Been debating over leaving negative eBay feedback - need advice on watch box

So I found a Speedmaster Big box as a "BIN / Make offer" on eBay for $500. The transaction did not go as well as planned, but I'm worried about leaving honest neutral feedback in case of a retaliatory feedback in return, where I currently have 100% feedback for the past 20 years. I would not give negative feedback since the outcome was not as bad as it could have been - I was not scammed and actually received my item, although not when it was promised or in the condition that it was promised.

Skip to the pictures if TL;DR

Title - "Mint Omega Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch Moon Watch Large Black Box" https://www.ebay.com/itm/Mint-Omega...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649
I'm selling the presentation box and manuals for the Omega Speedmaster Professional Man on the Moon

Includes and Outer box
Inner Case
Warranty Card holder (Does not include warranty Card)
All Manuals
Speedmaster Loupe
Speedmaster Medallion
Spring Bar Tool
All in Perfect Condition

I offered $250 thru eBay on March 17th and it was accepted, so I paid right away. I was expecting to have to use my 3 tries before capping my offer at $300 and moving on to another BIN for $200 BIN that was missing the loupe and tool and card sleeve.

I wrote back 2 days after winning the item, around 11:40PM Monday 3/19 asking, "Hi, I was wondering when you will ship the Omega box and send me a tracking number?" and then I realized that the auction said, "$23.05 economy shipping". So I wrote back immediately and said, "I just noticed that it's not clear to me if the package will have tracking. Do I need to add $10 or so for a shipping upgrade to include tracking?"

He wrote back the next day on Tuesday 3/20 "Hey, Not it’s fine I’ll add tracking for free. I’m sorry I got busy with workI’ll send it out overnight shipping tomorrow morning on my lunch break". That would be going out on Wed 3/21 to arrive Thurs 3/22.

On 3/21 he writes,

"Hey Larry
Sorry about this
I broke my hand last night moving some things in
and out of my apartment
Swelled up pretty bad so now I’m sitting in the
ER
I’m gonna try and get your watch box out today
If not first thing
tomorrow morning

I will be shipping overnight too because of the
inconvenience
Sorry again"

The next day on 3/22 there was a little idle chitchat about his medical visit. Later that day I write again, "Hope you’re feeling well. Can I have the tracking number? Thanks, Larry". I said nothing about another delay.

On Thursday 3/22 he simply writes, "9536 1150 6928 8081 1846 67 USPS" and that was the last message he sent me.

Shipping was not overnight as promised twice, and not arriving on Friday 3/22, rather it was scheduled for the next week on Wednesday 3/28. In my next and last communication on 3/23 I write, "Not to be a jerk (and it's not like this is a critical item, and you did have some hardship this week), but when you promise to ship overnight due to your delays then why does USPS say delivery is expected on Wednesday 3/28/18 instead of tomorrow? Again, hope you are well. Larry"

Crickets...

Before the haters chime in - I can understand if the shipping would have doubled such that he might have felt he couldn't afford it, and so he'd send it the slower way, but he should have let me know about the change in plans, and maybe taken me up on my earlier offer to add more money to the shipping costs. Also, for an Auction won on Saturday, is it really okay to not ship until the following Thursday? Granted, the shipping delay wasn't that big of a deal for me, and maybe he really did have work and medical issues, so I didn't write back after that. It was the broken promise that upset me more. I just sat back waited for it to arrive.

This is how it shows up via USPS retail ground - WITH NO PACKING MATERIALS INSIDE WHATSOEVER. I opened it up with the UPS store manager present (it's where I have all of my mail sent). It's certainly not mint anymore, but not terrible either, and everything inside the outer box is present and accounted for (although the loupe had come loose inside of the box and was rattling around inside). The total lack of packing does not meet the standards for insurability so I'm glad it was not worse.

I'm keeping it rather than trying to get my money back just to save $50 on the other auction that didn't include a loupe or tool (I already have non-Omega tools). But I'd like to leave NEUTRAL feedback "seller delayed shipping, didn't pack item well, arrived with slight damage".

Do you guys worry about leaving feedback other than positive? Can they retaliate in feedback if mine is neutral and not negative? I think if I leave negative feedback they can only respond to my feedback but not leave me a mark on my record.



I sent him a final PM,

"I'm very disappointed that you didn't put ANY packing materials inside the shipping box, and the item arrived damaged. I opened it up and took photos in front of the UPS Store manager (where I have all my mail delivered for the past 20 years).

I can understand that you had delays shipping it due to work and then accident, but on Thursday you shipped an item that I had won the previous Saturday and didn't keep your promise to rush the shipping overnight. I offered you extra shipping money last Monday and you declined, but you offered TWICE to overnight the item due to your delays. Not only did you break that promise without consulting me, but you send a mint item with ZERO packing materials so that it didn't arrive in mint condition.

I don't know what else to say to you right right now, except, "Who does that?" I paid you right away. I offered to send extra shipping money. I gave you the extra time, only asking for tracking after your self-imposed shipping deadlines had passed. I did everything right. And this is how I'm re-paid.

I can't send photos until I can change my eBay settings to allow HTML formatted emails."

According to this, seller's can't leave negative or neutral feedback for a buyer:

http://pages.ebay.com/services/forum/sellerprotection.html

I would probably leave no feedback if it were me, as long as it is only the outer cardboard sleeve that was damaged and not the actual box itself.

I don't think getting into a pissing match back and forth is really going to net any results. I let slide delays in shipping (which happen often), but I don't let slide goods that are not in the condition described or in presented in sales photos. The description says "perfect", this is far from that, I'd send this back, with a simple "item not as described, see pics".

See what happens once he sees the photos. I would argue you should be able to return the item either directly through him or through Ebay.

Since the issue may not be entirely his fault or , at least , intentionally his fault I would say feedback would depend on his response. Just make sure you don’t trigger a negative response by being over beligerant from the start. Just be honest and see what he says.

Neutral feedback is not bad feedback. There’s a positive way to place neutral feedback:

If you paid with paypal, open a dispute, and mail it back. Let paypal deal with it for you.

Larry, sorry about the bad experience. Regarding your fear of retaliation for leaving a Neutral or Negative Feedback, eBay Sellers can no longer leave anything but Positive Feedback for Buyers. It may be a Soft Positive or even a Snarky comment but if so, you can ask eBay to remove it. That said, Sellers often look at Feedback Left For Others when considering an offer. That’s the only downside as I see it.

You are certainly within your rights to open a case with eBay and return it for a full refund. Good luck with whichever path you choose.

Be sure to correspond with the Seller through eBay.

I think the pictures make it obvious it is not in the condition as advertised. I would just return it for full refund as it wasn't as advertised. I think ebay should make the seller pay for return shipping as well.

Ditto - that's ridiculous. I wonder if he packed it himself or if perhaps he dropped it at a UPS store or similar and had them pack it, but either way, completely unacceptable.

That seller has a 100% feedback rating for the last 12 months, but beyond that, he's received MANY negatives reviews before.

Personally, I wouldn't be afraid of leaving him another.

If you plan on returning the box for a refund, I'd hold off until after successfully doing so.

Give him what he deserves, he didn’t bother putting any effort in to it.

That packing sucks. Not sufficient and the result shows this.
Get a refund and return it. Let PayPal or eBay look after this for you.

The eBay community relies on honest feedback.
You should leave honest feedback.
I know eBay make it difficult to leave neutral or negatives, but if you think he deserves it, that is what you should do.

I sent my speedmaster box in perfect packaging.. spent some extra money to pack it nicely. Luckily tbere was some coupon that I dint know I had and eBay dint charge me 10% fees ..
After seeing your pictures, I feel bad for you.

On the shipping delay, at least in the U.K., as a seller you have three working days before you have to ship, and it’s possible to extend that as long as you say so on your listing. In his defence, he did give you the item for half price, and “mint” is a subjective term.

Having said that, the item clearly wasn’t packed properly and assuming the damage wasn’t visible or show in the original photos, then clearly you have a justified return case.

I would start an eBay return, and provided he gives you a full refund, and then leave neutral feedback and state the facts. I would leave negative if it’s a difficult long drawn out process, which I hope it won’t be....

Neutral passes as negative, in ebays opinion. Last time I tried to leave neutral feedback, I had to jump through hoops.
If I ask for a refund, & get it without a fight, I consider that a positive.

I am very much in the camp of returning the item and getting your money back. This seller was lazy, flip with sending the item, and showed no care for any damage to it by shipping it in this fashion. That's how you were treated after providing prompt payment and respectful communication.

Don't reward him. It's not like these boxes are terribly difficult to acquire...and without damage.