eBay is getting worst than ever....

[hdshn78]

Sold an item to USA (International buyer) , got delayed by Customs and "buyer" open a case saying that he didn't received the item (while it was on customs and could check the tracking info) and eBay closed the case on his favor.... item was delivered a few days later "delayed"....

"As sellers are responsible for ensuring the buyer receives their item within the estimated delivery date as described"

"It is a great thing that the item was marked delivered to the buyer and they already left positive feedback, as a next step, we suggest you contact them to confirm if they have received the item for you to ask for repayment or provide a means of return for them to ship the item back. "

eBay it's getting worst than ever... I wouldn't recommend it anymore... as a seller.

By the other hand it's a great tool to scam buyers.... if the package it's a bit delayed... FREE STUFF.

[emtbucky]

I sold item to Guam. Guam, is in the united states. So, since the item was delayed to a protectorate of the united states, i got jipped on shipping fees, i ate the cost, plus the scum buyer said - oh it was too delayed.....even tho the item shipped from FL to Gaum...on the other side of the planet....which took about 3 weeks or so. eBay refunded all his money - So the buyer got some FREE STUFF too! 

Resolution: in shipping uncheck "shipping to Virgin Islands, Gaum, PRico, etc."  I lose buyers, but no more getting ripped off. 
I am getting the eBay staff a Globe for Xmas this year! 

[mam98031]

@hdshn78 

You may want to consider using EIS.

EIS is a great program. I encourage you to read about it and decide for yourself if it will work for you. It takes almost all the risk for international shipping off the sellers.

Feel free to come back and ask for advice on what to do.

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/shipping-items/setting-shipping-options/ebay-international-shippin...

https://pages.ebay.com/internationalshippingprogram/seller/terms/

[reallynicestamps]

Did either of the complainants put the tracking number into the Claim themselves?

Or did they trust that eBay already knew it?
EBay seems to want the Seller to cooperate with the MBG/Claims process by inserting that tracking number manually.

And it should be noted that not every shipping label is purchased through eBay nor automatically added to the Selling Page.

Generally, when the seller does give the tracking number, eBay allows a little more time since they can see that the shipment has been made, is in transit, and is moving.

[comicscauldron]

I had the same exact issue in march. Buyer is a comic book dealer in PA . I waited a couple of months so he can't neg me and then started a campaign at Instagram named : "Stolen Comic book" and of course i marked him as the thief. I tagged all the comic book dealers from PA. Long story short, he contacted me i got my money back two days ago.

[hdshn78]

eBay is going way useless now. I do have 2 other accounts (selling since 2005) and let me tell you it's frustrating every year... changes things that they shouldn't change, making them even more useless and pointless... "

I feel so bad about you, I understand your frustration with this. Thing is that the freaking generic message that the "customer service" tell you, irritates you more....

"we suggest you contact them as they have already received the item for you to ask for repayment or provide a means of return for them to ship the item back. "

"I am confident that the information I have provided resolves your concern for today. Thank you for contacting eBay, and doing business with us. Have great day!"

Really? eBay is becoming useless... charging you more and with this customer service?... 

[hdshn78]

Thanks but I think I better quit eBay... it's a pain in the... 

To many issues lately.

[soh.maryl]

If Guam is a US protectorate, is it really international shipping, and thus eligible for EIS?

I truly do not know, since I no longer sell.  

[stainlessenginecovers]

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@hdshn78 wrote:

Thanks but I think I better quit eBay... it's a pain in the... 

To many issues lately.

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Others will still be curious; Buyer opened a INR case- did you reply on time with the tracking number? Seems like you did not, that is the only way ebay will then 'just refund'. 

[farmalljr]

To be honest, EIS doesn't solve a seller's problems. Buyers are still free to use freight forwarders. There is no way for a seller to truly ONLY sell to US buyers. 

With the freight forwarder, we have heard countless complaints how some do not get a received/delivered scan, then the buyer files an INR and the seller loses. 

There is no way for sellers here to fully avoid international sales, even if they check all the boxes and cross all the T's. 

[12345jamesstamps]

True...more and more items are going freight forward and are not getting scanned as 'delivered' at the USA address hubs going to the other country. Are sellers in the USA covered? No.

And with the tariffs in play...items not going freight forward...many here state sellers are covered using 'EIS'.

We will see how 'EIS' will cover delays by the tariffs now...items sitting in the hubs...not lost...just not getting delivered in the time frame.

At some point, eBay can't just pay all these sellers off...but we will see I guess.

[reallynicestamps]

EIS is currently* only available to US sellers.

It is used to ship overseas not to the USA.

Trump's Tariffs are paid by the buyer/importer in the USA.

American demands that the foreign exporter pay the tariff is the reason EU postal authorities have stopped shipping to the USA.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/aug/25/postal-services-in-europe-suspend-parcel-shipments-...

There is no reason for Trump's Tariff to delay exports.

And the overseas buyer pays their own country's retaliatory tariff on arrival not , at the moment, through eIS.

Not to mention that those retaliatory tariffs tend to be on BigTicket items like supermarket imports of orange juice.

* UK sellers still use a form of the GSP.
Canadian sellers will be able to use eIS come October, but again it will be a modified form. Canadians have been happy to sell internationally without any freight forwarding program until very recently.

[sakic92710]

Not true.  I've had refunds given while the tracking clearly shows the item is in transit & tracking was provided in a very timely manner.  Refund was given on a Thursday - item arrived the following Monday.  eBay says (paraphrasing), "Tough luck - it's up to you to communicate with the buyer about getting your money back."  On top of that, the buyer left me negative feedback.  He got his item for free & I got ripped off.  The last 2 negatives I received were from buyers who got their items for free & I was defamed.  eBay does not care.

[mam98031]

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@hdshn78 wrote:

Thanks but I think I better quit eBay... it's a pain in the... 

To many issues lately.

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You have to do what is best for you.  When I advised using EIS I did not realize you were in a different country.  While it is a fantastic program that really protects sellers shipping internationally, it is not available for your country.

[mam98031]

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@soh.maryl wrote:

If Guam is a US protectorate, is it really international shipping, and thus eligible for EIS?

I truly do not know, since I no longer sell.  

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The OP is not a US seller.  I had not realized that when I suggested EIS.