eBay Sellers At Risk Of Scams

So recently I had to deal with the moral dilemma of deciding what to do when a refunded item I had purchased off online auction site eBay eventually turned up.

I ended up repaying the seller on Pay

Image credit: geralt

Pal, even though it was a bit of hassle to do so.

At the risk of sounding sanctimonious, I’m not sure many people would have done the same. Instead, they probably would have been chuffed at having nabbed a freebie.

I’m sure the seller was even surprised I went out of my way to get in touch informing him of the situation with the intention to pay; he may have initially thought I was an eBay scammer and learnt a lesson about sending out items without a tracking option.

I dunno, I just don’t have it in me to shaft people. Thumbs up for the moral compass!

Some people do though, and I’m sure there are people who have picked-up on this eBay loophole and plan to exploit it.

Basically, if an item you have ordered off eBay doesn’t show up, you can open a case in the resolution centre. The online auction site tends to favour the buyer over the seller.

As a seller, you can protect yourself if you pay a bit more for delivery and send the item using a delivery option with a tracking number. Then at least you’re covered should the item "disappear".

While items do sometimes get lost in transit, there is the possibility an eBay user has received the item but is trying to get their money back by saying the item hasn’t arrived.

If you sent the item out using second class delivery then you’re basically screwed.

With no record of it, it’s hard to prove that the buyer HASN’T received the item, and it’s likely eBay will insist you refund the buyer, or they will freeze/suspend your eBay account.

I’m sure there are plenty of other eBay scams occurring, on unsuspecting buyers AND sellers alike, so it's always wise to check out the feedback history of the buyer/seller thoroughly to avoid ending up out of pocket.

If you’re aware of any other eBay scams out there, please comment on the post.