A Warning for those shopping ebay for pins...

[Macca1111]

I have bought pins from Dr. Pinner several times, because she has such a wide variety and it's easy to win multiples on the same day. I am not a huge collector, but I do have a nice display with all of the pins that I have (I only buy pins that I want to keep, in general). In this lot that I recently won, she left out a pin, one of the eight. This is the second time that it's happened to me with her, and she has always been good about correcting the mistake. However, since it has happened multiple times I felt it was fair to leave others a warning to carefully check what they get or they will likely be shortchanged. I wake up this morning and find three emails from Dr. Pinner, two of them apologizing for leaving me negative feedback but defensive in that she reacted "in haste" and that I "wasn't fair". The third was asking for my feedback to be withdrawn...on the wrong item. Even if it weren't on the wrong item, I still don't think I'd be withdrawing the comment. I think it's totally fair for me to point out that she isn't thorough in her shipments. I'm not sure what I'll do in the long run, because I do hate having that negative feedback on my account (I only have like 10 wins total), even if it's totally childish and overreactive and I think people could see that if they looked at the comment. Mostly I'm ranting here, because I know that I can't tell her any of this without getting more negative feedback, but bottom line she has lost herself a customer. Maybe this will help others too in dealing with her - if you buy pins from Dr. Pinner, carefully check what you receive and if you don't want a negative against you, don't point out when she messes up. Thanks all for reading, and if you have any feedback or ideas I'd love to hear them.

 

[2xlechemom]

Shoot, I just got one from her. Hopefully since it is just one...maybe it can be kept up with.

 

[merryweather20]

Man do I feel for you! I really appreciate that you left accurate feed-back too!

I've decreased how much I buy on e-bay because sellers seem so demanding with their feed-back. I was buying Webkinz charms off e-bay during the summer and some of them would charge $5-$10 in shipping and handling fees jack up the postage 400% and then dump the charms in a plain white letter sized envelope I don't much want to get into an argument with these people either. It wasn't a horrible experience because I did get the charms in useable shape, but I feel really short-changed. I was happy to pay the fees since they were clearly listed in their auction, but I expected to get what I paid for to (an appropriate envelope, would have been a good start).

Sellers like those would often DEMAND positive feed-back, and I'd feel weird giving it when other sellers had been so careful packaging the items for me. I had one seller package up some crochet patterns so carefully, that they were completely pristine even though the post-office did everything but set the package on fire. And her fees weren't very high either!

As a fellow Disney pin purchaser I definitely appreciate you leaving accurate feed-back about your purchases

I think you can leave a brief explanation after her negative feed-back. Something like "Seller left retaliatory feed-back, I was repeatedly shorted on auction shipments"

 

[Macca1111]

Thanks for you thoughts merryweather20. I think I was the most upset about what you described, feeling bullied into giving a good mark so that I could get rid of the negative against me. I went into her history, and there are 19 withdrawn comments, and only one negative left...in response to that negative she left another childish message. I don't think she should be able to pressure people into withdrawing criticism, and I don't think that "it's bound to happen with all of the envelopes I have going out each week" is a good business model. She made it sound like a favor that she actually corrected what she messed up, instead of just leaving it like "other ebay sellers would do." for fixing your screw up, I should be eternally grateful! Like I said, I'm still not sure what to do, but I appreciate your thoughts. I want to stand strong, but I may just give in...

 

[harvardx]

Me too! Rant follows -

I've been bullied into leaving positive feedback because the "system" promotes vindictive retaliation. I have been having trouble with a seller whose post office "loses" insured pins. And when I finally insisted on UPS insured, I got the ten pins but one was a duplicate. Because of the possible retailiation, I emailed the seller that the duplication was ok and I have yet to hear back. I suspect, but cannot prove, that the delays and excuses were to avoid the 45 day PayPal dispute window and then the 60 day eBay dispute window.

I see many sellers with long discourses about shipping and payment terms on their websites because the sellers have been abused too!

Also, I don't know how to prove that a seller is bidding up the price, but be warned - if you quit bidding and get a "Second Chance Offer" - in my experience only -you've been taken in, especially if there was only one other bidder.

And another warning - you can check Disney's official site or Pin Pics to find out when the pin was released. There's a Mickey Mug pin on eBay auctions that will be released March 24th.

 

[SoonipiLady]

And another warning - you can check Disney's official site or Pin Pics to find out when the pin was released. There's a Mickey Mug pin on eBay auctions that will be released March 24th.

I saw a pin on e-bay (the March monorail release, the expensive ones that the doors open and there's a character inside...) I noticed it disappeared about 20 minutes later. I wish I had written down the seller's name.

 

[PinCrazed]

I have never had an experience where someone was begging me for positive feedback. I have bought a lot of pins off ebay and I guess I have been fortunate to get lucky enough not to have to deal with this kind of stuff.

I have however gotten the second chance offer. That, to me, is AWESOME. Most people are dumb when it comes to ebay. They believe it is some sort of contest to be won and lost. You simply determine how much you are willing to pay, including shipping, and place your bid. If you do not get the auction, then you try again some other time. EBAY CAME UP WITH "WINNING AND LOSING" AN AUCTION. This makes you feel as if you are about to lose some type of real competition. So if you put a bid in and someone comes back and gives you a second chance bid, take it, unless you kept bidding and bidding before the auction was about to end because you thought you were going to "lose"

 

[harvardx]

No seller has ever begged me for positive feedback. I've had two experiences where I felt negative feedback was deserved and had specific facts. Both were disputed by the seller, despite the facts, until I felt that I had to withdraw my honest opinion. From then on, I have only left positive feedback or refuse to leave any feedback.

On the subject of second chance offers: I am a foolish (ok - stupid) and have gotten swept up into that "losing feeling". What's worse is that I stopped bidding 2 days before the end of the auction and that's what made me suspicious that the seller was the high bidder. So I got the pin and regret getting caught up in a "bidding war" with one other bidder.

 

[PinCrazed]

No seller has ever begged me for positive feedback. I've had two experiences where I felt negative feedback was deserved and had specific facts. Both were disputed by the seller, despite the facts, until I felt that I had to withdraw my honest opinion. From then on, I have only left positive feedback or refuse to leave any feedback.

On the subject of second chance offers: I am a foolish (ok - stupid) and have gotten swept up into that "losing feeling". What's worse is that I stopped bidding 2 days before the end of the auction and that's what made me suspicious that the seller was the high bidder. So I got the pin and regret getting caught up in a "bidding war" with one other bidder.

I would not call yourself stupid. Ebay has set up the system to make you want to win. I think anyone who says they have never gotten caught up in that feeling at some point would not be telling the truth.

Some things they do not tell you on ebay is that 90% of all bidding takes place in the last 5 minutes of an auction. One feature that I have found useful is the "watching this item" feature. Then you can conceal your final bid very close to the time the auction ends.

My advise is remember to things:

1. Bid only once. Make sure the amount you feel is a good buy includes shipping. Be creative in your bids. i.e. do not bid in whole numbers. Someone might bid $5.00 or $5.25. Therefore bid $5.37 so you won't lose an auction by .10c. (who hates that?)

2. Remember that if you "lose" the auction it will be be posted again tomorrow. If someone overpays for an item that often prompts other people to try to sell the same item hoping to get the same price.

Good luck

 

[rwrocksme]

I bought a pin on Ebay last month, and had a great expirience. However, when I bought another pin this month (from a different seller), I got a message saying that the seller had "gone against Ebay policy" and that the auction had been cancled. I had already paid--so now I've lost both my money and my pin. It wouldn't say what she did...for "privacy reasons."

Oh, dear. When I see it on paper...it looks like a scam.

 

[I'mNoPrince]

I bought a pin on Ebay last month, and had a great expirience. However, when I bought another pin this month (from a different seller), I got a message saying that the seller had "gone against Ebay policy" and that the auction had been cancled. I had already paid--so now I've lost both my money and my pin. It wouldn't say what she did...for "privacy reasons."

Oh, dear. When I see it on paper...it looks like a scam.

It may be something simple . It happened to me with Cellphone parts and the seller did ship it and was getting his E-bay in order ( had to do an E-bay store rather then regular account).

So E-mail the person and just ask and explain that you would like to know before you start the reverse charges process.(how did you pay)


OP I also think they are changing the Feedback policy just because of this sort of bullying that goes on. I paid and want what they advertised with little trouble I should get a positive.Now they have to do their part to get one back. I have one Neg because of what they said was a highjacked account. I did get all my money back but still got the neg as I was warning others.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

I've never sold on eBay. A friend of mine (who does sell on occasion) was telling me that the sellers technically should leave feedback once the buyer pays.

I just bought a relatively expensive piece of camera equipment and the buyer left positive feedback as soon as I paid for the item. I have every expectation of leaving positive feedback for him as well, but I don't have the item yet.

Where feedback got weird was when sellers decided to hold your feedback hostage until you left good feedback for them. Again, it boosts the counterfeiters' good rating if they can intimidate the buyers into positive feedback.

 

[PinCrazed]

I've never sold on eBay. A friend of mine (who does sell on occasion) was telling me that the sellers technically should leave feedback once the buyer pays.

I just bought a relatively expensive piece of camera equipment and the buyer left positive feedback as soon as I paid for the item. I have every expectation of leaving positive feedback for him as well, but I don't have the item yet.

Where feedback got weird was when sellers decided to hold your feedback hostage until you left good feedback for them. Again, it boosts the counterfeiters' good rating if they can intimidate the buyers into positive feedback.

I have bought quite a bit from ebay and can tell you that I'm with Jacksgirl in that only one time I have gotten feedback immediately.

There is a software program called Vendio, which a lot of Ebay sellers use. This program actually automatically posts feedback as soon as the buyer posts positive feedback from you. My understanding is that this is being used more and more frequently which may be part of the reason for the feedback delay.

 

[arielchickenofthesea]

WoW!I have bought many pins from Dr. Pinner and never had a problem. Hmmmmm...I wonder if she is getting more lax in her packing. I am sorry you had that problem with her. She has always been one of my favorite sellers there.

 

[Macca1111]

She was one of mine too, until this...just don't post neutral or negative feedback, and she won't overreact. I just won't be buying from her anymore.