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Rain barrel item purchased on 20/02/2026 and now warped and unusable
Summary: h**en reports that a rain barrel purchased in February 2026 has been unusable since July 2026 and that the sellers are refusing to replace the product or refund the purchase price. They offered to refund 50 euros, even though the original price was 159.89 euros. One participant suggests using PayPal’s buyer protection, since eBay buyer protection has already expired. h**en points out that eBay should remind the seller of their obligations and shares an order number so the seller can be contacted. Another post asks about possible external influences that could have affected the rain barrel.
I bought a rain barrel from a commercial seller on 28 February 2026. The rain barrel has warped and has not been usable since July 2026. I contacted the seller and asked him to resolve the problem; unfortunately, the seller has so far not wanted to exchange the rain barrel or refund the money. The documentation was done with photos. The claim that it is self-inflicted is false, and he cannot prove it either. The rain barrel actually warped on its own. He only offered me the proposal to refund 50 euros. The original price was 159.89 euros.
Could someone please help me with how I can solve the problem or how to proceed.
Thank you very much
h**en
OP1 month agoMy order number was, by the way: 16-14291-15044
h**en
OP1 month agoI also hadn’t realized that eBay itself is responsible for that. I had asked the community a question.
eBay itself could maybe point the seller to their obligations for resolving the conflict. No one should be interested in products on eBay becoming unusable after 4 months and thus a total economic loss. (See the concern above).
petersmodellbahnstuebchen
Mentor1 month agoHi @h**en
if that helps you, we’d be happy to ask an Ebay employee to contact your seller. Please send us the order number.
Otherwise, all you have left is what @perfect-sally already wrote.
Best wishes from the Baltic Sea
Peter
hasjana
Mentor1 month agothe questions would also be:
was it already set up during the frost period, did water possibly expand and damage the bin
is it standing on (relatively) firm ground or on a slope / is it wobbling, causing uneven stress
is it standing in the blazing sun ...
all of that affects the material, and if then maybe everything comes together, even the best plastic can give out faster - no matter where it was bought or how expensive the thing is
was it a foreign seller or a domestic one? ... and by that I don't mean the item location
apart from that: if it was paid for via PayPal, you can still try it that way
h**en
OP1 month agoHello,
According to the description, the rain barrel is made of HDPE. HDPE remains dimensionally stable at temperatures from -40 °C to +80 °C and is impact-resistant as well as resistant to cracks. I also sent the photos to the seller, and according to the consumer advice center they are also liable to provide performance, i.e. repair or replacement of the item. And yes, of course the rain barrel was set up level with a spirit level. No frost left. I have also had other rain barrels for years. In addition, it is also a German retailer.
perfect-sally
Mentor1 month agoeBay Buyer Protection has unfortunately long since expired, and eBay is not responsible for your consumer rights; you have to enforce those yourself.
If payment was made with PayPal, you could try whether it’s still possible to open a dispute there.