I sold an item that was purchased by someone in the USA on December 11th. I shipped the item the next day using Royal Mail 1st Class Tracked and Signed service. I added the tracking number to the order. On January 9th, I received a message that the buyer had opened an "item not delivered" case. The tracking link showed the item had arrived in the US at the Chicago sorting office and was pending customs clearance.
The item's status didn’t change, so eBay decided to refund the buyer. When I contacted eBay via live chat to express my dissatisfaction, the agent told me I should raise a lost item case with Royal Mail. They assured me that if I could provide proof of this, eBay would reimburse me under their seller protection program. They even emailed me a copy of the transcript of our conversation.
I raised a case with Royal Mail this week, but their review process can take weeks. In the meantime, I checked the tracking link and noticed that the item was delivered yesterday, January 24th. I managed to speak to someone at eBay today, January 25th, who informed me that because the case was closed and the buyer was refunded, there was nothing they could do. They dismissed the conversation I had with the agent last week and told me my only option was to contact the buyer and politely ask if they would pay for the item.
I pointed out to the eBay representative that they always issue warnings about not exchanging payment details directly, as it may affect your account. However, they said it was fine if done through chat. When I argued that the buyer now has the item and a full refund—and that it would be miraculous if they voluntarily paid for the item via PayPal—the agent simply wished me a good day and ended the call.
I admit, I raised my voice out of frustration and disbelief, but now I’m left out of pocket for the value of the item, the refund amount, and the shipping costs. I've been an eBay seller for 16 years, but honestly, I’m not sure I’ll continue much longer.
