No Protection from PayPal for Sellers whatsoever

[eileenann]

I have been selling on eBay since April of 2012.  I am a disabled woman trying to run a part time busines to help our with our family. 

Recently a case was opened against me. The woman clearly is using Feedback extortion. Can you please tell me why PayPal thinks that it is valid to hold onto my funds when a case is clearly illegal. I realize that PayPal has many ways of keeping interest accruing on funds.

As a result of this feedback blackmail, I know have two other customers doing the same thing. They are threatening me with negative feedback if I don't give them a partial refund. Again this is illegal and extortion. Again PayPal has clawed back both of those transactions. Right now, PayPal is sitting on over $1200 of MY money, two extortionists and one who cracked a diamond ring during resizing, WHICH was found in their favor???? I am getting extremely frustrated and angry. There is no protection for sellers whatsover just plain punishment for using the service. I am seriously thinking of getting my own credit card terminal and staying clear of PayPal. I would love to hear from someone at PayPal who has authority, because some of the answers I have received from your staff are more than embarassing. Please see two of the customer comments to me below. 

"you've known about this diamond and last time refrained from sending it. refund money otherwise I leave you negative feedback"

" I want a partial refund of 250.00 see other sellers items it's fair..once refund is received...I will do a feedback revision."

"When trying to resize the ring, Zales imformed me that there a significant crack in the stone, and that the ring should not be resized risking the diamond to break in pieces."

"refund money otherwise I leave you negative feedback"

Please don't tell me that after a few days, Ebay will find in my favor because of the extortion. You are still holding my money on an illegal claim. I cannot see how that is right or legal. 

Eileen Doran

[kernowlass]

A buyer has the right to request a part refund if the item sold is misdescribed.

A buyer has the right to leave whatever feedback they feel is appropriate.

However that should not affect whether you refund or not unless there is a dispute as why worry about the odd red dot on a website??

I don't, but if you get a lot of negs then maybe you should review the items you sell.   

[eileenann]

There are a lot of users and fraudulent customers out there. I do NOT need to rethink my abilities as a seller. It is known that once a person has a negative comment made, others will come right on in and try to get money out of you. Your response is incorrect and inappropriate. Why is it that sellers cannot make a negative feedback on a seller??? If you think that is fair, well, there's nothing I can say.

[eileenann]

Why cannot sellers ask for proof if they say the item is not as described??? I'm seriously thinking you work for PayPal

[kernowlass]

No i don't work for paypal. However it is odd that whenever i disagree with someone i get accused of that but if i agree with them i don't. 

I have a real lift job ta, but i am also an ebay seller and a buyer so i see it from both sides.

The best thing ebay did was to take away the rights of sellers to leave neg feedback on a buyer, whilst at times when i get a bad buyer its a tad annoying but on the whole i know its right.

After all buyers can buy anywhere they like but sellers (if you are not a business) don't have that many options.

What was happening was sellers were holding feedback hostage and leaving neg for negs and that was no good for ebay site as they wanted to get rid of bad sellers and buyers were scared to leave an honest neg.

As for your second point ebay do normally ask for proof an item was misdescribed or they get that item to be returned to the seller, HOWEVER its often one persons word against the other, you say the buyer cracked the stone and the buyer states the jeweller stated it could not be re-sized as the damage was already there...........how are paypal going to decide which is correct??

As for a credit card terminal that could be worse for you as a buyer only has 45 days to file a paypal dispute but they have up to 120 days to file a chargback via their credit card.

Personally i don't let buyers blackmail me and if i know i am right and paypal find in favour of me in a dispute for mis described item then i don't care if a buyer threatens me with neg feedback as the odd neg has NEVER made any difference especially if you put a professional response to their neg that others can see.

i tend to take the view that if you sell then sometimes things will go wrong, but if you stop selling because of the odd bad decision that is like a shop owner in the high street closing down after getting 2 shop lifters.   

[eileenann]

Buyers could also have negative feedback removed....why not the same process as sellers? In a physical store the buyer would return the item if they didn't like it. They wouldn't contact a lawyer which is akin to eBay's case process and paypal holding my money.

In the space of two weeks I have had two feedback extortions and a ring that is coming back cracked where the customer clearly says it was sent in for alteration. Yes, I can probably fight these three cases, but in the first two, extortion is illegal. In the third case, it was an engagement ring and I offered the customer a replacement ring because I felt so badly for him. I'd call that going above and beyond.

I have only been selling for a year and a half. I have 645 positive, some of them, glowing feedback. I bend over for my customers are far as I can. No questions asked. I offer a full 14 days after receipt of the item AND pay for return shipping...something I don't have to do. I have had returns from customers who left positive feedback, because I am professional and was in service management for decades until I became disabled. 

Holding my money is finding me guilty before a trial. I will keep selling as I have some wonderful repeat customers and selling on eBay is a godsend when you are disabled. It allows me to live. That being said, it doesn't mean I can't question rules I find wrong. 

[eileenann]

As to the working for PayPal, well you're a volunteer in the forum, so, no you don't get paid...but....

Also, maybe not jumping to conclusions that a person is in the wrong before you ask further questions, also may make a person not accuse you of working for PayPal.

As I said in my previous email, I was a Customer Service Manager for years, and the very first thing you do with a complaint, is hear the Customer out. While there are many supportive paypal agents out there, I have also run into some of the rudest agents you wouldn't believe. 

The addage that the Customer is always right does not extend to extortion or abuse, both of which I have experienced in the past two weeks. I have been called a POS, a liar, and some other words, I won't mention. But, I guess being the seller I have to take it don't I? 

When I had an abusive customer in my previous business, the Company had my back. This certainly is not true here.

[kernowlass]

Where in my first post did i say you were wrong???

I wrote 4 sentences and from that you were not very nice and accused me of working for paypal???

So what was wrong here??

1. A buyer has the right to request a part refund if the item sold is misdescribed.     FACT.

2. A buyer has the right to leave whatever feedback they feel is appropriate.           FACT

3. However that should not affect whether you refund or not unless there is a dispute as why worry about the odd red dot on a website??  MY OPINION ONLY AS I DON'T WORRY ABOUT AN ODD NEG AND WON'T GIVE IN TO BUYER BLACKMAIL.

4. I don't, but if you get a lot of negs then maybe you should review the items you sell.   AGAIN SELLING HIGH RISK PRICY ITEMS ATTRACTS SCAMMERS.

SO WHAT PART OF THAT DID I SAY YOU WERE WRONG AND LED YOU TO ACCUSE ME OF WORKING FOR PAYPAL?? I merely replied to your post with advice and opinon.

[eileenann]

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4. I don't, but if you get a lot of negs then maybe you should review the items you sell.   AGAIN SELLING HIGH RISK PRICY ITEMS ATTRACTS SCAMMERS.

Number 4 response was totally unnecessary. If you get a lot of negs? Review the items I sell?  That was pre-judgement.

Now your getting a bit touchy don't you think? I'm also just stating facts. I thought the forum here was to support people. I explained what had been happening. I don't think its unreasonable to expect some understanding. 

I'm not a newbie. The last 15 years before I became disabled I went back to University and became a Systems Analyst. I tend to think logically. That's how I am. I'm not condemning you. I think that it's great to be a volunteer advisor. But, a little empathy goes a long way.

[eileenann]

Hows about reading my other comments and ideas and respond to them? That's all I'm asking.