Do I have a choice of the item or a refund when item does not arrive?

[ammi-844]

Comments  withdrawn.

Waste of time.

[nobody*s_perfect]

eBay automatically offers the choice, but many sellers on eBay do not have a duplicate item available to send so they have to provide a refund regardless of the buyer's preference.

[mudshark61369]

@ammi-844,

If an item does not receive a tracking number then you can file an Item Not Received (INR) dispute the day after the last estimated delivery date, and up to 30 days from that date.  eBay may suggest waiting, to give the item more time to arrive, before you ask them to step in, or go ahead and ask for a refund.  If the seller can't prove that an item was shipped a refund may be automatic.

Do keep in mind that the delivery dates shown are Estimated by ebay, and not set in stone.  Items that have tracking may show there is a delay or hold up in an agency's system, but it is enroute. If an item was coming from outside your country, but a domestic delivery service's tracking number was given. Until it arrives in country and passes through customs the domestic delivery service's tracking will not show received, and start updating.  

[ammi-844]

Comments  withdrawn.

Waste of time.

[ammi-844]

Comments  withdrawn.

Waste of time.

[ebooksdiva]

@ammi-844 

You totally miss the point.

If your item was shipped and is now lost. How can the seller send you another of the same item if they only had one and it is now lost? 
The sellers only option is to issue a refund since they do not have another item to send you. 
eBay has the send Item or refund in All of the INR cases some sellers do have duplicate items but most don't.
Would you rather the seller keep you money and lie about sending a replacement when none exists? 
In many cases a lost item eventually finds its way to your mailbox. 
Enjoy the refund, buy another widget.

[nobody*s_perfect]

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@ammi-844 wrote: ...

Not sure what the point of asking the customer their preference if the customer has no choice.

... 

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Because eBay usually doesn't know whether the seller has a duplicate item to send to you.  (They would know only if the purchase was through a multi-item listing which still shows a quantity available.) I suppose the experience might be less confusing if eBay used different phrasing, such as "would you prefer to get a refund or to get a replacement item if one is available?"

[ammi-844]

Comments  withdrawn.

Waste of time.

[ammi-844]

Comments  withdrawn.

Waste of time.

[69heathery]

When I order from Walmart and go to pick the item up and "it's not there for some reason" Walmart just refunds me. Sometimes inventory quantities can be wrong. 

Plus, you shouldn't compare eBay to Walmart.  Each have their own set of policies.

[ammi-844]

Comments  withdrawn.

Waste of time.

[house*of*paws]

Hi @ammi-844 

Regardless of the reason why you were sent a refund instead of another item ... it is to a buyer's benefit to ALWAYS request a refund (and then purchase the item again ... from the same or different seller).

The reason is that your return request is likely to 'time out' while waiting for the 2nd shipment ... which may or may not arrive in good shape (or at all).

[Sorry to waste your time.  😋]