How Far Back does eBay keep records of transactions on their site?

[jbcoole]

Sometime around 2002-2005 probably, I purchased an antique embalming machine here on eBay.  Three days ago I posted pics of that machine on a mortuary history group.  And the owner of the funeral home that used to own the machine contacted me and told me that the machine had been stolen from his funeral home about the same time I bought it.

Being 20 years or so ago, I have no records of the transaction. No cancelled checks, no emails - nothing to show that I bought it here on eBay.  Is there a way that eBay can provide information that far back?

[dryophelia]

@jbcoole 

Maybe, if you paid with PayPal, there will be a morsel of information in your PP account. 

Are they wanting you to give the apparatus to them? Are they looking for the culprit that stole it? 

What was their reasoning for needing the transaction details or is it you that wants the information?

Oh, and your question, eBay keeps records for 3 years. 

[lamber9347]

Are you attempting to help out the original owner or are you being accused of the actual theft? 

[kathiec]

Even if eBay had a record of who the seller was, the statute of limitations for the crime expired at least a decade ago. That means eBay couldn't be legally compelled to turn over the seller's information. And that is the only way they'll release personal information.

[sierras1160]

I wonder if you would be able to figure it out by going back through your feedback? When I look back through my feedback it shows the name of the listing below the feedback. This is for all feedback received. The same is true of feedback left for others. It shows the name of the listing right below the feedback. I hope that helps.

[woodland_gnome]

My eBay: Purchase History only goes back for the current and two prior calendar years.

You can make a special request for a report of your purchases (and/or sales and/or lots of other information) for a specified time period back to the creation or your account (and possibly any guest transactions if you provide the right data): https://www.ebay.com/help/account/requesting-personal-data/requesting-personal-data?id=5089&st=12&po...

[reallynicestamps]

Can the mortuary owner provide proof that he ever bought, inherited, or owned your machine?

If he wants it, tell him to make an offer.

[nocoolnamejane]

I have archived every eBay and PayPal confirmation email in my email account that way I can keep a history since eBay has always purged the data after a couple of years.

[albertabrightalberta]

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@sierras1160 wrote:

I wonder if you would be able to figure it out by going back through your feedback? When I look back through my feedback it shows the name of the listing below the feedback. This is for all feedback received. The same is true of feedback left for others. It shows the name of the listing right below the feedback. I hope that helps.

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That won't work. Ebay made changes in November 2006. 

On November 5, 2006, I made a purchase and the feedback only shows the item number. 

For a purchase on November 7, the feedback does show the title of the item as well as the item number. 

Thus it appears that purchases made prior to November 6-7, 2006, you can only look items up by item number. 

If you save emails, you can search item numbers or perhaps a key word to find the purchase. (I save and archive emails and can find any purchase I made on ebay or any other site.)

I question whether the person who contacted the OP is really the owner of the item. There have been other cases where people have claimed listed items were stolen from them in an attempt to get a free item.

Here's a fairly recent thread (from February, 2022) in which the OP claims his stolen iphone is being sold by an ebay seller. 

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/My-Stolen-iPhone-is-on-Ebay/m-p/32728262

[the_fancy_fox]

Ask him for a copy of the police report he filed. He could be telling the truth and he could be lying to scam you out of your machine.

[albertabrightalberta]

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@the_fancy_fox wrote:

Ask him for a copy of the police report he filed. He could be telling the truth and he could be lying to scam you out of your machine.

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Yup, something that rare and valuable certainly would have been reported stolen. 

I smell a scammer!