How to Dispute Negative Feedback.

When you sign into the Community Court website using your normal eBay user ID and password, you will be shown any transactions that are eligible for you to dispute. Eligible transactions will be the transactions which have negative feedback and are within 30 days of the transaction.

Simply select the transaction with the feedback you wish to dispute and the process will start. Information and listing will be available to reference and you will be asked to write a statement and upload photos (optional).

How to Justify Negative Feedback.

As the buyer, you will be notified when particular negative feedback that you have given to a seller is being disputed. You will need to log into the Community Court website using your normal eBay user ID and password, if you wish to justify the feedback. Justifying the feedback you have left is not required and your participation in the Community Court is optional, however, we encourage you to defend negative feedback in order to keep the eBay community strong.

You have 10 days from the date the seller disputed the negative feedback with the Community Court to respond. You will be asked to write a statement using 5000 characters or less and may upload up to 3 photos.

How to Write a Statement.

Both buyers and sellers have up to 5000 Characters to write a statement. You must be honest and professional in your statements. You should stick to the facts of the transaction and avoid any defamatory or offensive comments, or personal information that is irrelevant to the transaction. Keep in mind you are trying to convince a jury of your peers how feedback that was left was unfair for you as a seller, or justified for you as the buyer. It is in your best interest to refrain from personal attacks or aggressively focusing on discrediting the other party’s statements or behavior during the transaction. It is best to be clear in your arguments by providing the jury with your point of view on what happened during the transaction, and what attempts you made to negotiate or satisfy the other party in the transaction. Again, it behooves you to be professional and concise with your statements. If you can make your case in fewer than 5000 characters, please do so. Your efforts to speed up this process will be appreciated.

Once you are done writing your statement, you can move on to uploading photos. If you do not have any photos to upload, click on submit at this time.

How to Upload Photos.

Uploading photos is optional and not required in any way to successfully remove unfair feedback. However, if you have compelling photos which could help your case, you should upload them for the jury. Make sure the photo is clearly lit, in focus, and with the appropriate level of zoom. You must have permission to use the photo, if it is not yours, and they must clearly relate to your case.

To upload a photo, click on the “Browse” button. A new window will open which shows you the folders and files on your computer. Use this window to find your photo which you have stored on your computer. Each photo cannot exceed 1.0 megabytes, so you may need to edit the photo using any number of photo editing applications if your photo exceeds the size limit.

The photos you use should illustrate why you left that feedback or believe it should be removed. If the feedback indicates that the auction listing said the item was red, and the item sent was actually blue, a picture that clearly shows the color of the item will be invaluable.

Once you have uploaded your photo, you can also write a brief statement explaining the relevancy to your case.

Making Your Case.

The best case is one that is concise, to the point, logical, and avoids irrelevant information or personal attacks. Obscenities are never appropriate. Be professional. The most effective case is made by simply and clearly illustrating why you left certain feedback or feel certain feedback should be removed.

Example: The Buyer purchased a shirt that was listed as a red Polo-brand medium-sized short-sleeved shirt, and claims he instead received a blue Izod-brand large-sized long-sleeved shirt. His feedback indicates that it was not the item that he purchased, and that it was the wrong color, brand, size, and style.

The seller’s statement should focus on the feedback that has been left. If the shirt was actually the correct color, brand, size, and style, the seller’s statement should say so. If the seller chooses to submit pictures, they should show the color, brand, size, and style. In this case, one picture of the sleeve length, one of the neck tag, one of the chest logo (if any), and one that clearly shows the color would be very effective in making his case.

If the buyer chooses to submit a statement, it should be consistent with the feedback that he left, and make clear that the shirt was the wrong color, brand, size, and style. If he chooses to submit pictures, they should be of the same type recommended for the seller, and should show the color, brand, size, and style. In this case, one picture of the sleeve length, one of the neck tag, one of the chest logo (if any), and one that clearly shows the color would be very effective in making his case.

Remember that the jury members are your fellow eBay members. They buy and sell on eBay regularly, and are participating in this process as volunteers. Put yourself in their position, and think about what information you would like if you were asked to decide one of these cases.

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