How long does a buyer have to open a case and request a refund, lost items?

[qualityforlessells]

I have been selling phones through craigslist for a few years and decided to become more active on Ebay. I am beginning to think I should end selling on ebay because the seller protection sucks against lying buyers.

How long does a buyer have to file a dispute for a phone after receiving it? Is it really 45 days from what i have been reading???!!!!! Anything could go wrong with technology after a few days of being purchased. "knock on wood" Now I am scared to list anything here again. Ebay has been making $800 a month in fees from me, it might not seem much to some but I have had returns that absolutely had no issues and buyers just wanted a refund.

Please tell me 45 days is wrong. More like 7 days to file a claim would be perfect this is ridiculous.

Another question that I have is, How can you file a claim for a phone that goes missing from the postal office. I always ship everything with insurance and signature confirmation but what do they require the seller to confirm the price of the phone? Everything that I buy is straight off good ol craigslist and i do not get any receipts for anything obviously.

[rna804]

Ebay is strictly for crooked buyers and ebay take the money and the buyer takes the money and product.I will never sell on ebay again its not worth

Its a lose lose situation

[hannapaig]

EBay does a really **bleep** job of looking after sellers, I recently had a case opened against me because the buyer 'noticed' stains on the inside of the handbag (item purchased) 35 days after receiving it! Is there some way you can inform ebay that when you sent it it was perfectly fine and these said stains are obviously from the buyer? I am furious that buyer is asking for a FULL REFUND. Anything could happen to an item in 45 days, I think 5 days is much better depending on what is being purchased.

[matthewjc17]

As much as I want to argue that buyers should only have maybe 1 or 2 weeks to open cases and demand refunds (read:  extort money from honest sellers via fraud), I think there is actually a better solution that should fully be endorsed by eBay and PayPal.

I am a new seller--only made about 60 sales and have been selling since late May.  With this new seller status, PayPal holds my money longer than more established sellers (so I've been told).  Recently, they have been releasing my funds just a few days after the products' tracking info says they have been delivered, which is definitely nicer than waiting 21 days.

Here is where my argument comes--this is a policy I think eBay and PayPal should enforce because it would be fair on both sides (for buyers and sellers).  eBay and PayPal claim that they held my money for up to 21 days to protect against any bad sales.  Particularly, they hold the money to ensure they can issue refunds from new sellers.  Is my direction obivous yet?  (I didn't read all the posts here and certainly haven't looked too much farther into this issue, but I'll bring up this point as an original thought because as far as I know, no one has suggested it yet).

     Best Return Policy:  PayPal can hold a seller's funds for as long as they deem necessary (I assume it is dependent on your feedback score and selling status, so new sellers wait very long and established sellers wait almost no time at all).  Therefore, returns to/refunds from new sellers can be made up to 21 days after purchase; returns to/refunds from established sellers can be made in a shorter window (depending on their status with PayPal and how long PayPal holds their money).  Perhaps a hard minimum for this should be 7 days, but this might be a little short, yet anything longer would invalidate the system and really make it pointless.  Essentially, I am arguing that since PayPal specifically claims to hold my funds to protect against any issues that may arise with refunds and returns, then they should be fair to both parties of a transaction and give both sides the same amount of time.

For me and other new sellers:  They are indirectly claiming that I only need to wait up to 21 days to issue a refund, after which they will give me my money.  However, they are directly giving buyers up to 45 days to open a case against me/any seller to demand a refund.
I highly advise eBay to look into a more balanced policy like the one I suggested above.  It will ensure that sellers stay on their site and will protect against fraudulent buyers, yet will give fair time for real buyers to make fair returns.

[phonecastle]

ebay has a **bleep** seervice for seller. a buyer can open a case in 45days which does not make any sence to me.
ebay is just worried about buyers but there is no sellers protection.?

[shauneek3]

it needs to be that long because, depending where it is shipped from, it may take up to 35 business days to recieve an item (ie china to north america). So if it is only 20 days to make a claim you are going to get A LOT more people making claims they never recieved the item (even though it is sitll shipping). it will be deemed "lost" if theres no tracking number and you will then be out the product and the $ because the item will most likely be at the buyers in that time, and they will probably just keep it,

You all are being ridiculous to ask for less claim time when it can take so long to get to a person.

[csmi93232]

35 business days seems a little excessive. I did business for awhile selling products that came directly from China and i believe the LONGEST wait time i had was 20 days. Other wise the products were typically delivered within 2 weeks. The period of time should not be 45 days flat. It should be determined on what kind of post is used and from where the contents are being shipped from and delivered to. Also if tracking numbers are used as soon as an item has been confirmed delivered there should be a set amount of days that starts. This amount would be a flat amount for every buyer. 7-14 days would be enough time for pretty much any buyer to find a problem with the item they have recieved. This would allow for the item not arrived case to be used in such cases that it is appropriate, and also gives buyers the option for an item not as described. I feel that this would be more fair. I have had issues with buyers claiming items not as described after a period of time that was completely unreasonable.

[futurekronusx]

what about a phone that has somehow become blocked? a friend of mine sold a phone, fully working and worked on networks, 4 sims all differant tested, we sent it (1st class with tracking) and he (buyer) got it and messaged us a couple days later to say its been blocked, has since requested a refund and opend a case for item not described properly.

he also asked no questions about the phone when he bought it

[hot2trotsaddlery1003]

Hows this   sold a brand new item tagged and in perfect new condition  posted immediately.   34 DAYS  LATER  I recieve mail

that item is faulty (clothing)  couldnt believe it  when i asked why I  was not contacted immediately 

REPLY  didnt go to her PO Box address ( had normal address on ebay)

Sister just picked it up  Contactedpo with tracking number and was DELIVERED to   the address

Normally refill my ebay  on weeekend  NO WAY pay pal has withheld MY MONEY  until its resolved

HOW CAN THEY DO THIS !!!!!!!! 

Iam DONE if they take mymoney  DONE

[rmed7025]

yes, eBay is getting from bad to worst.

[rmed7025]

they mean 20 day after the item gets deliver. You have the 20 days to test it.

[cutflowers2012]

Get a blue bird pre paid card from walmart .. .it has a routing and can be connected Iike a bank andused like a credit card. It never bounces. You can load money at Walmart for free. You can take the money out at An atm ...some are fee. Keep the card empty and only add money to pray your fees. The card is free online and has no monthly charges

[cutflowers2012]

Get a blue bird pre paid card from walmart .. .it has a routing and can be connected Iike a bank andused like a credit card. It never bounces. You can load money at Walmart for free. You can take the money out at An atm ...some are fee. Keep the card empty and only add money to pay your fees. The card is free online and has no monthly charges

[rockposterchild]

I'm having the exact same problems.

[delstarr2]

its crazy . i just had a buyer, after he even stated he had a FULL WARRANTY transferred warranty at XFX for a video card i sold him open a case,well past 45 days? I gave him a tranferrable warranty wit hcard he replied he had set the warranty up at XFX and now is saying he wants a refund from me? sounds like a hussle to me? and ebay! well time to call eBay.. and yes thye get unlimited time to file it seems BUT you as a seller have only so many days to reply?? huh?

[delstarr2]

lol here i got nail with a dispute AFTER 75 DAYS!!! IMAGINE THAT... now try to sleep? wow talked with dispute and they said that i have no worries the buyer waited too long? THEN WHY hussle me i said? My description is dead on and i have NO RETURN NO REFUND policy listed..and hte guy had a XFX lifetime warranty in case the item eve wen t bad. I THINK THIS WAS A SCAM. Dispute 75 days later. SAME COUNTRY. If i had taken item back. i'd bet my god almighty last dollar it wasnt gonna be the one sold him. same itme but not the one i sold..old switch-a-roo scam... BUT i had pictures serial number and all .. and you know i got to thinking this person would still try to put it on me? wow at any rate HERES THE PHONE NUMBER FOR DISPUTE ( 866-540 3229 ) if anyone has been looking? it was hell to find AND USE SKYPE TO CALL THEM as the WAIT is horrible even though they are open 7 days till 10:00 PT $285 dollars worth of BS Buyer dispute, that would have hurt me. end of month check to check..wow. some people aye? Dispute said case closed the buyer waited too long 75 days is too long they just wanted me to talk to him? huh? wow but i guess in the end its eBay that makes out right. 50% of the cases i guess turn out favorable for them (eBay)