Nothing received, no repayment

[mijewen]

Folks,

I have a problem with an EBAY purchase, for which I paid £30.60, but I have received nothing.
I believed that I was buying a boxed PC game on CD, but the seller believes he has sold me a "Steam key".

Ebay support is hidden away behind the portal unless my complaint is described by one of the 8 reasons - but none of them addresses my case. There has been some correspondence between the seller and me, but I can't copy it here because it's quite long, and I'm sure this will not be an unlimited text field.

Basically, the seller simply says
"NO CD/DVD will be sent as it is clearly stated in the auction! - You need a free game client called STEAM to claim and download your games:

I can't find that "clearly stated" thing on his sales page, and I didn't know what Steam was.  Due to  this difficulty I ran out of time to buy the birthday present on EBAY, and got him something else.

So the guy says I have bought a key (for £30), but he also says "You need a free game client called STEAM to claim and download your games" - so what have I bought?  Whatever it is, nothing came through the post. I inquired with the Ebay community, and they say to wait till my "package" arrived, then return it for a refund - but there is nothing to return, because nothing was sent.

What should I do? It was suggested I should return the item and request a refund - but there is nothing to return, as nothing was sent to me.

I was told to wait till the delivery date (but I already know there will be none), then escalate to Ebay - but I don't see any links for doing that.

His sales page says "Postage: Free Express Delivery. "

The "details" give my postal address

His page says : "Delivery: Estimated between Tue, 29 Aug and Tue, 5 Sep to <My Postcode>

Returns:  30 days return. Buyer pays for return postage.

Everything suggests that something will be sent by post.

It seemed to me that the only thing I could do to get it off my purchase page was to accept the loss and send feedback, but EBAY told me to contact the seller first (because the feedback would not have been good). I wrote to him, but have received "<Seller> is out of the office until 11/08/2023"  - by which time, I will probably be told I am too late.

I bought my first item on Ebay the week they opened in the UK, and I have been a fairly regular buyer (and occasional seller) ever since - and this is the first tim I have ever felt cheated by anybody.  In this case, I paid, and have received nothing, with no expectation of satisfaction.

[arkwebus]

You are - as you say - an experienced buyer.  If nothing has arrived by post and you are still within 30 days of the latest date given by eBay on the listing then simply open a "non receipt case" and totally ignore the seller.  Escalate after 3 full days. 

I think what you are saying is that the seller thinks he has sent something "digitally" [by e-mail for all I know].  EBay does not permit this and unless he can prove delivery by postal tracking you will get a refund. 

@mijewen 

[purveyor_of_tat]

---

@mijewen wrote:

...In this case, I paid, and have received nothing, with no expectation of satisfaction.

---

It's an electronically delivered item so it is not covered by eBay's Money Back Guarantee. 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/policies/ebay-money-back-guarantee-policy/ebay-money-back-guarantee-poli... 

It states quite clearly in the description of what you will get:

If you paid by debit/credit card, see what help your payment provider can give you. 

[catshome1]

You have already been given the correct advice.  You would have to wait until the day after the estimated delivery date, to open a case for item not received.  This applies even if you have no expectation of the item being delivered.

The seller has a postage service showing on the listing, so if you find the item in your purchases you should find an estimated delivery date.   Don't go by the date showing on their listing, go by the date on your purchase order.

There is also a message on the listing to say the seller is away until 11th August, and to expect a delay in postage if you buy this item.

Digitally delivered items are not usually covered by eBay's money back guarantee, and the MBG box is not on the listing, but I think you have a good case to show you had every reason to expect to receive an item in the post.  

under the circumstances, I would be inclined to speak to eBay and ask them to look at the listing as it is deliberately misleading.  It also breaches eBay's own electronically delivered items policy, by listing in the wrong category.  With a bit of luck, they will cancel the transaction and refund you.

[arkwebus]

Please see what the revered @purveyor_of_tat says but as @catshome1 also advises there is a postage option.     Try opening the INR case; it's largely automatic and the seller would have to provide tracking details [which he cannot do].  If that fails contact eBay and see if they will refund anyway or else as a long stop your payment provider Anything written in the text does not overide the postage displayed.

@mijewen 

[purveyor_of_tat]

INR/INAD do not apply to this item - it is not covered by the MBG. 

[fargvs]

The sale of electronically/digitally delivered Event tickets/Games/Software keys/Steam codes etc. is not allowed with a few exceptions and is not covered by the Money Back Guarantee >

https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/policies/prohibited-restricted-items/digitally-delivered-goods-policy?id...

Suggest that you act on the advice already given and only after all options have been exhausted with eBay.

... then ... If you used PayPal during Checkout ??, you could try a case with PayPal >

https://www.paypal.com/uk/webapps/mpp/merchant-intangibles-update

or failing there, consult your Bank/Card Issuer regarding a Chargeback.

[mijewen]

You say something was delivered to my PayPal email.  I'm not aware pof having a PayPal email.  If I did have one, I would expect PayPal to forward it to my personal email address, and I know for sure that nothing has been delivered that way.

[mijewen]

Thanks for your message, arkwebus, but what is an INR case?  I looked up the acronym on the web, but all it gives me is something about blood clots, which clearly doesn't apply.

[mijewen]

Sorry - I just realised that INR is Item Not Received.

[mijewen]

Thanks for the advice.  Would you please check your link for https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/policies/ebay-money-back-guarantee-policy/ebay-money-back-guarantee-poli... 

I don't think the whole thing was copied in, and the link doesn't work.

[mijewen]

Thanks for your message, catshome1.

You say "I would be inclined to speak to eBay" - that would have been my first intention, but I have no idea how to do that.  Searching the web for "Contact Ebay", it gives me a link to a page with 3 links on it -

Contacting a seller - I've tried that to no avail

Viewing and changing feedback left for sellers - This may turn out my ony resource for limited satisfaction

How buyers can cancel an order - There was a misunderstanding that I should explain.  I wanted a CD game for a birthday present.  Looking on Ebay, I saw  a number of sellers offering a download of the game for £10, but I chose to pay £30.60 in order to get a boxed CD, which is what I thought he was selling, to have something to wrap up and present as a birthday.  That's how it looked to me froma) the pictures on his sales page, and b) his mention of delivery date,  presentdue to the picture on his sales page.  I was wrong, however - he was only selling a "Steam key"

When I made the purchase and paid through PayPal, I contacted the seller (immediately) and asked him to send it ASAP, because it was for a birthday only a few days away.  He r4plied (same day) saying that nothing would be sent,

[catshome1]

Click the link and scroll to the box towards the bottom to contact eBay

https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/account/contacting-ebay-customer-service/contact-ebay?id=4379&st=3&pos=2...

[mijewen]

Sorry I messed up my reply to you. I sent you a message by accident, that I had not completed writing.
Please disregard it, or delete it if possible, and keep this one.

b) I queried INR - Sorry for that - I have now realised that it is Item Not Received

I now understand from you that I must wait till Tuesday, 5th Sept for a delivery that I have been told will not be made, and then, to open an INR case with Ebay.  I'll do that.

Many thanks for your advice, and for your time.

[catshome1]

Please can you confirm that you are getting the estimated delivery date from your order details, and not from the seller's live listing.

If I ordered it myself today, I would get estimated delivery 29/8-5/9.  what date did you buy it?

Please check your actual order for the estimated delivery date, as that is the date you need for opening a case.

[catshome1]

Do you have an update?

[1956glyn]

I know this is an older thread but the OP and others should also be made  aware.........

Steam accounts cannot be bought or sold. An account is for the personal use of its creator only. What are the consequences of selling an account? When Steam's support team notices an account has been sold, the account will be permanently locked whether or not it is currently in the possession of the buyer or seller

[budgi_371]

Hi I'm still waiting for my CDs.you tell me it's closed but I haven't closed it.im still waiting for Donna to post them I was meant to get them by 23rd march.she has taken my 6.00.can you get it back for .me please.