One alternative to feedback removal is feedback REVISION. This is the new method for EBAY feedback changes that replaced the old "mutual feedback removal." The new method
Security Measure
is more buyer oriented unfortunately.
In feedback revision, the recipient of the bad feedback (obviously, the seller, since EBAY no longer allows sellers to give buyers anything but positives), initiates a request for feedback revision, and includes a note to the buyer. The buyer then has ten days in which to agree to revise the feedback. If he disagrees or does not respond, the matter is closed and you may not request revision of that particular feedback through this process again.
In the old days, "mutual feedback removal," removed the rating (negative, neutral), but the comment (both buyer's and seller's comments) remained there for all to see. Over time of course, the comment got buried in all your feedback and no one gave two hoots about it.
In the NEW current method, when the buyer agrees to revise feedback he may change EVERYTHING - the rating, and the actual comments. He is allowed to leave an entirely new feedback. And when he does so, your old seller reply is removed.
When should you use feedback revision?
I recommend feedback revision as a last resort after you have used Modee sophisticated tech support methods to have the feedback removed.
For one thing, revision may be requested only for 5 feedbacks per 1000 feedback per calendar year. For most of us, this means 5 requests per year. Note that this is five REQUESTS not actual revisions. All of your requests may be rejected, but each request still counts towards the total allowed amount.
ALSO - if you have a pending dispute with the buyer, you may not request revision until after the dispute is resolved.
Feedback revision must be requested within 30 days of receipt of the feedback.
EBAY will not TELL you this, obviously, but your chances of getting the feedback removed for violations drops after you make an unsuccessful feedback revision request. By coming crawling to the buyer, asking for feedback revision, you are essentially conceding that you were in the wrong, or at a minimum, that the buyer DID nothing wrong.
. . .
To illustrate the difference between feedback revision and feedback removal, let's imagine fishing with a bait or lure and hook versus spearfishing.
With hook fishing, you have to hope that the fish is hungry, and takes your bait or lure. It's up to the fish, not you. This is like feedback revision - you are at the mercy of the buyer.
But with spearfishing, you can come along and Plaster the fish whether it is hungry or not! The matter is in YOUR hands, not that of the fish. This is like Modee feedback removal via tech support - we eradicate the feedback whether the buyer agrees or not!
It's obvious, I think, which is preferable. Waiting for your buyer to come to terms, or taking matters into your own hands and solving the issue yourself.
One last thing - perhaps THE MOST IMPORTANT consideration about feedback revision. I do NOT recommend making your formal feedback revision request the first contact with your buyer about this matter. Rather, I recommend contacting him first, PREFERABLY VIA TELEPHONE, to try and iron out differences and make certain you are on the same page. People are generally more sympathetic on the phone, real time, than in emails, which can come across as rather harsh. In other words, email or better yet PHONE the buyer first, and try to placate him and get him to agree to the feedback revision. THEN send in the official EBAY feedback revision request.
And of course, where feedback revision is concerned - and you are asking for something from your buyer, in most cases you will need to pony up some consideration in exchange. In most cases, such consideration will be whatever the buyer was trying to get out of you that drove him to drop a negative.
But, after all else fails, or if you just don't want to deal with the process of getting feedback removed - feedback revision is a viable option.
Security Measure
is more buyer oriented unfortunately.
In feedback revision, the recipient of the bad feedback (obviously, the seller, since EBAY no longer allows sellers to give buyers anything but positives), initiates a request for feedback revision, and includes a note to the buyer. The buyer then has ten days in which to agree to revise the feedback. If he disagrees or does not respond, the matter is closed and you may not request revision of that particular feedback through this process again.
In the old days, "mutual feedback removal," removed the rating (negative, neutral), but the comment (both buyer's and seller's comments) remained there for all to see. Over time of course, the comment got buried in all your feedback and no one gave two hoots about it.
In the NEW current method, when the buyer agrees to revise feedback he may change EVERYTHING - the rating, and the actual comments. He is allowed to leave an entirely new feedback. And when he does so, your old seller reply is removed.
When should you use feedback revision?
I recommend feedback revision as a last resort after you have used Modee sophisticated tech support methods to have the feedback removed.
For one thing, revision may be requested only for 5 feedbacks per 1000 feedback per calendar year. For most of us, this means 5 requests per year. Note that this is five REQUESTS not actual revisions. All of your requests may be rejected, but each request still counts towards the total allowed amount.
ALSO - if you have a pending dispute with the buyer, you may not request revision until after the dispute is resolved.
Feedback revision must be requested within 30 days of receipt of the feedback.
EBAY will not TELL you this, obviously, but your chances of getting the feedback removed for violations drops after you make an unsuccessful feedback revision request. By coming crawling to the buyer, asking for feedback revision, you are essentially conceding that you were in the wrong, or at a minimum, that the buyer DID nothing wrong.
. . .
To illustrate the difference between feedback revision and feedback removal, let's imagine fishing with a bait or lure and hook versus spearfishing.
With hook fishing, you have to hope that the fish is hungry, and takes your bait or lure. It's up to the fish, not you. This is like feedback revision - you are at the mercy of the buyer.
But with spearfishing, you can come along and Plaster the fish whether it is hungry or not! The matter is in YOUR hands, not that of the fish. This is like Modee feedback removal via tech support - we eradicate the feedback whether the buyer agrees or not!
It's obvious, I think, which is preferable. Waiting for your buyer to come to terms, or taking matters into your own hands and solving the issue yourself.
One last thing - perhaps THE MOST IMPORTANT consideration about feedback revision. I do NOT recommend making your formal feedback revision request the first contact with your buyer about this matter. Rather, I recommend contacting him first, PREFERABLY VIA TELEPHONE, to try and iron out differences and make certain you are on the same page. People are generally more sympathetic on the phone, real time, than in emails, which can come across as rather harsh. In other words, email or better yet PHONE the buyer first, and try to placate him and get him to agree to the feedback revision. THEN send in the official EBAY feedback revision request.
And of course, where feedback revision is concerned - and you are asking for something from your buyer, in most cases you will need to pony up some consideration in exchange. In most cases, such consideration will be whatever the buyer was trying to get out of you that drove him to drop a negative.
But, after all else fails, or if you just don't want to deal with the process of getting feedback removed - feedback revision is a viable option.
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