eBay
Complaint 285544 Details

I made a bid on a vintage necklace. I ended up being the only bidder so I won the item on Friday, October 25, 2013 . I promptly paid on the same day I won, Friday, October 25, 2013.

On the evening of Monday, October 28 I checked for the tracking number for this package, there wasn't any. Checked again Tuesday afternoon, still no tracking number. On Wednesday, October 30th, when there still wasn't any tracking number yet shipping info said the package had an estimated delivery date of October 28 to November 1. I thought this was strange because how could there be shipping info without a tracking number? I contacted the seller and asked about the tracking number, he apologized for having not entered that info and said that the information would be added later that day and I should receive the package by Friday, November 1. I said I'll be satisfied as long as I get it by Saturday, November 2, because it's a gift.

When the item still was not received by Friday, November 1 I contacted the seller and informed him that I had not yet received the package. Then I noticed that according to the tracking # I should have received the package on Thursday, October 31. USPS was showing the package as having been delivered on that day. I double checked the address and it was correct however, we did not receive it.

I was home that evening and the mail carrier handed our mail, including a few packages, to me in person. This was the same on Wednesday, October 30th, I happened to be outside when our mail carrier came to our home and she handed me our mail. My husband was home earlier in the week when the mail was delivered and at no time were packages or any mail items left outside our door. So the seller requested I continue to wait.

I explained to him again that USPS has specified this package has already been delivered, still the seller requested I wait. So I did.

On Monday, November 2, I checked the status of my case with eBay's resolution center - the seller is still requesting I wait for the package. I send him a polite but direct message that this strategy doesn't make any sense to me. I tell him that someone has been home all week long at the time our mail carrier delivers our mail and neither my husband nor I received this seller's package but I DID receive packages from other eBay merchants. I requested a refund.

Then eBay sends an automated message that they are "investigating" my case and will get back to me in a few days. Later on that very same day they sent me an email saying they had investigated my case and have decided NOT to give me a refund. When I inquired about their Buyer Protection Promise they ignored my messages.

Their Buyer Protection Promise is a scam-ALL lies. I've been an eBay seller for over 12 years. I have approximately 80 purchases with 4 returns. I think it has to be considered fraud for a company to constantly advertise how "safe" it is to shop on their site and their persistent ads for their fake Buyer Protection Promise - it's all lies.

And their review and rating system what a scam that is too! I left an honest review for the eBay seller who claimed he mailed me a necklace yet I never received it. The review was of course negative because what else could I say? I paid promptly yet after over 1 week I still had not received the item. Ebay immediately deleted my review and sent me an automated message that they cannot permit the review because they believe I did receive the necklace but couldn't be bothered with returning it to the seller?

How can a company, a retailer, make such an assumption when they advertise the Buyer Protection Promise? I hadn't suddenly contacted the seller to say the item wasn't received but had been in contact with him several times regarding the missing tracking number and then concern on October 30th that it still had not been received and then again on November 1.

Ebay's refusal to refund me is just ridiculous. It's not a lot of money, just under $20 but the principle of the matter is what bothers me. If they are refusing me a lousy $19.74 credit then they are refusing refunds to thousands of eBay customers each year.