|
Sellers' Frequently Asked Questions about the eBay Buyer Protection Policy
What are the differences between eBay Buyer Protection and PayPal Buyer Protection? Here are the main differences between the 2 programs:
For item not received cases, sellers are protected from losing a case if they ship within their stated handling time and provide proof of delivery to eBay. Proof of delivery is tracking information from a shipping company that clearly displays:
What if the buyer receives my item but still files an "item not received" case? If the buyer receives your item, we'll only accept an item not received case if the buyer can prove that you didn't ship the item within your stated handling time. When are PayPal funds placed on hold? When a case is opened, eBay may ask PayPal to put funds on hold for that transaction. Funds may be held for other reasons. In what circumstances may I be responsible for reimbursement even though I may not get my item back? Where you misrepresented your item's location in your listing and are now asking the buyer to incur higher shipping charges to return the item to a different location, unless you pay for return shipping; or Where you sell an item that isn't authentic. For more details, please see the "What happens if a buyer believes an item is not authentic?" section of the eBay Buyer Protection Policy. Do I have to provide a signature confirmation if the buyer's address doesn't allow for a signature confirmation? If the buyer's address does not allow for signature confirmation (i.e., the buyer's shipping address is a P.O. Box or a military base), you must provide delivery confirmation. Can I appeal an eBay Buyer Protection decision? If a case is closed in the buyer's favor, a seller may appeal the decision by providing the appropriate documentation through the eBay Resolution Center within 45 days from the day the case is closed. If the decision is reversed, the seller will be refunded the reimbursement amount back to the reimbursement payment method on file with eBay. Other fees will not be reimbursed. Will I be charged if eBay closes a case in my favor? If the buyer's case is closed in your favor, you don't have to refund eBay or the buyer. What happens to eBay selling fees for disputed transactions? The final value fees paid to eBay as part of the original transaction will be refunded if you respond to a buyer's case by providing the buyer with a full refund including the full cost of the item (including any applicable sales tax) and original shipping (and accepting a return for an item not as described case). What happens if the buyer's case is closed in the buyer's favor? If we resolve a case in the buyer's favor, the seller will be required to reimburse us for the refund. (Please refer to the eBay Buyer Protection Policy section on reimbursements from sellers for more information.) Sellers with a large number of cases relative to their total sales may be at risk of violating eBay's Seller Practices policy. If the buyer alleges that the item you sold wasn't authentic and the case was resolved in the buyer's favor, eBay may limit your account, up to and including suspension of your account. For more details, see "What happens if a buyer believes an item is not authentic?" in the eBay Buyer Protection Policy. How much time does a buyer have to wait before opening a case? Buyers can contact eBay at any time with issues or questions. However, we may ask buyers to wait until a reasonable amount of time after payment has cleared before opening a case. In most cases, we'll look at the total of:
If there is a national emergency or extreme weather, we may, at our discretion, ask buyers to wait longer. Is there a time limit for a buyer to open a case? Generally, buyers have 45 days from payment to open a case—the same as with the current PayPal dispute resolution system. Exceptions may be made to buyers based on factors such as member account information, listing information, item location, and shipping method. You'll be asked to work things out with the buyer, but if you're unable to come to an agreement, we won't require reimbursement from you for cases filed after 45 days from payment. What if the item is still in transit when the buyer opens an item not received case? If tracking shows that the item was sent within the seller's handling time, but hasn't arrived yet, we may ask the buyer to wait. We may also extend the amount of time buyers should wait depending on circumstances like the use of a slower shipping service, or sending an item internationally. What if the item is stuck in customs because the buyer won't pay the import fees? Cross-border trade disputes will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis using all available transaction information. Cross-border sellers can also facilitate reviews of their cases by specifying in their item description that cross-border buyers are responsible for any customs duties, taxes, etc. imposed by the buyer's home country. What if eBay refunds my buyer, I reimburse eBay, and then I get a chargeback from the buyer? Sellers who have an eBay Buyer Protection case resolved in the buyer's favor, who provide reimbursement to a buyer and then lose a chargeback, may appeal the eBay Buyer Protection decision by providing evidence of the lost chargeback through the eBay Resolution Center. If the decision is reversed, the seller will be refunded the reimbursement back to the original reimbursement payment method. Buyers who open a chargeback after receiving a refund are abusing eBay Buyer Protection and may be subject to consequences outlined in our "Abusing eBay" policy. Carrier transit time estimates can be wrong. Why are you using them? We rely on carriers' own transit time estimates as the best indication of how long the item will take for delivery. In most cases we add a cushion of at least 3 days after the estimated handling plus shipping time to adjust for this. We may lengthen this period based on the type of shipping used by the seller and the location of the buyer. We understand that transit times in international transactions may be considerably longer. The buyer has conflicting addresses between eBay and PayPal. Which one do I use? If there is a conflict between addresses listed on the PayPal "transaction details" page and the eBay "view order details" page, we'll consider sellers to have met their shipping obligations under eBay Buyer Protection if they choose either address. The buyer returned a different item than the one I sent. What do I do? If the buyer returns a different item, or the same item but in worse condition, the seller should appeal to eBay immediately. We'll review the case, and if we find in the seller's favor we'll repay the seller any refund sent to the buyer, and record the incident on the buyer's record. If a pattern emerges, we'll take action against the buyer for fraud. We also track the number of times a seller reports that this happens, to monitor for potential abuse. When does an item "not as described" claim become a "forced return" for sellers? Generally, buyer remorse isn't acceptable justification for an item not as described case. However, if the seller agrees in writing through eBay messages to refund the buyer upon return of the item, and then the seller doesn't refund the buyer upon return of the item, eBay may refund the buyer and seek reimbursement from the seller. Also, if it appears based on information from the buyer and information in the item listing that the item is not as described, then the buyer must return it to the seller to qualify for a refund. An exception to this is that buyers who get a manufacturer or law enforcement certification that the item is not authentic, won't be required to return the item to the seller. Instead, we may require proof of destruction of the item from the buyer. (Please refer to the "What happens if a buyer believes an item is not authentic?" section of the eBay Buyer Protection Policy for more information.) I object to this resolution case. What are the consequences for not repaying eBay for the amount of the transaction or other amounts due to eBay? You are required to pay eBay bills promptly. Failure to pay may result in consequences including loss of selling fees for transactions that have had cases opened, loss of PowerSeller status and associated fee discounts, selling limits, account suspension, and referral to a collection agency. What should I do to make sure my buyers are satisfied?
Buyers are welcome to contact eBay for any reason. However, eBay won't permit a case when the buyer hasn't paid you. Will the buyer be able to leave negative Feedback on a transaction if I successfully appeal a case? There is no link between eBay's resolution process and the Feedback system. As has always been true, buyers are able to leave Feedback regardless of outcome of a case. Keep in mind that all reasons for Feedback removal will still apply. |
