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Mon May 13 2024 10:28:45

A Seller Feels eBay Guardrailed Him Unfairly

By: Reader

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Dear Ina,
Recently a buyer opened a return (not a SNAD) because "she just didn't need it". We had no problem with that and we accepted the return. eBay gave the buyer a date to return the item by.

After that deadline passed, we received an email from eBay asking us if the buyer had returned the item. The buyer had not. eBay gave us an option for opening a case which we did. Within 24 hours eBay placed the case on hold.

Within a few days we received the buyer's return, but since the case was on hold we had no way of refunding the buyer. After a few weeks eBay closed the case in the buyer's favor. To add insult to injury, part of eBay's verbiage was "please note that buyers who shop online expect a seamless experience and we work closely with the eBay community to make the returns process as easy as possible." We made the returns process easy. The buyer did not follow through with a timely delivery back to us. eBay complicated the returns process.

Once again, as it relates to buyers, the rules really don't apply. eBay most always moves the goal post for buyers, and as a result, sellers are punished for actually following the rules.

Additionally, once we opened the case, we noticed that our normal sales of 5-10 items per day changed to about 1 item per day. Did eBay guardrail us for opening a case? That would appear to be the case.

As a seller, you just can't win on eBay. eBay seems to delight in punishing sellers, despite how stellar their reputation is on eBay and despite how long that they have sold on eBay.

Name withheld for fears of retaliation.

Comments (5) | Permalink

Readers Comments

A Seller Feels eBay Guardrailed Him Unfairly

by: DTSM

Mon May 13 11:41:41 2024

Lesson learned. Do not open a case in this circumstance. The buyer missed the return time window. Sometimes being the nice guy gets you bitten in the end.

You can probably call eBay and after talking to 6 to 10 different reps, get the defect removed. Be persistent.

A Seller Feels eBay Guardrailed Him Unfairly

by: airbrake

Mon May 13 15:16:15 2024

The same thing has happened with me twice since January on Ebay. In both instances, I did not open a case, as the OP states, Ebay decided to open it for me on their own. Once I did receive the items back (late), Ebay decided in favor of the Buyers and then closed the cases. I could not refund the Buyers until the cases closed (by Ebay), which was 14 days after the cases were opened. My sales also dropped. This proves once and for all, there is NO Seller protection on Ebay and Buyers may do as they please regardless of Ebay rules.

Try to contact Ebay and get the defect removed? You must be joking. I tried more than 6 -10 times, both on the phone and in writing with no results, just a thank you for Selling on Ebay for so long.

A Seller Feels eBay Guardrailed Him Unfairly

by: pace306

Mon May 13 23:36:17 2024

Another story about dealings with the San Jose Mafia.

1) eBay hates sellers, loves buyers
2) buyers can do no wrong, sellers can do no right
3) dates are exact for sellers, fungible for sellers
4) eBay does not want to eat chargebacks (part and parcel of online commerce), so therefore eBay will lie, cheat and steal to insure they arent on the hook for one. If that means screwing you the seller then "so be it". "You are taking "one" for the "team"".

I've had this a few times with returns, where the dates (goalposts) for the buyers return window changes. His dog died, his pickup broke, his girl ran off with the mailman etc. Does eBay care? No ("and why should they - where will you go? Mercari is in freefall, Poshmark is no where, and "if you could be on Amazon, you would be - instead of being on eBay)(NOT that Amazon arent crooks - they are - just in a different way).

Im involved in a case where I have 5 (five, cinqo, pet, fem, vijf)(other ways of saying FIVE) SO#s for 1 case ... and the brain trusts in San Jose STILL cant/wont solve it.

Seller Protection?

The greatest trick eBay ever pulled was convincing the world that seller protection exists.

Over the past few years, eBays "Seller Protection" has become an urban legend, "a spook story that sellers tell their kids at night". "Make a sale where the customer switches or damages your item" and eBays Seller Protection will be there for you. No sane person truly believes its real, but eBay lackeys HERE and elsewhere continue to build up its reputation, and it is enough to make it the bogeyman of the criminal online world.

A Seller Feels eBay Guardrailed Him Unfairly

by: my2cents

Tue May 14 03:05:46 2024

What kind of a case is the OP and airbrake referring to? I'm not aware of any kind of "case" a seller can open. Would someone please provide more details so I can better understand.

A Seller Feels eBay Guardrailed Him Unfairly

by: airbrake

Tue May 14 04:09:04 2024

@my2cents

Perhaps you should re-read what I wrote. EBAY opened the cases on their own and not with the Buyers consent or with any consent or advice from me. Ebay would not close the cases once the items were received by me. Ebay chose to close the cases when they saw fit. I could not close the cases and refund the money to the Buyers. A refund was sent to the Buyers only after Ebay closed the cases. I would suppose Ebay was hanging onto the money for more interest. In my two returns, Ebay closed the cases 9 business days after I received the items delivered to me.

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