the ongoing saga....
here is a copy of the letter that I sent to eBay:
I am writing to report fraudulent business practices on the part of one of your PowerSellers.
I have had a screamingly frustrating experience on eBay recently (the first in almost 500 purchases over 5 years, and the ONLY negative feedback that I’ve ever posted)... and when I posted negative feedback for the seller - I received the first email initiated by her during this entire month and half long saga, attempting to buy a change in my feedback. She stated "I don't want my feedback screwed up over a pair of chaps... I'll return your money, and you'll also eventually get the insurance money - so you’ll be doubly paid, if you'll change your feedback" (see copies of emails, below). The point that she missed was that the feedback wasn't over a pair of chaps, but rather the poor customer service she'd provided over the past month and half.
Furthermore, offering to “buy” positive feedback from unhappy customers is a fraudulent business practice - especially when that feedback rating encourages new customers to shop with this seller. Her feedback rating was a major factor in my choosing to patronize her rather than others offering similar items. It is for this reason that I am contacting you and reporting this incident / this seller; Her name is Megan Proctor and she sells under the name TackDeals
In short,
-12/2/09: the initial transaction was a second chance offer made/accepted. Payment made to Seller via PayPal.
- 12/3/09: Seller mis-addressed the parcel; house number was incorrect and street name misspelled so badly that UPS couldn’t figure it out.
-12/09/09: I saw the address question on the Tracking Link, and emailed Seller about it. Her email response was to inform me that the package was insured "so I’d get my money back" (I didn’t want my money back; I wanted the item I paid for). She failed follow up with UPS on the address issue I discovered this omission when I checked the Tracking Link on 12/10/09, and the package had been misdelivered.
-12/10/09: I reccontacted Seller via email, notifying her of the misdelivery. She failed to follow-up with UPS on the stray package, and request a trace. I eventually convinced UPS to initiate a formal trace - several days/phone calls later, even though by their procedures only the shipper can authorize this.
- 12/15/09: when it appeared that the package might be irretrievably lost, I contacted the seller to attempt to purchase another pair of chaps (not to have them replaced, but to buy them) - was informed that she did not have another pair, would have to contact her supplier, and would then get back to me. I never heard back from her.
- 1/9/10: I saw an Insurance Claim Closure posted on the Tracing Link. I phoned her Shipping Representative and was assured that I would be receiving a check in the mail. I phoned again this morning, 1/18/10, and was again assured that the check was in the mail. This time was supplied with the check number, #3804, and dollar amount, $50.00....
- 1/15/10: I posted feedback on EBay: Negative overall, with a very poor rating on communication. I did not rate her on description of item, etc, as have never received item.
- 1/16/10; I receive email from Seller claiming to know nothing of the problems with this transaction. A few minutes later, I received a second email acknowledging that she “might recall this” and asking if an insurance claim had been filed. An insurance claim had been initiated either by her or her Shipping Representative, and was closed by UPS on 1/8/10.
- the only contact that she has initiated was to ask why I posted negative feedback - even though I have contacted her/her Shipping Representative a total of eight (8) times in regards this package, over a period of 6 weeks..
In summation, I have sent several emails to the Seller and spent over 2 hours on the phone, with UPS and her Shipping Store trying to get this straightened out / the package delivered to me. I have requested / bullied UPS into beginning the trace, followed this via Tracking Link to see an Insurance Claim filed & closed, and been assured by her Shipping Representative that my check was in the mail, I have not yet received the insurance monies. So far, I’ve phoned UPS Customer Service six (6) times, and her Shipping Store/Representative five (5) times, and emailed her personally three (3) times. All on my dime / time, because she couldn't be bothered to verify the address & didn't care enough to follow up on any of it until the Feedback was posted. She is rated as a PowerSeller with 99.9% feedback... Based on this experience, I don’t believe the rating, and certainly won't buy from her again. Buying on eBay should be simply and stress-free... this has not been.
No, money won't buy a Positive Feedback Rating, nor convince me I had a good buying experience... she earned her feedback.
Crystal Smith
Aka: AutumnRoseStudio
Attached Emails/referenced above:
1/16/10 - 646pm: “I'm not sure why you left me a negative feedback? This is the first I've heard from you?? If you'll withdraw the feedback I'll give you a full refund right now. If UPS insurance covers it then you'll have double money. I'm not certain what's going on but I don't want my feedback being screwed up over a pair of chaps! Let me know,
Megg”
1/16/10 - 655 pm: “I think I might recall speaking to you about these but it has been a while. I don't remember the details because it's had to of been in Dec. before Christmas. Have you contacted UPS to put a claim on them? The package was insured for up to $100 and they will pay for it if it cannot be retreived. What did we mess up on your address? Again, as soon as the feedback is withdrawn I'll give you a full refund including shipping cost and if you get money from UPS you can keep it.
Megg”
1/18/10 - 441 am: “Are you going to contact me about this situation???? I've sent you numerous emails, I'm trying to correct it for you?
Megg”
and the scary thing is: by the time I got this all crafted/sent to eBay, she'd emailed me with an additional offer of money if I'd change my feedback... and claimed she was being "extremely professional" about the entire thing. I forwarded a copy of that email to eBay as well ;)
I am writing to report fraudulent business practices on the part of one of your PowerSellers.
I have had a screamingly frustrating experience on eBay recently (the first in almost 500 purchases over 5 years, and the ONLY negative feedback that I’ve ever posted)... and when I posted negative feedback for the seller - I received the first email initiated by her during this entire month and half long saga, attempting to buy a change in my feedback. She stated "I don't want my feedback screwed up over a pair of chaps... I'll return your money, and you'll also eventually get the insurance money - so you’ll be doubly paid, if you'll change your feedback" (see copies of emails, below). The point that she missed was that the feedback wasn't over a pair of chaps, but rather the poor customer service she'd provided over the past month and half.
Furthermore, offering to “buy” positive feedback from unhappy customers is a fraudulent business practice - especially when that feedback rating encourages new customers to shop with this seller. Her feedback rating was a major factor in my choosing to patronize her rather than others offering similar items. It is for this reason that I am contacting you and reporting this incident / this seller; Her name is Megan Proctor and she sells under the name TackDeals
In short,
-12/2/09: the initial transaction was a second chance offer made/accepted. Payment made to Seller via PayPal.
- 12/3/09: Seller mis-addressed the parcel; house number was incorrect and street name misspelled so badly that UPS couldn’t figure it out.
-12/09/09: I saw the address question on the Tracking Link, and emailed Seller about it. Her email response was to inform me that the package was insured "so I’d get my money back" (I didn’t want my money back; I wanted the item I paid for). She failed follow up with UPS on the address issue I discovered this omission when I checked the Tracking Link on 12/10/09, and the package had been misdelivered.
-12/10/09: I reccontacted Seller via email, notifying her of the misdelivery. She failed to follow-up with UPS on the stray package, and request a trace. I eventually convinced UPS to initiate a formal trace - several days/phone calls later, even though by their procedures only the shipper can authorize this.
- 12/15/09: when it appeared that the package might be irretrievably lost, I contacted the seller to attempt to purchase another pair of chaps (not to have them replaced, but to buy them) - was informed that she did not have another pair, would have to contact her supplier, and would then get back to me. I never heard back from her.
- 1/9/10: I saw an Insurance Claim Closure posted on the Tracing Link. I phoned her Shipping Representative and was assured that I would be receiving a check in the mail. I phoned again this morning, 1/18/10, and was again assured that the check was in the mail. This time was supplied with the check number, #3804, and dollar amount, $50.00....
- 1/15/10: I posted feedback on EBay: Negative overall, with a very poor rating on communication. I did not rate her on description of item, etc, as have never received item.
- 1/16/10; I receive email from Seller claiming to know nothing of the problems with this transaction. A few minutes later, I received a second email acknowledging that she “might recall this” and asking if an insurance claim had been filed. An insurance claim had been initiated either by her or her Shipping Representative, and was closed by UPS on 1/8/10.
- the only contact that she has initiated was to ask why I posted negative feedback - even though I have contacted her/her Shipping Representative a total of eight (8) times in regards this package, over a period of 6 weeks..
In summation, I have sent several emails to the Seller and spent over 2 hours on the phone, with UPS and her Shipping Store trying to get this straightened out / the package delivered to me. I have requested / bullied UPS into beginning the trace, followed this via Tracking Link to see an Insurance Claim filed & closed, and been assured by her Shipping Representative that my check was in the mail, I have not yet received the insurance monies. So far, I’ve phoned UPS Customer Service six (6) times, and her Shipping Store/Representative five (5) times, and emailed her personally three (3) times. All on my dime / time, because she couldn't be bothered to verify the address & didn't care enough to follow up on any of it until the Feedback was posted. She is rated as a PowerSeller with 99.9% feedback... Based on this experience, I don’t believe the rating, and certainly won't buy from her again. Buying on eBay should be simply and stress-free... this has not been.
No, money won't buy a Positive Feedback Rating, nor convince me I had a good buying experience... she earned her feedback.
Crystal Smith
Aka: AutumnRoseStudio
Attached Emails/referenced above:
1/16/10 - 646pm: “I'm not sure why you left me a negative feedback? This is the first I've heard from you?? If you'll withdraw the feedback I'll give you a full refund right now. If UPS insurance covers it then you'll have double money. I'm not certain what's going on but I don't want my feedback being screwed up over a pair of chaps! Let me know,
Megg”
1/16/10 - 655 pm: “I think I might recall speaking to you about these but it has been a while. I don't remember the details because it's had to of been in Dec. before Christmas. Have you contacted UPS to put a claim on them? The package was insured for up to $100 and they will pay for it if it cannot be retreived. What did we mess up on your address? Again, as soon as the feedback is withdrawn I'll give you a full refund including shipping cost and if you get money from UPS you can keep it.
Megg”
1/18/10 - 441 am: “Are you going to contact me about this situation???? I've sent you numerous emails, I'm trying to correct it for you?
Megg”
and the scary thing is: by the time I got this all crafted/sent to eBay, she'd emailed me with an additional offer of money if I'd change my feedback... and claimed she was being "extremely professional" about the entire thing. I forwarded a copy of that email to eBay as well ;)