For the first time I used the eBay Australia cart feature to simplify purchasing. I added four items from four different retailers into the cart with the same delivery address.
Total $353.90 … waited for the eBay Australia system to do its thing. All good, no problems. Processed successfully.
Four days later I’m in regional NSW and attempt to pay from the same bank account the above funds are sourced from. Declined. Try iPhone again. Declined. Use ATM card declined.
Highly embarrassed, I make apologies to staff and return goods.
Outside the store I check my balance using the bank app. Zero dollars. I look at the transactions. There are the four items individually charged totalling $353.90 … but there’s also an eBay Australia lump sum pending.
That’s right - $353.90!
My bank has assessed from the information they’ve received that my account is now overdrawn by $353.90 and so any deposit I make into that account reduces against the $353.90 debt.
After a weekend of no money and no food I talk to the staff at the bank branch today. They say the problem is eBay Australia’s and I need to contact them before the bank can dispute the second $353.90 pending transaction.
eBay Australia say it’s not their problem it’s my bank and I’m sent an email to take to my bank explaining it all. Branch manager says she’s never seen anything like it and the eBay Australia information is wrong.
From the bank’s (and my) perspective I’ve been charged a lump sum - pending but withdrawn from my account - plus the four individual transactions totalling the lump sum.
It’s now early Tuesday morning. Still no money, no access to food, and no one willing to take responsibility. I’m a long term eBay buyer and a casual seller. I will not ever use the cart function to save time ever again.
Where’s the money? Bank says eBay Australia has it and eBay Australia says it’s still with my bank. I know one thing - it’s not where it should be and that’s in my account.
Could make a great news story.
