negative nelly. This is what I call buyers that a chronic when it comes to leaving negative feedback.  We also pulled out the rest of our crystals for examination and did not find anything wrong with them. So I have no idea what this buyer is talking about.

Well I reply, it was short and simple.

We are not in the business of sending damaged merchandise. We would be happy to refund you upon return of said items. When we packed these we did not see any visible damage, nor were we looking as they are still in their original packaging received from the manufacture. Perhaps its a manufacture defect.

All you needed to do was send us an image of the 'defect' and we would have sent replacements. 




The crystals are still in the baggies I got them in from the manufacture, all I did was pull them out and place them into tissue paper and into a box for shipment. If there were chips I didnt notice them as I was not looking for them.  I didnt think I was rude in my email at all. I tell everyone if they just send me an image of the defect or damage I would help them out.  At this point I really didnt want to help them since they seemed to be set in their decision.

Then I get this reply:

Looks like you are in the business of sending damaged products, I see several other complaints, some even stating their product was damaged in the same way. I've already given them to my niece to hang in her outside tree house, only good place for them. I have a right to cop an attitude as I was sold crap, you on the other hand, another story. They were not in manufacturer pkging... they were wrapped in used, ripped, tissue paper... I'll just take my business elsewhere in the future. You're clearly blind if you couldn't see the chips & shards missing from the large hanging crystals.

I'd appreciate if you stop continuing to waste my time... here's a thought, maybe sell un-damaged products! :)



So now Im heated cause they didnt read my email I wrote before, they accuse me of selling 'crap' and that I am 'blind'!  Who says that kind of stuff?  I wrapped them in NEW tissue paper not used and they were never shipped in manufacture packaging besides how would they know if thats how I got them or not?  And even admits to having an attitude. Again I didnt think my reply was rude.  So the buyer decided to give them away. Seriously if you got something that was not in good condition wouldnt you contact the buyer? Ask for a refund? Replacement?

My reply:


Im trying to be nice here, and your being rude and obnoxious. I said I still have the crystals in the original packing, which I took out and wrapped in tissue paper when it was shipped. Thanks for reading my email and seeing only what you want. Ive blocked you already just stay away from us and we will no longer see you in the future. 


Figured Im done right? Well no - they had to put another knife in my chest with this reply:

Rude and obnoxious? Grow up! You are a real beaut! Have a great day!


At which point I asked them to stop harassing me or I will report them.

Unfortunately the only thing I can do about it reply to the feedback left for me.  Which may or may not tell my story since the buyers can reply to my reply and make the situation look even worse than it was!  Which this buyer did.

I was so hurt, people forget that I have feelings and I have to stop taking the feedback personally. It almost feels like they are saying Im a horrible person.  I try my best to do everything right and all it takes is one person to bring me down. This business is cut throat already buyers dont need to aggravate the issue.

So I have to remember negative feedback is like having scars. Thankfully some scars eventually go away.  Im going to attempt to report this buyer in any case. Lets see what happens.

www.stores.ebay.com/luzsbrain








Wednesday, September 7, 2011

eBay complainers and whiners! Neutral feedback!

Oh what to do?

It seems you cant get away from them on eBay or Amazon...

People seem to think they have the only order on the planet and you have to tend to them quickly and give them the answers they want.

Its only Wednesday and here are a few of the email titles Ive gotten already this week:

Item not as described:
Where is my item?:
Where is my item?:
Where is my item?:

OK that not a typo, Ive gotten a few emails asking where their item are.

OK the first message was an error I did. The buyer asked for one game and I put the wrong one in the box, call it scatter brained... they emailed me and I apologized for my mistake, let them keep the wrong one and shipped the correct one out. I may have saved myself from negative feedback but I lost a little money on that one. Lets blame it on too much on my mind.

I cant tell you how many emails Ive gotten over the past month about 'Where is my item?' I dont understand it. Some packages have been sitting in one post office for over 10 days just being rescanned and rescanned with no explanation. I approach the local post master cause it looks fishy. She contacts the branch and miraculously the package is delivered a few days later!

I had an international person ask me the same thing and well I cant track international packages its in the hand of their local post office. Once it leaves the states, what am I supposed to do, fly there and bring it to them? There were so many over the past month I got frustrated and changed the shipping options to priority mail only since its traceable. Now Im getting complaints about shipping costs being too high! Im about to stop international shipping all together.

I have another guy that purchase something last Saturday Aug 27, I mailed it on the 29th. I get an email on the 2nd of September because the website says it should have been delivered to them by then. The message says I must have used a wrong address! Seriously? Like I would pop an address out of thin air? Now he emails me again asking me to track his package! Its been 7 days, peoples patience has gone out the window! My reply was LONG but serious people, I cant twist the arm of the post office and make them deliver packages when YOU want them to!

The post office should not put an ETA if they cant deliver it by that ETA, it only makes them look bad and make me wanna switch to UPS or something. Im so tired of people right now I just want to kick them! lol.

Doesn't it say on eBay DSR program that you shouldn't leave negative if the post office takes longer then usual to deliver your package. The seller has no control over the USPS! People need to read the rules. Especially an intentional pacakge! I shipped the next day, I should get credit for that, but NO, the buyer is allowed to give me a low rating because it took weeks to get to them. Well yea, who makes postal service in your country deliver any faster!

Argh... I love my job.