Can anyone help?

[ainsley9894]

Hi all, I am seeking assistance with trying to contact ebay. In March received items that I had purchased via ebay, however one of the items was faulty. I contacted the seller who didn't really want to help however eventually they advised they would send a replacement item. The item was sent in May 2021 from China to Australia, and I am yet to receive the item. Unlike my initial purchase on this item the seller did not provide tracking details. I have made contact with the seller on multiple occasions requesting an update to which they reply, "be patient". I have been trying to find how to get help from ebay. However it appears that due to the time since the purchase I cannot start a complaint or ask for assistance - i simply does not recognize the order number. So I have been trying to find an alternate method of contacting ebay which they have done a fantastic job of hiding. Can anyone please help me find a way to contact ebay for help?

[davewil1964 · Accepted solution]

You can't. You have 30 days from the last estimated delivery date to open a claim on eBay. You are well past that time. Nothing is hidden - it's not available.

For future reference, NEVER accept a promise of a replacement, especially from Chinese sellers. They know the ropes, and have virtual immunity. Open an Item Not A s Described case through eBay, within the time limit. It probably won't get you the correct item, but it should get you your money back. Which you could possibly put towards an item from Australia, where you are more likely to get what you ordered.

[digital*ghost · Accepted solution]

eBay can no longer assist with the purchase, aside from offering you the "useful" advice to work directly with the seller. Their money back guarantee is available for a limited time post-purchase, in most cases it is 30 days after receiving the order. 

You may be out of time for other avenues, as well - if you received in March, how much earlier was the purchase? PayPal allow up to 180 days to open a claim for item not as described, but being halfway through August, if your purchase was mid-February-ish, like before the 17th (?), that option may be expired, too (if you can open a dispute, they will likely require return of the original item for a refund, if not signed up already, make sure you sign up for refunded returns before any dispute is opened, as hopefully use that to pay for the return postage).

eBay's MBG system is there to protect you, but it needs to be used within the timeframes - if an international seller offers a replacement in the future, the best thing to do is decline, seek a refund or return for refund on the original item, then re-purchase (from them or elsewhere), as unfortunately some sellers will offer to send a replacement knowing full well by the time the buyer realises nothing is going to arrive, the MBG is no longer an option. 

[zanadoo_56 · Accepted solution]

It's too late I think for the original item however....  Can you bring up the replacement item under Purchase History (set it to See orders from 2021 instead of last 60 days)?

If you can locate it, does it specify a delivery window?  Is the delivery time still within the window? If so it may not be too late to lodge an item not received complaint to eBay  You've also got time after the final estimated delivery date.

I bought an item from China late in May.  Tracking stopped when it left China in early Jun....and it hasn't turned up.  The final estimated delivery date was 11 Aug.  Finding it under Purchase History for 2021, under More Actions, I clicked: I didn't receive it.  If you don't see that option it is too late.

On 12 Aug I was able to open an investigation by eBay (see procedure in last para).  I asked for a refund.  eBay contacted the seller.  The seller contacted me saying they would refund but would I pay for the item if it turned up?  As I've done this in the past I agreed.  They then sent me another message saying they would refund but would I please not give them bad feedback?  As it's likely to have been the fault of the postal system I wasn't bothered by this request.  However.....if the seller comes up with yet another 'condition' of getting a refund, frankly I will leave it to eBay and after the 18th of Aug (I think) eBay will make a determination and we'll see what happens.  It was a cheap buy and I'd like my money back but I won't lose sleep over it.  🙂

What bothers me is I have another purchase that doesn't look like arriving either, so sometime in September after the final estimated delivery date here I go again.  Groan.

[springyzone · Accepted solution]

It sounds harsh but you can't allow sellers to give you the run around, especially sellers from China. You are better off immediately just opening an ebay claim if an item is faulty. You only get 30 days from the ETA so you can't afford to mess around.

As for the repalcement item sent without tracking. How do you even know there was a replacement item sent? You only have the seller's word for it and you've told us already the seller 'didn't really want to help".

Call me cynical but I have some doubts they sent anything and once again, the postal services will get the blame.

If a seller won't refund after you show photos of the faulty item or whatever, just open an ebay claim next time or failing that if you run out of time, a paypal claim.