Account Restricted Due to Greek Post to US Postal Suspension - eBay Not Honoring Seller Protections
Hello fellow sellers,
I'm reaching out because I'm in a frustrating situation and hoping for advice or visibility from eBay staff who monitor these forums.
My Situation:
I've been an eBay member since 2009 (17 years). My account has been fully restricted - selling privileges suspended, all listings ended, payouts on hold - due to a high "Seller Fault Unfulfilled" rate.
The Problem:
ALL FOUR of my defects were caused by the Greek postal service (ELTA) suspending shipments to the United States. This suspension began on August 26, 2025, due to the new US tariff requirements. This was a government postal action - completely beyond my control.
What I Did:
Immediately contacted all affected US buyers
Apologized and explained the situation
Issued full refunds to everyone
Removed the United States from my shipping destinations
My Actual Performance:
Item Not Received Rate: 0%
Significantly Not As Described Rate: 0%
Seller Standard: "Above Standard" in ALL markets (Global, US, UK, DE)
The Issue With eBay's Response:
eBay publicly announced seller protections for exactly this situation. They stated: "We'll automatically remove Late Shipment Rate defects, Seller Cancellation defects and related Negative or Neutral Feedback received for sellers outside of the US who are shipping items to US buyers."
My cancelled orders occurred in November-December 2025 - clearly AFTER eBay's August 29, 2025 protection policy date. Greece was one of 43+ countries whose postal services suspended US shipments.
Yet when I appealed, support told me there is "no manual process for restoration" and suggested I continue as a buyer.
My Questions:
Has anyone else from Greece (or other affected EU countries) experienced this?
How did you get eBay to apply the seller protections they announced?
Is there an escalation path beyond standard customer service?
I've submitted a formal appeal with documentation including the official ELTA announcement, but I'm being stonewalled by what appears to be scripted responses that don't address the specific facts of my case.
Any advice or visibility would be greatly appreciated. After 17 years of good standing, I believe I deserve to have this properly reviewed.
SR# 1-501762166445
Thank you.
12345jamesstamps
·7 months agoWhen a seller has to give a return label or / and refund...give the refund...and don't let eBay do it.
I shipped something to Greece and it got lost I assume...I just refund the buyer and continue on selling.
gone.c-33
·7 months agoThe protection wasn’t forever. 3 months elapsed between the beginning of the ban and the transactions which caused the defects, why did you wait so long to remove the US from your shipping destinations?