Ebay question- should i be annoyed?

[Cumberland]

I bought something from ebay on Monday. On Saturday the seller emailed me to say she just shipped them ( that is six days later) from Canada via Surface mail and to 'be patient, it can take a few weeks".

I was already expecting them on Saturday, now I have to wait a few weeks?? I think she should have put in her auction that it would be a few weeks, bc that is way beyond the norm.

Personally, I don't buy from sellers in Canada because it always takes forever.

That is too long without prior notice.

If you're otherwise happy with it when it gets to you, and after she leaves you feedback...you could leave her feedback with a positive grade but in the comment write something like, "Shipping took x weeks, should have been stated in auction."

I never buy from or sell to other countries, Canada included, b/c of shipping issues and serious Paypal issues.

[BonBon]

I would be. She should have stated that in the auction.

I would be annoyed too. Seller should have stated in his/her auction. Perhaps s/he presumed US buyers already know the turn around time. I would just stick to US sellers from now on if I were you.

I've almost never bought from ebay because I had a similar experience to you the first time around. After the item finally arrived weeks later, I decided to give them a "neutral" review, describing the delay which occurred, as opposed to their stated promise of delivery to Australia within 3-5 days. That seller then turned around and wrote a "negative" feedback on my profile, making me sound like some kind of idiot, and I ended up with a score of "-1".

These days I'd rather just buy from a trusted site (or a real life shop!) where I don't have to waste my time bargaining - or crossing my fingers that something will turn up when it's supposed to.

I'd be annoyed too.

[peggyfromwastate]

I've almost never bought from ebay because I had a similar experience to you the first time around. After the item finally arrived weeks later, I decided to give them a "neutral" review, describing the delay which occurred, as opposed to their stated promise of delivery to Australia within 3-5 days. That seller then turned around and wrote a "negative" feedback on my profile, making me sound like some kind of idiot, and I ended up with a score of "-1".

These days I'd rather just buy from a trusted site (or a real life shop!) where I don't have to waste my time bargaining - or crossing my fingers that something will turn up when it's supposed to.

I'd be annoyed too.

I wrote a neutral review once too- the seller took 3 weeks to ship something out (from w/in the US), and it arrived in crap condition. I thought she should've thanked me for the neutral instead of a negative. But she totally zinged me too, and blamed the whole thing on UPS.

Anyway, I'd be annoyed. I do buy my Birkenstocks from Germany usually, and that can take a long time but at least I know that up front.

That's the problem with ebay---the buyer has to leave the first feedback. Then if it's bad, the seller comes back with bad feedback. I love ebay except for the feedback. I always read the seller's feedback and if I see lots of bad feedback, I don't even bid on their stuff.

[PrincessFiona]

Yes...but ultimately, it's not worth it to be annoyed. I have also quit bidding on ebay because I've had these issues with people who live in the US...forgetting to ship them etc. It's too big of a hassle!

Bummer that the stuff won't get to you sooner....


kris

I thought she should've thanked me for the neutral instead of a negative. But she totally zinged me too, and blamed the whole thing on UPS.

My thoughts exactly. And here I thought I was being magnanimous by refraining from giving negative feedback...

Would things improve if the seller gave first feedback, do you think?

[Cumberland]

The rule of thumb for feedback on ebay is never leave feedback first. Let them leave the feedback, then you can zing them. If you leave anything less than positive and they havent left you anything yet, you will almost always get a negative right back atcha.

[peggyfromwastate]

Well, Jenn (DC Jenn) just turned me on to Overstock.com and I'm very impressed! I will always buy my Birks from Ebay thru a "store", but really rarely do I buy from an average seller. It's too big a hassel.

[medpedspouse]

That's the problem with ebay---the buyer has to leave the first feedback. Then if it's bad, the seller comes back with bad feedback.

Why is that? Is that in the rules somewhere? I ask because in "my little mind/world" I would think that if I won the bid & payed promptly the seller should leave feedback first because she/he is providing information regarding my end of the deal. Then, once I receive the item I should leave information regarding the sellers end of the deal.
Again - in my little world.

There are no rules about who leaves feedback first. Ideally, the seller would leave feedback first if the buyer pays on time. I have stopped doing that because just as there are some unreasonable sellers, there are also unreasonable buyers. I have heard the argument in defense of sellers that feedback is not only about whether or not the buyer pays on time, but instead the whole experience- which goes back to unreasonable buyers- which is why I don't leave feedback first as a seller.

Unfortunately, some buyers use feedback as the first course of action if they are not satisfied instead of contacting the seller and working something out (return, partial refund, free shipping, ...?) Once you leave negative fb, the seller is most likely not going to speak to you again except when they leave you a negative fb.

You guys are the sane, educated, pays-on-time buyers...believe me, there are some idiots out there who buy.