Protections for all sellers
If eBay finds a buyer's behavior is abusive, it will take action on the buyer and remove negative and neutral feedback and defects, including opened cases in service metrics. In serious cases or repeated abusive behavior, eBay may suspend the buyer's account.
Example situations:
- An item is returned after it was used or damaged by the buyer
- A buyer retracted their bid or didn't pay
- A buyer demanded something not offered in the original listing
You can assist eBay and Report a buyer clearly describing what they are doing. This will help eBay investigate potential policy violations and take actions to protect you and the whole eBay community.
1.
First of all, keep an eye out for messages from your buyers and respond promptly. This is the best way to try to resolve any issues before they become official cases.
2.
The issue hasn't been solved? Your buyer can open a request — that is, officially notify eBay about the problem. The buyer can open a request if:
- The item hasn’t arrived
- The item arrived, but it is not as described (or faulty, damaged, missing parts or pieces)
3.
Once a request has been opened, you have 3 business days to resolve the issue. Depending on the circumstances of the request, you can:
- Provide tracking, if you haven’t done so already
- Refund the buyer the full amount including the original shipping costs
- Send a message to the buyer If you’d like to speak directly, i.e. to offer a replacement
4.
If you can’t resolve the buyer’s issue, or disagree with their reasons for opening a request, the request may become a dispute. You can ask eBay to help if necessary, and buyers can also ask eBay to help if they are not satisfied with the resolution offered.
You don't have to ask eBay to step in immediately after the 3 business days though – if you're still working things through with the buyer, you generally have up to 21 business days.
5.
Then eBay will review the details, and aim to resolve it in the fairest way possible. You and the buyer can expect to receive a resolution within 48 hours.
6.
If eBay determines that you are responsible for providing a refund to the buyer, it will issue the refund and then seek reimbursement from you.
Please note that you will not receive fee credits, and the case will be counted as “closed without seller resolution”, which can affect your seller performance level.
7.
If you disagree with the resolution, you can appeal by providing new information within 30 calendar days of the case being closed.
Payment disputes
If your buyer is unhappy with the order, they may open a dispute with their payment institution (PayPal, credit card provider, etc). For example, the buyer changed their mind or didn't receive their item — and initiates a chargeback.
In this case, the payment institution will handle the process with the buyer and make the final decision regarding the refund. Depending on the circumstances, you may need to cover the cost of the refund and/or pay a dispute fee.
Important nuances:
- Buyers cannot use more than one resolution method to get a refund. If a buyer opens a dispute, an open order cancellation, or reports that an item hasn't arrived, any return requests or eBay Money Back Guarantee cases for the same transaction are immediately closed
- When a dispute is opened, you'll receive a notification from eBay. You must respond to the dispute within 5 calendar days of receiving the notification
