Open Letter to eBay (a cautionary tale) I have been a long time eBay user, a loyal customer and seller, advocate, cheerleader, and even a shareholder of the company stock - but my most recent experience has forever changed my opinion of this company.

My journey to resolve a 2-minute simple situation took me deep into the bowels of eBays indifferent and arrogant customer service department, tumbling down a black hole I found myself in the pit of customer service hell, snarled for weeks in their labyrinth I was flushed out the other end of this mind-numbing experience having wasted countless of hours of my time, only to find myself no closer to a resolution, convinced this company couldnt give a d**n about me or any of their customers for that matter, and worse, I am certain this was their objective all along!

Short story: I sold an item to a buyer that ended up in dispute. eBay settled the dispute in my favor, yet the buyer was still able to leave negative retaliatory feedback, even though his stated claim was fraudulent. My question (and request), is it possible to have this erroneous feedback removed? Much abbreviated G rated history of events:

Over the course of three (3) weeks I have spent no less than 30+ hrs on hold.

I have spoken to 22 different customer service representatives and had 6 separate chat sessions.

Each representative required that rehash and re-explain in exhaustive detail, ad nauseam, the same points over and over again (22 + 6 = 28 times) because they keep NO record of your previous call/transcript.

After each lengthy explanation, every rep told me they did not have the authority to help me with this matter, but assured me this would be taken care of, and transferred me to the Trust and Safety dept (who do have the authority) where

Each time I was promptly disconnected or rang busy (19 times).

Each time I was told that if I get disconnected they would call me back. Im still waiting for those 19 callbacks.

Start over again.

On 3 occasions the transferred call actually made it through (yay!) to Trust and Safety where I was able to explain the circumstances to a live human, only to be put on hold so they could look into it, and then I got disconnected again.

The End!

My initial thought was that my experience was the result of complete unmitigated incompetence, which is almost tolerable. But after three weeks of exhaustive effort and numerous conversations with these staffers, I am convinced I was on the receiving end of a malicious and insidious strategy at eBay to throw up so many unbearable, herculean, and painful obstacles that you get worn out, ground down, and just go away bewildered.

However, there is no way anyone can justify and explain-away the experience described above with a just lack of training or simple ignorance in customer service department. This was mean-spirited, arrogant, and disrespectful. The fact that everyone in this department at eBay was on the same page exposes eBays leadership, the intent of their customer service scheme, and their total lack of regard for those who, in the end, pay their salaries.

This has been, without equivocation, the absolute worst customer experience I have ever encountered. eBay makes the airlines industry look like five-star JD Power customer service rock-stars! As a consumer: It is unacceptable for any company to treat their paying customers with this level of disdain, disrespect, and lack of regard. I have never encountered this level of unaccountability, ignorance, and indifference at any company I have ever done business with. Thankfully, there are many other retail-auction options, so I will vote with my two feet, and take my business elsewhere. As a shareholder: A strategy that centers on giving your customers the proverbial stiff-arm and middle finger is not a sound, ethical, or long-term sustainable business strategy (This also in part explains why my investment has been in the tank for years). A multi-billion dollar company can fly blind for a long time (maybe years) with incompetent pilots, a dysfunctional flight plan, and a broken autopilot, but eventually this vessel will meet the side of a mountain and crash, it is inevitable. As a shareholder I have seen enough to know my investment is not in capable nor ethical hands, so I have sold my entire long term equity position in this company, and will take my money elsewhere. Of course I tried to tell my tale of whoa to someone higher up at eBay, but I was on hold for hours, hung up on, disconnected, etc. etc. This was not meant to be a rant that falls on the trash-heap along with millions of other unanswered complaints, rather I hope this ends up in the hands of someone at eBay that actually gives a d**n about the company and their customers, and becomes a wake up call for this once great business.

Regards,

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5 Updates & Rebuttals

Steve

Bradenton,
Florida,
U.S.A.

Email is the best option for communicating with Ebay

#2Consumer Suggestion

Wed, November 10, 2010

The OP is absolutely correct about Ebay "customer service". It is, in fact, HORRIBLE at best.

Ebay has gotten too big, and with that comes arrogance. They have a SEVERE "take it or leave it" attitude.

I have had the same exact experience trying to get something settled over the phone with Ebay.

EMAIL is the best option for communicationg with Ebay "customer service".

A suggestion for the OP. Post your entire story about this Ebay buyer here, including all of his contact info and User Id so others can be sure to add him to the blocked bidders list.

I have done this in the past and it works.

Ronny g

North hollywood,
California,
USA

Yea, you are being kind of a cry baby..

#3Consumer Comment

Wed, November 10, 2010

...I know eBay can be tough to deal with. I have been through a similar abyss of customer carelessness myself. I tried to have them explain to me why I am a top rated seller, have 100% positive feedback..but the stars are cut off on the DSR for Shipping time, and Shipping and handling charges.

It especially bothered me because I ship really fast even at great inconvenience living in a hell hole such as greater L.A...and the fact that I offer free shipping 100% of the time.

what I was told..is that they have no control over these ratings..as it is "MY" customers who decide this..not them.

But looking at my competitors ratings...I am doing much better. So I took a dep breath..and realized it is a level playing field. Am I happy that a buyer who decided to screw with my perfect shippping time and free shipping had reported to eBAy that I was not perfect frudulantly and eBay will do NOTHING about it? No...I am not happy.

But I continue to do business and no one has questioned the small piece of the star that is cut off and I was perfect in shipping time and do not charge.

Unfortunately for us ethical sellers we are at the mercy of what the buyers decide to leave as a feedback..but eBay is not going to decide who can say what.

In the OP's case..I can understand the frustration..but you are allowed to leave a follow up to the negative feedback. Just do that. If you clearly show a history of ethical selling, any buyer with any sense will see the buyer who left you that feedback was just a disgruntled bung..and if the buyer is not capable of deciphering a legit report from a bung..do you really need that type of buyer?

Pick yourself up by your bootstraps..and forge ahead.

Goshopping

city,
Nationwide,
United States of America

Response from Leo Tolstoy

#4Author of original report

Wed, November 10, 2010

You think I write like the author of War and Peace? ...well, that's perhaps the nicest compliment I've received in a long while. lol! Like I said in the title .. it is a "letter" and by definition, more windy than a comment, but regardless, I got a good good laugh out of your snarky response, and appreciate the feedback. After wasting way too much time on this, I guess I needed to vent. Thanks for the therapy session ... I guess I can move on with my life now. Regards

coast

USA

Need a tissue, crybaby?

#5Consumer Comment

Tue, November 09, 2010

Too much crying, too little content.

Edgeman

Chico,
California,
U.S.A.

For those who do not wish to read "War and Peace"...

#6Consumer Comment

Tue, November 09, 2010

OP sold something on eBay. There was a dispute with the buyer. eBay settles dispute in OP's favor. Buyer leaves negative feedback. OP gets butthurt and tries to remove said negative feedback. OP takes 850 words to relay the incident.

OP: Your problem is with the buyer who left the feedback. eBay typically does not remove feedback I had a seller leave a false positive and write a nasty remark in my profile. It happens. Don't make a bigger deal out of it than it really is.

Most people don't read another person's individual feedback ratings. Usually they glance at the feedback score and as long as the positives are 98% and above (give or take a point) the buyer will usually proceed without looking at individual feedback. People are smart enough to realize that most sellers will see the occasional bad apple. So long as your profile isn't overfilled with negative feedback you'll be ok.

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