Negative feedback is the prime reason why crooked sellers and buyers are soon excluded from the eBay marketplace. Negative comments are red flags warning future buyers that a seller has demonstrated a total lack of responsible behavior in prior transactions and can't be trusted. You should always try to resolve the dispute before entering negative feedback, most sellers will go out of their way to make the situation right. You should always leave negative feedback when the situation calls for it. Doing so will protect other eBay buyers from getting ripped off. Always leave a negative if the following occurs:
- Seller refuses to sell
- Seller fails to send item after receiving payment
- Seller misrepresented the product and refuses to refund.
You have a responsibility to leave negative feedback to warn other eBay members of potential problems dealing with the seller. Negative feedback counts as a –1 and is deducted from your feedback profile
Tip
If you are concerned about getting hit with retaliatory feedback from a user wait until day 89 to post the negative feedback rating. Since you can't leave feedback after 90 days this won't leave them much time to retaliate.
Receiving Negative Feedback: It's aggravating, even painful when it happens, but don't let one negative comment placed on your record chase you off eBay. Should you receive a negative feedback there are basically 3 things that you can do.
1) Respond with an honest professional answer, most eBay users can tell if feedback was unwarranted just by reading the response left by both parties. A professional approach does not include leaving retaliatory negative feedback for the offending party. If this was your first negative, don't worry about it the eBay community will quickly realize the unjustified negative comment.
2) Mutual Feedback Withdrawal- Communicate with the other party, direct communication can resolve many disputes quickly. You can request the eBay members contact information and call him or her. A lot of times feedback is left in the "heat of the moment" and after a few days to think about it the other party may regret leaving it. Members that use the eBay Mutual Feedback Withdrawal process will have their feedback rating withdrawn once both users complete the process.
3) Dispute resolution service.- If you are concerned about your spotless eBay rating ruined here's what to do:
- The best route to having negative feedback removed is through a certified dispute resolution service; it usually cost $20.00 if the feedback is successfully removed. eBay recommends Square Trade Service. You submit your transaction details and other details between you and the other eBay member. SquareTrade will then contact the other party. If the other party doesn't respond in 14 days, you can request a review for feedback removal. If the other party responds, you both can request a mediator to resolve the dispute over the feedback. If the negative feedback can be removed, SquareTrade will contact eBay, and within 14 days, you should see it gone from your feedback profile.