Information for Buyers:

How Bidding on eBay works

Reserve Price Auctions

Buying from countries outside the EU, import duties etc.

Account activity limits when buying

Receiving a Second Chance Offer

How can I be certain that a seller’s Second Chance Offer is legitimate?

Check if an item has been reported stolen

Your rights when buying goods at auction, whether in person or online

Paypal buyer protection

Ebay Buyer protection

Faulty goods bought by credit card

Item Not Received or Significantly Not as Described Process

Item Location Misrepresentation Policy

Rules on Surcharges

Check for Shill Bidding

Check for Shill Bidding/Regular Bidder Checker (Enter eBay Item Number)

Ebay Buyer protection

Report Counterfeit Items, Purchased or Listed

How to Pay by credit card without a Paypal account

Rules on bid retractions

Retract a bid

Info on Car Scams

Advice on buying a vehicle

Purchasing a Motor Vehicle on eBay

Vehicle Status Reports

Postage Concerns

Excessive Postage & Packing Charges

You are the winning bidder and the seller refuses to sell, Seller Non Performance 

Seller refuses to accept Paypal payment when Paypal is listed as a payment option

I won an item but no longer want to buy it. What should I do?

Appealing Unpaid Item Strikes and Suspensions

Information on Autographed Items

Buying Classified Ads Items Pt.1

Buying Classified Ads Items Pt.2

 

Frequently Asked Questions: 

The item I have received is significantly not as described, what should i do?

First of all, try to resolve the matter with the seller, if they don't respond, obtain their contact details and call them. Even when a seller agrees to refund, it would be best to recommend you file a dispute, as if things go wrong you can escalate to a claim, if all goes well you can close the dispute and this is not detrimental to the other party, you just let the other party know this and explain that it's to protect both parties.

Obtain Contact Details of another member you have taken/are taking part in a transaction with

If you are not satisfied with the outcome, see below.

 

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If paid using Paypal you would have to file a dispute with Paypal, Paypal would ask for information from both parties and then decide who was in the right (they usually side with the buyer). You would then have to return by a trackable means at your own expense.

Extract from Paypal Buyer Protection Policy;

If you file a claim for a 'significantly not-as-described' item, we will generally require you to return the item to the seller, at your own expense. In some circumstances, you may be required, at your own expense, to send the item: to PayPal; to a third party PayPal directs; or provide evidence that the item has been destroyed (if for example, PayPal received evidence that the item in question is a fake, counterfeit or otherwise unauthentic). PayPal may require and request evidence from you that the above matters have been carried out. Once PayPal has confirmed that the recipient has received the item (or if appropriate, that the item has been destroyed), your refund will be processed. If you are required to send the item to PayPal, you agree to transfer the ownership of the item to PayPal and if requested, you agree to provide all reasonable assistance in ensuring that the transfer of ownership takes place. Additionally, in some further instances, PayPal may ask you to support your claim by supplying a copy of the police report you filed.

You would be refunded your full* payment including the original postage cost, but not the return postage. *Depending on level of cover. Paypal basic buyer protection offers up to £150, Paypal full buyer protection offers cover up to £500

Extract from Paypal Buyer Protection Policy;

In many cases, your credit card company will allow you to file a chargeback for 90 days or more after the date of payment, if PayPal resolves a claim in a buyer’s favour but the buyer does not receive a full recovery of their payment and if the time for processing of a claim results in the buyer’s loss of chargeback rights, then PayPal will provide a full recovery to the buyer.

Paypal buyer protection policy in full

Item Not Received or Significantly Not as Described Process

 

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Non Paypal, cheque, postal order, bank transfer etc.

If you paid by any other means than Paypal, then you have no financial protection via ebay and ebay only offer what they call a mediation service, which is basically a message exchange. If you paid by credit card you may be covered by the credit card company.

 

My Paypal payment is showing as pending, what does this mean?

Sign into Paypal, or click on view Paypal payment for this item.

Do you have a cancel button?

If so, there is a mistake with the seller's email address registered with Paypal.

If there is no cancel button then the seller may only have a personal account, this means they can only accept Paypal balance or bank funded payments, if you have paid using a card, they will need to upgrade to accept it (they have to if they had the Paypal cards logo displayed in the auction).

Try calling the seller to confirm the problem.

Obtain Contact Details of another member you have taken/are taking part in a transaction with

 

I haven't received my item, what should I do?

Ultimately the seller is responsible, as they are duty bound to ensure the safe delivery of the item, proof of postage means nothing with regards the transaction.

How you proceed will depend on how you paid.

How did you pay?

If it was Paypal you would have to file a dispute after 10 days, (immediately where a seller is no longer registered) then escalate to a claim within 20 days, (immediately where a seller is no longer registered).

Paypal would then ask the seller for tracking information, if they can't provide this within 10 days, they would have to refund the buyer from their Paypal account (Paypal enforced), if their Paypal account has insufficiant funds, their account would be placed on hold until such time as it is put it in order.

You would be refunded your full* payment including the original postage cost.

*Depending on level of cover, and with a maximum of £150/£500.
Paypal basic buyer protection offers up to £150, Paypal full buyer protection offers cover up to £500

Extract from Paypal Buyer Protection Policy:

In many cases, your credit card company will allow you to file a chargeback for 90 days or more after the date of payment, if PayPal resolves a claim in a buyer’s favour but the buyer does not receive a full recovery of their payment and if the time for processing of a claim results in the buyer’s loss of chargeback rights, then PayPal will provide a full recovery to the buyer.

Paypal buyer protection policy in full

Item Not Received or Significantly Not as Described Process

If you paid by any other means, then you have no financial protection via ebay and ebay only offer what they call a mediation service, which is basically a message exchange, but it may affect the sellers account if they receive too many disputes over a period of time.

If it is a high value you item, see links above for legal action available to you.

Information for Sellers:

Registering as a seller

Information for business sellers

Selling with PayPal

Selling on behalf of a charity

Ebay Fees

Multiple-Item Auction/Dutch Auction

Selling using a Fixed Price format (Buy It Now)

Selling with a Buy It Now Price (within an auction)

How to schedule a listing

Selling on eBay Motors

eBay Motors Fees

How does the free relist policy work?

Making a Second Chance Offer

What you can and can't edit in your listing

Example of rival sellers claiming to be company officials

Selling Microsft software

Rules on selling replica items

Information on Football Ticket Sales

Information on offering buyers a choice from a selection of items

Rules on Pre Sale Listing

Ebay payment not received

Removing an Unpaid Item Strike

Payment methods, what is allowed and what isn't.

Request to end auction early/Offers to buy or sell outside ebay

Rules on Ending Your Listing Early

End listing early

Selling Using a Reserve Price

Reserve Price Policy

Lowering or Removing your Reserve Price

Cancel a bid

Block bidders

Buyer Requirements Exemption List

Copying of your listing/pictures

Information on Unwelcome and Malicious Buying

Report Unwelcome and Malicious Buying

Power Seller Programme

Listing Classified Ads

Classified Ad Format Fees

Frequently Asked Questions: 

My Buyer is unhappy with the item they have purchased,
and claims it is not as described, what should I do?

How did they pay?

If it was Paypal they would have to file a dispute and Paypal would ask for information from both parties and then decide who was in the right (they usually side with the buyer).

The buyer would then have to return by a trackable means at their own expense, supposedly you then get the chance to inspect the item to see if it is indeed faulty and in original condition sent, if not, you can refuse to refund.

Extract from Paypal Buyer Protection Policy:

If you file a claim for a 'significantly not-as-described' item, we will generally require you to return the item to the seller, at your own expense. In some circumstances, you may be required, at your own expense, to send the item: to PayPal; to a third party PayPal directs; or provide evidence that the item has been destroyed (if for example, PayPal received evidence that the item in question is a fake, counterfeit or otherwise unauthentic). PayPal may require and request evidence from you that the above matters have been carried out. Once PayPal has confirmed that the recipient has received the item (or if appropriate, that the item has been destroyed), your refund will be processed. If you are required to send the item to PayPal, you agree to transfer the ownership of the item to PayPal and if requested, you agree to provide all reasonable assistance in ensuring that the transfer of ownership takes place. Additionally, in some further instances, PayPal may ask you to support your claim by supplying a copy of the police report you filed.

If they paid by any other method it's just a mediation service (message exchange), but be careful, as disputes can affect your future ability to sell.

If they paid by Paypal and you refund that way (as you should using the refund option), once refunded you can then raise an unpaid item dispute to recover your FVF.

If they paid by any other means, you can still file for your FVF refund but you can do this at any time once 7 days have passed since the close of the auction.

If you send a second chance offer you are only charged an FVF if the offer is accepted but not a listing fee.

If you want to relist, you need to wait until your FVF is granted or you lose the chance of a listing fee refund should the item sell on the first relist.

 
My buyer has failed to make payment, what should I do?

Open a dispute, you can do this on a mutual basis or a straight non payer.

You have to allow 7 days from close of listing for the buyer to pay (not for mutual, you can do that instantly) , after this time try and speak to your buyer and tell them you can't really wait any longer, give them say 48 hrs to pay or you will have no option but to file an unpaid item dispute. (if you haven't already done so).

Obtain Contact Details of another member you have taken part in a transaction with

When you do this, they will have 7 days in which to respond, if they respond within the 7 days you can then decide if you wish to continue communication, or close the dispute, if you close they will receive a strike and you will get your FVF refunded, it is then safe to offer a second chance or relist.

If they fail to respond, on the 8th day you can close the dispute they will receive a strike and you will get your FVF, it is then safe to make a second chance offer or relist.

File an unpaid item dispute

If the buyer fails to respond to a dispute, this will affect the feedback they can leave, see below.

 

Losing Feedback Privileges, Buyer fails to respond to dispute

 

My buyer claims that they haven't received the item,
but I have a tracking number, this shows an attempt was made to deliver, where do I stand?

This is where Paypal seller protection is ambiguous, Paypal don't make it clear whether or not delivery attempts as confirmed on the Royal Mail/Other Carrier's track and trace are counted as delivery or not, so if they file a claim, all you can do is provide the tracking info, it may also be worthwhile calling Paypal to try to confirm the situation.

If they do accept delivery attempts as proof of delivery, then you can of course insist the buyer pays for return postage, if Paypal don't accept this, you will have no choice but to resend using recorded delivery again.

The same applies to ebay buyer protection (other payment methods), although there is no financial protection, it can affect a sellers ability to list in the future if a claim is upheld against you.

 

I didn't use a trackable service, am I responsible for an item lost in the post?

Under eBay policy, you are ultimately responsible, as you are duty bound to ensure the safe delivery of the item, proof of postage means nothing with regards the transaction

How you proceed will depend on how they paid and how responsible you feel, and if you believe the item did in fact fail to arrive.

If you have proof of postage you can claim up to £34 for a lost package via Royal Mail.

How did they pay?

If it was Paypal they would have to file a dispute and Paypal would ask for tracking information, as you can't provide this they would refund the buyer from your Paypal account, if your Paypal account has insufficiant funds, your account would be placed on hold until such time as you put it in order.

If they paid by any other method it's just a mediation service (message exchange) although there is no financial protection, it can affect a sellers ability to list in the future if a claim is upheld against you.

 

I used a trackable service, and the item has been lost, do I have to refund the buyer?

Again, the answer is yes, and is basically covered in the answer above, it is up to you as the seller to refund the buyer, and then claim for the lost item from the service provider you used to send the package.

 

I listed an item and it isn't showing in searches, why is this?

Sometimes it just takes a while for them to appear, but could also be because of the reason below.

Is your listing a "designer label"?

If so, you may have missed this message when you submitted the listing.

You are about to have your listing placed on the eBay site. Your listing will be searchable by item number and available in My eBay. Your listing however may not be immediately searchable by using keyword or category search until a number of hours later. For this reason, eBay cannot guarantee exact listing durations with respect to availability of keyword or category search. By clicking the Submit button, you accept these conditions. We sincerely value you as a member of our trading Community and look forward to a continued successful relationship with you.

They do this now vith designer labels due to the amount of fakes that are sold on ebay.

Verification level increase:

Ebay has recently increased it's security levels with regards counterfeit items (but never told anyone), so items that could fall into this category require the seller to go to a higher level of verification, contact Paypal to complete this verification process.

Ebay increase security on items subject to counterfeiting

Paypal 08707 307 191

 

Information for All:

eBay for Charity

Report suspicious account activity/Account theft

eBay Toolbar and Account Guard

Information on echeques

Rules on Surcharges

Losing Feedback Privileges, Buyer/Seller fails to respond to dispute

Obtain Contact Details of another member you have taken part in a transaction with

Report Invalid contact information

Reserve Price Policy

Feedback information

Feedback Abuse, Withdrawal and Removal

Information on Offensive or Unwelcome Email

Report harrasment by other members

Authentication Services

Information on small claims court in England and Wales

Online claim forms for England and Wales

Court fee guide for England and Wales

Information on small claims in the Shiriff court in Scotland

Download small claims forms for the the Shiriff court in Scotland

Police online crime reporting

How to Close/Combine Your Ebay Account

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I leave negative feedback, as I'm concerened about gettin the same in return?

All feedback should truly reflect the transaction, and a negative in retaliation to you leaving one is usually clear to see, and buyers/sellers will see this and malicious ones members can work out for themselves.

The feedback system fails to work in a lot of cases because sellers and buyers that should have negatives don't, as one or other of the parties chose not to leave one for fear of getting one back, feedback is there to help us all decide who we want to trade with.

Never mutually agree to remove unless you have actually resolved a dispute to your satisfaction.

A lot of people leave an unjustified negative in retaliation simply in the hope that you will then mutally agree to removal to protect your own, it makes a mockery of the feedback system.

Losing Feedback Privileges, Buyer fails to respond to dispute

Feedback information

What is an eCheque?

An eCheque is an electronic funds transfer that withdraws money directly from your bank account. It's just like writing a cheque, only it is done electronically. When you send money with an eCheque, the transaction will be held as pending for seven to nine working days, until the electronic funds transfer has cleared your bank.

Ebay Tutorials:

Keyword Spamming

Checkout

Shill Bidding

Spoof E-mails and How To Recognize Them

Circumvention of Fees

How to Sell