Retaliatory Feedback on Ebay

I just realized today that someone has left me a negative feedback on ebay. It is obviously a retaliatory feedback because I had left the other person (the seller) negative feedback. I’m not sure how often this happens on ebay, but it doesn’t surprise me. On many occasions I have received emails from other ebay users where they say things “Thanks for doing business with me. If you leave me positivie feedback I will do the same for you.” While I don’t really like the way that these things are passed along, it isn’t a big deal because almost every one of my ebay experiences have been positive.

The root of this particular auction with the negative feedback is very simple. I bid on a waterproof camera case for my Canon digital camera. I chose this particular auction because it was advertised as being new, and it included the case, a carrying strap, silicon grease and anti-fogging liquid.
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After winning the auction, I paid within a few days using the payment method (Paypal) preferred by the seller, and included the neccessary charges for shipping and handling. Within about 2 weeks the item arrived which I thought was pretty good timing. The case was in pretty good condition although it wasn’t new. There were marks on the lens that indicated that it had been used at some point. Nothing else was included in the shipment. Clearly the items were not sent as advertised. A few days later I sent an email to the seller via the ebay messaging system. Because the message went through ebay I don’t have a copy of it. I basically said that the item was not received as advertised and that I wanted to talk to the seller in order to come to some agreement. I still didn’t receive a response from the seller after about 3 weeks so I assumed that he was blowing me off. At this point I left him feedback: Seller’s feedback

It didn’t take long after the negative feedback that I finally heard back from the guy. On April 8 I received a message from skymountainlake via ebay. The message read as follows. “Hi, I am sorry, I did not get your message on time.recently I could not find the coming stuff, so if you take off that feed back you left it to me,I will send $5 refund to you. please let me know if it is ok. Thank you” The message came from the email address li_da610@hotmail.com

Okay, so this is not big deal. I didn’t know much about removing feedback and I don’t need $5. So I sent an email to li_da610@hotmail.com which read: _“Hello, It looks like it is impossible to remove/delete feedback. However, two members (you and I) can agree to mutually remove feedback. Information is here: http://pages.ebay.co.uk/help/account/withdraw-feedback.html

If this was an honest mistake, then I do not mind going through the = process of mutual feedback removal. You do not need to leave feedback first, although of course you are entitled to (good or bad, it is up to you). = Once we submit a mutual feedback removal form, you will not be able to leave feedback. Since the comments are kept but the rating is removed, I may wish to first reply to my own feedback and say that the seller made an honest mistake. Then we fill out the form. The negative feedback is removed and the comments remain.

Regards, Doug”_

I figure that was a nice enough response given the situation. On April 9 I get another email from the guy, only this time it is from the address junexue88@hotmail.com. The email read “Hi, Please take off the feed back you left it to me, then I will send $5 refund to you. if you do not do this,I will send a same feed back to you. Thank you”

It was at this point that I realized that I was dealing with an asshole who doesn’t know how to read. If he could read, he would know that a person cannot remove feedback. I told him this, and even sent him a link in ebay that describes the process. On top of this, the guy is blatantly threatening me and basically trying to bribe me for a positive feedback for $5.

I then responded to him again. I probably should have known at this point that I was wasting my time but what the heck.

_“Hello, It looks like it is impossible to remove/delete feedback. However, two members (you and I) can agree to mutually remove feedback. Information is here: http://pages.ebay.co.uk/help/account/withdraw-feedback.html If this was an honest mistake, then I do not mind going through the process of mutual feedback removal. You do not need to leave feedback first, although of course you are entitled to (good or bad, it is up to you). Once we submit a mutual feedback removal form, you will not be able to leave feedback.

I do not need $5 back from you. However, I am interested in hearing why you would send “same feed back to me.” I paid promptly as required, why would you leave negative feedback? I left you negative feedback because you did not send items that you advertised on your auction and you did not respond to my email sent through ebay.

Please see the attached email I sent you yesterday. I was prepared to send mutually remove feedback, but I do not like your threat to leave “same feed back to you.”

You need to respond to me with an explanation of your threat, and whether or not you wish to proceed with the mutual withdraw feedback.”_

I didn’t have any intention on retracting feedback unless the guy came up with a damn good explanation. In any event, I never heard from him again until I saw his negative feedback on me. feedback

The email messages (outlook messages) and auction details can be downloaded HERE if anyone is interested in seeing the actual correspondence.