Ebay opened dispute on my behalf before I could talk to seller

[arkwebus · Accepted solution]

The reason may be that it is not a good idea for buyer and sellers to try to sort things out between them.  The correct way is that the buyer opens a case in the resolution centre.   Dealing with the seller incurs delay and indeed we have heard of buyers who have spent so much time that they are too late to open a case.

Click and collect is a problematical service in that there is a strict collection window of 7 days.  If you do not collect in that time [and despite what some may say about the item being returned to the seller] the shop disposes of it.  Can you really imagine a shop incurring costs to return it to the seller?  Postage?  Staff time?  

The seller does not get any compensation and the buyer - if they open a Not Received case - will lose the case if it was delivered to the shop.   If you open a NR case in the resolution centre [link below] the seller will be able to establish whether it was - indeed - delivered to the store.  If not then you can get a refund.

As to what you may have been told by eBay my take would be that the CS is based in the Philippines where the staff may largely work from scripts.  They often do not understand the nuances of what the problem is. 

@harris_449