ebay customer service is terrible & global shipping nightmare

[au-trevl]

Warning: ebay customer service is virtually non-existent. I have been trying to resolve why Global Shipping returned a paid for item to the seller. This is what I have been told over the week:

1. Monday 11/08/14 - the seller must have cancelled the order and instructed it to be returned. I was informed that ebay cannot check the tracking with Global Shipping because that department is open AEST 8:00am - 13:00. I was to contact the seller and call ebay back in those times. I contacted the seller who new nothing about the parcel being rerouted to him!

2. Tuesday 12/08/14 - I was instructed that Global Shipping cannot be spoken with as it is a department that does not have a phone. They are only contactable via email. The consultant was going to email this department and they will call be back. I was a little annoyed as each call wastes a huge amount of time. My call was escalated to an apparent manager. This manager assured me that Global shipping will never ever ever cancel an order and return it to sender. He informed me that I would be called within 3 days. He was to email Global Shipping. The seller contacted ebay to query what was going on. Ebay informed the seller that I, the buyer, had cancelled the order and it was being returned to sender!

3. Wednesday 13/08/14 - I called ebay and was transferred to a manager in Global Shipping. He assured me that global shipping would not cancel an order it must be the seller. I informed him not so! The manager assured me I would get a call today (15/08/14) with clarification.

4. Thursday 14/08/14 - the seller confirmed he had spoken with ebay and they indicated I cancelled the order.

5. Friday 15/08/14 - No call from ebay. I called ebay and was transferred to Global shipping. The person on the phone indicated that his manager would call me within an hour - that was seven hours ago. I called ebay again twice, only to be hung up on both times with no return calls However, I was assured that it was Global SHipping that cancelled the order; not me or the seller! I was also assured of a call back to be told the reasons for cancelling am item that has been sent global shipping before! Still waiting ebay!

Confusing? Yes, this amounts to my worst customer service experience, ever. Two thumbs down to ebay customer service. At no time have I been called back. At no time has ebay tried to resolve this issue with their Global Shipping. The seller is a reputable man in the US. He runs a good business and has overwhelming positive feedback. Be warned - ebay customer service is utterly useless.

[cq_tech]

I trust that you've taken the necessary steps to recover your payment for this cancelled item by lodging a dispute with Paypal?

[lyndal1838]

This is nothing new, unfortunately.

If you read the boards you will find many tales of the problems associated with the system.

Unfortunately not enough US sellers read these stories and decide to cancel their use of the GSP.

[the_pooze]

As posted previously on my own thread about how appalling the GSP is.  Even though it worked out okay in the end, these clauses in their Terms and Conditions utterly convinced me NEVER to buy from a US Seller that use their so called "services".  Just too risky.  I'm still looking out for my missing item to appear on their eBay store.

WOW!  Talk about Corporate butt covering! 

the risk of loss or damage to a GSP Item shall remain with your Seller until the GSP Item is accepted at the U.S. Shipping Center. As between you and Pitney Bowes, risk of loss or damage to a GSP Item shall transfer to you from Pitney Bowes and/or its third party parcel processing service providers when the GSP Item leaves the U.S. Shipping Center.

.....and I love the loose use of language in this one to cover any vague reason that may be thought of not to deliver something

eBay and Pitney Bowes shall have no liability and shall have, in their discretion and in any manner that they prefer, the right to dispose of or liquidate parcels (and their contents) that eBay or Pitney Bowes conclude are undeliverable, for whatever reason. If eBay or Pitney Bowes conclude that a parcel is undeliverable and elect to dispose of or liquidate a parcel, title to the parcel (and its contents) shall transfer automatically from your Seller to eBay, Pitney Bowes and/or any third party designated by either eBay or Pitney Bowes

[tkfdxr8]

ebay customer serive is rubbish!!

[davewil1964]

A very succinct and identifying reply to a SIX year old post.

It doesn't help you. You might take into account that SIX years ago COVID wasn't globally rampant, nor were the world-wide shipping issues due to COVID.

Contacting eBay is now only available through live chat. What's the bet you haven't tried that? Or read the policies about buyer protection? Which were certainly different, and weaker, SIX years ago.