I have been an Ebay gold powerseller for 8 years now. Ebay treats the sellers horribly. Everytime Ebay sends me a survey I tell them exactly this. They let the buyers abuse us great sellers trying to strongarm the seller by filing false disputes and leaving unjust and negative feedback resulting in lower DSR scores, which demotes the seller and leaves us scratching our heads with amazement as profits disappear with their items in the search that Ebay manipulates. It also leaves a top rated seller with higher final value fees by demoting us out of that program.
I have found that more and more buyers just filing disputes to only find out why their item is taking so long to be delivered, when they only paid for the slower shipping rate, (parcel post) when they have the option of going for priority mail or express mail of their choice. The buyers are also fraudulently filing item not as described disputes when all they are wanting to know is when they will be receiving their item exchanged for a different size. Buyers don't follow simple return/exchange instructions then file disputes when they are left wondering why they don't receive their exchanges. And then leave negative feedback for doing so. Buyers don't think twice about leaving negative feedback anymore, because they know that the sellers cannot retaliate whatsoever. Even though they realize later on when they are wrong, because they never asked for an explaination of what ever the problem was, and now because the seller gets a negative, the seller finally has a chance to look into the matter and resolve whatever was the problem was in the first place. MOST of the time the problem is because the BUYERS DON'T READ THE LISTINGS. They just assume. NOW because Ebay only allows a couple feedback removal requests to the seller, the seller is now screwed because Ebay won't allow us great sellers to request yet another feedback revision, no matter even if the buyer agrees via email and apoligizes and wants it removed. I have had buyers who were so remorseful after leaving spiteful unjust negative feedback, then finding out they were totally in the wrong, even write to Ebay to have the negative strike removed and Ebay still refuses to do so. This is now costing me hundreds of dollars each month. The small sellers left in droves when Ebay changed their feedback policy. Because NO ONE thinks its fair that Ebay just allows the buyers to abuse the sellers this way. ITs a huge problem, and Ebay knows it. But you know what? Ebay doesn't care about us sellers, so they will do NOTHING to change this buyer abuse problem/policy that they created. Ebay encourages the buyers to file false disputes at any whim they choose to, by writing on every Ebay page about promoting the buyer protection policy, and how they will get all their money back including shipping if they just want to file a dispute for what ever reason they choose to. Ebay then uses the dispute count filed (even though they were unfounded and ALL found in my favor, usually because the buyer cancels them because they realize they were wrong to begin with) to demote me out of the top rated seller status that I worked so hard for. Which costs me hundreds of dollars in wasted final value fees. NO ONE thinks this is fair EBAY, don't you get it yet? I know, Ebay doesn't care because they can always get new sellers to replace the ones that have left. I have seen these Ebay rule changes over the years go from bad to worse. And the seller always gets screwed! ! And I pay them thousands of dollars every month for this ? Ebay won't even pick up the phone when you try to contact them ! ! Their customer service is horrible. Have you ever tried to contact them ? It sometimes takes hours! Then the person who finally answers the phone has no idea how to answer your question and switches you to another person and you get put on hold yet again. I believe they try to make you give up on their customer service, which I have. But the buyers demand that you are a mind reader right ? ?