I just got a call from a 'friendly Ebay agent' informing me that effective the end of August, my account may be limited because of low DSRs. This DSR nightmare is going to be the death of Ebay selling if they don't wake up and smell the coffee. Out of 792 high-dollar sales in the last several months and received 2 low DSRs in the 'item not as described' area. Two people (both from S. Carolina) were unhappy with their purchases. I refunded 100% plus the return shipping. Both gave me positive feedback yet, the DSR state detail report showed that the negative DSRs came from S. Carolina. Naturally, Ebay will not divulge any actual information on anything. My question for anyone is... how in the world can Ebay penalize an honest seller when they refund completely? I have a 100% return policy... no questions asked. These moronic DSRs should be for the sellers that have a 'no return policy'.

what is dsr

(GO FIGURE)

If a buyer is disappointed with shipping time, they could just leave a neutral. Should not figure in with DSRs. Some are disappointed if you don't ship immediately! I can't be running to the PO everyday.

Then there is parcel post. This can take up to 14 days (per PO). I try to post a notice re parcel post shipping on most of my listings. To no avail, I am afraid. I am getting low DSRs on shipping from somewhere.

Shipping via Parcel Post is an advantage to getting sales. I look for it myself with my buying.

Often, I have done it myself, one can't remember shipping time with an item especially if feedback is left much later. I then am "careless" in doing the DSRs. Many buyers are not AWARE how much this affects a seller's livelihood & ebay records.

I think ebay should remove shipping from DSRs!

This was my experience literally minutes ago trying to get eBay CS to revise my DSR.

 

I went to the seller dashboard yesterday and was surprised to find that in the last 3 months, I had received 1s in all 4 DSR categories. I have not had any complaints in those 3 months or any bad or neutral feedback so logical conclusion - probably a mistake by the buyer or malicious.

 

So I contact eBay live chat. I get passed three times hearing generic info about the DSR policy (do you really think sellers need to be advised on DSR!).

 

This is the last thing I asked the CS team:

"Please can you identify whether it was the same person that left the 1s in all the categories - if it is a mistake and since the consequences of bad DSR are very bad then you should be able to correct the problem."

 

At this point, she transferred me to the fourth person. I had got pretty annoyed by this stage so I ask the last guy to please review the previous conversation. This is the response:

 

Let me check this for you.

Chat Session Ended, Goodbye. (5009)

 

Now I am not saying all eBay CS employees are hopeless, some have been very helpful. But it is like a lottery, phone enough times and you may eventually win a good one.

 

Allegedly (according to one of the CS agents), DSR is to "make the site a fun and safe place to trade".

 

Well lets evaluate this statement, 2 bad DSRs in a 12 month period and your Top Rated status goes away. However, looking at the detailed seller ratings average, you would need a magnifying glass to find that the final fifth star has a little bit of yellow missing at the end.

 

Will it affect the buyers decision to purchase from you - not in the slightest. The only person affected is eBay and you, eBay profit in not having to give a discount and you lose by the same amount.

 

Now lets look at how eBay would rate under DSR:

Communication: is there a minus option?

Item as described: do their policies have anything to do with buyer protection or what they claim?

Postage and packing charges: is forcing sellers to offer free postage and packaging (so eBay get a bigger commission) to avoid bad DSR a fair way of operating?

Dispatch time: N/A - unless anyone else can think of a comparison

Hi,

I have been selling on EBAY for over 11 years and they finally screwed me BIG TIME! I had a customer that wanted to return an item which is fine beacause I offer returns! Then she told me that she wanted the money up front for the return.

I  called EBAY and asked what I should do about this buyer since I already had 2 low DSR'S. I didn't want to risk losing my TOP RATED SELLER! They said to not give the money back prior to receving the merchandise back. I asked what if they leave me a negative feedback. They said call us if that happens because that isn't allowed.

GUESS WHAT? yep you guessed right, they left me a negative feedback for not giving the money up front for an item I never receivied. I called EBAY as I was instructed to do, what they said before was just a big fat LIE!

I am sorry we can't remove feedback! HUGH! but you said if they did this to me to calll back, it wasn't allowed remember?

Upon further investigation turns out that the person that left me that negative feedback was also a competiter of mine.

Thats right she sold the same items using a different user ID. I found this out by the EBAY person I spoke with,

Is this what we have to look forward to for future EBAY selling?

I mean really after 11 years of awesome customer service!

Where is the protection for the sellers that we were promised?

Why lie about it, just be honest like I am sorry we don't care about you, NEVER DID!

Oh yeah they just informed me this morning that my TOP RATED seller is history, WOW! that is so interesting. Do us all a fovor EBAY and just say that we don't care about you as a seller. There will always be sellers on here even bad ones but to reward your great sellers this way, really?

 

THEY CAN ALSO HOLD YOUR MONEY IN PAYPAL I KNOW SEVERAL PEOPLE THIS HAS HAPPENED TO. YOU WILL HAVE TO SHIP THE ITEM WAIT UNTIL THE BUYER RECEIVES IT AND LEAVE FEEDBACK THEN YOU WILL GET YOUR MONEY RELEASED THIS HAS TO DO WITH YOUR DSR'S I HAVE BEEN ON EBAY FOR 18 YEARS AND I AM 56 DSR REMINDS ME OF A CHILDHOOD REPORT CARD OR DANCING WITH THE STARS IT IS WAY TO EASY FOR BUYER TO CHECK ONE BOX BAD AND BOOM YOUR TOAST

Hi,

 

This is a question for sellers.

 

Buyers rate sellers using the "Detailed Seller Ratings".

 

If there was for example "Detailed Buyer Ratings"

 

What would you as a seller have has options and why?

 

Please give sensible and constructive answers only please.

 

 

 

 

I am now also a victim of this absurd policy glitch. Over 5years, Top Rated Power Seller since TR's inception, 99.7% fdbk, etc etc. Never done a thing maliciously here & also got a 1.0 on IAD from a refunded purchase. Only 2 low ones in past 3 mos. & have had no complaints,cases,or otherwise. They've stripped me of EVERYTHING & PayPal(or not a "pal") is holding my funds now. I was ramped up to post over 100 listings this month & now I am reduced to that of a beginner..I am branching out to other sites now as I should have been doing all along...I refuse to over pay, over deliver, & get slapped in the face for it. THEY JUST DON'T CARE ABOUT THE SELLERS FOR SOME STRANGE REASON !

I feel betrayed by Ebay.

 

I have been a upstanding seller for 10 years. Up until a few months ago, I had never gotten a negative feedback. I got one because a seller was unhappy with the item even though I accurately described the item in the listing. But that's not why I feel betrayed.

 

This DSR system is completely flawed and hurts the seller, while not doing anything to improve the buyer experience. Apparently, I have gotten 4 low scores on Shipping & Handling in the last year, and that has caused Ebay to hold the funds in my Paypal account until the buyer receives the item and doesn't have a problem with it. At least that's my understanding. I still have two transactions that are on hold even though I have shipped out the product. This seems like extremely harsh punishment for a system that collects information anonymously.

 

Buyers can leave positive feedback, yet give low "stars" on any criteria they choose.

 

I have always:

 

- Been honest and forthright with shipping and handling charges

- Based shipping charges on Buyer's Location (so they know I am not inflating the shipping charges)

- Shipped product immediately after payment is received

- Packaged product securely and with great care (as if I was wrapping a Christmas present)

- Maintained good communication with buyers

 

Contact with Ebay Customer Service was of no help. They tried to give me pointers on being a better seller - but I have done NOTHING wrong.

 

Nothing.

 

Yet somewhere, somehow, Ebay feels it has the right to hold the money that I have earned by selling an item.

 

This is the most ridiculous business practice I have ever experienced.

 

It seems unethical, unfair and downright criminal.

 

That is MY money! I sold an item and got paid for it.

 

What good is it going to do to hold it? What if the buyer never leaves feedback or a DSR score? Or...what if the buyer just decides that they paid too much for shipping? As a buyer, I have no recourse. No defense against a MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR COMPANY.

 

I don't make the shipping prices. The post office does. If the buyer didn't like how much they were charged, they shouldn't have bought the item in the first place. They KNEW how much it was going to cost to have it shipped to them BEFORE they even agreed to the purchase.

 

I have a lot of colorful language that I could spout out to describe more about how I'm feeling, but in the interest of professionalism I will save it for another forum.

 

I have no more items for sale and do not intend to use Ebay any more for my products until and unless they:

 

- revamp the DSR policy or eliminate it altogether

- extend an apology to me and any other seller that has been greatly inconvenienced by this ludicrous practice

- compensate me monetarily for my pain and suffering

 

10 years of honest, dedicated, and loyal membership has not only been ignored, but it feels like I've been punched in the face by a bully that has way too much power.

How I feel about DSR being useful / it reflects honest opinion of a buyer...

 

I sold an item--which was damaged badly in shipping because it was packed poorly. 

this brought me my first minus feedback in 11 years... 

Who done the packing is not an issue.... It was my responsibility to see it was done and done correctly.  I take full responsibility for that.  I am no longer able to do many

things...  (had a stroke) I trusted someone who gave me no reason not to....

When the buyer contacted me with a photo...  of course I offered full refund plus the return postage.... Buyer refused several times. One instance he said he will leave that to my conscious. (That is no answer. Conscious is a subjective thing)  So for a change instead of offering I asked what he would like me to do--you tell me....

He replied:  "if I was the seller, I would give full refund plus I would let the buyer keep the item."

By this time, close to a month had passed since the sale...  I replied with an "I am sorry, I am not willing to do that.  But if you would like to keep it I will give you half of what you  paid for it or full refund if you send it back plus the return postage.

(He claims if he was to ship it back......item would be further damaged.!!!!  I don't see

his point why should he be concerned with that.... That would be my problem not

his.....I would be the one stuck with a busted item, not him......)

He replied with " I will chalk it up as a bad experience and give you minus feedback

Good luck with future sales after that." (My first in eleven years and two seller accounts)

At this point, let me stop and ask you:    Do you think the "minus feedback" would

be there. IF I wrote back to say "OK. you get full refund plus the item"?

I don't know anymore than you do to say "yes" or "no"  but there is a possibility.....

of that.          However, the problem here is DSR being honest reflection of buyers' feelings.  Please stop and think:

EVEN IF.... The item was described perfectly and clearly, as in this case....

EVEN IF.....It was mailed without delay

EVEN IF.....Seller communicated with the buyer courteously, was very open and helpful in every way.....

EVEN IF.......The postage amount charged to buyer was minimal, it was kept low

to attract more prospective buyers. The actual amount paid by the seller was much 

higher......

What is there to stop a buyer who saw an opportunity to exploit a situation to his or her advantage, but the seller derailed that by saying "no"  from acting vindictively  and give you one star rating across the board?  I deserve the minus feedback for item being poorly packed  which was my responsibility..... BUT the issue here is DSR.......    

How honest and truly reflective of buyer's feelings is the DSR?  We all know how damaging it to a seller, don't we?    This has been an issue for a long time. ebay

is well aware it has been used by some buyers to blackmail a seller with it to get

a partial refund.... sellers are aware if they do not... the buyer can go and file an

"item not received as described" complaint.... and what THAT means to a seller

account....... ebay simply takes the buyer word for  that claim, does it not?