"I sold a Backgammon set, it was paid for according to eBay. It was packaged and shipped by UPS. It was insured and there was a tracking number. It was received according to UPS on 20 December. The buyer messaged he wanted it by 25 December."
It all sounds good, like you did everything you needed to do.
As others have said, you are a new seller and eBay does put a hold on payouts to new sellers that can last as long as 30 days. If you read more of the posts on this board, you will see a few posts by sellers who haven't sold in a year or more and they also wonder why their money is on hold.
"Why can't I find out if it is something I can fix?"
This is not something you can fix, not right now, not so that you get your payout from the sale of the backgammon set right away. This is eBay's playground, and this is one of their rules. You have to prove you are a trustworthy and reliable seller before eBay lifts the hold.
"I'm new and stumbling."
Don't worry; we have all been new sellers who stumbled. Sometimes we stumble even after years of selling.
However, there is something I suggest you do, though some other posters may say it's not necessary. I see you have no feedback either received as a seller or left for others.
I suggest you leave positive feedback for your buyer. (You can only leave positive feedback for any buyer.) Leave comments that are glowing along the lines of: "Speedy payment by this buyer! Highly recommend doing business with this buyer! I would welcome your repeat business! Happy Backgammoning!"
This will not make eBay release your funds any earlier, and doesn't do anything to raise your current 0 feedback score (because that score reflects positive feedback you have received, not left).
Feedback is a conundrum of eBay. Many users say "Feedback doesn't matter", but it kinda does matter. There are posts throughout this community board with complaints from sellers who suddenly receive neutral or negative feedback, so you can see that sometimes feedback does matter. Feedback is never required, but positive feedback helps everybody.
Leaving positive feedback for this and your other sales may start the ball rolling for your buyers to leave positive feedback for you. (But you cannot ask your buyers to leave feedback for you.) (I know!) It can't hurt, and it might help other future prospective buyers to see you are an honest seller who sells what she shows in her photos and sends packages out within her stated handling period.
Oh, and come back and read this Selling community board a few times a week. Lots of us continue to learn new things almost every time we look here.
