Unfair Treatment: 1 Order Counts as 11 Strikes—Impacting My Top Rated Seller Status

[holounlimited]

Hello eBay Community,

I’m reaching out to share a frustrating experience I’m currently facing as a Top Rated Seller and to highlight an issue with eBay’s automated system that I believe needs to be addressed.

In the past three months, I’ve successfully completed 1,065 transactions with 100% positive feedback. I’ve worked incredibly hard to build my reputation, and my customers have consistently been happy with their purchases. However, I’m now at risk of losing my Top Rated Seller status because of one single order—a situation that feels deeply unfair.

Here’s what happened:

A buyer purchased 11 individual trading cards from my store in a single transaction. The shipment, which is going to a military APO address, has been delayed in transit. Tracking shows the package is still in Chicago, even though I shipped it from Tennessee. It’s well-known that shipments to APO addresses often take longer to arrive, but unfortunately, the buyer didn’t receive their cards within eBay’s expected delivery timeframe.

The buyer opened cases for all 11 cards, and as the buyer was submitting each case in real time, I immediately reached out to provide the tracking number and explain the delay. I assured the buyer that I shipped the items and offered to issue a full refund once the cards were returned to me. The buyer never messaged me back. However, even though the tracking number shows the item is still in transit, eBay stepped in and refunded the buyer automatically.

Now here’s the problem:

Although this was one transaction, eBay’s automated system is treating it as 11 separate cases without seller resolution, one for each trading card. This single order is enough to cost me my Top Rated Seller status, which will significantly impact my sales and potentially jeopardize my entire business.

I contacted eBay support to explain the situation, but I was informed that it’s nearly impossible to have these cases corrected or removed because they’re handled by an automated system. Unfortunately, I’ve been through a similar situation before, so I know this to be true.

A few years ago, I lost my Top Rated Seller status after an eBay customer service agent gave me inaccurate information regarding eBay's policy. I was told I could sell digital codes on eBay and that providing the code through eBay’s messaging system would count as proof of delivery. Relying on this guidance, I sold digital codes, only to find out that the information was wrong. As a result, I lost my Top Rated Seller status—not due to any fault of my own (I called to check and verify before selling the digital codes), but because of misinformation—my sales plummeted for months. It was a devastating experience, and I promised myself I’d never let it happen again.

Now I’m facing a similar situation. Despite doing everything I could to provide excellent service and resolve the issue, I’m being unfairly penalized due to the way eBay’s automated system processes cases. Losing Top Rated Seller status over a single delayed order—especially one that’s beyond my control—feels incredibly unjust.

I’m sharing this here to bring attention to this issue and to encourage eBay to address flaws in the automated system that unfairly penalize sellers.

If anyone in the community has faced a similar situation or has advice on how to escalate this issue, I would greatly appreciate your input.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Sincerely,
holounlimited

[tobaccocardyahoo]

If the buyer ordered 11 cards from separate listings, that is 11 transactions even if they are combined in one shipment.

It might may you rethink listing items for $1.24 with free shipping. Even if you are paying the below standard surcharge for 3 months because of this it will probably cost you more than you made taking a risk for so little profit.

[richard1rst]

Well, when you say ", I immediately reached out to provide the tracking number and explain the delay. " did you mean that you sent the tracking number to the buyer?  BUT did you enter the tracking number in the case reports opened on eBay?.

Sending the number to the buyer may have seemed like the right thing to do. BUT since you apparently did NOT enter the tracking number in the case itself THAT was your error. If you had entered the number IN THE CASES you would have been protected. But as far as eBay is concerned since you did not respond to the cases ON EBAY it appears that you ignored the complaint. THAT is why you were given 11 defects.

[bonanza125]

"I immediately reached out to provide the tracking number and explain the delay."

Did you provide this information in the case against you or in a message to the buyer?

[slati_2013]

I hope you have at least tried to intercept the shipment to have the cards returned to you. If not, do it now. 

[holounlimited]

I can confirm that I entered the tracking number for all 11 cases individually to ensure there was no possibility of missing even one. I double-checked everything multiple times to be absolutely certain, as I tend to be meticulous about these things. Despite my diligence, the cases were still decided in favor of the buyer.

Not only did I re-enter the tracking numbers into each case on eBay (which I’ve verified multiple times), but I also reached out to the buyer directly to keep them informed. This all happened in real time—I was actively monitoring the situation as it unfolded. In fact, I even waited for the buyer to open the last few cases so I could immediately update the tracking information as they were submitted.

I took every step I could to handle the situation properly, but despite these efforts, the cases still counted against me.

[gurlcat]

I don't understand why the tracking number wasn't already there before the estimated delivery date had passed. Why not upload it the day you shipped???

[holounlimited]

I appreciate your perspective, but I’d like to clarify my strategy and explain why I’ve chosen to sell cards at $1.24, even at no profit—or in some cases, at a small loss. My goal is to attract buyers with competitive prices, encourage combined orders, and build long-term relationships with repeat customers. By offering low-cost individual cards, I create opportunities to secure larger combined orders, which is where I make my profit. It’s a strategy that has worked well for me, as evidenced by my 100% positive feedback and a loyal customer base.

I understand that eBay views each of the 11 cards as separate transactions, but I believe this approach is unfair when it comes to trading cards. Unlike other product categories, trading cards often involve buyers purchasing multiple individual items to complete a set or collection. My store is designed to cater to these collectors—I’ve spent years researching and building a store that lists every individual card from each Pokémon card set, organized by category, to make it easy for buyers to find exactly what they need. Unfortunately, eBay’s system doesn’t fully account for the nuances of this category.

The frustration comes from realizing that my effort to create a well-organized and buyer-friendly store has inadvertently made it easier for a single buyer to jeopardize my Top Rated Seller status. Variation listings, which could prevent this issue, are capped at 250, while many Pokémon card sets include far more than 250 cards. Listing them individually seemed like the best solution for both my buyers and my store, but now I’m left questioning whether the effort was worth it.

This situation has left me feeling disheartened. I’ve dedicated years of work to building my store, providing excellent service, and maintaining 100% positive feedback, only to have my Top Rated Seller status threatened by a single delayed shipment. At this point, I can’t help but wonder—what’s the point in striving to be a Top Rated Seller if something so small can undo all of my hard work?

[holounlimited]

I can confirm that I entered the tracking number for all 11 cases individually to ensure there was no possibility of missing even one. I double-checked everything multiple times to be absolutely certain, as I tend to be meticulous about these things. Despite my diligence, the cases were still decided in favor of the buyer.

Not only did I re-enter the tracking numbers into each case on eBay (which I’ve verified multiple times), but I also reached out to the buyer directly to keep them informed. This all happened in real time—I was actively monitoring the situation as it unfolded. In fact, I even waited for the buyer to open the last few cases so I could immediately update the tracking information as they were submitted.

[gurlcat]

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@tobaccocardyahoo wrote:

If the buyer ordered 11 cards from separate listings, that is 11 transactions even if they are combined in one shipment.

---

Clearly that's how the software handled it, but I agree with the OP that it's absolutely unfair, even if they should have had the tracking uploaded from the start.  Now, if the seller had shipped 11 fakes and then refused to refund or something like that, I could see it counting as 11 bad transactions.  But because this was a failure regarding shipping, and these were combined into one shipment, the seller only failed one time. 

Also eBay seems to consider a buyer as having only one bad experience when they try to leave a stack of negative feedbacks for a multi-item purchase. 

[holounlimited]

Thank you for your comment. To clarify, I use eBay’s Standard Envelope service to ship trading cards. When I print the shipping label through eBay, the system automatically attaches the tracking number to the order. This means the tracking number was already linked to the buyer’s order well before the estimated delivery date had passed.

In addition to this, I always send an email to each of my buyers with their tracking number at the time I print the label, ensuring they have direct access to track their shipment. In this particular case, the tracking number was already attached to the order, and the buyer received an email with the tracking information when I printed the label.

When I noticed the buyer opening cases in real time, I immediately emailed them again to provide the tracking number for the third time, with a screenshot of the tracking progress, and informed them that the shipment was delayed in transit and currently located in Chicago. I explained that I had no control over the postal delays.

Unfortunately, the buyer never responded to my messages and continued opening cases for each card without addressing the information I provided. Despite my proactive communication and the tracking number being readily available on eBay, the cases were still decided in the buyer’s favor.

I took every possible step to ensure the buyer had access to the tracking information and that they were aware of the delay, but it seems that wasn’t enough in this situation.

[holounlimited]

Thank you for understanding my perspective—it’s reassuring to know that others can see how unfair this situation is. I completely agree with your point: if this had been a case of shipping fake items or refusing a refund, it would make sense to count each transaction separately as a failure. However, that’s not what happened here.

This was a single shipment with a delay caused by the postal service, something entirely out of my control. I followed all the necessary steps, including using eBay’s Standard Envelope service, which automatically uploads the tracking number to the order when I print the label. I also went above and beyond by emailing the buyer their tracking information multiple times and keeping them informed. Despite my efforts, the system treated it as 11 separate failures because of the way eBay processes cases for individual items.

Your observation about eBay treating multi-item negative feedback as one bad experience is exactly why this feels inconsistent. It’s frustrating to know that while eBay seems to group negative feedback for buyers, they don’t apply the same logic when it comes to cases like this. I truly believe eBay should reconsider how these situations are handled, especially in categories like trading cards, where buyers often combine multiple low-cost items into a single order.

Thank you again for your thoughtful comment. It’s a tough situation, but hearing support like this helps.

[gurlcat]

You never stated any dates regarding this case.  What was the date of purchase?  I ask because it sounds like what they opened was an INR (Item Not Received), and that doesn't only require a tracking upload but for that tracking to get a DELIVERY scan within a set number of days from the date of filing .... or you just have to refund, period.  Then it's up to you to pursue the USPS or whatever carrier with a missing package case and insurance claim to recoup your losses if possible.  And if the package finishes going to the buyer after you already refunded, they may or may not give you the money or the inventory back. -They definitely don't have to. 

And what you can't do is make their refund contingent upon you getting your inventory back first, like an INAD (Item Not As Described).  That's what it sounds like you are confusing this with, when you say:

"and offered to issue a full refund once the cards were returned to me."

     I'm truly sorry, I do agree that the 11-for-1 strike thing is totally unfair, but it looks like you don't understand INR correctly and that is why these got closed without seller resolution.  Resolution would have been you voluntarily issuing the refund or the tracking showing the package DELIVERED by the deadline of the INR case, and from the sound of that it didn't happen.  In fact it sounds like it still hasn't happened, as you use the present-tense  (shows the item is still in transit).  I get APO's take longer .... but the buyer can't just be expected to wait indefinitely; there has to be a limit, and that is what the INR deadline is.

[holounlimited]

Thank you for your input and for explaining the nuances of an INR case. I want to clarify the timeline and a few points regarding this situation.

The buyer made the purchase on December 14, 2024, and I shipped the order on December 16, 2024, using eBay’s Standard Envelope service. The tracking number was automatically uploaded at the time of shipment, as it always is when I print shipping labels through eBay. The tracking status clearly shows that the package was delayed in transit, with the message: “Running behind, original estimate was Wed, Dec 18 - Mon, Dec 23.”

The buyer opened the cases on December 25, 2024, just two days after the original delivery estimate and on Christmas Day, when delays are common due to the holiday. On the same day, I emailed the buyer for the third time, providing the tracking number again and including a screenshot of the tracking status showing that the package was delayed. I explained that the shipment was still in transit and apologized for the inconvenience. Unfortunately, the buyer didn’t respond to my message and continued to escalate the cases.

On January 1, 2025, eBay decided the cases in the buyer’s favor, despite the clear tracking evidence that the items were still in transit.

I understand your point about how INR cases require a delivery scan within a set timeframe to resolve in the seller’s favor. However, in this instance, the delay was entirely outside my control. The buyer opened the cases almost immediately after the estimated delivery window closed and didn’t allow any additional time for the package to arrive, despite the tracking status indicating a delay.

I also acknowledge that offering a refund contingent upon the return of the items is not the correct approach for an INR case. My intent was to find a fair resolution, but I now understand how this may have been perceived. I have no problem with refunding buyers for legit reasons, I have kept my 100% positive feedback because I refund 99% of the time, most of the time I will even go as far to add gifts or discount codes for the inconvenience.

The broader issue here is how eBay’s system treats multi-item orders. This single delayed shipment, caused by holiday disruptions and postal delays, has been counted as 11 separate unresolved cases due to the buyer’s decision to open cases for each card individually, ignoring my communication efforts, and due to eBay's flawed system. This single order will be the cause of me losing my Top Rated Seller status, which I’ve worked tirelessly to maintain, unless I can make another 2,602 additional successful transactions to bring my bad transaction rate to 0.30% which is the minimum, so I have to increase sales by 244.29%.

I appreciate your insight and feedback—it’s helping me better understand how to handle similar situations in the future, if I even decide to keep selling on eBay. Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts.

[fashunu4eeuh]

@gurlcat  Is correct. If the package was delayed past the expected delivery date and the buyer opened Money Back Guarantee (Item Not Received) cases., you were required to refund, and when eBay had to step in to do that after the buyer escalated the cases, defects occurred. The defects originated from a failure to follow eBay policy. Not the 11 cases vs one order etc. A refund would have prevented the defects from happening and your Top Rated would not now be affected. Here is the policy:

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/ebay-money-back-guarantee-policy/ebay-money-back-guarantee-policy...