I'm so sorry this has happened to you - it is so unfair, that nefarious characters with no morals or scruples can even attempt, never mind get away with something like this - it is literally criminal, and, along with the financial issue, it has created for you a world of stress, debility and extra work - creating for the thief, probably holiday money. I've never sold on eBay, and with the changes to the way it all works, along with the deluge of rogue buyers, that I have read on this forum are increasingly scamming sellers left and right, I never will.
I'm at the stage now, as a buyer, where I can't take any more of the rogue sellers - I've been burned, this last 12 months, by all sorts of shenanigans (these, just two of them: one seller messed me around with a combined postage invoice, then requested I buy off-platform, on Vinted, instead, so they could avoid eBay fees and charge more for the items - not my fault the start bids were ridiculousy low and there was zero competition; another, has sent me the wrong figurine - I told them I do not have a printer, that I want a postage-paid returns label posting to my home, so I can send this wrong, tatty thing back for a refund - they ignored me, I had to open a case, which was closed, return process started, with me, yes, you guessed it, being expected to print off a label, when I told the seller AND eBay, I do not have a printer), I'm pretty much done with eBay now.
I used to be mad for eBay, now, it just makes me mad. The good guys, nowadays, are too few, and too far between. I've found the only sure way to not get scammed, is buy off a charity - I've NEVER been stung by a charity eBay seller. I'm going to start going to charity shops and car-boot sales again - I fancy the odd record fair is in my future, too. I now want to be able to assess an item in person; I want to see, feel, and smell the thing, before I part with my cash. That way, I can be absolutely sure of what I'm getting - I'll be taking it home, sold-as-seen, with no further work necessary, and I won't have to mess about with the bot-driven eBay process for dealing with issues inflicted by rogues - it is not robust enough. Actually, I'd say, it's not fit for purpose. I miss eBay, how it used to be. I really do. I won't miss what it has become.
I feel for you, and I dearly hope that you never get burned like that again. I think the sage advice of someone here - sell low-value items on eBay, but the high-value items, take to a specialist dealer to sell for you, is the best I've read, thus far. Best of luck to you.
