Help! Is this a threat?

Hessefan

O.G.
Sep 14, 2009
2,416
552
I recently bought an item that was SNAD in several aspects, but I didn't want to start a SNAD case because it was low price and I didn't want to pay for return shipping. I just relisted it for a lower price than I paid for, and left the seller neutral feedback. They then left me a positive negative, which I asked Ebay to remove, and they did.
On the same day, I got a 0-feedback bidder on that particular item, and it says they have been a member since Jan 2011, but nothing else. Today I received this message from the original seller:

Well I am surprised that someone with 00+ feedback doesn't know to contact another member before leaving bad feedback.
I didn't know these were *** and they were new I didn't see a snag if you would have contacted me I would have refunded you and paid for postage back.
Instead bad feeling!!!!
I see you are a seller too!! Maybe you will have a negative feedback SOON! You can't do anything about it as a seller no getting it removed as a buyer can!
kind regards
Alicia

Oh and thanks


They were advertised as new and blatantly weren't, and also the category they were listed in was wrong, therefore useless to me. I know I should have contacted the seller about a return, but to be honest in all my years I have never had a SNAD seller pay for return shipping, and was just angry to have wasted the time and money. The item in question is her specialty btw, so I am flabbergasted that someone selling this all the time could not see the difference between what she was selling and what she listed the item under.

Now I am worried she got a friend to bid on my item in order to leave negative feedback. Am I just being paranoid? Should I cancel the bid that is on the item, even though it may not be related? Should I remover her neutral feedback, as it was left out of frustration about a few SNADs I received this year?
 
I could cancel the bid and block the bidder, that does sound like a veiled threat and the coincidence is suspicious.

I doubt the seller would have paid your return shipping for your SNAD but yeah I would have contacted them before leaving a neutral. I do understand your frustration though! I wish the seller had contacted you nicely, then I would have been more encouraged to tell you to remove the neutral. Otherwise, it's really up to you. Do you truly feel you left it unfairly or are you frightened of retaliation?
 
I had blocked her already, but the bidder is someone else, so could be a friend or relative? I do see her point, but I just snapped because I know full well she wouldn't have paid for return shipping. In ten years of Ebay I only left two negatives and three neutrals n thousands of transactions. If I it's a SNAD but could be an oversight I normally just don't leave feedback. Her FB wasn't 100% anyway, so I don't feel I ruined it or was very unfair. I am just worried Ebay won't be able to do anything if her friend bids and leaves me a negative for a bogus reason.
 
Did you provide a full description of the item and pics of the flaw when you relisted it? If you did, then there would be no reasonable grounds for the bidder to leave you a negative fb and if they do, you can ask eBay to remove it right? Especially now that they are aware of the situation.
 
Did you provide a full description of the item and pics of the flaw when you relisted it? If you did, then there would be no reasonable grounds for the bidder to leave you a negative fb and if they do, you can ask eBay to remove it right? Especially now that they are aware of the situation.

You can ask but it's likely they will not.

I would cancel the bid and block the bidder, IMHO anyway!
 
Yes, it sounds like a proxy bidder acting for that seller, out to get retaliation. Let your auction proceed, don't close it. If you do that you may as well not trying to sell anything again, because if they're determined to be pi#sy they will attack some sale or other of yours. Block any bidder who sounds suspicious.

If you get a weird retaliation outcome, whether an SNAD or negative, just report it. Sometimes these people huff and puff and don't do a thing, and sometimes they trash your sale. And if eBay doesn't remove a new false neg, write a reply comment explaining that it was false and retaliation.

Really, there's no running and hiding on eBay.
 
Thanks for all your input! Yes, I did list at half the price I paid for it and included pictures of the flaws. I thought about cancelling the bid that is on it right now (actually, there are two bids by the same bidder), but wasn't sure if that would be unfair in case it isn't related at all. Just seems very suspicious. I guess if they're out to get me, they can bid on any of my other auctions, even if I cancel this bid. I am just a bit stressed with Ebay in general and thinking of ending all my listings (none have bids apart from this one, just watchers).
I haven't had less than 100% in 6 years or so, and even back then only 1 retaliatory feedback after someone sent me dirty shoes. It's just become such a circus, and I'm not even out to make a profit, just to get rid of things I don't want any more. I might as well give it all to charity and save myself the hassle.
 
I had a beyond horrible transaction with a seller which resulted in negative feedback.

Two weeks later they purchased two items from me with clearly disclosed flaws. They used a different ID registered to the same name and address. I called Ebay and told them that I was worried she was only buying these to be able to leave negative feedback as retaliation. After all, two is better than one...or worse in this case! They told me to honor the transaction but made a note in my file. Sure enough, the buyer contacted me saying the items were not as described and was going to ship them back to me immediately...a great way to be able to leave neg. feedback with no cost to them. I didn't tell them that I knew who they were and simply handled it as I would anyone else, calmly and rationally. I knew the items were as described and finally told her I believed my pictures and descriptions would hold up in a ebay/paypal case if that was what she felt was necessary. She never opened a case but left negative feedback. I had to contact Ebay several times, and some people had a hard time understanding what was occurring because they think nobody has two ID's and have trouble making the link that they have the same name and address but a different ID, but ultimately the feedback was removed.

Long story, short point. Ultimately, Ebay should protect you in this kind of situation. HOWEVER, do you really want to jump through all the hoops and go through all the stress? My buyer could have filed the claims and had me tied up for weeks, or even worse, damaged an item to make her claim go through. Clearly people like my buyer and the person who wrote you that message are not acting rationally and will go to every length to make you miserable. I wouldn't risk it. I would report the member's comment and explain that you want everyone with her name or address blocked. Of course, that won't stop her from using someone else's name or ID. See if they can confirm the 0 bidder buyer isn't from the same zip code.
 
Oh no, sorry to hear that! Sounds stressful echo_23. That is exactly what I'm afraid of, I'm just not sure Ebay are capable of blocking everyone with that name and address. Even so, they could get a friend with a different address to bid on their behalf and then cause trouble. Some people honestly have too much time on their hands to think off all that and figure out how they can get back at you.
I have cancelled and blocked the 0-feedback bidder, but have a feeling that won't be the end of it. Sigh.
 
I recently bought an item that was SNAD in several aspects, but I didn't want to start a SNAD case because it was low price and I didn't want to pay for return shipping. I just relisted it for a lower price than I paid for, and left the seller neutral feedback. They then left me a positive negative, which I asked Ebay to remove, and they did.
On the same day, I got a 0-feedback bidder on that particular item, and it says they have been a member since Jan 2011, but nothing else. Today I received this message from the original seller:

Well I am surprised that someone with 00+ feedback doesn't know to contact another member before leaving bad feedback.
I didn't know these were *** and they were new I didn't see a snag if you would have contacted me I would have refunded you and paid for postage back.
Instead bad feeling!!!!
I see you are a seller too!! Maybe you will have a negative feedback SOON! You can't do anything about it as a seller no getting it removed as a buyer can!
kind regards
Alicia

Oh and thanks

They were advertised as new and blatantly weren't, and also the category they were listed in was wrong, therefore useless to me. I know I should have contacted the seller about a return, but to be honest in all my years I have never had a SNAD seller pay for return shipping, and was just angry to have wasted the time and money. The item in question is her specialty btw, so I am flabbergasted that someone selling this all the time could not see the difference between what she was selling and what she listed the item under.

Now I am worried she got a friend to bid on my item in order to leave negative feedback. Am I just being paranoid? Should I cancel the bid that is on the item, even though it may not be related? Should I remover her neutral feedback, as it was left out of frustration about a few SNADs I received this year?


God, how creepy...

No, you're not being paranoid, at all - it's clearly a threat, IMO.

No, do not remove the neutral.

She should count herself lucky it isn't a negative.

I agree with everyone else, I would cancel that bid, block the bidder and report her message.
 
God, how creepy...

No, you're not being paranoid, at all - it's clearly a threat, IMO.

No, do not remove the neutral.

She should count herself lucky it isn't a negative.

I agree with everyone else, I would cancel that bid, block the bidder and report her message.

I agree; that's just really creepy. Not to mention childish...she's angry because you left her a well-deserved neutral feedback? I also agree that she ought to be thankful that was all you left; sounds to me like a negative feedback for her wouldn't have been uncalled for.

That definitely sounds like a threat to me as well. I hope you can sell the item to someone else without any issues.
 
Ugh that's why I hate selling on ebay and give so much good stuff to good will. All the hassle is usually just not worth it.

If you don't sell there often hopefully after this auction they will just forget about you.