eBay

txt.ltd · ‎21-10-2025

Have had several (at least 3) sellers marking orders as dispatched with tracking numbers that appear valid, but the tracking never progresses and the items are never delivered. When I request the items again, they refund me. I have tried the same order several times with each seller and the same thing happens each time.

I suspect that these sellers don't want to ship to Northern Ireland, where I am, yet they refuse to turn off Northern Ireland in their shipping locations.

Shall I just accept this or how do I report them to eBay if at all? I've been considering making orders with them and hitting them with chargebacks instead, just out of spite, until they turn off Northern Ireland or block me. I am tired of buying things multiple times in the hope the orders show up.

4_bathrooms · ‎22-10-2025

@txt.ltd wrote:
@essysemporium wrote:
Probably the seller doesn't have the items in stock and just pretends to dispatch it. Seen it happen with quite a few big sellers recently on here and indeed some of the online retailers. It means they don't get a black mark on their account for selling items they don't have.

If they are making no effort to chase it up with RM I think it's fair to say they never dispatched it in the first place.
Yes I think so too. What do you reckon can be done about it if anything?

You open an INR claim; every single one is counted in the seller's service metrics. If this is why the seller is doing it they are doing so to receive a less damaging INR service metric ding than a very damaging "transaction cancelled for being out of stock" seller performance defect.

Give me ambiguity or give me something else.

txt.ltd · ‎22-10-2025

@4_bathrooms wrote:
@txt.ltd wrote:
@essysemporium wrote:
Probably the seller doesn't have the items in stock and just pretends to dispatch it. Seen it happen with quite a few big sellers recently on here and indeed some of the online retailers. It means they don't get a black mark on their account for selling items they don't have.

If they are making no effort to chase it up with RM I think it's fair to say they never dispatched it in the first place.
Yes I think so too. What do you reckon can be done about it if anything?
You open an INR claim; every single one is counted in the seller's service metrics. If this is why the seller is doing it they are doing so to receive a less damaging INR service metric ding than a very damaging "transaction cancelled for being out of stock" seller performance defect.

I think I should open chargebacks instead so they have to eat the chargeback fee

But overall it doesn't benefit me in any way other than to assuage my irritation

4_bathrooms · ‎23-10-2025

@txt.ltd wrote:
I think I should open chargebacks instead so they have to eat the chargeback fee
But overall it doesn't benefit me in any way other than to assuage my irritation

When you file a chargeback the dispute is filed against eBay who pass responsibility for defending the chargeback on to the seller. Although the seller might end up paying eBay's dispute fee if they don't have "evidence of successful delivery" eBay will likely take a dim view of someone who repeatedly chooses to file chargebacks against them rather than engage with the established Money Back Guarantee process. When it comes to chargebacks eBay typically affords the seller an opportunity to refund within a limited period of time with the dispute fee being waived if they do. If this is still the case you will actually be costing eBay money; not the seller.

Also, chargebacks are not recorded against a seller's service metrics nor their seller standards calculations so there is no impact on the seller's eBay account other than maybe having to pay the dispute fee.

Give me ambiguity or give me something else.