Blog » Ask an Expert: How to get negative feedback removed
Ask an Expert: How to get negative feedback removed
This week, our in-house expert gives the low down on getting negative feedback removed from your eBay seller account.
Q: How do you get negative feedback removed?
A: Unfortunately, eBay sellers have very few alternatives when trying to get a negative feedback removed. Generally, once you’re tagged by a dissatisfied buyer, the negative score stays. In most cases, the only thing you can do is post a response to the negative, explaining your side of the story.
There are two methods of getting the negative actually changed, but be warned – they are not for the faint-hearted!
Buyer revision
The most common way to get a negative altered is through communication with the buyer. They are able to revise feedback within 30 days, but you can only request that they do so once you’ve fixed the problem – or if you think they left a negative by mistake.
Make sure you use your revision request wisely, because you are only allowed a limited number per year. Sellers are only allowed 5 feedback revision requests per 1,000 total feedbacks.
The problem though is that the power to remove negative feedback rests squarely on the buyer’s hands, and places the seller completely at the buyer’s mercy. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that such unfairness in the marketplace is a surefire recipe for disaster.
eBay intervention
In certain situations, such as when abusive language is used, or by court order (!), eBay will intervene and remove negative feedback. However, these instances are all extreme, and sellers must leave it up to eBay to judge the outcome.
This new policy, in effect since October 2008, has much of the eBay seller community up in arms once again. Former eBay powerseller Kaydeecouture (kaydeecouture.com) has announced her decision to remove 75% of her inventory from eBay, citing that eBay has refused to remove underserved negative feedback by a malicious bidder because “they didn’t like my tone.”
Other sellers share similar stories, reporting how some buyers and bidders have abused this leverage to their favor, even to the extent of outright extortion. Sellers complain that many cases involve factors beyond their direct control, yet buyers are quick to tag them with negative scores.
All in all, you’re much better to invest time on strategies that will help you avoid negatives altogether, rather than going through the frustrating process of trying to get them removed.
Got any tales of woe about trying to get negative feedback removed? Share them below...
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Comments
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Commented at 22:28 6 Feb 2009
Buyer paid for an item on Feb 2 2009... My policy is the item ships by the end of second business day. Most of the time I ship next day after I receive payment, but that day was snowstorm and I slept at a hotel close to my work (supervisors have to make it in)... On second business day in early AM I received negative feedback, because buyer did not receive item yet, while waiting with the buyers packed item for my postman to pick up... seeing this as problem buyer i quickly refunded buyers money and filed a complaint with e-bay to have negative feedback removed... In less then 3 hours e-bay replied with a big NO ... How can Sellers sell on ebay and have a will ship by end of second business day, if a buyer can leave a negative feedback when my policy was not breeched and ebay does not back up its sellers with awesome feedback scores and a troublesome buyer who has nothing better to do but ruin the reputation of sellers. wgray7191 is my ebay account but hurry because if this is not resolved I am removing my ebay account.
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Mark Hamilton
Commented at 13:49 25 Dec 2009Sold item on ebay, sent item, item was delivered as per USPS tracking #, buyer said they never received item and left negative feedback without any communication!!!
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Linda Farrell
Commented at 22:52 1 Mar 2010Get this....I set up a buy-it-now for a specific ebayer....and noted in title....that this auction is for XXX only.....and also noted it in the description.,...also noted do not bid if you are not XXXX ebayer....well another ebayer bid on the buy-it-now anyway....and when I ask them very nicely to cancel the transaction...they got all huffy, and left me negative feedback....even though I had specifically set-up the auction for ebayer XXXX...they thought they should have it anyway....and of course ebay will not remove the negative feedback.....I have been with ebay for 10 years, and had 100% feedback until this illiterate person came along...I say this because obviously they could not read and bid anyway....I am just sick over this...this effects my business tremendously ...I sell hand made things, and get a lot of my customers, because they like my 100 per cent feedback....This is so unfair...I was laid off from my job and have never been able to find employment...so I tried to make ends meet through ebay....You would think they (ebay) would make exceptions...but oh no....One of these days they will not be on top....and will fall like the rest of the companies that didn't listen to their customers (I am a customer also...I can't imagine how much I have paid out to Ebay in all these years for fees).....that is how I got my 100 percent feedback (2611), my customers love me, they know I will go that extra mile for them, and if there are any problems with anything they know that I will take care of it for them...I tell them that up front...to think I got this negative over something so stupid is just killing me...Thanks for listening
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Narender Rathore
Commented at 15:14 6 Aug 2010Unfortunately , we all have buyer that don't use there brain, just put Negative Feedback.
Guys, We Need to do ,, Tit For Tat... -
Wholesale
Commented at 11:28 19 Oct 2010and what if you experience a buyer who is kind of retard and don't want to listen to you even if you have a valid explanation? I think if customer gives the negative feedback than ebay should review it and than give it to the seller it is valid the point every review should be approved by ebay after verifying it.
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scb
Commented at 23:15 18 Feb 2011eBay collects $800 a month in fees from me yet does not help on the rare occasion that a buyer is simply unreasonable with negative feedback. Accidentally double listed an item. Sent an immediate apology and full refund...still negative feedback. Another buyer had left 25% negatives on all his transactions and still is allowed to operate on ebay. I pray for the day that another eBay type service comes up with deep enough pockets to market themselves. Then all of us unhappy sellers can leave this place that only cares about our 13% fees and nothing else.
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Rinz
Commented at 10:17 29 May 2011Some bad competitors can easily destroy your reputation by simply leaving negative feedback. Ebay should have realized that their feedback rules are so unfair and have cause many sellers' frustration and unhealthy competition. If I were eBay's owner, I would have made better and fair feedback rules.
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frustrated_seller
Commented at 08:43 27 Jun 2011Ebay doesn't care much for sellers, even though they make money from sellers not from buyers. Its such a pity, dishonest buyers can easily take advantage. All the effort seller puts in for years to build up a reputation can be easily tarnished by a dishonest buyer or competitor who envy your good work. Ebay should give a chance to Seller to prove their credibility and remove negative feedback from buyers whose sole purpose was to either take advantage of Ebay's (Buyer's only favorable ) policy to get refund back with dishonest feedback or competitors who use new ebay ids to tarnish seller's image by giving negative scoring. Ebay clearly has overlooked this in their policy matters.
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Joe
Commented at 03:14 16 Aug 2011I sold an IPOD that worked perfect to some idiot, he used it and I guess thought it was an everlasting battery. He used it til it was totally dead then tried to say it didn't work. Sent me back the IPOD. I told him it was working fine but still gave him a refund......... he then left me negative feedback. I get neg fb for his ignorance....... Thanks for nothing EBAY!!!!
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Feedslack
Commented at 20:40 22 Aug 2011I have just had a buyer leave untrue negative feedback because they could not understand written English. I clearly said in the item description that the watch required repair yet they are allowed to leave negative feedback saying the watch is fake and I am a fraud because the watch did not work!
eBay, hope you read this and listen to the people (sellers) made you rich!
Bill Gray