Ebay automatically escalates case on behalf of buyer now?!?!

[iamtoplease]

I've sold some trading cards and shipped without tracking since they're cheap (and tracking makes it not economically viable).  So a buyer opened a case for item not received.  No problem, I communicated with the buyer that I'll send another and the buyer is happy with this.  However, after 4 days (or whatever the # of days before escalation), the case is escalated and the buyer is refunded because I don't have tracking.  The buyer has denied that they escalated the case.  This has happened to me twice now.  Both times, the buyer said that they never escalated the case.  I believe Ebay is automatically escalating cases on behalf of buyers for INR if a tracking # isn't uploaded even if the seller is working with the buyer to resolve the issue.  I'm out the product, the money and have a strike on my record for "not resolving" issue because of this.  Is this fair?

[portkoop-0]

Yes, when a case times out ebay automatically escalates, I recently noticed this as well.

All cases, INR's and returns.

[beastofburden]

Yes, I lost out on my item and $535.00 from a scam buyer in Australia...eBay did not care and scammer was able to sit a different item in front of my package and say I sent it. It was a totally fraud and I had zero protection.

[dhbookds]

2 problems..........

Unless you upload tracking within 4 days, INR's will be granted automatically.......

You "communicated" that you would replace.......but that wasn't done in the "case"........I mean you did not answer the case?  If so, ebay doesn't know you did anything..........

[inhawaii]

The buyer would not have to "escalate" the case. Simply initiating a case would be enough for a automatic refund because there is no tracking number. 

[donsdetour]

No tracking: you or eBay will refund: your choice.

Use tracking.

[terrycece62]

You were unable to provide tracking( your proof that items sent and  delivered)

Be prepared to lose money if buyer files a request/claim without tracking buyer will always win

[farmalljr]

NOTHING should be sold without a tracking number. Every seller who ships with just a postage stamp, already knows the risk they are running. PERIOD. 

While I understand your side of the issue, eBay is CLEAR in their policy that sellers have no protections short of a tracking number on shipments. 

Yes, I get the buyer wasn't even the one to initiate the case or escalate the case, but eBay is and always has been buyer experience centered. Don't sell items that you will ship with a postage stamp. Simple solution.

I know some sellers have been doing this for years, but times are a changing. Change with it or lose money..... 

[caldreamer]

Sorry this happened to you.   Unfortunately, EBAY policy states that when customer opens DID NOT RECEIVE ITEM you must issue refund within 3 days.  If you do not issue refund EBAY will do it for you and give you a penalty.

This is a horrible policy and many Sellers have been burnt by this.  Even Sellers who provide tracking which proves that customer received item "at later date" cannot get paid.

[iamtoplease]

i did communicate with the seller within the case.  all was good.  ebay didn't read anything..it's clearly an automated system.

i know that i will lose a case every time without tracking should the buyer escalate.  but the point is...it should be the BUYER that escalates..not ebay automatically.  I'm ok if the buyer is mad, doesn't believe me or doesn't want to wait and escalates the case (and I'll lose of course..it's a given).  But if I'm actively working with the buyer to resolve the issue and the buyer is (thus far) satisfied and doesn't want to escalate yet, then the case shouldn't be escalated.  Makes sense right?

I'll continue to ship these without stamps as INR cases are less than 1% of shipped items and so I've saved thousands of dollars in postage. 

[myboardid]

If I were selling items that could be mailed in an envelope I would do the same as you, but I would understand the risk and refund as soon as a case was opened in order to prevent the serious defect eBay gives when they perceive you as not resolving a case.

[onlinecentral]

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Announcements/Important-reminders-from-our-2020-Spring-Seller-update/b...

We may decide a case in a buyer’s favor without requiring the buyer to contact eBay if tracking with scans that prove shipment of the item were not provided by the seller within 3 business days after an “Item not received” case was opened.

[embroiderymill]

Well that sucks.  Ebay is lying.  They send a message to the seller that say, "customer contacted ebay".  This is not true.  It has happened and caused a bad interaction between the seller and buyer.  I asked the buyer why they did that when they agreed to wait?  The buyer got angry (of course) because he did not do anything. 

Ebay is causing bad customer service situations between the community.  Ebay deserves the negative feedback that arises from this, not the seller.   Nobody asked ebay to step in.  We're not required to use tracking.  If ebay wants to pay for tracking, fine.  I don't see them offering to do so.