Seller doesn't respond to e-mail but responds to neutral feedback

BigGreek

Just though I should warn everyone about this guy.

He sold me the wrong coin (Link)
Turns out to be a date already in my collection.
I send him two e-mail. No response after a week.
I send him another e-mail. Indicating I'm almost ready to neg. him if I get no response.
I get an e-mail back saying I can return the coin.
I think great: now how about a shipping address??? I send two more e-mail.. no response.
I give up and leave a neutral feedback.
Almost instantly I get a neutral from the guy.

Deal with at your own risk.

Kriek

BigGreek,

Reported fraud to eBay is habitually left unresolved. If you paid via PayPal, you can reverse the transaction by filing a Buyer Complaint. This typically includes sending the item to PayPal for inspection, which I have done a small number of times with much success. Another course to pursue would be filing a case with SquareTrade, much of what happens there is discussion that eventually leads to settlement agreement(s). My success rate is 12 for 12, including negative feedback removal. Feedback is definitely something to consider, especially for new members. Though unfortunate, most negative feedback is simply retaliation.

K6AZ

Did you try emailing him through eBay's servers? With all the email blacklists these days, an awful lot of legitimate email isn't getting through. I would only leave a neutral or a negative after all else failed. You would be amazed how many apparently problematic transactions I have solved easily by picking up the phone and giving the other party a call.

BigGreek

I use e-bay mail server exclusively for ebay stuff. This way ebay has a record
of it as well. The guy is just lax about his e-mail. Probably way too much for
him and he loses track. Still no excuse. I will pursue it a little through paypal.
I really didn't appreciate the retaliatory feedback but if that's what it takes
to get the guy's attention...

goose3

get the guy's contact info and call him.

I've only had to do that a couple of times and never had much trouble.

BigGreek

Too late for that. The retaliatory feedback has soured it for me.
Don't want to talk to him

K6AZ

Yes, but if you had held off on the feedback and called him first I think this transaction would have had a different ending. Never leave a neutral or negative until you have exhausted all other options.

ddink

Agree K6.

BigGreek

There was no way other than e-mail to contact him. I only had
his e-mail address. I used paypal to pay him and I didn't have
a return shipping address since I threw out the package. I don't
think neutral feedback is inappropriate in the this case. He
responded to the bad feedback almost instantly so he is alive
and aware. The problem was he doesn't get his e-mail. I've contacted
sellers by phone several times with no problem. For this guy I
had no phone number.

BigGreek

BTW, he also responds to paypal dispute settlement. I finally
have a shipping address to return the item through paypal.

K6AZ

He is required by eBay to have a working phone number. Did you pull the contact info on him from eBay? If he doesn't have a legit phone number and you report it, they will suspend him.

Jody526

You can usually get his phone no. by requesting his contact info.

BigGreek

Didn't look at the contact info. Didn't know about ebay
phone number policy. I'll use that next time.

K6AZ

Phone calls to sellers (and buyers for that matter) work wonders. Some people are just not well organized and lose track of emails and their receivables and shipping. Others are just plain lazy slow shippers. When you call them on the phone, it is a wakeup call and usually they will be apologetic and take care of the problem. If you were an unorganized, slow shipper, who's coin would you ship first? The guy that just takes it and doesn't say anything, or the guy who went to the trouble to call?