I find ebay highly discriminating
I am in the sutuation that a buyer asked for a refund stating the item is damage as The reason but than stating that actually the item does not fit her. Ebay blocked my funds straigh away but one agent told me that of course is ubfair that the buyer gave a misleading reason.
After waiting for my item to be return while the buyer did not reply I contacted again an agent. Just to be told that the buyer has 10 days to return or respond while me as a seller have less. When asked why I was answered that ebay thinks that the buyer is less experienced than the seller. I find it totalky ofending and discriminating, iljnethical at the same time for such a big company to assume someone is better than other. Not to mention thatbon this platform i am not onky a seller but also a buyer and probably the same is the person that bought from me. Nevertheless I was told that ebay also sent notifications to the buyer with no reply. Of course ebay is keeping my money blocked alongside with the fees I paid them for the transaction.
reallynicestamps
·2 years agoThe phone reps have a terrible reputation for getting you off the phone as soon as possible even if that means giving you the advice you want to hear instead of the advice you need to have.

https://www.facebook.com/eBayForBusiness/ — Message button in upper right on landing page.
https://www.instagram.com/ebayforsellers/

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/How-do-I-contact-Customer-Support/m-p/32016431#M1783851 -> Automated Assistant, type AGENT -> enter. You will then get more options.


The social media Chat accounts are covered by trained eBay employees with some authority.
And you get a transcript so you can compare what you heard with what you were told.
Since you are in the UK you may find more help on the UK Seller Boards, since there are differences between the national laws governing eBay.
More to the point, because you sell rarely, only one sale in the past three months, your payments are more likely to be Held since eBay assumes you are less knowledgeable about customer service than a more experienced seller.
luckythewinner
·2 years agoI find it totalky ofending and discriminating, iljnethical at the same time for such a big company to assume someone is better than other.
The customer support agent did not say one is "better" than the other - they said one is assumed to be more experienced than the other.
When a buyer is disappointed and leaves eBay, eBay loses that buyer's future purchases. But when a seller leaves eBay, eBay does not necessarily lose that seller's sales because in most cases the buyer will simply buy a similar item from a similar seller at a similar price.
eBay has been in business for two decades and has billions and billions of transactions to draw conclusions from . IMHO using that information to set policies that serve their interests is not offensive or unethical or discriminatory. It is simply common sense.
But if you find it offensive or unethical or discriminatory, you are free to leave. eBay cannot adjust policy to please the whims of every one of its 20 million sellers.
treating someone with a protected characteristic less favourably than others.
Good grief. Being an eBay buyer or seller is not a "protected characteristic".
doc-holmes
·2 years agoEbay treats each and every seller the same when it comes to this. It's quite literally the polar opposite of discrimination.
lucyg*
OP2 years agoOn ebay I am both a seller and a buyer...probably same goes for my buyer...he is a seller too. I live in UK and ebay should adhere to the following and train their customer service agents "direct discrimination - treating someone with a protected characteristic less favourably than others." We as sellers are paying huge fees and should not be treated like this.
buyselljack2016
·2 years agoYup, buyers get longer to return than we get to reply, or refund, but that's the way it is.
Buyer may have 15 or more business days to return.
If they do not ship within that time, funds on hold will be released.
Experience has nothing to do with it, and unknown why a CSR would even touch on that subject
lucyg*
OP2 years agoThe problem is that that agent even left the conversation after he made those statements. He actually insisted on them.
mtgraves7984
·2 years agoAnother thing nobody has touched on yet... the buyer's Return dispatch time. It's way longer than 7 or 10 days. (It's like Forever + 1 Day.) It does seem that CSRs should know that... sorry for your angst.
stainlessenginecovers
·2 years agoit's 21 calendar days...
ckimodog
·2 years ago@lucyg*
All buyers have a 30 day money back guarantee. They don't need a reason to return it. You need to accept the return and when you receive the item back, refund them. Your word "discriminating" doesn't apply & is unfounded.
This is business, not personal.
Here's a link that can better advise you:
https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/ebay-money-back-guarantee-policy/ebay-money-back-guarantee-policy?
Sorry for your situation. Internet sales are not for everyone.
Welcome to business.
lucyg*
OP2 years agoI think ebay telling me that they think I am more experienced than the buyer just because I am a seller is categorized as discrimation and unfairness. What if I am less experinced? And it is not about money back..it is about a buyer that did not even dispatched my item after more than 7 days,...that does not reply to my messages nor to ebays notifications. About the fact that me as a seller I was given 3 days to accept the refund and the buyer is given 10 days to dispatch the item. Are not living on the same earth? Are we not using the same postal services? Where does the assumed difference come from between a seller and a buyer?
12345jamesstamps
·2 years agoLet's not forget everyone does not speak and write in the King's English as well.
Just because you sold something in UK from UK doesn't mean the buyer reads and writes English.
ckimodog
·2 years ago@lucyg*
Again, it is not discrimination. You don't accept returns. No returns does not mean no refunds. My guess is that either you did not educate yourself about the 30 day Money Back Guarantee & this is the result. Either you didn't know about it or you simply chose to ignore it.
It's important to stay informed on this and all selling platforms if you continue to sell. It's NOT discrimination. It's their view concerning with your selling behavior & your no returns policy which didn't fly.
It's business. Big difference.
lucyg*
OP2 years agodirect discrimination - treating someone with a protected characteristic less favourably than others.
worldcoinauctions
·2 years agoWhen you decide to be a seller, you are in business. You have set yourself up as the expert, the professional. You don't get to be an amateur seller here! That's the attitude you should take. Sure you are winging it, but the buyers don't know that! Act like the kind of person you want to do business with.
Don't be in a situation where you must get that money fast. Expect it to take longer and cost more than you anticipate. If you are in that situation you are vulnerable and going to hurt.
If your buyer has not done the return yet, they may fail to return the item. If that is the case, then in the end you will get your money and not have to refund them. This is not a bad thing!
kensgiftshop
·2 years agoBuyers don't have to reply, all they have to do is open the case then wait for it to be approved.
As far as the buyer being less experienced then the seller, most buyers are, especially newer ones.
lakefor94
·2 years agoWhy were you contacting EBay? Is there a problem with the return you are processing? Do you have a specific question or problem that forum members can assist you with?
You might consider addressing the UK boards. This is the .com site. Policies may vary from country to country.
lucyg*
OP2 years agoBecause they blocked my funds and after 7 days the buyer did not even dispatch my item. Not answering my messages. And the ebay agent said the buyer does not reply to their notifications either...and still here I am with my item gone my money blocked and being told Ebay thinks that sellers are more experienced than buyers that is why buyers are given more time. And do have that conversation script and sceen shots
bennotbill
·2 years agoIt's easy to end up here unknowingly. There's been a bug/bugssss on .uk for months where sometimes when you click a link and it jumps over to .com . Then of course if you select help / community..............here you are.