Why don’t eBay do more when you unintentionally buy a counterfeit item?

Question

All they do is process a return and you have to send the item back so it can be presumably sold to someone else.

*vyolla* · Answer

I'm not sure what else you expect eBay to do here? The seller has to pay for the return label, so buyers don't lose out.

red_magpie · Answer

You should count yourself lucky that eBay takes the buyer's word that an item is counterfeit, without requiring any evidence. Who else would do this? They guarantee the buyer a full refund, with the seller having to pay for the return postage.

However, eBay can't also deprive the seller of their property just on the buyer's claim that an item is counterfeit. There used to be an alternative whereby buyers could could provide eBay with independent documentary evidence that an item is not authentic, when eBay would authorise them to destroy the item instead of returning it. But this involved time and trouble, and sometimes cost in getting an expert's written assessment. It was almost never used as buyers could get a full refund just for the asking anyway. I don't know whether it even still exists. If it does, you should find it somewhere in eBay's hard to navigate new money back guarantee policy: https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/policies/ebay-money-back-guarantee-policy/ebay-money-back-guarantee?id=4210&from=EBAY_AI&origin=EBAY_AI

john1297576 · Answer

They only have your word it is a fake, and this is frequently abused by buyers to make seller pay return postage.

Ebay will therefore not get involved in determining if an item is fake.

Even when ebay removes an item saying fake, it is usually Brand Owner asking for removal, suggest you read sbout VERO.