- Seller Feedback: The Line of First Defense
- Beyond the Numbers: Evaluating User Comments
- When a Deal Goes Bad: eBay's Buyer Protection System
- More Tips for Shopping Safely on eBay
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Like this article? We recommend
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When a Deal Goes Bad: eBay's Buyer Protection System
Even if you diligently read the feedback comments and take all reasonable precautions, you can still run into situations where you receive something other than what you wanted—if you receive anything at all. What can you do if you're the unwitting victim of a fraudulent transaction?
First, know that eBay doesn't accept individual responsibility for any transactions conducted on its site. eBay is not the buyer or the seller, only a relatively disinterested third party.
That said, eBay does offer protection for its buyers in the event of fraudulent or unsatisfactory transactions. eBay Buyer Protection is a dispute resolution process that, as the name implies, protects eBay buyers from bad transactions. It covers items purchased on eBay that are either not received or not as described in the original item listing. Buyers who are victims of this type of seller fraud can receive a refund of their entire purchase price.
eBay's Buyer Protection plan covers almost all purchases made on the eBay site, as long as you purchased the item using the standard checkout processes (eBay's Pay Now button, an official eBay invoice, or a third-party checkout system) via PayPal, ProPay, Moneybookers, Paymate, Bill Me later, or a credit or debit card processed through a seller's merchant account. While there are some purchases not covered by the program (see the eBay site for details), most buyers will find their items protected by this plan.
Note that eBay Buyer Protection only covers problems associated with items not shipped or not as described; it doesn't cover fraudulent charges made on stolen credit cards. It also doesn't cover buyer remorse, so you can't use the program to try to get a refund on something you really didn't want to purchase to begin with.
You can file a complaint if you haven't received an item within three days of the estimated delivery time noted on the item's order details page. You can also file a claim if you received an item that was different than the one described in the item listing or one that was not as described in the item description.
To take advantage of the eBay Buyer Protection program, you must first contact the seller and attempt to resolve the issue. If the seller doesn't respond or doesn't resolve the issue to your satisfaction, you can visit eBay's Resolution Center to file a claim.
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Figure 3 Getting ready to file a claim from eBay's Resolution Center
When you file a claim with eBay Buyer Protection, you permit eBay to investigate the situation and make a final decision. eBay will review the details of the case and contact you regarding the disposition.
In some cases, eBay contacts the seller, who then resolves the situation, either by sending a replacement item, refunding your payment, or something similar. If the seller does not respond to your satisfaction, eBay steps in. If it's the case of not receiving an item, eBay will issue a refund for the full cost of the item (including sales tax and shipping charges). If it's the case of an item not being as described, eBay will likely ask you to return the item to the seller before refunding your payment. Refunds are made via a credit to your PayPal account.
It's a pretty good deal—and great protection for all eBay shoppers.