Internet Law
Buyer’s Negative Feedback on eBay Sparks Threat of Seller Libel Lawsuit
Posted Oct 27, 2008, 10:14 am CST
By Martha Neil
A buyer's complaint that a cell phone he purchased on eBay was damaged and not the advertised model has sparked a threatened libel lawsuit by the seller.
Although Joel Jones gave Chris Read a refund, he says the negative feedback that Read publicly posted on the auction website has damaged his business, reports the London Times. Read contends his comments were true.
The suit apparently would be filed in the United Kingdom, whose demand procedures Jones has been following in threatening suit.
The current eBay buyer feedback system is controversial, because sellers don't have an opportunity to respond to negative comments, the newspaper notes. "A new system will be launched later this month to allow sellers legitimately to ask buyers to revoke negative feedback if a dispute has been resolved."