DDP shipment delayed by US Customs – seller fault classification issue
Hello,
I am posting this as a policy consistency question, not a defect removal appeal.
I had a cross-border shipment sent via FedEx DDP with Adult Signature Required.
The item was shipped on time, but was held for an extended period by U.S. Customs (Oakland).
FedEx confirmed the item was not lost, only under customs clearance.
During the delay, I responded to all buyer messages on time and shared carrier updates.
An INR case was opened and later escalated while the item was still in customs, and a refund was issued.
However, the item was ultimately delivered with Adult Signature confirmation.
The buyer acknowledged receipt and completed a return using an eBay return label. The return is already completed.
Despite this, the transaction is permanently classified as
“Cases closed without seller resolution†and recorded as a seller performance defect.
My question is about policy consistency:
Under DDP, customs clearance is outside the seller’s control.
If a DDP shipment is delayed by customs but later successfully delivered (and even returned),
is it correct that this is still automatically classified as a seller fault
based only on the delivery status at the escalation moment?
This is not about reopening the case, but about whether this classification
aligns with eBay’s DDP model and Seller Protection intent for events beyond seller control.
I would appreciate clarification from an eBay staff member or Seller Performance team.
Thank you.
ryry-jj
·8 months agoAt this point send an invoice via PayPal or some sort to the buyer. eBay will not respond to you, everything you stated is consistent with their policy....buyers buy, sellers ship, if not received by expected date, buyers can file a claim, if seller cant proof delivery, buyers are refunded.
Many parts of the shipping process are out of sellers control, unfortunately. We all have to live by them. US customs, nor any countries customs, care what eBay policy is. Foreign sellers take on more uncontrolled risks. And eBay is not going to explain to you any more than what is written, regardless if you think it is inconsistent or not. Some sales and shipments are just at a greater risk to getting smoked than others
slippinjimmy
·8 months agoThe fact it was shipped from Japan, that DDP service was used are irrelevant, when an INR refund request is escalated, eBay forces the refund, fees are not refunded and the seller gets a Defect. This applies to all orders, international and domestic.
The only way to avoid this is to attempt to get an extension BEFORE it is escalated or voluntarily refund.