Thanks, asshole eBay buyer

So, thanks to an asshole eBay buyer, my feedback went from 100% positive to 99.6 again. Why?

Because I didn't respond in one single day to her complaint.

I should have checked her feedback - the "left for others" one -- she's given tons of crap feedback, seemingly snippy and even when people refunded her before she even got the items, yet she says the items are bad. How would she know?!

That's right - I wasn't online yesterday due to my being sick. One day. I logged in today and sent a nice email to her, asking how can we rectify this situation, and of course then I notice she's left me lying, crappy negative feedback.

Items damaged due to poor packaging, no response from seller

"Poor" packaging, in this case, meant OH MY GAWD I DIDN'T USE BUBBLE WRAP! It must be "poor" packaging, even though I padded it well enough with bags, wrapped and sealed each individual cart with sandwich bags, gave her a free item, and shipped in a box. There's no way they "moved around" and got more damaged. She was just an idiot and didn't see the real wear of the pics in her haste to win a rare item, more than likely.

Piss off, you idiot. I shipped double-bagged, in a box for something flat enough others would have shipped in a flat package for less, and I paid your shipping with insurance. You wanted some kickback, is what you did. You paid $88 for two games, and you wanted some little money back. I bet the boxes were fine, because she didn't send a report or tell eBay she wanted her money back - why not if they were damaged? Because they were fine, that's why! And also, because of this one idiot, I now have a less than positive feedback score. That means a lot on eBay - but buyers can't get a less than positive score, because I can't rate her as being the bad buyer she is. eBay won't let me.

I did rate her on the internet Bad Buyer List, but eh. I wish eBay would let us rate these morons. Seriously - she waited one day. ONE. Day. I was ready to be nice too the imbecile, who, by the way, starts off by saying, "I don't want to be one of those people", for the reason that she knows she IS one of "those" people!

People take days off. I am so angry about this that I'm about to spit.

She has items for sale, I wonder how she'd like it if someone did it to her?

If your crafts suck, suck it up!

Why the @#$% are all these Etsy sellers begging me to "reconsider" my negative feedback?

You made an item that wasn't worth it. If it was crappily crafted and has holes in a sewn plush, black thread where there is white fabric (WTF seriously), etc. etc, then it's not your customer service I have an issue with. You wrapped it prettily, for the most part everyone does, with frills an confetti and freebies and crap. BUT I DON'T CARE if the item arrives and it's shit! 

You're the artist - if you feel an item "isn't good enough", then don't list it or say that you feel it is an inferior piece. Don't feed me excuses and try to guilt me into changing my negative feedback!

So, back story. I recently gave negative to someone after their plush toy was shit (popped seams, heavily hot-glued plastic nose, black thread where white fur was, etc.) It was hideous. The seller tried to beg me on Etsy to retract, and when I did not they sent me a hideous "free gift" in the mail, once again begging me to retract the feedback. They're now trying to guilt me into doing it, saying I hope I have a "change of heart"!
@#$%! No! 

The fact that you said it was one of your "first" pieces and "I'm doing much better now" WAS NOT SAID IN THE LISTING. In fact, you wanted 60% more for the damned thing when you first listed it! And then even at 60% off it wasn't a bargain. I'm doing you a favor. You think I'm a terrible person, but I'm telling you, your work wasn't good enough to stand up to other artist's standards. 

My mother has made me plushes throughout my life. None of those ever popped a seam or had any issues - even though a five-year-old played with them really hard (I loved stuffed animals back then like I do now of course!) But my mother won't put anything of hers up for the ridiculous prices you were asking, even though she is an immaculate seamstress. It sickens me. If you KNEW the listing was for "your very first" piece, if it wasn't "really all that good", then MENTION IT, or don't freaking sell it. Don't make excuses!

Also, Etsy... why can't we upload pictures of an item when we're dissatisfied with it? Why can we only do that on feedback if we're happy? You'd think, that would be a GREAT way to show what a shit item the person sold you, y'know? Proof. But nope, they don't allow it if you post a 1-star rating.

Also also wik, this shitty seller might be sewing better now, but their feedback is all great, even on items that I know looked like butt (and came around the same time frame as the one I bought). People, people, have some standards. Just because you can't sew for shit, doesn't mean someone that sews like shit is good. Why do I get all the picky a-holes that want $100 worth of GOOD work for pennies when shitty crafters get the ones that don't care and think crap is good (and consequently buy shit for $100)?

New Underhanded eBay Trick - negative feedback?

eBay buyers, beware - there is an underhanded tactic being used by equally dastardly sellers to get around the system if you leave them negative feedback.

See, they're not allowed to leave you negative anymore. This is supposed to have us comfortable to give honest feedback - the threat of "retaliation" feedback is supposedly a thing of the past. Untrue, because a recent transaction left me irritated and once again shaking my head at eBay Customer Service - such as it is.

I purchased something. It arrived not as I expected it, and the seller wouldn't answer my messaging via the site. I was thus forced to go to Paypal's transaction center and submit a report. I made a partial mistake about the item description; it's true, so they filed against me. However, the lack of the "new" condition of the item in hand that I received and the seller's lack of communication forced me to leave a negative feedback. They seemed not to care that they did not hold up 100% of their bargain, so I stated such in my feedback.

The seller saw this feedback.

No matter that I have the item - it was shipped to me! -- they sent me an "unpaid buyer alert", claiming that I did not pay. I declared that I did and this was very "petty" of the seller, and said they were trying to "get back at" me for leaving them negative in this fashion. Very bad form, in other words.

Apparently this pissed them off further, for they declared I hadn't paid and we couldn't reach an amicable solution. This means eBay sent me an "unpaid item strike". Unlike negative feedback for sellers, I am unsure if the strikes go away - I don't think they do. Negative feedback, however, does after a certain amount of time. So I sent a copy of the Paypal email with headers and the strike was immediately removed, although the mail sent by the staff had a grave "warning" if it ever happened again.

Thanks for contacting us about the unpaid item strike you received.

Our records show this is the first time you've appealed an unpaid item
strike. Based on this and the information you gave us, we've removed the
strike from your account. Any future strikes could affect your account
status though, so take a few minutes to learn more about our unpaid item
policy. . .

[insert many URL's leading to things I already know here].

In short, be aware that this happens now and know how to appeal these disputes if this happens to you.

1.) Keep all Paypal receipts! I know it's just an email and if you purchase a lot they clog up your inbox, but keep them for a decent interval so you have it if this happens to you.

2.) Contact eBay again after the appeal. Keep at them. We want sellers to stop doing this and for the staff to be aware it is happening. They will put you off many times but they'll soon take notice if it happens to many people.

3.) Keep on leaving deserving feedback. Don't let the underhanded tactics of bad sellers cow you into abstaining or even leaving bland positive comments. Give them what they deserve. They have your money, they don't care what happens now except to make sure no one does it to them again so they can keep gulling more buyers.