Need help for Ebay: can't leave negative feedback

[ulrich.von.lich]

Hello,

I have been an Ebay user for more than 10 years. This time, for some reason, I'm not allowed to leave a negative feedback to a transaction...

The number is 122089464749.

When I click on Leave a Feedback, I get a red exclamation point saying: We can't add your feedback to 1 transaction. Here is the reason:

"The item 122089464749 cannot be found because 1) the item number doesn't exist 2) I have already left a feedback"

However, the item number does exist, and I haven't yet left any feedback.

I don't get it at all.

As to the facts, I think they are quite classic. On August 22, the seller sold me a Rolleiflex which was stated to be in top and working condition. But it's not the case: there was fungus behind the viewing lens and the shutter dial was flawed (it goes up to 1/250s without issue, then you need to force the dial to get to 1/500s). I asked the seller if I could return it for a refund, he said yes. I shipped back the camera to another address he gave me. According to the online tracking website, the parcel arrived on 9 September. I sent him my bank account info and asked him to issue the refund. Since then he has ignored all my messages, in German and in English. The seller is still active on Ebay and the last positive feedback he received was on 29 October 2016.

Since I paid him by bank transfer, Ebay doesn't seem to provide me any protection. However, I would still like to leave him a negative feedback. I have never left a single negative feedback since I created my Ebay account in 2005. I have always presumed the good faith of the seller / buyer. I didn't even leave a negative feedback to a seller who claimed to have shipped an expansive item without providing me any tracking / insurance / evidence whatsoever: I thought he still might have shipped it and it was the carrier who lost it. But this time, when the seller really deserves my negative feedback, I'm not allow to do so...

The username of the seller is kimikiki. If any RFF member wants to buy anything from him, please be sure to pay by PayPal, despite of his 100% positive feedback.

I would appreciate any help.

Best Regards

 

[Larry Cloetta]

If, as it seems, there is some kind of software program glitch which is erroneously telling you that you have already left feedback, I would contact someone at ebay directly. Ebay does not exactly make it easy to find the link you need to follow to contact an actual, responsive human being, but it is there somewhere if you drill down in the menus far enough. There is a good possibility they can at least clear up the computer issue which is preventing you from leaving feedback, if nothing else.
But, yes, in hindsight using Paypal would have prevented your difficulties, which is likely why he wanted a bank transfer in the first place. For me, a seller wanting a wire transfer is always a red flag. I do understand that is the only way honest sellers can protect themselves from disshonest buyers, but, as a buyer, I just wont buy from them any longer. There is always going to be another perfect Rollieflex coming along for sale from someone else anyway.
Good luck, and sorry to hear of another unhelpful ebay seller.

 

[nasmformyzombie]

Buyers and sellers have 60 days after the eBay listing ends to leave feedback.

http://pages.ebay.com/services/forum/changes.html

Note that the page referenced in the above link states, "...should leave feedback within 60 days..."

Precisely how many days elapsed between the purchase date and the day you first attempted to leave feedback? If your 60 day window has elapsed, you can contact the eBay resolution center to see if there are other options available to you.

 

[Timmyjoe]

A couple of things.

First, that's the way the shutter works on the early Rolleiflex cameras. I have one, and the shutter dial moves freely until you want to set 1/500th of a second, it's actually talked about in the manual for the camera. It's a shame you returned it, because if it was an early Rolleiflex like mine, the viewing lens is not coated, so you can clean fungus from that lens and bring it back to normal. Fungus on the taking lens, which is coated, is a different story.

Second, if you processed a return, even if you didn't actually get your money back, eBay will block you from posting feedback of any kind. I had that same situation earlier this year with a seller who sold me something that was clearly not as described, and the picture on the auction were not even of the product he sent me. The seller was a complete jerk about everything and delayed refunding me my money for over a month. I thought I would keep someone else from having the same experience I had by leaving feedback describing the transaction, but eBay wouldn't let me.

That's why I'm really careful now before I make a purchase on anything off their site.

Sorry for your situation.

Best,
-Tim

 

[rodinal]

"... if you processed a return, even if you didn't actually get your money back, eBay will block you from posting feedback of any kind."

That's true.
For that reason, a couple of times I've chosen to keep the faulty item just to be able to leave (very) negative feedback.

Of course that's a luxury I can afford only with low cost items...

 

[ulrich.von.lich]

The listing ended on 22 August, so 60 days have past by already, which explains why. I somehow had remembered buyers would have 90 days to leave feedback.

In Europe, the wire transfer SEPA is widely used even for Ebay transactions. In France, I sometimes pay by cheque, too. They are both safe in general. As to the this transaction, the seller did send me the Rolleiflex at the first place, while he could have sent me a rock. Although I had a doubt when he asked me to ship to another address, I wasn't expecting anything to go wrong.

I sent an email to Ebay to see what they will say.

I'd also like to mention when I wanted to contact the seller two weeks ago, for some reason, the transaction was disappeared from my Ebay account. All messages I exchanged with the seller, since the day when the return was requested, were done on the page of the return procedure (EX: When the seller sent me a message, I always received, instead of a message from him, a message from Ebay saying the seller has sent me a message concerning my request.) So it would also have been impossible for me to leave him any feedback.

 

[bucs]

Third would be to never transact out of ebay or paypal. That leaves you out of the buyer protection

A couple of things.

First, that's the way the shutter works on the early Rolleiflex cameras. I have one, and the shutter dial moves freely until you want to set 1/500th of a second, it's actually talked about in the manual for the camera. It's a shame you returned it, because if it was an early Rolleiflex like mine, the viewing lens is not coated, so you can clean fungus from that lens and bring it back to normal. Fungus on the taking lens, which is coated, is a different story.

Second, if you processed a return, even if you didn't actually get your money back, eBay will block you from posting feedback of any kind. I had that same situation earlier this year with a seller who sold me something that was clearly not as described, and the picture on the auction were not even of the product he sent me. The seller was a complete jerk about everything and delayed refunding me my money for over a month. I thought I would keep someone else from having the same experience I had by leaving feedback describing the transaction, but eBay wouldn't let me.

That's why I'm really careful now before I make a purchase on anything off their site.

Sorry for your situation.

Best,
-Tim

 

[ulrich.von.lich]

I used to have a Rolleiflex Automat K4A whose shutter dial doesn't behave the same way at all. The Rolleiflex I bought on 22 August was also an Automat, although a different model. So I thought the shutter dial was flawed. I should have asked the question on the forum.

Now I understand better how Ebay feedback system works, although I see clearly the lack of logic in it. If I can't get my money back after having returned an item, Ebay should at least help me to get it back (by providing me evidence such as exchanged messages in official form so I can use in front of a juge) instead of preventing me from leaving feedback.

 

[ulrich.von.lich]

Nathan, as I said, payments such as wire transfer or cheque are widely used in Europe and are safe in general.

Now I have the seller's name, home address, bank account information, all the evidence I have kept from the transaction. I think I should be able to get my money back the legal way.

Soon I shall pay the 36€ to the court to make sure he will receive a Mahnverfahren at home.

Still, it's a pity I can't leave him a negative feedback.

 

[Sarcophilus Harrisii]

Forcing the shutter dial won't ever achieve anything constructive. If it's an Automat model and didn't want to rotate to 1/500, it's probably because the shutter was cocked when you tried. You have to select, or de-select, the 1/500 speed before cocking the shutter. This is what Tim was referring to, above. Don't set the timer on 1/500, either.
Cheers
Brett