Well, Gh421bris, I think your tip is spot on.
No buyer should ever accept a voucher instead of a refund. Always make sure you get a full refund if you have a problem with an item or if an item does not arrive.
I don't think any of the boardies here are disagreeing with you on that score. You asked why we would be upset that your experience here is shared to warn others. I personally think it is a good thing you are sharing the experience.
What any potential buyer should take from the post is that if something goes wrong and a seller offers a voucher instead of a refund, under no circumstances accept it.
Buyers need to be savvy as to how ebay works. They have 30 days after the delivery of a product in which to make a claim. They do NOT have to make a claim through a seller. In fact they shouldn't. They should open the claim directly vie ebay.
Once they do that, the seller has no choice, they are put on notice by ebay to respond. Again, no buyer should close the claim because a seller offers a voucher. That's underhand dealing by the seller.
Some sellers are unscrupulous and will tell buyers to close the case, they are sending a replacement (or all sorts of stories), just to get them to close the claim. Once a buyer closes a claim, they cannot reopen it. Sellers know that.
It sounds to me as if you accepted a voucher from a seller, rather than opened a direct ebay claim for a full refund. As you said, big mistake.
Just out of interest, was that voucher for use only with the trader who had supplied the faulty item?
That's what I am assuming.
But one part of your story is extremely strange. Buyers always have to open their own ebay claims.
Yet you say
Ebay opened a case, apparently, according to Debangan, but they never sent the case number nor a resolution/outcome email.
Debangan cannot open a claim for you or on your behalf.
Here is what I would do if I were you.
Look at when your last item was due to arrive, the estimated due date.
If that is still under 30 days ago, go into your my ebay section and open a claim now, directly with ebay.
Your claim is that you have not received the item. Unless the seller can show evidence it was delivered, you will get a refund. Not a voucher, a refund.
If your first item, the one that was faulty, is still within the 30 day window, same. In fact, do that one first & only go onto the second one if you are out of time for the first claim.
You've been ripped off but not by ebay.
