Would you leave neutral or negative feedback to non-responsive seller?

[kolibriszuka]

I bought a bag on EB on the 28th. This is probably the biggest thing I've ever purchased on EB so of course, I want the transaction to go well.

After the auction (and PP payment), I emailed the seller something like this:

Hi, Could you please notify me of the tracking information when you ship my bag?

I didn't receive a reply. This was sent through "ask seller a question" link in EB. Two days later, I sent another email inquiring on the status of shipment. It stated in her auction that she "Uses 2 day USPS priority mail". I know that priority mail can take anywhere from 2-3 days depending on where you are, but I figured she mailed it the next day it would come on Monday or so.

I was irritated when she never replied to my second email.

When I went home yesterday, I expected to see the bag at my door. I live in a secluded area, so I'm sure it couldn't have been taken or anything.
It wasn't there, so I figured that I'd write her an email directly to her email address listed on PP. I composed this exactly:

Hi, I won this item from you on January 28. It's the ***** tote. I have emailed you a couple times regarding the status of shipment of my item and I haven't received a reply. I paid on January 28 and expected to receive it by now, but I haven't.

You say in your other listings that you ship using USPS 2 day mail, and it has now been four business days since I purchased this bag. Could you please update me on the status of my bag? If you don't have a tracking number, I would at least appreciate a reply with the date of shipment. Any acknowledgment that you have received my payment and shipped the bag is sufficient.

Thank you.

I sent this yesterday at about 5:00 pm, so I figured I'd receive an email from her this morning. Not so. I don't know why she is ignoring me. It's getting so irritating, especially because I haven't received my bag yet.

She has 100% positive feedback, but it's mostly as a buyer. She has only sold about 3-4 things within the past 6 months.

I would like to leave neutral feedback at least, once I receive the bag. How should I handle the situation? She seems so keen to ignore me.

 

[chloehandbags]

Maybe she can't get online, for some reason?

Alternatively, she could just be unresponsive, of course.

I've had complete lack of communication before, too and I've just not left any fb, at all; but I probably should have left a neutral.

 

[K.Z.]

Unless she's on a hospital bed somewhere, or sitting by one, I don't see an excuse for this behavior. If you receive the bag, I agree that a Neutral would the most I would give, as well as low ratings for communication and shipping. If you don't receive the bag after seven days from the date you paid, you could open an "item not received" (INR) dispute and escalate it to claim with PayFoe.



ETA: Agreed that online problems could be a reason she's not responding. Yet, if it were me and I had sold something, would drive to a friends house or go to the neighbor's to use the computer.

 

[kolibriszuka]

Maybe she can't get online, for some reason?

Alternatively, she could just be unresponsive, of course.

I've had this happen before and I've just not left any fb at all, but I probably should have left a neutral.

The funny thing is, when I went back to see if she maybe relisted my bag and just was trying to scam me, she had listed two more items in the interim. This is proof to me that she had been on her EB at least, so there was no way she couldn't have noticed that her item sold. Also, she sold another item the same day. She had only 3 items for sale at the time i hit BIN for my bag.

 

[chloehandbags]

^ Hmmm.....let's hope she's 'just' a poor communicator, then and that the bag arrives soon.

Otherwise, as karmenz says (she always gives the best advice!), file a dispute with PP.

 

[chloehandbags]

ETA: Agreed that online problems could be a reason she's not responding. Yet, if it were me and I had sold something, would drive to a friends house or go to the neighbor's to use the computer.

Yes, I agree, I'd do whatever I possibly could to get online, too.

As she's listed more items now, it would appear she's just ignoring the OP, for some reason, though, wouldn't it? :s

 

[redney]

Perhaps the seller is affected by the massive power outages that occurred during a snowstorm in the midwest US?

Are you able to get her phone number from ebay and try to call her?

 

[legsieloveslamb]

I would leave positive if you recv the bag as described and all. Just leave a little note regarding her communication. I've seen both buyers and sellers with poor communication and personally that fustrates me, but it is something we all seem to deal with at one point or another. I wish that e-bay would revamp all these changes b/c so much of it is now unfair for both parties.

 

[kolibriszuka]

Perhaps the seller is affected by the massive power outages that occurred during a snowstorm in the midwest US?

Are you able to get her phone number from ebay and try to call her?

She's not in the midwest. If she was, I'd probably have the bag already (if she shipped when she said she did). I will get the phone number as a last resort. I hate calling people!

 

[plumaplomb]

how do you get a seller's phone number? i'm having this same issue (filed a claim) and i would love to contact the seller via telephone!

 

[pot_luck]

I would definitely leave neutral.

 

[yvalenz]

I bought a bag on EB on the 28th. This is probably the biggest thing I've ever purchased on EB so of course, I want the transaction to go well.

Hi, I won this item from you on January 28. It's the ***** tote. I have emailed you a couple times regarding the status of shipment of my item and I haven't received a reply. I paid on January 28 and expected to receive it by now, but I haven't.

You say in your other listings that you ship using USPS 2 day mail, and it has now been four business days since I purchased this bag.

Thank you.

Okay, let me see if I get this straight....you paid on the 28th, which is a Thursday. ASSUMING that she could get to the post office on Friday or Saturday, even with priority mail you still wouldn't have the bag now.

USPS priority is 2-3 Business Days (this does not include Sunday).....and at times, it does take longer. Priority mailing time is NOT guaranteed.

Did the listing indicate a handling time? or that shipping occurs on only certain days of the week? I know some sellers only ship on set days due to their own work schedules. I understand the seller listed shipping via priority mail, but is there any indication about how long it would take her to ship item?

I'm only asking because I personally list that shipping will occur 1-2 days after item is received, and shipped via USPS - that's at least one week time for delivery.

I agree that if you've requested additional information and have not had a response, that's poor communication. I also think that you need to be a bit more patient in receiving your item. JMO.

 

[Coach10619]

This is exactly what I was thinking.
It's only been 4 days. Priority mail is an AVERAGE of 2-3 days ( could be more, could be less ).
If you get your bag in the next day or two and it is as described, I think you should leave her positive FB but, maybe on the Star ratings, give her a low score for communication or something.

Okay, let me see if I get this straight....you paid on the 28th, which is a Thursday. ASSUMING that she could get to the post office on Friday or Saturday, even with priority mail you still wouldn't have the bag now.

USPS priority is 2-3 Business Days (this does not include Sunday).....and at times, it does take longer. Priority mailing time is NOT guaranteed.

Did the listing indicate a handling time? or that shipping occurs on only certain days of the week? I know some sellers only ship on set days due to their own work schedules. I understand the seller listed shipping via priority mail, but is there any indication about how long it would take her to ship item?

I'm only asking because I personally list that shipping will occur 1-2 days after item is received, and shipped via USPS - that's at least one week time for delivery.

I agree that if you've requested additional information and have not had a response, that's poor communication. I also think that you need to be a bit more patient in receiving your item. JMO.

 

[K.Z.]

I agree the package is definitely not late, though I think it's unwise for the seller to claim "two-day" Priority Mail delivery because that's incorrect. However, I think the OP is mostly aggravated because the seller has completely ignored her. If a Positive feedback is sooo valuable on the bay, then why be so careless and nonchalant about it?

 

[kolibriszuka]

I agree the package is definitely not late, though I think it's unwise for the seller to claim "two-day" Priority Mail delivery because that's incorrect. However, I think the OP is mostly aggravated because the seller has completely ignored her. If a Positive feedback is sooo valuable on the bay, then why be so careless and nonchalant about it?

Exactly. It is all about being courteous enough to answer a simple email. I just got home a while ago and still no bag. I know that there are always circumstances that affect shipping/handling times, but for her to completely ignore me is strong enough to send up the red flags.

I have had sellers not ship my item for a week after the auction but at least they had enough common sense to answer an email explaining why it was late. I would have had no problem if she would have just emailed me after my initial contact and said "my kid is sick, I'm shipping it on Monday" or whatever.

Also, whenever a buyer asks me a question, I always answer... no matter how simple or dumb I may think it is. There's never an excuse to completely ignore someone who just spent a serious chunk of change on a premium designer bag from you.

Thanks for all the input, everyone!