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Purchased an item. It is held up in customs. Seller won't respond. eBay offers no means to contact them. NONE.
Summary: ascension-its expressed frustration with a seller on eBay who did not deliver an item and the perceived lack of support from eBay due to a missed 30-day complaint window. lady_madonna, responding as a volunteer mentor, clarified the policy and suggested contacting the payment provider to dispute the charge. Despite this, ascension-its argued that eBay should intervene in exceptional cases, especially for long-standing customers, and expressed dissatisfaction with eBay's customer service policy and support mechanisms. The discussion highlighted differing views on responsibility and customer support on the platform.
Seller had good reviews. Even though I contacted seller before the 30 days, it is now after 30 days. And hence (I did not know this), seller is not concerned with me. They are purposefully not responding because they are playing off the fact that eBay offers zero support to buyers after this 30 day period -- even though I HAVE DOCUMENTED PROOF that the item was never delivered; I doubt it was ever shipped!
I am going to turn away from eBay and never look back. As a seller, I will sell elsewhere as well. I have been a valid good seller/buyer on eBay for over 30 years. But now offering no means to talk -- even by chat -- I am opting to go elsewhere, and NEVER look back. I am furious (and rightly so). Without representation this business will fall. It has begun. I am leaving over this.
I should not have to wade through pages and pages of chat/ contact us/ to realize that there is NOW no way to even contact eBay. They say there is, but there isn't.
Shame on you eBay!
ascension-its
OP3 weeks ago · EditedI have no way to contact ebay. The means for chatting has been purposefully obviated by eBay. I am an upset customer that is getting no response from a seller. My item is caught up in customs. EBay is allowing their sellers to utilize their new policies to ignore customers. Since there is no representation, China is now able to just not send things and often people won't be able to respond until 30 days or more. China knows this. Pretty simple math.
I have no representation. And no way to make restitution.
EBay will probably put a comment on this from a mentor suggesting it is my fault. What about the seller's fault? They didn't send me anything! And I have no way of contacting eBay about it. I don't want eBay to intervene I simply want them to make their seller do the right thing.
lady_madonna
Mentor3 weeks agoAdditionally....
You wrote: "EBay is allowing their sellers to utilize their new policies to ignore customers."
The 30 day Ebay Money Back Guarantee is NOT a "new" policy.
You wrote: "China is now able to just not send things and often people won't be able to respond until 30 days or more."
The Ebay MBG is valid for 30 days from latest estimated date of DELIVERY, not date of purchase.
There IS a way to contact Ebay Customer Service, but that would be a moot point.
I learned the hard way long ago to NEVER purchase from Ebay sellers located in China.
I sincerely wish you luck in obtaining a refund of your money from your funding source.
ascension-its
OP3 weeks agoi see you so you just refute everything we say. and disregard all our needs.
once trust is gone, the rest of your customer base will be as well.
I'm done with companies that don't care. you can hide all you wish; the facts remain. I have a package that YOU GUYS KNOW was not shipped; and you OFFER NO HELP!
ascension-its
OP3 weeks agoThe right thing for eBay to do is to simply contact the seller; then, eBay should flatly tell them to make restitution with a customer they have slighted. There needs to be MODERATION for your sellers! I should NOT have to hold your hand on this. I should NOT have to explain this.
Really???? Absurd.
You are turning your back on your customers in favor of sellers that don't care, and are knowingly illicit. It is willful deceit. They get their money, you get your money, and your customers get lies ... and disregard. That sums it up in a nutshell. It's thievery -- pure and simple.
Moreover, I cannot contact eBay whatsoever. You said I can; but I can't. The system won't let me talk to you via chat or phone. It's the perfect means for foreign sellers to have their way with us. But you guys don't mind!!!
Your fancy displacement of responsibility via gaslighting is obvious to any who read along.
lady_madonna
Mentor3 weeks ago · EditedThis is not Ebay's fault.
When the estimated date of delivery had passed by at least 1 day, you had 30 days to file a Refund Request/Item Not Received. Never let that deadline pass.
EDITED TO ADD: You may be able to contact the funding source you used to pay for the item to dispute the charge.
ascension-its
OP3 weeks ago · EditedThis is not a simple situation. I deserve the right to talk with EBay. 😌
I think you may be working ($$$) for eBay by your attitude on this matter. Yes, I understand rules are rules, but this is a special instance that does necessitate some intervention on eBay's part. They have a seller who is breaking the law. If I have a question concerning this matter I should be able to contact eBay someway. Whether they then intervene or not would be up to them. But right now I have no means of representation in a special situation that has extenuating circumstances. I had no idea they would be this inflexible to a long-standing customer. Moreover, I was not aware of this policy. I used to be able to reach eBay somehow; and I would never consider this company to shift their Paradigm so far away from customer cordiality.
I will need to publicize this grievance to as many people as I know until this news of customer abuse spreads. It is the truth. They should have a means to contact them in this instance. If not to step in then at least to help me contact the seller. And to make the seller respond to me. The way they are doing it it is like an Open Door for sellers to skip off from their responsibilities.
What civil and appreciative company would put a limiting date on seller obligation to deliver and respond? And then blame the customer for waiting patiently for customs resolution. I don't buy things from China all the time. How am I to know this? Sorry for being patient. I expect a company such as eBay to be there for me and I never questioned that they wouldn't be there for me. My bad.
I disagree with you completely. They are absolutely responsible to help me.
I have no way to resolve this. eBay needs to have a bold headline at the top of their page that says even if you contact the seller prior to 30 days and they don't respond to you, we still will not help you. I did the right thing! I went to the customer instead of immediately to ebay. And now I am at fault? I don't think so. What a ridiculous and self-serving "rule". Who would ever consider it?
I think some decent customer reconciliation is most needed in this situation. Like I said, I am amazed how they would treat a long-standing customer/seller. I could understand if I had received shipment that they would not help me. That would be all right. But when it shows held by customs and never received or delivered, they need to do the right thing.
Every so-called rule has an exception. This is clearly one of those.
lady_madonna
Mentor3 weeks ago · EditedI do NOT work for Ebay. Just a volunteer mentor that assists other Ebay members.
All buyers should be aware of Ebay's Money Back Guarantee policy: https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/ebay-money-back-guarantee-policy/ebay-money-back-guarantee-policy?id=4210
Unfortunately for you, Ebay will not intervene due to the expiration of the 30 day Money Back Guarantee even with your "long standing" history as an Ebay member. I know this is disheartening to hear, but Ebay cannot make exceptions to their rules. I have first hand self knowledge of that, unfortunately.
Ebay WOULD have helped you if you went through the proper steps to get your money refunded.
Ebay cannot force the seller to contact you, nor provide you with the seller's contact information.
As already advised, contact your bank/credit card company to dispute the charge.