topic Re: The dreaded cancellations in Member To Member Support

The dreaded cancellations

cpsto — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 14:33:10 GMT

Can someone please simply explain why it isn't possible to cancel a purchase that hasn't yet been dispatched, for whatever reason, without the sellers agreement? Thanks.

Re: The dreaded cancellations

tobiasd4 — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 14:43:23 GMT

You can only ask seller to cancel.

1 day after estimated delivery date open item not received case, escalate on day 4.

Seller may have posted item, but not marked as sent.

Re: The dreaded cancellations

cpsto — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 16:02:14 GMT

Hi many thanks for your response, but I wasn't considering '1 day after the expected delivery date'. i.e. 'hasn't arrived', I'm talking e.g. 1 hour after purchase.. the next day, whatever, but before it has been marked as dispatched. If the seller hasn't marked as such, that's their problem. But in my case it was 2 full working days after placing the order - still not dispatched, seller rejected even acknowledging it hadn'tbeen sent. Why should I need their agreement? 🙄

Sent from Outlook for Android<>

Re: The dreaded cancellations

papso22 — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 16:31:42 GMT

Because that's how it works on ebay.

Re: The dreaded cancellations

cpsto — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 16:53:10 GMT

Crikey, that's not much of an explanation 😄

Re: The dreaded cancellations

tobiasd4 — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 17:02:35 GMT

Only seller can cancel, not ebay.

If item has not been posted, easier for them to agree, but no one can force them to.

If item arrives after estimated delivery date, You can open item as described case,

This means they have to supply returns label.

Re: The dreaded cancellations

cpsto — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 17:02:47 GMT

Perhaps worthy of mention, it's now, I think, 7 working days after order placement, still not dispatched. They are clearly advertising a product that is coming from 'elsewhere'. Tbh, presented with the facts, the seller did finally offer to cancel on day 4, but I told them, for £4.72, I'd 'take the hit', rather choosing to pass on my experience to others in my feedback. This factual, non-abusive negative, was immediately removed by eBay, without explanation. It's like, you can't win.

But in my job I use say, Screwfix quite a bit. If I order something they don't hold in the branch, it's shipped in for next day. So like, properly 'dispatched', at time, effort and cost. Yet (not that I would), but I can still cancel and get my money back, np. Some seller that isn't adhering to the spirit of the agreement, can simply say 'no', forcing thru the sale, possibly thinking 'they won't be ***** to return it. I just don't get it.

Re: The dreaded cancellations

cpsto — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 17:06:42 GMT

Yep, I recognise this isn't worth the £4.72! Sorry. But the same principles apply.

Re: The dreaded cancellations

papso22 — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 17:21:45 GMT

Have you read Ebay's guidance on buyer cancellations?

Re: The dreaded cancellations

cpsto — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 17:36:44 GMT

Nope. What might they reveal please? Cos whether £4.72, £472, or £4,720 (and having been a member on eBay for 22 years, and faced the same thing on a purchase of >£1000) I'm just asking my original question. How come?

Re: The dreaded cancellations

papso22 — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 17:40:41 GMT

It tells you how cancellations work on ebay, which I thought was the whole point of your post.

Why ebay has these rules and operates in this way is known only to them.

Re: The dreaded cancellations

cpsto — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 17:42:59 GMT

Thank you.