eBay Hacks

Remove Unwanted Feedback

Use SquareTrade’s mediation services to retract feedback.

eBay doesn’t kid around when it comes to feedback, and neither do most users. Although eBay is quite clear about stating that every member who leaves feedback is responsible for his or her own words and that, once posted, feedback cannot be retracted, there is indeed a way out.

In fact, there are several circumstances under which a feedback comment can be removed:

• The feedback does not appear to be connected with eBay, the particular member for which it was left, or the particular transaction with which it is associated.

• The feedback contains offensive language, personal identifying information, links to pictures or web sites, or false claims with regard to eBay policies or law-enforcement organizations.

• The feedback was mistakenly left for the wrong user, and the person who left feedback corrects the error and then contacts eBay.

• The feedback was left by someone with false contact information.

• The feedback was used as a means of coercion or blackmail.

• eBay receives a court order finding that the feedback is slanderous, libelous, defamatory, or otherwise illegal, or as a result of a settlement agreement.

• eBay is notified by SquareTrade to remove the feedback, as explained in the next section. If the feedback comment doesn’t meet any of the other criteria listed here, then going through SquareTrade is your best choice.

Go to http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/feedback-removal.html for all the legalese associated with eBay’s feedback removal policy.

SquareTrade

Any eBay member who wishes to have a feedback comment removed must do so with the cooperation of the person who originally left the feedback.

Here’s how it works:

1. The recipient of the unwanted feedback files a case at http://www.squaretrade.com and pays the service fee. There is no time limit.

2. Emails are sent to both parties.

3. Each party independently agrees to have the feedback removed.

4. A mediator at SquareTrade investigates the case.

5. If all conditions are met, SquareTrade sends a removal request to eBay.

The only time things proceed differently is if the other party doesn’t respond to any of the SquareTrade emails within 14 days. In this case, a SquareTrade mediator reviews the case, and hopefully dismisses the feedback. The restriction here, however, is that the case must be filed within 90 days of the date of the feedback; this prevents eBay members from attempting to remove old feedback from posters who have long since left eBay and changed email addresses.

What’s so terrific about this concept is that it gives buyers and sellers incentive to work things out, even after feedback has been left.