Ebay Refunded Buyer When Item Was Still in Transit And Refused My Appeal After Item Was Delivered

[h2oshop4u]

I sold an irrigation controller for $280+ on Ebay Australia on 10/04/2020, and the controller was sent to Germany. The delivery was delayed due to COVID-19 in Germany. While item was still in transit (under clearance at German customs), Ebay took the full payment from my Paypal account without any prior notice and refunded the buyer. No notice after eBay took the money from my account either. 

A few days later, item arrived to the buyer with full payment already refunded to him. I tried to raise an appeal with Ebay in order to get my payment back after item was delivered. However, Ebay refused to look inot my appeal and falsely claimed I've already made an appeal once which I obviously did NOT. I have kept all the proof of all the coresponse emails. 

Ebay Germany and Ebay Australia pushed the responsibility to each other and niehter of them would look into my case. 

Anyone has had similar experience? And what should I do? 

[tazzieterror]

There are been several similar experiences to yours discussed on this forum by other sellers who made O/S sales that were held up in transit. If you search through the topics you should find them pretty easily.

Basically you need to just keep hassling eBay about it in reasoned, logical way.

First ask them to provide details of the previous claim they're saying you've made. Once that's proven to be an incorrect claim by them, ask again to have the decision reviewed, and suggest eBay Australia to contact their counterparts in eBay Germany regarding it, too.

It shouldn't be this difficult, but unfortunately it is. Different customer service agents will sometimes go to greater efforts to assist than others, so don't be afraid to try different people if you're getting nowhere. Online chat is my preferred way to get help from eBay so that you have the emailed transcript provided to you after. 

Have you also tried messaging the buyer about it? If not, first send a message asking if they've received the item safely - don't mention anything about the refund, just try to establish that they have it.

Written confirmation from them that they received the item would be a handy addition to the tracking confirmation in building your argument for eBay to reverse their decision.

[love_of_cars]

The only thing I can think of is that maybe you didn't respond to the case before it timed out? That's when eBay will close it in the buyer's favour automatically.

In all 3 of the international ones I had during the pandemic, I responded by adding tracking and a friendly note, and also contacted the buyer with the same note where I apologised for the delay caused by the pandemic, and was protected each time, with the case closing with no change.

[h2oshop4u]

Many thanks for the reply! 

I did try several times contacting Ebay. However, Ebay Australia team asked me to talk to Ebay Germany as the buyer is from Germany. And it's Ebay Germany who proceeded the refund. However I'm not able to contact Ebay Germany as I'm asked to login with a German Ebay ID which I don't have. Tried emailing Ebay Germany and was told it's Ebay Australia who submitted the appeal. Talked to Ebay Austrlia again and they said they didn't. So neither of the side wants to take any responsibility for this case. 

Tried contacting the buyer several times as well. Never a reply from him from the beginning. 

[h2oshop4u]

For this case, I'm not able to see the details of the case, or respond to the buyer through the case. Whenever I tried to click the case, it directs me to Ebay Germany site and asked me to log in with a German ID which I don't have. Talked to Ebay about this and they had no clue how to fix it, and just asked me to wait until item is delivered... 

[tazzieterror]

Yes this is exactly what other sellers have encountered as well - e.g. eBay AU saying it's eBay UK's responsibility and vice-versa.

Basically you need to have eBay Australia's CS team message eBay Germany themselves, asking for them to reverse the refund. Point out you can't log in with your existing ID and using a new one is pointless.

eBay Australia are usually happy to send messages on your behalf if you ask them to (and you've got a half-competent CS agent helping you).

Just keep trying and chipping away at them.

[*tippy*toes*]

You can log into any eBay site using your current username and password. If you use Google Chrome, it will even translate the page into English for you!

[*tippy*toes*]

I omitted to mention that on eBay Germany, non store sellers get 300 free listings a month, and free postage! I think I need to move to Germany 😄

[justkidzbiz]

If eBay had brains, they would update their dispute policies to allow for delayed deliveries due to Covid-19, given this is a worldwide pandemic it's pretty unfair to hold seller's accountable for delivery delays.  Soooooo many sellers are losing money and items because of this.  And I'm guessing a lot of the buyers who have raised iNRs, and eventually get the item delivered aren't interested in coughing up the money!

[kasrupi]

I got identical situation with item sent to France. Same story. Contacting ebay Australia, they say it's ebay France problem and someone will contact me in 24 hours. This story goes on for 3 weeks now. Looks like eBay australia just paste copy answers to my questions with same answer. Ebay France got different rules and you should contact them. This is madnes!