HELP! Seller cancelled transaction after sale and payment b/c item not available. Now it's relisted

[hulashark]

I need advise from someone who's seen it all.

I purchased an item from a seller via best offer, which the seller accepted. I made payment then the seller stalled on shipping it for a week, then cancelled the transaction claiming it was damaged and no longer available.

Fast forward about three weeks and the item is up again at a substantially increased price. I know it is for sure the same item because it's serial numbered. 

What recourse do I have?  I even had my prior negative feedback taken down because (according to an eBay rep) in the current climate sellers are allowed to cancel items post-sale without repercussion. 

I honestly can't believe this is happening, that I can't hold this seller accountable at all for super dodgy practices. Somebody please help me hold this seller accountable!!!

[ed8108]

You can contact eBay again to voice a detailed complaint of your unhappy buying experience.

Based upon the facts in the instant case ,ask that eBay take down the relisted item, to give this seller a well deserved lesson & provide you with some degree of satisfaction. However, I am not optimistic eBay will comply

Stay safe

[mudshark61369]

@hulashark,

     "I purchased an item from a seller via best offer, which the seller accepted. I made payment then the seller stalled on shipping it for a week, then cancelled the transaction".

Did you check the seller's feedback profile before buying?  From what you've written, its possible the seller is either new to selling or has not sold anything in over a year.   If you check and find tat to be true, then the reason for the cancellation was probably because of PayPal's 21 day hold on payments for all new or returning sellers.  The hold catches many new or returning sellers by surprise, especially those who also buy.  They see the payment marked as Pending on their account, while yours shows Completed. 

  "I even had my prior negative feedback taken down because (according to an eBay rep) in the current climate sellers are allowed to cancel items post-sale without repercussion."

I'm not sure how accurate the Rep's information was.  Your feedback could have been removed for a couple of reasons. When the seller refunded you the item was unmarked as paid, and that can cause a feedback to be removed. If you mentioned an eBay or PayPal dispute in any way they too is grounds for removal.

Since the seller has relisted the item you can report them for misrepresenting the reason for cancellation.  

• Go to the Resolution Center button at the bottom of any ebay page click.
• Select Resolving buying problems in the Help box.
• On the page that opens select Reporting an item or issue with a seller.
• Down the page that opens is a list of possible policy violations "They do not intend to complete the sale". under that is a Report a Seller button.
• Click, Select; the seller violated an ebay policy.
• Fill in the seller's user ID without their feedback number,
• Check Other, and in the text box say the seller used an invalid cancellation reason after accepting an offer.  Item damaged or not available. Then relisted the same item at a higher price. The same serial number is shown in photos of both listings.
  

That report may not get the relisted item removed, but it will add a policy violation defect to their account, and if they were forgiven the final value fees of from the listing you bought from, they will be charged for them.

[myboardid]

A few facts for you since some of the above information was incorrect.  The seller WAS punished by eBay for cancelling your purchase.  eBay gives a major defect to the seller for doing exactly that.  A very few of such defects will get him blocked from selling, but one won't bring about that result.  Also, feedback is always removed when a transaction is cancelled.  There is no way for eBay to force a seller to ship, just as there is no way for eBay to force a buyer to pay. 

[toysaver]

If it's not listed as needing immediate payment BUY IT and ask the seller to honor the original price.  Most people in the world want to do the right thing.....  Of course he may just be an a** and have blocked you too, in that case consider yourself lucky for not buying from somebody who is selling something that may be less than meets the eye. 

Chances are other sellers have what you want.  Most listings on eBay are not rare or one of kind, they are mass marketed items that exist only because of compulsive consumerism.