topic Re: Misleading “AU Stock” Listings & Handling Time Loopholes Affecting Australian Sellers in Selling

Misleading “AU Stock” Listings & Handling Time Loopholes Affecting Australian Sellers

kz-blue — Sat, 02 May 2026 05:51:18 GMT

I’m an Australian-based seller and wanted to raise a growing issue that I believe is seriously affecting both local sellers and buyer trust on eBay Australia.

Over the past few years, I’ve noticed a large increase in listings claiming:

- “AU Stock”
- “Ships from Australia”
- Australian item locations (Sydney, Melbourne, etc.)

However, after purchase, many of these items appear to actually be dispatched from overseas.

A common pattern seems to be:

- very long handling times (7–10 business days)
- tracking uploaded late
- parcel origin showing overseas scans after dispatch
- delivery times that suggest international fulfilment rather than local stock

This creates several concerns:

1. Buyers may be misled about the true dispatch location and delivery expectations.

2. Genuine Australian-based sellers operating locally face significant disadvantages due to:
- local warehousing costs
- Australian postage costs
- GST and tax obligations
- local customer service and return handling

3. It reduces buyer confidence in listings labelled “AU Stock”.

I understand eBay is a global marketplace, and international sellers are part of the platform. However, item location accuracy should still be transparent and consistent for buyers.

I’d be interested to know whether other Australian sellers have experienced similar issues, particularly regarding:
- misleading item locations
- handling-time loopholes masking overseas dispatch
- impact on local seller competitiveness

I hope eBay can further review how item location accuracy and dispatch transparency are enforced.

Thanks.

Re: Misleading “AU Stock” Listings & Handling Time Loopholes Affecting Australian Sellers

sandypebbles — Sat, 02 May 2026 06:02:01 GMT

All the regulars here are well aware of the things you mention, the regulars here have all reported such listings, the regulars here have all advised other buyers thousands of times what to look for to avoid dodgy sellers, often copping abuse for it, and being accused of 'working for eBay'

It is very very common and has been happening for many, many years

I'm not sure how they are 'loopholes' when all the information is available to every buyer re the handling time (shown before buying) Where the seller is registered, and the feedback (along with other great, big red flags like lifted photos, 'strange' prices and AU stock/ AU Post plastered all over every photo

eBay will not review anything

eBay allow sellers to list the item location as anywhere

eBay are more interested in punishing small sellers than they are doing anything about scammy as sellers

What could happen is that buyers could start care about who they buy from, they could bother to look at feedback, look at all the negs, look at all the feedback about drop shipping, look at all the dodgy photos lifted from other websites but they don't want to/can't be bothered to/happily support a scammer and then be surprised they got scammed

As soon as I see 'AU stock' plastered on listings, I instantly assume it is a seller registered in China, it is one of their biggest calling cards

At the end of the day, if buyers couldn't care less who they are buying from and supporting, eBay sure as eggs are not going to care for them

Re: Misleading “AU Stock” Listings & Handling Time Loopholes Affecting Australian Sellers

sandypebbles — Sat, 02 May 2026 06:04:37 GMT

To add, you only need to look here on the forum at how many scammer sellers post and ask how can they scam better? how can they get negs for scamming removed? contact them if you want tips how to scam

Such sellers should be removed, but nope, they get to keep on scamming

Re: Misleading “AU Stock” Listings & Handling Time Loopholes Affecting Australian Sellers

countessalmirena — Sat, 02 May 2026 06:12:55 GMT

eBay won’t. (Lamentably.)

eBay facilitate Chinese sellers in particular. It had been a long-standing issue going back years. The use of just-in-time fulfilment is a sinkhole of risk, but eBay will not do anything to risk their presence in China. (It’s been a very rocky history.)

Unfortunately Australian buyers facilitate this by buying from sellers who are registered overseas (often China) because the prices are well below RRP. These buyers are ignoring the lack of Australian Standards, compliance marks (electrical), and real warranties.

I’m not a seller but as a buyer, I always check negatives, country of registration, etc. I wouldn’t risk buying most things from China.

Re: Misleading “AU Stock” Listings & Handling Time Loopholes Affecting Australian Sellers

kz-blue — Sat, 02 May 2026 06:24:34 GMT

That’s an important point about buyer trust and transparency.

I don’t think the issue is international sellers themselves — global marketplaces naturally include overseas sellers.

The concern is when overseas fulfilment is presented in a way that appears to be local Australian stock, especially through long handling times that can obscure the true dispatch origin.

Clearer dispatch transparency would help buyers make informed decisions and would also create a fairer environment for genuine Australian-based sellers operating with local compliance, tax, and fulfilment costs.

Re: Misleading “AU Stock” Listings & Handling Time Loopholes Affecting Australian Sellers

love_of_cars — Sat, 02 May 2026 06:56:21 GMT

Thank you for your essay about this, OP. It's been complained about many times on here and we've given up on the situation years ago. The fact of the matter is that the Chinese sellers make heaps of income for eBay with their cheap and plentiful items straight from suppliers, and Aussies love to buy them in high numbers, and eBay just love that and wouldn't want to impede this.

You should write a proper article about all this, since you clearly had a good think about it all, and submit it to a news website or something.

Re: Misleading “AU Stock” Listings & Handling Time Loopholes Affecting Australian Sellers

gutterpunkz05 — Sat, 02 May 2026 12:18:57 GMT

This issue is not restricted to online selling, sure some abuse the system, but the just in time (JIT) principle of trade has been the cornerstone of world trade for nearly 60yrs.

The system is under extreme stress, has been for quite some time. At least the shortages of bulk shipping containers, appears to be resolved.

Re: Misleading “AU Stock” Listings & Handling Time Loopholes Affecting Australian Sellers

springyzone — Sun, 03 May 2026 00:35:03 GMT

This post struck a chord with me as just this morning I gave feedback to a seller like this.

You are right, it is annoying and it does undermine confidence in ebay.

You are also right in that most buyers understand it is a global marketplace and plenty of people are happy to buy from China etc but what we want is transparency/honesty.

In my case, it was a very minor purchase & I was fairly confident I would receive my product (seller had 99.9% rating).

However, I read the feedback carefully before buying and was aware there was a possibility some items were drop shipped. The delivery date range wasn't extremely stretched out (which as you mention, can be a sure sign something is coming from overseas). It was about 7-10 days, from memory, which can be normal with Aussie purchases too.

But I think the key thing is that if a buyer does a bit of digging before buying, they can often pick up clues about potential problems/misrepresentations. But the ads should be accurate to start with, it is an ebay failing that they often aren't.

Ebay has got to the stage where the ad itself and seller details don't tell the whole story. Can't be relied upon. Ebay doesn't care.

And I've got to the stage that if a seller lies to me in an ad or does something dodgy, they aren't getting a positive from me.

Just for fun, let me show you my seller's spiel. I have deleted any identifying details.

I knew to take it with a grain of salt but a lot of buyers would assume it's a local seller with items being posted from the stated location. After all, this is one of ebay's most reliable sellers!

Re: Misleading “AU Stock” Listings & Handling Time Loopholes Affecting Australian Sellers

kz-blue — Sun, 03 May 2026 01:04:46 GMT

I think that’s exactly the key point — transparency.

Most buyers understand eBay is a global marketplace and many are perfectly happy to buy internationally if the listing is clear about it.

The issue is when listings create the impression of genuine local Australian stock and dispatch, while the actual fulfilment process may be very different.

That lack of transparency affects buyer confidence and also creates difficulties for genuine local sellers operating with local warehousing, postage, tax and compliance costs.

At the end of the day, buyers should be able to make informed decisions based on accurate dispatch and location information.

Re: Misleading “AU Stock” Listings & Handling Time Loopholes Affecting Australian Sellers

wsjg7776 — Sun, 03 May 2026 11:05:51 GMT

I note that you are selling Quilts with logos and images that would be copyrighted to Disney , Marvel, Kenwuorth etc and require licensing to be used. You state they are unbranded and I can't imagine that these companies license their IP to manufacturers' that are "unbranded"

But all good because you are in Australia and have the stock in Sydney (after importing it from China).

I think that passing off on eBay is a far more serious issue on the site

Re: Misleading “AU Stock” Listings & Handling Time Loopholes Affecting Australian Sellers

springyzone — Mon, 04 May 2026 00:58:23 GMT

You might have unwittingly drummed up kz-blue's sales. 😁

I couldn't resist having a look and some of those doona covers would be great for kids! I can see why he/she has sold 131k items.

I think most of us are aware that a lot of the things we buy are manufactured in China.

But when I shop on ebay, I would like the details in the ad to be 100% accurate.

I would like to know seller and item location. Item location is shown but seller registration, although available with a search, isn't in the actual ad.

A lot of us would prefer to buy from a seller in Australia who actually has the goods where they say in the ad they are located. That is what riles some buyers, that an item might come direct from China when it was advertised as in Sydney etc.

Re: Misleading “AU Stock” Listings & Handling Time Loopholes Affecting Australian Sellers

kz-blue — Mon, 04 May 2026 04:37:06 GMT

Thanks for sharing your thoughts — I understand your point.

From my experience as a small local seller, things have been quite tough recently, with sales dropping to around one item per week, which doesn’t even cover store fees.

Just sharing my perspective — I’ll leave it there.

Re: Misleading “AU Stock” Listings & Handling Time Loopholes Affecting Australian Sellers

springyzone — Mon, 04 May 2026 23:47:03 GMT

That's a shame, I hope things pick up for you.

It's probably not much help, but I think things have been a bit slow everywhere lately. Someone at a local store told me things had been extremely quiet and another ebay seller said sales had dropped significantly & they were branching out to marketplace as well.

We are living in uncertain times I think, with interest rates possbily rising soon and cost of living going up etc

But you have some lovely items at fair prices so good luck!

Re: Misleading “AU Stock” Listings & Handling Time Loopholes Affecting Australian Sellers

bikeden — Tue, 05 May 2026 06:45:38 GMT

Try 12 years ago...

https://community.ebay.com.au/t5/Buying/SCAM-Chinese-sellers-misrepresenting-item-location-Equick/m-p/1537621#M46391