Review rants.

[notalwaysright]

(sorry if this is in the wrong spot)

Recently I have bought several items from the site which shares it's name with a river and had problems with the items. They were each under $30. I left reviews accordingly. Not crazy yelling, unreasonable reviews. Simple reviews stating the problem. For example, saying that the item didn't work out of the box, and describing the efforts I went to to try to make it work. I don't give low reviews lightly, I read all the descriptions, and follow all the directions. I'm not one of those people who buy an item that says it does A then complain because it doesn't do B.

Both sellers left comments saying to call and/or email them. I totally understand this, they don't want low ratings. Fine. However, the last one said "I don't see any email from you regarding this issue." and went on to ask me to email so we can troubleshoot. I know it's a small nitpicky thing but... NO, you freaking DON'T see an email from me. Why would I spend lots of time troubleshooting something that should work? Why shouldn't I post an honest review of a product that didn't work? I really don't have the time, and for a cheap item I just return and move on.

Also recently, I have tried to go to a seller and make something work. I didn't want to return the item, then spend more time trying to find another item which would serve the same purpose. It was a giant hassle, dealing with someone who speaks only limited English, who twice addressed me as "dear." Not, "Dear Customer" but "Hello dear." Again, maybe a translation issue, but it bugged me. Oh, and guess what? Even doing their troubleshooting (which was no different that what was listed in their instructions) the thing didn't work, and I got a refund.

I guess I just don't appreciate being guilted or chided for posting a review without contacting the seller. Like I said, mostly I post positive reviews, but I do tell the truth, and sometimes I need to post negative ones. I've been posting reviews in the same way for years and years without any seller giving me grief.

[Mental_Mouse]

Well, the flip side of that is that the sellers really want to get rid of those negative reviews, because negative reviews can be poisonous to their sales. Trying to work out the problem is at least attempting to make good on their product.

[notalwaysright]

That's what they want people to think, but it's just a copy and pasted reply. Mostly what I was frustrated with when I started this thread was receiving three products in a short period of time that all didn't work. Then one of the sellers throws this "oh but I can see you didn't try to fix it by contacting us!" out there, like I'm out of line. *sigh* I'm being way too irritated about this, sorry.

Oh, and the product that I DID try to work with the seller through email? I haven't gotten my refund that they promised, so now I have to deal with that.

[Kittish]

What I've gotten is flat out offers of bribery to take down a negative review. Seriously, this one seller offered to refund the purchase and let me keep the item if I did. Nope, my reviews are honest and if I think the product deserves a one or two star review, that's what it's going to get.

[wordgirl]

To me, it depends on what the seller tries to do to make it right. I do post honest reviews but I'll update them if the seller goes out of his/her way to fix the issue that caused negative remarks.

For example, I bought a USB power bank. it wouldn't hold a charge. The product was very high-rated so I posted a review that said "Yes, there are lots of positive reviews here but I think I got a dud; it won't hold a charge." Before he even contacted me, the seller shipped a replacement, then sent me a very polite, contrite email letting me know a new unit was on its way. Never asked me to change the review and when I offered to send the defective unit back said "Keep it."

The new unit arrived and worked like a charm. I updated my review because in my mind the seller had earned it.

But I did have one seller who shipped more than a week after they said they would. I dinged them HARD in the review because had they shipped when promised, the items (rechargeable fans) would have been on hand to help me cope with a little shitshow called Irma.

They responded with that whiny "you never contacted us" routine and my response was "what were you going to do to make up for it? Do you have the ability to go back in time?" Not surprisingly, that seller had a lot of feedback indicating lousy customer service. (Which didn't faze me while ordering, because I had no idea I'd need those fans so quickly.)

[notalwaysright]

So, the seller who I did contact to try to get the item to work gave me the runaround for a long time. This was after we went back and forth a bunch of times "troubleshooting" and decided the thing wouldn't work. They said they would give a refund for the item and I did not have to send it back. Oh, but please leave seller feedback. I said, I will leave feedback once we're done and I have my refund. I offered to send back the item. This went for several emails with me asking where my refund is, and them replying that I should check my account and have I left feedback? Finally yesterday I said if I had not received my refund in the next couple days I would stop communicating and do a return through Amazon.

...Guess who got an email from Amazon saying that my refund is processing? That's right, me. Here's the email I got today from the seller about it.

Hi dear,
I am sorry for giving you trouble. I already give you full refund,please check you Amazon account later. Waiting for your good news. And i know you will do what you said. Thank you very much.

I will leave feedback, though I'm not sure how to state that they tried to hold my refund hostage. They did what they promised, but it was a giant pain on my part and next time I will not bother to contact the seller, I'll just return. I also am thinking of replying to the snarky comment on my other item, but I'm not sure how. I want to say "I stated my problem, if you have any troubleshooting please reply with it." Because I refuse to get drawn into another long drawn out email exchange.

[greek_jester]

To be honest, I never leave a review until I've had the item and used it a few weeks. If there's an issue I won't leave feedback until the issue has been resolved. I would rather not comment on an ongoing issue until I've seen how the seller deals with it as it could put off a new buyer unfairly.

The only time I've ever left a bad review was on one occasion when my mum bought a sandwich toaster through the Amazon marketplace. The first time she used it the thing shorted out; on examining it we found a tiny pin-sized hole in the plate that allowed melted butter into the circuitry. We tried to contact the seller to get a replacement (it was a decent make and it wasn't necessarily their fault there was a flaw) but they kept ignoring us.

In the end we had to go to Amazon directly; we explained the situation and included copies of the e-mails we sent to the supplier, and they said to send back the toaster and we'd get a full refund. I then left a rather snippy 1 star review, after which we got a very belated e-mail apologising and asking how we could make it right. Nope, if we have to go to Amazon themselves to get a resolution you've shot yourself in the foot!

[wordgirl]

I will leave feedback, though I'm not sure how to state that they tried to hold my refund hostage. They did what they promised, but it was a giant pain on my part and next time I will not bother to contact the seller, I'll just return.

Just like that.

To me, feedback games - especially ones where they seem to be attempting to extort good feedback from people in return for them actually making things right, are the biggest red flag there is. (Well, outside of a consistent stream of "they took my money and I never heard from them again." )