Buyer/Seller ratings on the Inet.

[Gravy]

I'm upset. Over something minor. But it's something that really bothers me and I need an outside opinion or two on wether I'm over reacting.

Every now and then I order something online, sometimes from Amazon.com.
I read stories here and elsewhere about someone having a problem w/ ordering something so I know it happens. But except for 2 instances, I've never had a problem.

Maybe I've been lucky, I don't know, but both of my instances involved ordering a used item from Amazon.com marketplace sellers.
The first item apparently was not in stock anymore (used cookbook) so a few weeks after I placed my order, they notify me and refund my money.
Oh well. Not a big deal other than waiting a couple weeks to find out I would not be getting my order.

The second instance, the very next used item I order from a different seller in the Amazon marketplace, the 3 week shipping time expired and I've yet to get the item. At this point I'm 1 for 3 on receiving used items through Amazon so when their automated system emails me to rate the seller I pick one of five stars in the rating and state that I never received the item.
Now the seller wants me to remove the bad rating after they refunded my money.

I guess I'm wondering, am I expected to remove a bad rating if I get a refund? What bothers me is that since they didn't confirm shipping the order, I have to wait 3 weeks to find out I'm not getting my order. And now they want me to remove the bad rating after giving me a refund.

It seems these ratings are a big deal to the sellers so I thought I would ask others before blowing them off. Whats the expected thing to do here?

 

[SpyvSpy]

Amazon has always been pretty shady to me. If he refunded the money I wouldn't see what the problem with lifting the rating, but then again with the aggrivation of waiting so long to then be told you won't get it i'd keep the rating as it is. That's my 2 cents

 

[castlecraver]

I personally don't understand how review systems are supposed to work properly when people can be coerced into removing bad reviews. You don't owe them anything -- they held your money for weeks and wasted your time. They earned the bad review and IMHO you'd be doing other consumers a disservice by retracting it.

If bad reviews hurt their business so much, perhaps they shouldn't rely on a 3rd party storefront like Amazon publishes them. Or just perhaps (*gasp*), they shouldn't accept orders for things they aren't shipping out.

 

[Austin]

I personally don't understand how review systems are supposed to work properly when people can be coerced into removing bad reviews. You don't owe them anything -- they held your money for weeks and wasted your time. They earned the bad review and IMHO you'd be doing other consumers a disservice by retracting it.

If bad reviews hurt their business so much, perhaps they shouldn't rely on a 3rd party storefront like Amazon publishes them. Or just perhaps (*gasp*), they shouldn't accept orders for things they aren't shipping out.

I agree.

 

[Hoos]

Now the seller wants me to remove the bad rating after they refunded my money.

Tell the seller that you cannot consider anything until you have the refund. Don't remove the rating before then.

And I wouldn't remove it or change it. The reviews are meant to reflect your actual experience so that future buyers (and Amazon) can make an informed decision about buying from them. When you leave a review, there's something stating that Amazon does use the reviews to determine whether to keep a third-party seller or not (or something to that effect).

If the seller did their job, they wouldn't have negative reviews.

Sorry you've had bad experiences. But, as a potential buyer from other sellers, I'd prefer to see honest reviews.

 

[Gruder]

I personally don't understand how review systems are supposed to work properly when people can be coerced into removing bad reviews. You don't owe them anything -- they held your money for weeks and wasted your time. They earned the bad review and IMHO you'd be doing other consumers a disservice by retracting it.

If bad reviews hurt their business so much, perhaps they shouldn't rely on a 3rd party storefront like Amazon publishes them. Or just perhaps (*gasp*), they shouldn't accept orders for things they aren't shipping out.

+1. I have no qualms about using the amazon marketplace, but have submitted a couple of negative ratings for situations like those you describe. I do have complete confidence in amazon's refund policy, which covers marketplace transactions.

 

[HankG]

Can you update the rating rather than just removing it to say that they refunded the money? There's no reason to retract it altogether; the seller screwed up and deserves the negative review, but it would be good to inform potential buyers that the seller will at least refund the money.

 

[ClubmanRob]

Can you update the rating rather than just removing it to say that they refunded the money? There's no reason to retract it altogether; the seller screwed up and deserves the negative review, but it would be good to inform potential buyers that the seller will at least refund the money.

That's what I would do. The negative rating should still stand, but full disclosure would be the gentlemanly thing to do.

I've never purchased anything used off of Amazon except for books. I've probably had a hundred or so book transactions and have never run into any problems. Whenever I've seen something non-literary for sale, used, on Amazon I search elsewhere and always find it selling cheaper from someone else, usually Ebay.

 

[Kratos]

Sooo, they refunded your money AFTER the rating? Sounds like a bit of "I'm sorry(that I got caught, that is)!" I'm with Hank and Rob. Keep it honest. Just update the rating to reflect the refund.

 

[Gravy]

Thanks for the replies.
I replied to the seller's email wanting me to remove the bad review.
I included something similar to:

The reviews are meant to reflect your actual experience so that future buyers (and Amazon) can make an informed decision about buying from them.

That's exactly what I was looking for because she had said " she was sorry that I was new to Amazon and its procedures."
Almost had me thinking she was the victim of a bad review.

 

[Gravy]

Sooo, they refunded your money AFTER the rating? Sounds like a bit of "I'm sorry(that I got caught, that is)!" I'm with Hank and Rob. Keep it honest. Just update the rating to reflect the refund.

I would raise the rating a star but that's not an option w/ Amazon. It can only be removed.

 

[Fairchild86]

I don't think i would retract the review if I was in your situation. I may however add one star or something because they did refund the money. Its a shame you have had such bad luck with Amazon.

 

[tlanning]

Ebay used to allow sellers to give buyers "revenge negative feedback" no longer can they do this.
Sounds like this guy used your money for 3 weeks and deserves negative feedback!

LEAVE IT STAND maybe if enough negatives are received by this guy he'll get the message its wrong to sell what he does not have.

 

[Kratos]

I would raise the rating a star but that's not an option w/ Amazon. It can only be removed.

I'd leave it, then. Tough titties. He can be more responsible next time.

 

[LittleJon]

It's not like you force them to sell to you, they had a posting for an item to be sold. You tried to buy it and deal didn't go thru.
If they are not a good merchant and can't update their stock, they shouldn't be doing business. You received a refund, so maybe bump it a star with a disclosure.
But I don't think you have anything to worry about, it is an honest review, I read reviews before ordering so I appreciate them.

 

[Stubblefield]

Can you update the rating rather than just removing it to say that they refunded the money? There's no reason to retract it altogether; the seller screwed up and deserves the negative review, but it would be good to inform potential buyers that the seller will at least refund the money.

Not possible. You can only delete the bad rating. Once deleted, you cannot redo the rating, it disappears.

I sell 10 books or so on Amazon a month, and agree that their rating system leaves a bit to be desired. If the seller refunds your money, consider deleting the bad review. In the grand scheme of things, it is not a big deal, and I would not get worked up about it.

 

[maj3289]

forget that. i wouldn't move the rating

 

[Kratos]

Not possible. You can only delete the bad rating. Once deleted, you cannot redo the rating, it disappears.

I sell 10 books or so on Amazon a month, and agree that their rating system leaves a bit to be desired. If the seller refunds your money, consider deleting the bad review. In the grand scheme of things, it is not a big deal, and I would not get worked up about it.

Well my whole thing is, he didn't get his money back until after he put up his negative review(unless I'm amiss). So if he had just kept quiet about it, what would have happened then? Now there could have been a number of reasons for that, not all of them shady. On the other hand, where there's smoke, there's fire,and if there isn't, there WAS a fire or there's about to be one.

 

[Sue]

I ordered an item from Amazon in early June. On Monday I left negative feedback for the seller. I did not recieve the item, a refund or an email from the seller. After the negative feedback, I received an email that the item is on back order, (that's why I don't have it). I will not change my opinion or negative feedback. Had the seller notified me early on that the item was out of stock, I would not have left the comments I did. It was my honest opinion and is unchanged.

Personally, this is poor service. As a vendor, this is poor service. If I treated my customers like that, I would deserve negative. Service is 'Service' and I didn't receive it, I also received nothing for my payment.

I wouldn't change your honest feedback. It doesn't help the next customer. IMO, Ebay is also a Feedback joke.
Sue

 

[ClubmanRob]

In my opinion, if it takes you three weeks to determine that the item that you have listed is not in stock, then you probably shouldn't be selling things on Ebay or Amazon. Either way, it's bad business and you deserve that negative feedback.

I have over 5,000 transactions on Ebay. I've left negative feedback on about twenty transactions. I'd like to think that I'm pretty discriminating in how I leave feedback, so I can say that every time I left a negative, it was warranted. Almost each time resulted in the seller retaliating with negative feedback for me or trying to bribe me into reversing my feedback. The feedback system at Ebay was very flawed at that time, and I still think it needs improvement, but it's a million times better than it once was.

Because the seller came back and made things right eventually, you should be able to update the write up and state for posterity that the seller eventually refunded your cash. If you can't update your review to reflect further progressions, then that is indeed a faulty feedback system. However, despite coming through in the end, it shouldn't matter. If this was an experience that you would rather not go through again, then it qualifies as a negative.