Opinion-BAY: The Problem That Is Destroying America

  I am disgusted with the {profane}morals of one of America's most known Websites, a true icon for the whole online auction industry.  It inspired the creation of Amazon, WeBidz, Overstock, and the list goes on.  However, there is something new the bay has introduced, called "BUYER PROTECTION (BP)."
To a lot of you out there that's great!  But where is the Seller's Protection?

My Entrepreneurial self couldn't process the worst business principle I have ever heard, "Our buyers' opinion matters more than the facts, because it helps future buyer's from having a negative experience with that seller."  - Words from YAB-E representative during a phone call I placed after having my account suspended.  How did my Account get suspended?  They said I had too many Negative Feedback Ratings.

This is where the story gets mind-boggling, but try to understand as much of this as possible, because this virus-like characteristic is spreading quickly from State to State, and that's only if this disease doesn't swim, otherwise it's damn near global by now.  I was starting off as a new Seller on YAB-E, and through the first month and a half, I sold 9 items.  Out of these nine sales, five of them came back negative.  The first two I received were on the first two items I sold.  Well, let's just say I learned to calculate what the cost to ship it will be, before posting it for sale.

I had no idea, a Wakeboard would be $90 dollars to ship using USPS. Wow, I only charged the buyer $35 USD.  After e-mailing the buyer to notify him of my mistake and asked if he would reimburse me the difference if I mailed him a copy of the receipt with the product?  He said no, because he shouldn't have to pay for my mistake.  So I refunded him 100 percent of his money, and canceled the transaction.  His emotions stained my reputation.  Why would a customer become upset after receiving a full refund of their money? They must be {profane} morons.  When they're the one who refused to pay the necessary amount to have it shipped.  That was the first complaint against my Account.  My second sale that resulted in negative feedback was also due to a error with estimated shipping cost, as I was unaware that Hawaii isn't included if it says free shipping to U.S.?

The first two were followed by 3 consecutive Positive Ratings which helped extend my income for a little while. Thanks to these blessed people I was able to pay a third of one month's mortgage payment.

(+)        (+)        (+)

A third negative feedback was posted on my profile when I sold an old siemens cellular phone and charger for $3.99, plus $3 for shipping.  It was stolen by a now ex-customer.  Stressing out about what to do, I decided to explain to the Buyer that I couldn't find it, so I will give him a full refund, which was a few days after the auction ended.  --Feedback--(NEG) "Seller is BS, wasted my time and gave me a refund days later."

The fact: After a refund, No transaction has occured.  
The Opinion: The Buyer felt that he was cheated out of his time.

why would a buyer's opinion, be any sort of basis on which a business is permitted to sell?  YAB-E wants to ensure that their customers have a great buying experience.  Did they forget that it is the sellers that are covering all of their overhead?  This could be the reason they are steadily losing legit Sellers and profits, causing their stock value to plummet.  This is the wrong way for Meg Whitman's legacy to fall, being overprotected to the point you are unable to Compete in any fashion.  Not to mention Meg, but 225 Million dollars on Advertising, and not a penny contributed to the State of California.  Wouldn't that have helped us lower the deficit that we were and still are facing?

Sorry for rambling there, do you see the opinions develop more often than the facts.  How is this?  Aren't the facts the story, and opinions feelings about the story?

"FEELINGS DON'T EXIST!"

Now for the fourth negative mark to my feedback had to do with "Lobby Cards."  Apparently I was misinformed by the lobby card collecter who sold them to me, because they were 8x10 photos from the set.  I gave her a full refund after she returned the item to me by mail.  Her opinion of the non-existant transaction is that I obviously don't know what Lobby cards are.  The fact was I handled an unsatisfied customer the same way I was taught, the customer is always right. Right? When did the businesses start losing credibility for serving the needs and wants of their customers?