You would think that the reduced anonymity might count for anything, but apparently it doesn't. I bought a small wagon from a seller who apparently orders them in bulk from China for resale here in the States. It was still taped in its box, so I couldn't preview it before buying it; she wouldn't let me, and my round-trip drive for this thing had totaled to a bit over an hour (despite seeing some nice scenes, sure), so I didn't want to drive back empty-handed. Yet I only found out after I got home, opened it, and assembled it that the handle is loose.
This was a damaged-box product which is why it sold on a fire discount of just $15, but even so I told her about the handle and she basically said that I knew what I was getting into when I bought it at such a price. After I said that while I suspect that the handle may fall off in half a year, she didn't need to be so defensive, either, she suddenly blocked me out of the blue. The listing disappeared from my view and I have no idea of how to reach this person apart from possibly trying to have a friend who she hasn't blocked to review-bomb her on my behalf. I have not done that yet because I don't want to expose my friend to unknown inconveniences.
Ironically, she had at least 4.6โ that I can recall. I think this is how mass FBM sellers of new products (as opposed to one-time used ones) keep their ratings high: by blocking anyone showing the slightest sign of critique so that they literally cannot leave a negative review. I had no idea that FBM functioned like this. I thought that despite blocking, at least the listing would still be available.
I almost thought about planning a visit some time to egg her house (since that's where I met her for it), but I'll be a better human than that and not do something so lowly. I'm now wondering if maybe this person's sales can be reported for tax evasion, come to think of it...
It went to shit during Covid. Overnight it became the land of "NO LOWBALL OFFERS I KNOW WHUT I GOT" and you can usually find the same item on ebay for cheaper including shipping.