Can I appeal an unfair rating?

[Twindog]

Can I appeal a feedback rating. I was the buyer and paid promptly.

An issue arose when the seller's package arrived sealed and empty. I pm'd the seller and asked how he wanted to deal with it, and he said it was my problem. So I dropped it. I don't know if the knife got stolen or fell out of the package or if it wasn't shipped and have made no such claims.

I posted my feedback of the transaction as a negative experience, saying that I received an empty package with no knife for reasons unknown and that the seller said the problem is mine. In the extended comments, I acknowledged that I did not request insurance.

I think this feedback caused the seller to file a negative feedback on me as revenge. But I paid promptly and never said a bad thing to the seller. Nor did I accuse him of anything. He has the money and I'm out $220 and the knife. I know I won't get my money back, and maybe the loss is my responsibility. I'm not asking for anything. But I acted as a responsible buyer and caused no trouble and should not have a negative rating associated with my dealings.

I purchased the knife from Thefly01. His other ratings have been good, too. I don't want to post this in the hall of shame because I don't know what happened to the knife or who was to blame. Just want my name cleared.
I asked thefly01 to change his negative rating but received no reply.
He says that he has a receipt that shows he sent the package weighing 8.5 oz. That may be true. I don’t know, and I didn’t ask for the receipt because he is not going to return my money or share the loss in any event. When I received the empty box, the postmaster weighed it at 2.5 oz. I EDC my own Manix, like the knife I purchased, and it and the box together weighed 9 oz. If you add in the Spyderco box and enough packing to keep things from rolling around, the package should have weighed well more than 9 oz. On the advice of the postmaster, I refused delivery, so the package is going back to thefly01 where he can verify everything I’ve said.
I understand the arguments that either or both the seller and buyer in this case can be responsible. I’m not arguing that. I’m not asking for my money back. I’m not trying to get PayPal to get my money back. I’m not accusing thefly01 of anything. I don’t know what happened. But I paid promptly, communicated politely and did not challenge thefly01’s position that I’m totally responsible for the lost/stolen knife.
All I want and deserve is my good name back. I have tried to deal with this privately, but a moderator said that posting here is the correct procedure. Thefly01 is wrong to post anything negative about me.
Here’s the sale thread link:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=653985
[FONT=&quot]Spyderco FG Manix NIB CC#49![/FONT]

 

[Esav Benyamin]

Go to your profile and click on View all feedbacks for Twindog. You will see the Rating Summary and Options. The third option is a triangle with an exclamation point: mouse over it and you will see Report Bad Rating. Click on that.

* ****** **** ****** *

Personally, I say you got robbed. By whom? He got his money, you got nothing. It is the responsibility of the sender to get the knife to the buyer. He didn't, for whatever reason. He owes you a knife or your money back.

Insurance has nothing to do with it. It is to the seller's advantage to have insurance to help him recover the loss that he has incurred by the knife not arriving. It is not the buyer's responsibility until the knife is in his hands.

 

[Twindog]

Thanks, Esav. That's the way I looked at it, but when someone is unwilling to take responsibility there is not much that can be done. It was the giving of me a negative rating that was too much for me.

I'll try the link you mentioned.

Josey

 

[type00rev]

Was the package externally damaged in any way?

 

[Twindog]

It was partially crushed, but otherwise sealed with tape. There were no holes, and the box was not ripped. Thefly01 says he didn't put any tape on it, so it may be come open or been broken into and then retaped. I don't know.

Based on the weight he says it had when shipped, my best guess is that thefly01 sent the knife without proper packing or tape. The Manix is a heavy knife, and it could have gotten out of an untaped package, especially if it were dropped or thrown around. It may be in a lost and found somewhere.

But I really don't know. All I know is that the box was sealed and empty when it got to me. It was sent back to thefly01 unopened, and the USPS tracking system says he has it.