eBay

holounlimited · ‎01-03-2025

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

carlmarxx · ‎01-04-2025

I use to have lot of U.S. military buyers from 2001-2009 . funny thing is Canadian Military buyers made up for loss of U.S. military buyers. .

bdmh-enterprises · ‎01-04-2025

@sin-n-dex wrote:
@holounlimited wrote:
Why your way of resolving this was especially not good, is because if you had refunded the customer you could have filed an ESE claim and gotten the cost of those items. I always refund on an ESE when a buyer files an INR because I know I can get my money back from filing a claim. That's the whole point of ESE, it's insured. There isn't always a scan to show delivery, but eBay wants us to refund customers promptly with ESE and file a claim.

C.

Came here to say exactly this. ESE insurance is top notch! If the ESE has ANY scan AND the buyer files an INR AND you refund in response you WILL be reimbursed. I've been refunded within the hour the few times I've used it.

I do agree that getting multiple shipping defects for orders sent as a single shipment is absolute nonsense!!

profitweb · ‎02-22-2025

I thought, with proof that you shipped the items via shipper that was chosen/offered at checkout, Sellers were not held accountable for shipping delays caused by shipping carriers.

I've had eBay remove these recently... but the tracking MUST SHOW the shipper delayed the shipment, i.e. extended estimated delivery date. To get these removed from your account metrics, the seller has to:

Ship on time (tracking must show initial scan was on time, not just a printed label, try to make sure shipper scans immediately when they get your package)
Use the promised shipping service
Upload the tracking # to the Order (done automatically if shipping was purchased from eBay system)

Right? If all that happened, keep on eBay support. Point this out. Get them removed. Don't give up!