Unfortunately, no feedback system is perfect. I wish etsy would look into retaliatoin cases, but I guess I understand how big of an undertaking that would be. I like to think that buyers judge me on the total of my feedback, and can tell if I'm not a great seller or if I just had one "unreasonable" customer. From what the OP dealt with, I would imagine other customers had issues as well...

Posted at 11:30 pm Feb 22, 2012 EST

I think if negative is left it should be required to leave a reason. Even if it is brief. That way potential buyers don't leave it up to their imagination, or assume it was an unappeasable buyer.

Posted at 11:34 pm Feb 22, 2012 EST

TJ Estes from TheShinyCrowsNest says
An unfortunate situation, and I sympathize with you. I would be angry too. A couple of questions to consider however:
Did she say she had a no return policy in her shop policies? If so, then you know you are taking a considered risk when you order. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose.
Also, you mentioned that "Now she's got back the item and is trying to resell by lying and saying I never paid and that I deleted my etsy account." Did she say this in feedback she left for you, or in convo with you? It isn't very clear what exactly happened there.
Be careful about ascribing intent. Did she "try to wait you out" or was she just hopeful that the replacement would arrive? Did she give you a false tracking number, or did she simply make a mistake? Not saying those things aren't entirely possible, but I know that when I'm angry sometimes I infer a more negative intent than really existed. Since this is potentially damaging to both of you, just be absolutely sure of your ground there and in how you word your feedback. What can you say with certainty, and what do you just think was happening?

Just some thoughts...I do hope this gets resolved satisfactorily for you and that your future experiences are better:)


Posted at 11:27 pm Feb 22, 2012 EST
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The above post is one of the best responses to your issue, IMHO. As a retired journalist and newspaper editor, I've had this one thing drilled into my head for over thirty years: Stick to the facts and the facts only.

It's easy to see why you would be upset over this. But you should take the time to calm down and remove the emotion from the situation. Then, and only then, should you leave feedback (being mindful of the time frame since the order was canceled). And when you do leave feedback, stick to what you know to be factual and not supposition. It's hard to do, I know. But future buyers will be able to appreciate your emotionless and honest feedback.

Posted at 12:19 am Feb 23, 2012 EST

Please don't discuss specific transactions on the public Etsy Forums. Instead, if you're looking for advice, we ask that you privately contact another knowledgeable member of the Etsy community whom you trust for that advice. If no one immediately comes to mind, you could instead reach out to a member of the community-run Sellers Assisting Sellers team, which you can find here:

www.etsy.com/teams/6159

And you can find our policies for the Etsy Forums here:

www.etsy.com/dosdonts.php#thecommunity

Posted at 12:24 am Feb 23, 2012 EST