Won auction & paid, but seller has delayed shipping and has now relisted the item

[turntech]

A couple of weeks ago, I won an auction and promptly paid for the item. The winning bid was $306.00 plus $70 shipping. (Item is small but heavy) The seller made an excuse to delay shipping the item, but I see he has since relisted it with a higher buy-it-now price. He has not cancelled the original auction. He has not shipped the item and is not replying to my messages. What should I do?

[papermoon.lady]

You can open a dispute after the last day of the estimated delivery (you have 30 days to open a dispute after the last day of the estimated delivery).

If you paid with PP, you have 180 days since the date of purchase to open a dispute, but it is usually recommended to first open a case on eBay because if you open a case in PP and lose it, you can't open an eBay dispute later.

[turntech]

Thank you for your reply.

In the meantime, the seller keeps my money. Not cool. How is this even allowed by eBay? Mmm, it may be time to bail from eBay, this is rubbish...

[papermoon.lady]

Well, I think eBay wants buyers to wait until the last day of the estimated delivery because there are sellers who don't mark their items as sent. It does not happen so often these days, but it can happen.

If you are positive that the item the seller has relisted is the one you had won, you can try talking to eBay via live chat (from the help page).

How is the seller's feedback?

[sandypebbles]

'eBay' would have no idea the seller did not send your item unless you report it to them

It is'nt as if people are checking

That is why buyers are given the tools to get their money back if a seller turns out to be outright dodgy or unhelpful

[springyzone]

It is rubbish! Considering you paid promptly and paid a fair amount for postage, you had every right to expect the item would well & truly have been posted off by now. 

Is the item located in Australia? Even for a heavy object, that's a lot of postage so I am assuming it may be overseas.

If the seller wasn't happy with the auction result, he should have cancelled and refunded immediately. I am wondering if he has relisted and is waiting to see how this dearer auction goes, if he can do better or not, before cancelling a sure sale. Pretty unethical. Anyway, I suspect that is why he is currently ignoring your messages.

You could contact ebay chat and show them the relisted item, along with the messages you have received so far etc and the fact it has not been posted off (an item of that price would have some tracking).

They may cancel for you and force a refund but I think probably they will fob you off & ask you to wait till the last estimated date of arrival before you open a claim.

If I were you, I'd be opening that ebay claim the very minute you are able to and follow through.

Can I just add that if the seller is waiting on this second auction result before posting, that if it doesn't sell he may indeed post it off with a tracking number before your actual ETA has passed.

But.. it is unlikely you will receive it by that ETA. So watch that auction. Even if he sends a tracking number in eg 10 days, it is unlikely the parcel will reach you in time, in which case I would still open an official ebay claim if I could, for item not received the very second that ETA passed. 

[turntech]

Sellers feedback is only about 90%. I did check that. There have been a few incidents but put them down to Covid Delays etc. After what has transpired and seeing the item I’ve bought relisted, and the seller ignoring all my messages, now I’m a bit wiser and on the side of the other parties. The seller is a jerk. EBay continues its usual delaying tactics even though the time has passed for me to have received the item. They can easily see that he has relisted the item I’ve bought and paid for in full, including shipping. Total is over $370. EBay’s lax attitude to the party that has been harmed (me) and doing nothing to penalise the seller has pretty much ended it for me. I’ve been buying and selling since eBay started, but getting reparation now is like pulling hens teeth. I’m over all this BS. 

[jellybirddesigns]

Well, have you opened a case for Not Received yet?

It's a very simple process once you have done so. The seller has to enter tracking within 4 days. If there is no tracking, and no refund from the seller, you can escalate it after 4 days to get your refund.

You don't need to communicate with Ebay customer service as they cannot do anything. You need to open a case to mark a formal dispute.

[repentatleisure1952]

Did you open a case for Item Not Received a week ago?

If so you would have a refund by now.

What "delaying tactics" are eBay using?