eBay's refund and claims process - is it fair?
Summary: The discussion centers around the frustration sellers face with eBay's process for handling lost packages and claims. gregmm highlights the disparity between quick buyer refunds and the lengthy 60-day claim processing time for sellers. inhawaii and others argue that eBay isn't responsible for shipping claims, which are typically handled by carriers. Several participants, including lrelliott and gregmm, express dissatisfaction with eBay's policies, suggesting that eBay takes fees immediately but isn't as prompt in resolving seller issues. Discussion also includes suggestions for potential improvements and clarifications regarding carriers' reimbursement policies. mykhailo_hut introduces a tool to help sellers track their case status and deadlines.
When a sold item is lost in shipping a shipping claim can not be made for 30 days with eBay. Then the seller has to wait a extra 30 days to be paid on that filed claim. So now it is a minimum of 60 days. So eBay says I need I have to refund the buyer with in 10 days of the claim opened of not received according to eBay. I have no issue with the refund at that point But why is eBay not held to the same slandered of pay out of lost items. 60 days before they even start looking at the claim for payout. Any thoughs
babyers88
·1 week ago@gregmm sounds like you used shipcover? instead of the carriers insurance option, which you can indeed purchase up to $1000, beyond that value if you want additional coverage then ship cover is a "option". if you subscribe to shipcover it is defaulted but is NOT the only option.
at any rate if shipcover was used they do have a customer service number 877-325-2462
it is 99.99% likely you will have to leave a message, but explain the problem brief and concise and then wait and see.
it may indeed take 60 days if things do not go well, such is life. This is not ALWAYS going to be the case every time.
hartungcards
·2 weeks agoSounds like 42 seconds of my life I'd never get back.
bdmh-enterprises
·2 weeks agoYou don't make the insurance claim with eBay you make it with the carrier. For USPS you can file a claim after 7 days. They sent me a check within 2 weeks.
As for refunding, with eBay reimbursing if an item is later delivered, why would you wait any amount of time to refund on an INR much less 10 days? That's only going to further irritate the buyer..
gregmm
OP2 weeks agoNot any longer the insurance is by a carrier ebay has a port of you can not buy it from Fedex, Ups or USPS on ebay fior the last 18 months
bdmh-enterprises
·2 weeks agoWhat are you talking about?? Unless you're shipping Media Mail, all the carriers provide $100 of initial coverage. If you need additional insurance you can choose between the carrier and Ship Cover when you buy the label, even if you choose SC you still collect the initial $100 from the carrier. Nothing has changed in the last 18 months...
gregmm
OP2 weeks agoYou can no longer pick the extra coverage Over $100 from ANY one other then ebay on ebay. Look it up I
bdmh-enterprises
·2 weeks agoI looked it up...
gregmm
OP1 week agoIt is not the shippers coverage that you post. it is Ebays own insurance coverage for that shipper. Ebays partner provides the coverage . and it does not cover the label cost. Also You can not make a claim on lost packages for 30 days Unlike every one else of 15 days . Then they say the buyer needs to respond to a email that they did not receive the package ( even if ebay opened a claim for them) as the company that ebay partners with says they have to receive that response or email to process the claim. My buyer who I believe them says they never got that email . I was on the phone with them for over an hour to look for it. What happens then is the insurance says you must wait another 30 days then they will send a email with a ALTERNATIVE way of collecting the claim. I know i AM GOING THROUGH IT RIGHT NOW ON A $500 ITEM.
christworks
·4 days ago@gregmm Do not provide account information to the user who posted this. They are spamming the board with their services and there posts are being reported as such.
tobaccocardyahoo
·4 days agoUntrue.
Shipcover is now the default, but you can use the dropdown menu to select the carrier's coverage.
At least on the Ebay site. If you use an app, you may have limited capability - many limited capabilities.
luckythewinner
·2 weeks agoBecause when it comes to eBay, it is eBay that sets the standard that eBay is held to.
mykhailo_hut
·2 weeks agoThe difficult part here seems to be having one deadline for refunding the buyer and a completely different timeline for recovering your own loss. Did eBay give you one clear place showing what you had to do first, the deadlines involved, and when you could realistically expect your money back?
gregmm
OP2 weeks agoNo Also The insurance told me today that ebay sends the buyer a link to confirm they did not receive the item. then the insurance processes the claim . The buyer says they did not get it. I was on the phone with them for over 1 hour and we went through every message ebay has sent from the time this started. ( It seems other sellers say there buyers never receive that link ether. I called bay today and was told they can not resend that link . so the work around is i will have to wait another 30 days and then supply the insurance provider with ebays proof that I refunded the buyer and the case was ended.
mam98031
·2 weeks ago@gregmm Because it is NOT Ebay that controls this process, it is the Carrier. Ebay has no authority over the Carrier you used nor can they dictate their policies.
But when a package does go awry, there are a couple things you should do right away. There are things a seller should do immediately when they see that a package is not moving like it should. A seller should do this even if the buyer has not reached out to them with a delivery issue or filed and INR.
First go to USPS and call up the tracking number.
https://tools.usps.com/tracking/
Once you call up the information, now sign up for the UPDATES you can get via Email. This act alone for some reason will shake a package loose from time to time. IDK why, but it has been known to happen.
After you take care of this. Now go and file for a TRACE on the package. You can file these after your package is delayed more than 7 days.
https://www.usps.com/help/missing-mail.htm
gregmm
OP2 weeks agoI was on it after 3 days of no movement and all i would get is you need to give it some time. I have been on ebay from 1998 Doing this a long time . Every time you get a handle on it ebay changes the playing field. and makes it harder.
lrelliott
·2 weeks agoI am having the same issue but with different details.....Seems eBay is ALL ABOUT TIMELY for all involved but not for eBay unless its the fees or costs THEY TAKE OFF THE TOP THE VERY SECOND MY BELONGINGS SELL!!!
I am shifting to other sales platforms. I cant stand much less afford to pay eBay 40 % of my earnings and then have to fight, sometimes for weeks for a $15 payout, on a daily payout schedule and continuing to sell my possessions the whoie time. Plus eBay has literally faked a sale, then cancelled it...simply to withhold my payouts and it should absolutely be illegal what they do!!!
pickapaper
·2 weeks ago@lrelliott You are making some statements without explaining or giving details about what you are talking about. Please explain and give examples of how you are paying eBay 40% of your earnings. And what do you mean you have to "fight" (sometimes for weeks) for your payout? And please explain how eBay faked a sale.
You can complain about things but unless you give details, it is hard to respond to your complaints.
inhawaii
·2 weeks ago · EditedYes, eBay wants to make sure you refund the buyer in a timely manner.
But eBay has nothing to do with your lost package claim and how long it takes to get reimbursed. That's between you and ther usps.
lrelliott
·2 weeks agoI dont really agree with that 100%....the shippers lost it yes, but eBay has taken the final value fees, listing fees, promo costs, sales tax and shipping cost from all parties and wants the buyer to not only lose their property...but reimburse the buyer, and fast....and take losses on the final value fee, the listing fee, the promo fee and the shipping cost because after all....the sale was complete and they didnt lose the package.
BUT EBAY CAN TAKE 2 FULL MONTHS BEFORE EVEN ACKNOWLEDGING THERE IS AN ISSUE to the very sellers that make eBay able to be the trillion dollar company it is.
For most sellers, this would completely destroy their sales...and then eBay will reduce their seller level for not resolving the issue fast enough. That means you are limited on how many things you can list, categories you can even list in, how fast you get paid and on top of all that....your fees and costs actually go way up if this happens.
eBay wants the buyer satisfied quickly not to benefit the buyers or to protect the seller but to RESOLVE THE ISSUE AND CUT THE LOSSES SO EBAY CAN CONTINUE TO PROFIT FROM ALL INVOLVED NO MATTER IF THE ITEM ACTUALLY MAKES IT TO ITS DESTINATION OR NOT.
And im sorry but you cant play the middle man between evereyones dealings and then bow out and say you arent at fault, cant fix it, and dont really care when it all goes wrong.
eBay ISSUES THE LABELS and the tracking is linked to Ebay.....they may not be 100% in control to fix something but they are absolutely involved in the shipping.
pickapaper
·2 weeks agoWhat would be your suggestion for a solution to this? If you were in charge, how would you handle it?
gregmm
OP2 weeks ago15 days to open a claim after a lost item as are most other shipping insurance, second after a 30 days at most total from filing the claim needs to be paid.
gregmm
OP2 weeks agoYes ebay does As ebay by way of a 3ed party provides insurance and gets a cut. So they may not have lost the package but are responsible for the pay out. And lets not forget eBay does not allow you to use the shipping provider insurance any longer that has better coverage. ALL FEDEX, UPS, USPS covers the shipping costs and eBays insurance does not. So ebay makes out on the shipping also hurting the sellers even more
pickapaper
·2 weeks agoIt has always been my understanding that carriers do not reimburse shipping costs when they refund for a lost or damaged package. If this is not correct, and that they do reimburse shipping costs, please show the link.
gregmm
OP2 weeks agoYes they do I have been shipping on eBay from 1998 and they all cover the shipping cost when they lose or damage a shipment. Link below on Fedex but all three are the same . it is at the end of the page . But you can even ask eBays AI and it will confirm that.
Does FedEx reimburse the shipping cost for a lost package?
https://www.shipaid.com/blogs/ecommerce-shipping/does-fedex-compensate-for-lost-packages-an-operator-s-guide
If FedEx approves a claim for a lost package, they will typically reimburse the shipping charges in addition to the value of the goods (up to the liability limit). However, if the claim is denied because the tracking shows "delivered," they will not refund the shipping costs. Merchants using a shipping guarantee model often find it easier to recover these costs through their own revenue pool rather than fighting the carrier. For another Shopify-focused overview, see how does Shopify ship your products: a comprehensive guide to ecommerce shipping.
dhbookds
·2 weeks agoI've read that also......but I've mostly gotten the shipping included in the refund from USPS.......I put the amount into the claim. Now.........I haven't had that many claims over the years......probably 5-7.....and think I did appeal one that didn't include shipping and got it that way.........
tsme35
·2 weeks agoUSPS refunds shipping if lost but not if damaged, UPS refunds back actual cost you paid for shipping(lost or damages). If lost or damage ebay refunds back their fees if you follow through the process, if lost ebay has a policy if you refund a buyer for lost package and it shows up after you refunded the buyer, they refund the seller if you use ebay labels.
florida_pcsurplus
·2 weeks agoOf course they do. I just got reimbursed from usps for an item plus the cost to ship it. They sent me a check in the mail. I filed the claim after 16 days of no movement. The check was in my hand a week later.
gregmm
OP2 weeks agoThat's only the auto $100 that comes with the basic shipping. anything over that you have to buy from ebay. and that insurance does not cover shipping costs.
christworks
·4 days ago · Edited@pickapaper The carriers to reimburse shipping costs. FedEx and UPS include it with the cost of item - so it is one claim for both. USPS had a seperate claims process, one for the item and one for the postage. The latter of which could be filed and paid out by your local USPS if you use the the approved claim for the item as your support document. I have read some posts here and elsewhere that USPS has streamlined and it is one claim. I personally cannot verify that as it was not the case the last time I filed earlier this year.