27 years and eBay is finally pushing me out!
Been a buyer and seller on eBay for 27 years, not a business, just casual. Just always too many rule changes, that are not transparent. This last one is probably going to cost me. eBay allowed a seller to list an item in an improper category, I did not notice what category it was in, nor did I know it made a difference. The $500 item turned out to be defective. Found out the category it was listed in does not allow returns, did not know they had such a thing. The seller listed 30 free returns. I have contacted eBay customer service and all I got was for me to contact the seller and return it. Asked what happens when the seller refuses to make good on the listed 30 return. No response from the customer service agent. I have had enough, no way to contact anybody with eBay.
simba6
·10 months agoIf you paid by credit card, contact your card company.
admart_786
·11 months agoI totally get where you’re coming from. eBay keeps changing stuff and making it harder for regular people who’ve been around for years. The rules are buried and half the time even customer service doesn’t seem to know what’s going on.
It’s ridiculous that a seller can list something in the wrong category and eBay just shrugs. If they advertise 30-day free returns, that should mean something — not “ depends on which category we feel like enforcing today.â€
I’ve had the same problem trying to reach someone who actually helps. The system’s broken and it feels like eBay only cares about protecting sellers that make them the most money.
monica-sells
·11 months ago@fishing-101
something is not adding up for me...so....
what is the item number of the inverter?
What happens if you go to your purchase history and choose the option to "Return This Item"???
You are telling me that ANY seller can list in this category an item under $1000.00 and it is excluded from the MBG? The Business Equipment Purchase Protection program (BEPP) does not cover under $1000.00, I get that, but the category can't exclude items from $1.00 to $1000.00 without any MBG or everyone and their mother would list in that category anything even remotely related and be "excluded" from having to honor returns.
fishing-101
OP11 months agoThis is the item number 305778415899
When I choose to return it , a small page comes up that it is not returnable.
Item number: 305778415899
Returns accepted through Oct 31, 2025.
That is what is on the purchase receipt. Find the details about the MBG and you will find that this is a fact.
12345jamesstamps
·11 months ago'paid with eBay gift cards'...for a $500. dollar item.
That was the mistake.
Why not use a debit card?...heck, one can do a dispute with a debit card.
gone.c-33
·11 months agoSince the seller offers free returns, have you opened a return request? Once you get a label and return the item, the seller can’t go back on the refund once the item shows to be delivered.
fishing-101
OP11 months agoSeller offers free returns, can not open a return request, with eBay's policy on the category. Customer service was no help at all. There is no one else, nobody any higher up will ever call or help. I asked customer service about the fact they state a return policy and received no answer. Even in the listing eBay inserts the "Breath Easy you are covered"
kensgiftshop
·11 months agoIf it was listed in a category not covered by the MBG, even if you could contact Ebay, there's not much they would do.
What is the item #?
fishing-101
OP11 months agoSolar Inverter. I have purchased from this seller 3 other times, completely happy.
So why did they purposely list the item in the wrong category? I never noticed and had no idea about the MBG.
fishing-101
OP11 months agoThis is the item number 305778415899
klhmdg
·11 months agoFile a Credit Card dispute with your CC.
fishing-101
OP11 months agoPaid with eBay gift cards. Which I am sure eBay will not do anything. Since this entire issue is sanctioned by them.
monica-sells
·11 months agoJust so we know what we're dealing with, what category is exempt from the MBG?
fishing-101
OP11 months agoThe category is
Business & Industrial
It may have to be a certain sub category, I tried to copy and paste the whole line, but it would not.
Its not completely excluded, it is excluded for anything under $1000.00. Over that and it is more complex.
The item is not in the proper category, eBay knows it, but does not care.
There is a big influx of scammers using it, because eBay will not do anything.
monroe67
·11 months ago"The item is not in the proper category, eBay knows it, but does not care."
eBay allows sellers to choose the category in which they list their items for sale.
Actually, it may be more accurate to say that eBay requires sellers to choose the category for their listings.
As such, eBay must trust sellers to list their items in the proper categories, with accurate descriptions and photos.
It is not that eBay "does not care." eBay simply cannot monitor each and every one of the thousands upon thousands of new listings added every day.
Not without increasing their Final Value Fees or creating something like a Monitoring Fee.
fishing-101
OP11 months agoI agree a certain amount. But when something is brought to there attention and they do nothing, that is because they do not care. I have seen and reported a few listing violations in the past, never seen eBay take any kind of action.
fishing-101
OP10 months agoI never chose this as the best answer, I never chose any answer. What is up with this? eBay has software that picks up on what you are listing and automatically will NOT let you list wherever you want. Does it work all the time- probably not, are certain high volume sellers excluded- maybe, should eBay take notice once they are informed- not if they already know and are making money on it.
fishing-101
OP11 months agoThis is the item number 305778415899. Can not copy the full category.
glorybells
·11 months agoThe fact that the seller is located in China, and that they have poor feedback, should have been red flags not to buy from them. You need to really check out sellers when planning any high price purchases.
fishing-101
OP11 months agoYes they are located in China, they have some bad feedback. I have purchased from them before, including 3 other inverters, that are running just fine. Better than a USA company, that was still made in China. In this case it becomes eBay that you have to watch out for, and the fact that they will not force compliance on what is listed.