Negative feedback to unfairly suffer
Summary: gg88900 shared an experience of receiving a negative feedback on eBay, despite having communicated a delay in shipment due to unforeseen family circumstances. They explained the situation extensively to the buyer and provided tracking details as soon as possible. sika700 suggested using the eBay 'Absence' feature, which gg88900 claimed wasn’t possible due to the unexpected nature of their family emergency. Another participant, cizeta1964, pointed out the possibility of the buyer being inexperienced with feedback. gg88900 intends to leave a comment explaining the situation under the negative feedback to clarify their side of the story.
Good morning, on 22 June the buyer paid for the e27 lamp holder with adapter to turn bottles into lamps without drilling (Order number: 19-14787-51535) that I had listed for sale. Below I report what happened.
On 22 June, the same day as the sale, I wrote: “Hello, thanks for choosing this item. However, I need to let you know, for fairness and so that you continue to be rated on eBay with 100% positive feedback, that I am temporarily away from home. I can ship it on 10 July. Have a nice evening”
On 6 July the order history showed “The buyer did not receive the item - Item not received”
On 8 July I sent the buyer a new message: "Good morning, eBay informed me of your report regarding the failure to ship the purchased item (E27 lamp holder with adapter - order number 19-14787-51535). I thought everything had already been clarified because on 22 June I sent you this message: "Hello, thanks for choosing this item. However, I need to let you know, for fairness and so that you continue to be rated on eBay with 100% positive feedback, that I am temporarily away from home. I can ship it on 10 July." I confirm that I will carry out the shipment as promised, but if you want me to issue a refund in your favour, let me know and I will proceed. Kind regards".
On the same date (8 July) the buyer replied: "Ok thanks, you can send the package as soon as possible ".
On 9 July, having returned home and one day earlier than the date indicated in the previous message, I made sure to ship the item, immediately informing the buyer: “Good morning, shipment made this morning from the Crotone 3 Post Office. Since from 1 May the Posta 1 standard service, indicated in my listing, is no longer active (it allowed the delivery outcome to be tracked) the shipment was sent as Poste Delivery Business Standard (with tracking of the entire route). You can find the tracking code both on the receipt and on the label used. I am attaching both. I apologise again for the delay, due to my absence from home for family reasons. Kind regards”
On 16 July I noticed that among all the feedback received, the only negative one, with an eBay reference to “last month”, i.e. June, was from the buyer in question (“sorry but I have not yet received the package or a tracking email”) despite my considerate messages addressed to him. With understandable disappointment I therefore decided to activate a review request, which eBay responded to in the following terms: «Your request to revise the Feedback for PORTALAMPADA E27 CON ADATTATORE. TRASFORMA BOTTIGLIE IN LAMPADE SENZA FORARE (405458611663) has been sent to (…). Reason: The seller was able to resolve a problem you experienced regarding this transaction. Message to buyer: “Good morning, a negative feedback you posted on 3 July regarding the purchase of the E27 lamp holder with bottle adapter is on file. Please proceed with revising the negative rating. As early as 22 June I had made sure to let you know that, since I was away from home, I would not have been able to ship the item within the expected time, which then happened on 9 July and was confirmed by my message with attachments and by eBay. I believe my fairness should be noted. Thank you.” The buyer has until Sun 26 Jul 2026 to modify their Feedback or decline your request. If they decide not to respond or to decline your request, respect their decision.»
On 26 July a new message from eBay: «The request to revise the Feedback that you sent to (…) for PORTALAMPADA E27 CON ADATTATORE. TRASFORMA BOTTIGLIE IN LAMPADE SENZA FORARE (405458611663) has expired. The buyer did not respond to your request. Therefore, the Feedback they left for this item will not be changed. Remember that the buyer can choose not to respond to your request or to decline it. Respect their decision.»
At this point, since the buyer (…) chose not to respond or to give me any explanation for their behaviour, I wonder, and I ask those reading me, whether it is right that as a seller I should continue to appear with a negative feedback that I absolutely do not think I deserve. I even explained to the buyer the type of shipment, making sure, moreover, to guarantee (at my own extra cost) full tracking. Evidently fairness does not pay and I remain astonished that eBay cannot recognise it.
Disappointed regards
gg88900
sika700
·2 weeks agoThe obvious question is: if you knew you were going to be away for a long period, why didn’t you use the "Away" option to protect yourself??
eBay | Away
Kind regards.
gg88900
OP2 weeks agoGood morning, I would certainly have done so if I had known in advance that I would have to be away, but for serious family reasons I had to leave home urgently. As is clearly evident from the content of my letter, which I invite you to reread, I believe I acted more than correctly:
1) On June 22, once payment had been made, I immediately informed the buyer that I was away and could send the item on July 10.
2) On July 8, having been informed by eBay of a report for not shipping the item, I sent the buyer a new message in which, referring to what had already been communicated on June 22, I asked whether he would possibly like a refund. The buyer replied: "Ok thanks, you can send me the parcel as soon as possible".
3) Having returned home a day early (July 9), I immediately arranged shipment, informing the buyer and providing him with photos of the receipt and the label used.
4) I shipped it with Poste Italiane Business Delivery Standard (at my own extra cost) to guarantee the buyer full tracking, given that as of May 1, 2026 the Posta 1 standard service, indicated in my original listing, is no longer active (it only allowed tracking of the delivery outcome).
As I already pointed out in my letter, which I believe should be read with due attention, on July 16 I noticed that among all the feedback received, the only negative one came from the buyer in question: “I’m sorry but I haven’t received the parcel yet or a tracking email”). I had hoped that my request for revision would overturn that undeserved judgment, but instead nothing. Despite my correct behavior, clearly demonstrated, the negative feedback paradoxically remains because the buyer did not respond to my revision request! A real mockery!
gg88900
sika700
·2 weeks agoYou can rewrite it as many times as you want... but the feedback won’t change!
Remember that you could have done it from the app too... so while fully mobile.
Let’s just say you thought about it too late.
Kind regards.
gg88900
OP2 weeks agoGood morning, I’m stunned by that kind of response. If, as in my case, you received notification of the purchase of the item you had listed for sale and you unfortunately were absent for serious and unexpected family reasons, what would you do? With the purchase already made, would you think about the app? The most logical thing was (amid thoughts about the hospitalization underway!) to immediately send a message to the buyer letting them know that unfortunately the shipment would happen after a few days and, the day before shipping, making sure to warn them that I would refund them if they wanted. They replied: "Ok thanks, you can send me the package as soon as possible". So we’re talking about a buyer who was aware of the shipping delay and accepted it. Despite this and despite my prompt message on the day of purchase and sending the tracking details on the day of shipping, they wrote in the feedback: “I’m sorry but I haven’t received the package yet or a tracking email”. The buyer knew everything and then received the package. Why should I have to take this negative judgment that goes against my correct behavior? I will write to the buyer again (who did not reply to my request to revise the feedback) and I hope that this time they act with conscience. Otherwise, I will be the one to leave them a negative feedback, and rightly so.
Best regards
gg88900
cizeta1964
·2 weeks agoThe buyer in question has only 3 feedbacks, so he’s not very experienced. Maybe he completely ignores the function and importance of feedback for sellers; he received what he ordered and that’s enough for him.
Making it a matter of principle is ultimately pointless because sadly there are many buyers like that, you can’t leave them negative feedback nor can you ask for a second revision of the feedback, but you can leave a comment on their feedback, explaining what actually happened.
gg88900
OP2 weeks agoGood morning and thank you for the advice. Your comment, from which balance and understanding emerge, comforts me. I am instead disappointed by the previous "closed-minded" comments before yours. Kind regards and thanks again.
sika700
·2 weeks agoUnfortunately, selling online is not a game, but a responsibility, since you're dealing with other people you don't know.
If you had a physical shop and an unexpected event had come up, would you have left the place open to the mercy of everyone?
So that's how it went, the person you dealt with acted as they thought best, you can't know their reasons any more than they could know your unexpected issues.
Accept the situation and make good use of it so it doesn't happen again... sales experience teaches you a lot of things!
Kind regards.
gg88900
OP2 weeks agoGood morning, it certainly is not a game and there is always something to learn. However, I remain calmly convinced that my honesty and fairness toward the buyer are quite evident and traceable.
Regards