How do you handle undeserved Neutral feedback on eBay?

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Aspie_Rocco
Aspie_Rocco Posts: 3,872 ✭✭✭✭✭
edited June 2, 2026 3:38PM in U.S. Coin Forum

I have seen an increasing number of neutral feedback left for various seller lately, typically with positive comments. What is the deal with that?

I am thoroughly confused as to why I received my first Neutral feedback. The buyer commented “No problems” then left neutral.

Their item was shipped and in USPS possession within 30 minutes of payment, the item was sold with a best offer made by the buyer. The item was delivered in just under 5 days. Well packed, in a bag/sleeve holder protector, wrapped in paper and also placed in a bubble mailer. Listing had high quality images with lots of close ups and various angles, was accurately described, and sold for less than most recent identical listings on both eBay and GC.

The buyer also sells on eBay and has ignored a message sent inquiring about the neutral feedback left, I also asked if there was something I could have done better. I sent a second polite message via one of their listings and they still ignore all communication. I have had no previous transactions of any kind with this buyer

How do you handle situations like this? My first impulse was to block the buyer but I am still hoping for some type of explanation for the neutral, so I’m waiting a few days before blocking them.

If you would like to avoid this problem buyer, let me know and I will pm you the user name.


https://www.autismforums.com/media/albums/acrylic-colors-by-rocco.291/

Comments

  • MFeld
    MFeld Posts: 17,133 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    “If you would like to avoid this problem buyer, let me know and I will pm you the user name.”

    I can understand your frustration, but I “problem buyer” sounds somewhat overstated.

    Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.

  • MsMorrisine
    MsMorrisine Posts: 40,043 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    i would not even block the person. it isn't what i would call a problem

    the 2 attempts at contact are enough. If they don't respond just drop it.

    Current maintainer of Stone's Master List of Favorite Websites // My BST transactions
  • Old_Collector
    Old_Collector Posts: 1,210 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    I think that you can respond to the feedback and show that everything went well and that there is no reason for a neutral rating -- I read that it can be done for a negative but it did not mention any restriction on the feedback having to be negative. I would also then block that buyer to avoid further issues like that one.

  • jmlanzaf
    jmlanzaf Posts: 43,048 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    I ignore it. The last one i got was "Customs charged me an import duty. Not the seller's fault. " ok. Whatever.

    I did block her. Mostly because I'm not sure how low the bar is for a negative, which i would care about.

    All comments reflect the opinion of the author, even when irrefutably accurate.

  • jmlanzaf
    jmlanzaf Posts: 43,048 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @jmlanzaf said:
    I ignore it. The last one i got was "Customs charged me an import duty. Not the seller's fault. " ok. Whatever.

    I did block her. Mostly because I'm not sure how low the bar is for a negative, which i would care about.

    I think for some people neutral just means "okay" but not exceptional.

    All comments reflect the opinion of the author, even when irrefutably accurate.

  • MasonG
    MasonG Posts: 7,571 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @Aspie_Rocco said:
    How do you handle situations like this?

    If they mention a problem, I explain my side of it.

    I got one neutral selling a currency catalog because the notes the buyer was interested in weren't listed. I replied that I didn't know what he wanted to look up and if he had asked, I would have told him they weren't in there. Another neutral was for a lost package, I replied that I don't have any control over how the post office handles the mail and that I provided a refund as soon as I was notified the package wasn't received.

    I blocked the second buyer but not the first, mainly based on the attitude in their messages. Not much else you can do.

  • Cougar1978
    Cougar1978 Posts: 10,067 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    I would try ignore. But would block that buyer.

    Investor
  • Suze
    Suze Posts: 54 ✭✭✭
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    I get less and less feedback from buyers anymore- they don’t want to communicate as much so not surprising your request is being ignored. May even be making them feel dumb lol tho that clearly wasn’t your intent!
    As a buyer I will check a sellers feedback and see why there’s a neutral, if it’s a good response I chalk it up to buyers ignorance, of which there’s much out there

  • MsMorrisine
    MsMorrisine Posts: 40,043 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    replying to a neutral that says "no problems" would seem defensive

    Current maintainer of Stone's Master List of Favorite Websites // My BST transactions
  • DesertCoin
    DesertCoin Posts: 481 ✭✭✭
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    1. New account.

    Just kidding.

    1. Block buyer

    2. Call eBay and ask them to remove it or change it to positive since there were no issues with the transaction.

    “Land of the free because of the brave”
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    Member since 2026
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  • jt88
    jt88 Posts: 3,565 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    it will stay there for a year. :(

  • MsMorrisine
    MsMorrisine Posts: 40,043 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    and when someone clicks on " 1 " on the neutral line they will see "No Problems" and probably wonder why was a neutral left... but questioning the buyer not the seller

    Current maintainer of Stone's Master List of Favorite Websites // My BST transactions
  • JBK
    JBK Posts: 17,862 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Once a buyer accidentally left me a negative with positive comments. He wasn't able to change it. I contacted ebay and they deleted it. Not sure if would work with a neutral.

  • JJM
    JJM Posts: 8,129 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Buy their cheapest item and as soon as it ships, leave a negative

    👍BST's erickso1,cone10,MICHAELDIXON,TennesseeDave,p8nt,jmdm1194,RWW,robkool,Ahrensdad,Timbuk3,Downtown1974,bigjpst,mustanggt,Yorkshireman,idratherbgardening,SurfinxHI,derryb,masscrew,Walkerguy21D,MJ1927,sniocsu,Coll3tor,doubleeagle07,luciobar1980,PerryHall,SNMAM,mbcoin,liefgold,keyman64,maprince230,TorinoCobra71,RB1026,Weiss,LukeMarshall,Wingsrule,Silveryfire, pointfivezero,IKE1964,AL410, Tdec1000, AnkurJ,guitarwes,Type2,Bp777,jfoot113,JWP,mattniss,dantheman984,jclovescoins,Collectorcoins,Weather11am,Namvet69,kansasman,Bruce7789,ADG,Larrob37,Waverly, justindan
  • vintagebanks
    vintagebanks Posts: 67 ✭✭✭
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    "The buyer also sells on eBay"
    If this person buys and sells from the same account, they are pretty stupid. If it makes you feel better use your buying account to purchase a low value item then leave them a neutral back. I received one neutral in the last year and it was for "shipping price was very high", I could have gotten it removed but it just showed what a fool the buyer was. Most of my feedback is for my great shipping/packaging

  • jmlanzaf
    jmlanzaf Posts: 43,048 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @JJM said:
    Buy their cheapest item and as soon as it ships, leave a negative

    You can't leave negative feedback "as soon as it ships".

    All comments reflect the opinion of the author, even when irrefutably accurate.

  • airplanenut
    airplanenut Posts: 22,766 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @jmlanzaf said:
    I ignore it. The last one i got was "Customs charged me an import duty. Not the seller's fault. " ok. Whatever.

    I did block her. Mostly because I'm not sure how low the bar is for a negative, which i would care about.

    That feedback is easy to have removed by eBay. They may check that your listings include a note that customs duties are the responsibility of the buyer, but any feedback I’ve gotten hinting at customs issues has been removed.

    JK Coin Photography - eBay Consignments | High Quality Photos | LOW Prices | 20% of Consignment Proceeds Go to Pancreatic Cancer Research
  • jmlanzaf
    jmlanzaf Posts: 43,048 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited June 2, 2026 9:52PM
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    @airplanenut said:

    @jmlanzaf said:
    I ignore it. The last one i got was "Customs charged me an import duty. Not the seller's fault. " ok. Whatever.

    I did block her. Mostly because I'm not sure how low the bar is for a negative, which i would care about.

    That feedback is easy to have removed by eBay. They may check that your listings include a note that customs duties are the responsibility of the buyer, but any feedback I’ve gotten hinting at customs issues has been removed.

    eBay checkout includes a note that customs duties are the responsibility of the buyer. It's simply not worth the trouble to argue. And you sometimes need to make multiple calls to eBay to find someone willing to do something.

    You should have seen the messages. I'm surprised she didn't leave a negative. I told her that Canada levied the import duty not me. She said it was Trump's fault for starting it. LOL.

    All comments reflect the opinion of the author, even when irrefutably accurate.

  • airplanenut
    airplanenut Posts: 22,766 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @MFeld said:
    “If you would like to avoid this problem buyer, let me know and I will pm you the user name.”

    I can understand your frustration, but I “problem buyer” sounds somewhat overstated.

    I disagree. For those who care about their feedback, I think it’s reasonable to expect that it’s positive if there’s nothing wrong, and if there is a problem (aside from the seller doing something intentionally/maliciously), the buyer will give the seller a chance to make it right. Someone who jumps to leaving less than positive feedback—especially a seller who should know better—is not a good buyer who deserves another chance at a transaction.

    JK Coin Photography - eBay Consignments | High Quality Photos | LOW Prices | 20% of Consignment Proceeds Go to Pancreatic Cancer Research
  • airplanenut
    airplanenut Posts: 22,766 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @jmlanzaf said:

    @airplanenut said:

    @jmlanzaf said:
    I ignore it. The last one i got was "Customs charged me an import duty. Not the seller's fault. " ok. Whatever.

    I did block her. Mostly because I'm not sure how low the bar is for a negative, which i would care about.

    That feedback is easy to have removed by eBay. They may check that your listings include a note that customs duties are the responsibility of the buyer, but any feedback I’ve gotten hinting at customs issues has been removed.

    eBay checkout includes a note that customs duties are the responsibility of the buyer. It's simply not worth the trouble to argue. And you sometimes need to make multiple calls to eBay to find someone willing to do something.

    Any time I’ve dealt with it eBay has handled it lickity split. Last time maybe 5 minutes, and the buyer wasn’t even direct in his comment. But that’s just my experience.

    JK Coin Photography - eBay Consignments | High Quality Photos | LOW Prices | 20% of Consignment Proceeds Go to Pancreatic Cancer Research
  • jmlanzaf
    jmlanzaf Posts: 43,048 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @airplanenut said:

    @jmlanzaf said:

    @airplanenut said:

    @jmlanzaf said:
    I ignore it. The last one i got was "Customs charged me an import duty. Not the seller's fault. " ok. Whatever.

    I did block her. Mostly because I'm not sure how low the bar is for a negative, which i would care about.

    That feedback is easy to have removed by eBay. They may check that your listings include a note that customs duties are the responsibility of the buyer, but any feedback I’ve gotten hinting at customs issues has been removed.

    eBay checkout includes a note that customs duties are the responsibility of the buyer. It's simply not worth the trouble to argue. And you sometimes need to make multiple calls to eBay to find someone willing to do something.

    Any time I’ve dealt with it eBay has handled it lickity split. Last time maybe 5 minutes, and the buyer wasn’t even direct in his comment. But that’s just my experience.

    I don't know. It happens so infrequently. But it's happened multiple times over 30 years. And sometimes it's quick and easy, sometimes it's hard, and sometimes they don't do anything. I really don't think "neutral" is a big deal anyway.

    I had a negative for an item that I refunded that had been damaged in shipping. This is years ago. eBay never would remove it.

    All comments reflect the opinion of the author, even when irrefutably accurate.

  • RedRocket
    RedRocket Posts: 1,929 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    My understanding is eBay will handle unjustified or weak Negative feedback but will leave Neutrals alone.

  • HoledandCreative
    HoledandCreative Posts: 2,890 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    I tell my customers a Neutral is like a negative in eBay's eyes. Rarely is a Neutral left, forget about it. Not a biggie.

  • Aspie_Rocco
    Aspie_Rocco Posts: 3,872 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited June 13, 2026 9:19AM
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    .

    https://www.autismforums.com/media/albums/acrylic-colors-by-rocco.291/

  • SoFlo
    SoFlo Posts: 564 ✭✭✭✭
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    Neutral feedback is nothing, almost like the transaction never happened.

    After all these years my wife still thinks I'm sexy. Every time I walk by she says "What An Ass"

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