Can you remove feedback on Ebay?

I started this blog way back when eBay loved its regular sellers and all was fair in love and war as regards feedback. There were debates after debates regarding the notorious feedback system. Was it fair on buyers to receive feedback in retaliation?. Buyers felt that they could not leave honest feedback in rear of a retaliatory negative in return. So what has changed?

Allot!...........................

I am no longer selling on EBay apart from the odd second hand item so i can write this blog with an unbiased opinion both from a buyer and sellers point of view. I guess naturally as an eBay seller i would of been more for sellers being able to leave feedback in return IF a buyer had left me an unfair feedback. By unfair i mean that a negative was left after no attempt at all to resolve with me as a seller. But now, as a buyer more than a seller, i can see both sides but i still feel it is unfair on sellers.

What has changed with the feedback system?
EBay says that buyers need no longer fear retaliation feedback!. What about sellers though? Sellers have come off worse for wear. A buyer can now say what they like and leave as many negs as their purchases with you allow. And a seller can do nothing. A seller cannot even leave a positive that is contradictory to a positive rating. So a seller does not get a say.

Now this is great for buyers and the whole safety side of EBay, it gives off a good signal saying that eBay is a safer place which is what is important in this day in age. But what about those buyers that do not communicate and tarnish a sellers reputation? The truth is the only way feedback can now be removed is if it breaks one of eBay's guidelines ie.. abusive and personal comments.

So sellers you are stuck with negatives that buyers leave you. So how do you protect your feedback? or should you just take a more relaxed approach? Read More in my next post.

How to Remove Negative Feedback on Ebay Part 2

I know your going to be pretty mad when you see your neg but how you respond to it will determine your chances of getting it removed as discussed in Part 1 of getting your negative removed

You must get the facts about the Negative Feedback that has been left for you

Read the comments they have left you, is there any truth in it? If for example they have accused you of sending an item with a scratch on it, were there any scratches, if there were did you mention this in the description?

Gather as much info as you can on the transaction.

First steps to Removing Negative Feedback

Now you need to contact the ebay member who left you a neg, i know you will want to give them total what for but you must be calm and professional.
If there is one big tip i can give you on removing negs is to RING THE EBAYER it may be daunting but on all the times i have had a neg a phone call has never failed.
See older post on how to get their phone number.

Start the conversation off with your sorry to bother them but you have just noticed that they have left you a neg and you wanted to speak to them directly to clear it up as emails and messages can get confusing. Go on to explain your side of it and the rest will depend on how they respond. 99% of the time they are shocked to be put on the spot and would never expect an ebayer to ring them, they think they are invisible behind a screen.

Maintain politeness at all costs

Even if they are stubborn and not cooperative, most often than not when they put the phone down they rethink about how they have handled the whole situation and feel bad.
Some of you will read this and think yer OK but there are some mean people out there who just don't see reason, yes that's so true but if you want the neg removed you gotta try, right?
If you feel you really cannot ring them then i have included loads of other ways to handle the situation, please seer other posts on the left

How to Remove Negative Feedback on Ebay Part 1

What to do when you get a Negative Feedback on Ebay

OK so you have a negative feedback on ebay today, big deal, but it is a big deal isn't it when you know it is undeserved. The truth of the matter is you can't please everyone no matter how hard your try, this is one important fact you must get into your head the minute you start taking ebay seriously, it is not personal you just can't please everyone.

Keep calm when you spot the Negative feedback

You must remember (no matter how angry you are) the person who left the negative feedback doesn't know you and you don't know them, in the day we live in now there is hardly any trust, in their hearts they believe you deserve the negative feedback and that's that.

So can the Negative Feedback be removed?

Yes you have a good chance, trust me on this one, you will get the odd one where there is nothing you can do but it is rare.

This blog will also give you all the help and support to get you selling on ebay successfully

Now onto how to Remove Negative Feedback part 2

Answering Ebay Messages

Answer all messages with politeness even those that really rattle you, trsut me on this one. At the end of the day you dont know them and they dont know you, they could of been ripped off in the past and presume every ebayer is out to do them over. Always offer to help resolve situations, if your brave pull thier details and ring them its much better than misinterpreted emails and haisty words, you will end up with a neg and out of pocket if you dont try your best to resolve any disputes, always show willing. You will always get some you just cant please and after you have tried your best just be polite and stick to facts, explain to them how you have tried to help them

Postage charges

Dont undercut with postage and dont overprice wither, work out a realistic price, weigh the item and add a small percentage on for your handling and wrapping. Always send by a reccorded method of posting, this will stop buyers saying they havnt received the goods, paypal will always side with the buyer when they complain if you cannot prove you posted it.

Writing a Description

Always be honest in your description. Feedback building will increase sales and visitors to your listings.

Honesty is the best policy, if your item has a scratch then mention this it will only lead to trouble when the buyer gets the item

Except Paypal

Try to except paypal, yes they take out a big fee but i guarantee you will atract more buyers and you will get less non payers.

Picture of the item

Always include a picture of the item, would you buy something you couldnt see?

I have listed items with manufacturers images and it does make a difference, if you are selling a second had item and you use a picture of a new item then bidders know and will be put off, always use the origionl picture you took of the item you are selling.

Choosing the Right Starting Price

Familiarise yourself with the listing fee structure, i see so many listings for example for £15 why not list for a penny less at £14.99 and save money.

When working out overheads dont forget ebays final valuation fee each time something sells

When is the Best Time to List on Ebay?

List when people are at home the best times are 8pm -11pm weekdays after soaps and at the weekends list in the afternoons.

Ebays Feedback Advice

From Ebays Help Pages

To maintain the integrity of the Feedback system, Feedback left for a
member generally becomes a permanent part of that member's record. Comments
cannot be edited or retracted, and eBay will not censor these opinions or
investigate the comments for accuracy.
However, there may be times when
you're unhappy with Feedback you have received or regret Feedback that you have
left for another member. If you find yourself in a disagreement with one of your
trading partners over Feedback that they've been left, you have a few options to
resolve the situation:
1. Reply to Feedback received: Share your side of the
story by responding to a comment that has been left for you. Your response will
be shown directly below the comment left by the other eBay member. Reply
to Feedback you have received.
2.
Follow up to Feedback you have left: To add information or clarify and earlier
comment, you can leave one follow-up comment to a Feedback comment that you have
already left. This will appear below your original comment. Follow up
to Feedback you have left.
3.
Mutual Feedback Withdrawal: If you and your trading partner resolve a problem
after you've left Feedback, you can mutually agree to withdraw the Feedback
rating. The Feedback comment will still appear in your Feedback Profile, but it
will no longer count in your Feedback Acore. Both members must agree, and
Feedback left by both parties will be withdrawn at the same time. Start mutual feedback
withdrawal for a transaction.
4. Feedback removal: eBay will remove
individual Feedback comments only in very exceptional circumstances, when they
breach specific policies. Some situations where eBay will remove Feedback
include: Feedback left by a member who is indefinitely suspended within 90 days
of registration, Feedback containing vulgar language or personal contact
information, and instances when eBay receives a valid court order to remove
Feedback. See a list of situations where eBay will consider removing
Feedback, and how you can request
removal.
6. Feeback rating withdrawal: Feedback ratings are automatically
withdrawn when a member fails to respond to an Unpaid Item notification and the
member filing the claim issues an Unpaid Item strike. Although the Feedback
rating is withdrawn, the comment will remain, along with an eBay administrative
note explaining that the member did not participate in the resolution
process.
While leaving Feedback is voluntary, eBay encourages all members to
leave Feedback after each transaction is complete.

Ebays Comments on Mutual Feedback Removal

Here is what ebay has to say about Mutual Feedback Removal

Mutual Feedback Withdrawal allows members to withdraw Feedback they have left for each other, if both members agree to do so.

When Feedback is withdrawn, the positive, negative, or neutral rating associated with that Feedback comment will no longer show or count in your Feedback score. However, the Feedback comment itself will remain.

The Mutual Feedback Withdrawal Process

If both members agree to mutually withdraw the Feedback they have left, they both need to complete the Mutual Feedback Withdrawal form. Both parties will then have their Feedback scores adjusted at the same time. Depending on the type of Feedback withdrawn, each party's score could increase, decrease or remain the same. eBay will add a note to the Feedback comment, saying that the Feedback was mutually withdrawn.

After withdrawal, no additional Feedback will be allowed for this item.

You should only make requests for Mutual Feedback Withdrawal if both you and the other person have already agreed to have the Feedback removed in advance. There is also a limit of five requests per 30 days.

Important: Members may initiate a request to mutually withdraw Feedback within 30 days of either person leaving Feedback or within 90 days of the transaction end date, whichever is later.

Once you submit your request, it cannot be retracted or cancelled. If the other eBay member declines the request or does not respond, the Feedback will remain unchanged