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‎02-07-2025 06:46 PM - edited ‎02-07-2025 07:08 PM
I sold 2 items. One for $200 and the other for $1000. The first item I ended up giving a 50% partial refund. When I went to collect the other 50%, there was no money in my account. I called customer service, who then put me in touch with the payout dept. They told me that the fees for the 2nd item was greater then the 50% owed for the first item and that I was now in the red and that I would have to wait for the 2nd items transaction to completed.
So being how for whatever reason they all of a sudden have me down as "new" I was told I have to wait a month before they will release those funds. But here's where things dont add up. How can you accrue fees until it puts someone in the red? That means when the funds for the second item are released they will then take the amount I am in the red for right off the top, essentially erasing my profits for the first item, taking the difference and putting that into their pocket. Which will total more than they are supposed to collect for their fees but, the way its written up in their books, it squares them away. And if the money for the first item was under $1000, then I shouldn't have to wait a month for those funds should I? If so, then that directly contradicts their own policy. They cant have it both ways. It used to be you got paid per Item. That kept things honest on their part. Now all of a sudden Ebay policy is above federal law?? What if I had been stupid enough to sell a third item before the end of the month long waiting period? But that aside, it gets better....
Now here is where it gets complicated. The post office lost the second item. (How you lose a 3' x 3' x 3' box that weighs 70 lbs in their ground mail is beyond me. ) So the buyer obviously wants a refund. So Ebay gives him a refund. I file a claim with the post office, its been 2 weeks and for whatever reason is still under review. So I have neither item, no money for either, and now Ebay says they are going to charge me $389.00 on top of that?! All I see is buyer protection. What happened to seller protection? I did absolutely NOTHING wrong. I did everything the way I was supposed according to Ebays policy and now this? Talk about kicking someone when their already down. There has got to be some type of solution because this is just wrong. I sold two things on Ebay and it cost me $389.00. I've been with Ebay for 11 years. Never had this type of issue. But if this is how they do things now? Just saying.
And is it just me or is their virtual 'assistant' , virtually useless. It cant resolve any issues. All it can seem to do is put you in an endless frustrating loop that winds up resolving nothing and has you back where you started from. Only at that point, five to ten minutes of your life has been wasted. Whats the point of an 'assistant' that cant take any action? I guess they get to put the letters A.I. in front of it. Cant determine if thats a blow to A.I., Ebay, or both.
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‎02-07-2025 07:00 PM - edited ‎02-07-2025 07:57 PM
Edit:
more complicated than I thought. I have no input.
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‎02-07-2025 07:06 PM
Oh, my. I've said it before... I'd not want to be a new/returning seller here for anything anymore.
Well... yes, eBay considers you a new/returning seller and your funds may be on hold for some time. Here's the link. >> Payments on hold | eBay
Your funds will be held to make sure that the buyer of the $1K item is happy. After all, they want any refund to come from you.
I won't address the USPS loss, but one thing you said about it ("So the buyer obviously wants a refund. So Ebay gives him a refund.") gives me pause. That sounds as if you weren't proactive (issuing the refund for an INR claim) and the buyer had to involve eBay to actually get the refund. That would give eBay another reason to hang on to your funds.
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‎02-07-2025 07:06 PM
As far as seller protection goes, what is it that eBay should be accountable for?
Sellers are always responsible for the delivery of the item. Same as on any other selling venue.
I can't imagine what you paid for shipping a 3' x 3' x 3' box at 70 lbs thru USPS.
That could have went with a freight carrier on a pallet.
What type of box did you use for that welder? Was there a chance of the welder just ripping the box apart if it was not packed correctly?
If eBay refunded the buyer in your behalf, ebay keeps the final value fees. If you refunded the buyer on your own, then eBay would have refunded the final value fees.
I dont know what else to tell you here. You have a real mess going on. EBay can't protect sellers from themselves.
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‎02-07-2025 07:16 PM
The buyer paid for shipping. $156.00. That was THEIR choice. The first item I gave the partial refund to because even though I had clearly stated the size in the description, with the buyer admitting they had disreguarded the description because it "looked bigger than that", I wanted to be nice. How am I supposed to be a danger to myself? I did everything EXACTLY they way Ebay policy said I should? Are you just trying to join a band wagon and go with the flow like a herd of sheep, or do you have anything constructive to add. If I wanted to be insulted, I could have just asked my mother in law.
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‎02-07-2025 07:17 PM
Ugh this is pretty heartbreaking. I wish new sellers would stick to cheap items until they get the hang of this and understand the policies well.
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‎02-07-2025 07:17 PM
Never heard of the possibility of shipping a 3' X 3' X 3' box via USPS. The "dim" exceeds the 130" max length girth.
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‎02-07-2025 07:20 PM
@buyselljack2016 wrote:Never heard of the possibility of shipping a 3' X 3' X 3' box via USPS. The "dim" exceeds the 130" max length girth.
That is what the OP alluded to. Who knows?
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‎02-07-2025 07:22 PM
Because ebay WOULD NOT allow me to finish the transaction myself without 'adding another payment account.' I have no other payment account. Im disabled and on a fixed income. This is how I supplement my income and have been doing so for the past 11 years. I dont know who keeps track of the record but, they need to find a new job because they are missing A LOT of items Ive sold. As far as the return, Ive even recieved a message from ebay saying that was a good thing to do as a seller.
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‎02-07-2025 07:25 PM
@wcaw1786 wrote:The buyer paid for shipping. $156.00. That was THEIR choice. The first item I gave the partial refund to because even though I had clearly stated the size in the description, with the buyer admitting they had disreguarded the description because it "looked bigger than that", I wanted to be nice. How am I supposed to be a danger to myself? I did everything EXACTLY they way Ebay policy said I should? Are you just trying to join a band wagon and go with the flow like a herd of sheep, or do you have anything constructive to add. If I wanted to be insulted, I could have just asked my mother in law.
I don't think there is anything constructive to be added as the destruction appears to be complete.
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‎02-07-2025 07:40 PM
EBAY policy states there is 30-hold on funds if you are a new or infrequent seller. Because all the funds from sale was being held (you have zero funds available) when you gave the customer a 50% refund (that put you in the red to EBAY for that amount). After the 30-day hold is over the balance (other 50% will be deposited in your checking account).
When customer opened claim "did not receive item" for the 2nd item (all the money you would have received from EBAY when to pay customer for lost shipment). USPS may or may reimburse you.
EBAY policy states Seller is responsible if shipment is "lost or damaged". EBAY believes whether you are a little Seller or a big fish...you still must be responsible to the customer.
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‎02-07-2025 07:50 PM
Hi @wcaw1786
Yes, you got raked over the coals because eBay takes THEIR FEES when the sale is made, that's most likely why your account went in the red when the first partial refund was made (if I got the chronology wrong I apologize). You get the fees back at the back end of the refunded transaction not before.
If you have a backup payment method, like a credit card, then they should have charged that instead of trying to take money from your checking account which may not have had enough money in it to cover the refund.
Sadly, a lot of eBay is handled by computers so it makes it hard for humans there to break into the programming and change something for a customer (Seller) ...
Mr. Lincoln - Community Mentor
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‎02-07-2025 07:55 PM
Can you describe step-by-step how you believe this should have gone?
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‎02-07-2025 08:28 PM
The OP said that he/she's been selling here for 11 years, so I would say it's an infrequent seller rather than a newbie. A brush up on the policies is a good idea for anyone selling on here!
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‎02-07-2025 08:41 PM
I think that there is a problem with some sellers and the payouts, in addition to your funds being held because of the large dollar amounts and sporadic selling. You aren't new in your eyes, but if you have had a long break with them since your last sale, you are in their eyes.
The reason why I think there is an issue is because my cc disappeared from my account. Poof. Gone. Ebay can't explain it, and I'm now waiting for the third time in 3 weeks to be verified. I'll dm you a phone number that I have so you can talk to a rep. Maybe they can help you as the folks on the social media sites can't help with payout information.
Why did you refund 50% to the buyer? I don't see it mentioned anywhere.
