Post by LAX on Jun 25, 2018 14:44:10 GMT -4
I've been selling some collectables on behalf of a friend's parent to help raise money for their impending move into assisted living.
It's been going okay, other than a ridiculous amount of buyers love to contact me with insulting low-ball offers.
One buyer came in with a price on a couple items that was 25% off listed price. In a moment of weakness I agreed. Then he put in his offer which was an additional $5 below what he had offered through messaging. Since he was interested in some of my less popular items and he didn't live far away so I wouldn't have to deal with the hassle of international shipping or expensive carriers I agreed.
After that acceptance he then said he wasn't going to pay for shipping, he has a friend that lives near to me and would send them to pickup. Against my better judgement I agreed to this. I didn't even charge a handling fee even though I ended up having to drive to a meeting point to deliver the items to the friend. After I invoiced him he took 2 days to pay even though my Buy It Now policy states immediate payment is required.
Just before I left to deliver his items he tossed in another offer for an additional item that was 2/3 under asking price. I declined the offer and went to the meetup. He messages that even with the short notice I should have been able to add the additional item onto his order. I politely explained that it wasn't the short notice, it was the low offer which after Ebay & Paypal fees wouldn't have been worth my time to sell.
Seconds after I deliver items into the hand of his friend he messages to ask when I planned to leave feedback. I ignored this one, feeling I don't owe him feedback or an explanation of my feedback policies.
Though he lives just a few towns over he didn't have plans to meet up with his friend for a few weeks. This morning he messages he finally has his items and rather rudely messages that he doesn't understand why I haven't left feedback yet. "What is wrong with you? What kind of seller takes nearly a month to leave feedback!?!"
Now, as far as my feedback policy goes, I do it in batches, usually once a month, so it's never immediate. I know some sellers leave feedback as soon as payment is rec'd because they consider that the extent of the buyer's obligations, but I don't leave it until the entire transaction is complete -- either item is in buyer's hand and they happy, or if they're not we've worked out a solution to the problem. I don't feel feedback is obligatory, and will usually only leave it if the transaction is positive, or negative enough that I feel the Ebay community needs to know about a bad buyer/seller. I don't feel like this has been a positive experience, but not being bad enough to warrant a neg, I decided to just leave it as none. He'd probably flip out if I left a neutral even though this is how this experience adds up for me.
Now this guy has over 300 in feedback already so it's not like he's a newbie who needs to build his cred. My feedback can't possibly be that as important has he thinks it is. He hasn't left feedback for me so I guess he could hand me a neg if I don't comply. Not too worried about that, if his only beef is no feedback left while I'd been accommodating in every other way I'll be happy to speak to whatever feedback he leaves.
Bottom line...I really don't want to give him feedback. It's been a less than positive experience, and quite honestly it raised my hackles that he feels entitled to feedback and the petty part of my nature doesn't want to give into his demands.
Right now I'm wondering how to respond to his latest message. Or if I should respond at all. I kinda want to say "feedback is a courtesy, not an obligation" but I wonder if silence is better.
It's been going okay, other than a ridiculous amount of buyers love to contact me with insulting low-ball offers.
One buyer came in with a price on a couple items that was 25% off listed price. In a moment of weakness I agreed. Then he put in his offer which was an additional $5 below what he had offered through messaging. Since he was interested in some of my less popular items and he didn't live far away so I wouldn't have to deal with the hassle of international shipping or expensive carriers I agreed.
After that acceptance he then said he wasn't going to pay for shipping, he has a friend that lives near to me and would send them to pickup. Against my better judgement I agreed to this. I didn't even charge a handling fee even though I ended up having to drive to a meeting point to deliver the items to the friend. After I invoiced him he took 2 days to pay even though my Buy It Now policy states immediate payment is required.
Just before I left to deliver his items he tossed in another offer for an additional item that was 2/3 under asking price. I declined the offer and went to the meetup. He messages that even with the short notice I should have been able to add the additional item onto his order. I politely explained that it wasn't the short notice, it was the low offer which after Ebay & Paypal fees wouldn't have been worth my time to sell.
Seconds after I deliver items into the hand of his friend he messages to ask when I planned to leave feedback. I ignored this one, feeling I don't owe him feedback or an explanation of my feedback policies.
Though he lives just a few towns over he didn't have plans to meet up with his friend for a few weeks. This morning he messages he finally has his items and rather rudely messages that he doesn't understand why I haven't left feedback yet. "What is wrong with you? What kind of seller takes nearly a month to leave feedback!?!"
Now, as far as my feedback policy goes, I do it in batches, usually once a month, so it's never immediate. I know some sellers leave feedback as soon as payment is rec'd because they consider that the extent of the buyer's obligations, but I don't leave it until the entire transaction is complete -- either item is in buyer's hand and they happy, or if they're not we've worked out a solution to the problem. I don't feel feedback is obligatory, and will usually only leave it if the transaction is positive, or negative enough that I feel the Ebay community needs to know about a bad buyer/seller. I don't feel like this has been a positive experience, but not being bad enough to warrant a neg, I decided to just leave it as none. He'd probably flip out if I left a neutral even though this is how this experience adds up for me.
Now this guy has over 300 in feedback already so it's not like he's a newbie who needs to build his cred. My feedback can't possibly be that as important has he thinks it is. He hasn't left feedback for me so I guess he could hand me a neg if I don't comply. Not too worried about that, if his only beef is no feedback left while I'd been accommodating in every other way I'll be happy to speak to whatever feedback he leaves.
Bottom line...I really don't want to give him feedback. It's been a less than positive experience, and quite honestly it raised my hackles that he feels entitled to feedback and the petty part of my nature doesn't want to give into his demands.
Right now I'm wondering how to respond to his latest message. Or if I should respond at all. I kinda want to say "feedback is a courtesy, not an obligation" but I wonder if silence is better.
