eBay removing negative feedback ratings how/why?

[norm]

I bought a driveshaft for my car from a seller on eBay called 'sslautoparts', a firm based in Wakefield (North West).

Listing here - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/325105532046

The part I received wasn't for my model car. I phoned the seller and pointed out the manufacturer of the driveshaft specify on their own website a different part number to the one you have supplied.

Their response was 'yeah it'll be okay, just fit the one we sent you, or if you're not happy send it back'. No apology for blatantly sending the wrong part (presumably done so because the correct part is more expensive as it's made more robustly to deal with higher torque) and they made no offer to send the correct part even though I explained to them I needed it urgently for an upcoming MOT test.

Anyway, I rarely if ever leave negative feedback on eBay but their attitude was just appalling. So I left a negative feedback comment saying they sent wrong part, wouldn't send the correct one, wasted my time.

Now I check eBay and my comment is missing from both my account and isn't showing on their account either, and their rating is back at 100%.

Is there any point in eBay ratings now if the company just lets sellers remove any comments they don't like? How is that helping buyers make an informed decision.

Does anyone know why this is allowed?

 

[norm]

Well I've just spoken on the phone to an ebay representative, who said the feedback I left wasn't in accordance with their feedback policy, but they can't say why because of data protection, what an utter farce. I've raised a complaint and wait to hear back why they deemed my comment inappropriate, when I stated nothing but the facts.

 

[norm]

Did you try send it back like they requested?

Yes returned at their expense and refunded. Which is fair enough but it was still a massive waste of time and hassle I could have done without.

 

[norm]

What was the actual comment, verbatim, that you left?

I don't have it cached anywhere anymore unfortunately but it was pretty much this.

"Sent wrong part, wouldn't replace with correct part even though it was written plain as day on the manufacturers website, complete waste of time."

 

[norm]

Oh.

So they admitted their fault, paid for the return postage and refunded the money.

Either you've left out the part where they treated you like crap or you're being a Karen.

Being a Karen? Hardly.

They acting disengenously by supplying an inferior part, and hoping no one notices.

And no they didn't admit fault, they just didn't want to deal with the situation like a decent responsible business would. Hence the feedback I left.

 

[norm]

Was it negative feedback or neutral?

Negative.

 

[norm]

This is what they supplied. Part number 18-012570.



A search on ODM's website (aka Multi-Parts) for a Ford Fiesta 1.6 TDCI 2004 - 2008 returns part number 018-012680.



eBay had all this information at their disposal when I filed the return. So I fail to see how they can claim my feedback wasn't genuine.

 

[norm]

They resolved it and refunded you and then you still complained.

Neutral feedback would have been more appropriate

So it's acceptable for them to continue to keep supplying the wrong part to customers because the listing hasn't changed and there's now no function to notify people because eBay remove genuine feedback?

I personally don't agree about a neutral comment, they left me out of pocket as I had to source the correct part at a higher price, and it wasted my time/money driving to the post office to return it.

Plus their complete disregard of not apologising or once responding to any of the correspondence on eBay.

 

[norm]

The listing shows an anonymous SSL brand part ? sourced from who knows where - how did you establish it should be the right part,
prminnt comments about OE quality without identifying any source, it seem like a risky purchase, without further communication with them.

Well the listing description is pretty specific, "FORD FIESTA 1.6 TDCI ( Mk 6 ) 2003-2009".

Yes admittedly it wasn't the most informed purchase with regards to branding, but I needed it ASAP and they're selling this at twice the price of other driveshafts for this model car on eBay. So you would reasonably expect to receive the appropriate driveshaft fit for purpose for the model car in the description, which they did not do.

And not surprisingly ODM is a cheapish Chinese make, so completely goes against what they state in the description about it being "NOT a cheap inferior quality imported product as found with many of our competitors on Ebay". So speaks volume about their lack of integrity. Supplying an inferior part, and making ridiculous claims in the description.


In the end I managed to source the correct better branded part, from Autodoc who came through and delivered the item in 3 working days, so they definitely get my recommendation.