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eBay simply leaves a customer alone with the problem after 12 years
Summary: The discussion centers around gryg-iva expressing frustration about being left alone with a problem by a platform after 12 years of being a customer. Other participants, such as perfect-sally and oskar_der_wikinger, seem to engage in the discussion, but the content specifics are not provided.
I’ve been an eBay customer for over 12 years and honestly never thought that, as a buyer, you could be left so on your own if something goes wrong.
I bought from a commercial seller who clearly is not fulfilling their legal obligations. The seller is based in China, does not respond properly, and refuses to provide a reasonable solution. eBay simply points out that the 30-day buyer protection period has expired — and that’s supposed to be the end of it.
What disappoints me massively: the seller is still actively trading on the eBay platform, was approved by eBay, and uses eBay’s reach and trust, but as soon as problems arise, eBay practically assumes no responsibility at all.
The advice to go to the police or take legal action sounds good in theory, but with a seller in China it’s far removed from reality. That’s exactly why so many people buy through platforms like eBay in the first place — because you expect that dubious sellers are monitored and that buyers are not completely left unprotected.
So for me, the fundamental question is:
What responsibility does eBay actually still take for the sellers on its own platform?
Because right now it feels as if eBay profits from every transaction, but completely washes its hands of responsibility when serious problems arise.
Has anyone had similar experiences?
oskar_der_wikinger
Mentor2 months agoHello @gryg-iva
eBay buyer protection only kicks in for 30 days,
if you paid with PayPal you can report a problem for 180 days, with Klarna I think it’s 120 days.
Otherwise, the rule is: if you buy from a Chinese seller, you should be able to live with a total loss.
Because if you buy cheap, you buy twice.
Expecting German consumer rights from an Asian seller is also wishful thinking.
eBay only provides you with the marketplace; your contractual partner is and remains the seller, eBay does not offer fully comprehensive insurance for buying blind.
gryg-iva
OP2 months agoIt's not about the 30-day eBay buyer protection, but about the statutory 2-year warranty from commercial sellers. Some here seem to be deliberately confusing the two.
And that's exactly the point: if I want to buy directly in China with no expectations, I can just order from eBay too - there I end up with the same 120–180 days of protection with PayPal and save myself the eBay fees at the same time.
But eBay is deliberately positioning itself as a “safe” platform for the European market and collecting commissions for it. In that case, you can also expect obvious problem cases not to be brushed off with a simple “too bad”.
oskar_der_wikinger
Mentor2 months agoI understand that you mean the statutory warranty, @gryg-iva , but enforcing that is not eBay’s job, you have to do that all by yourself.
Also, in your entire life you have never bought an item at eBay, but always through eBay.
When there are problems, Asians like to play deaf or dead and just sit it out.
perfect-sally
Mentor2 months agoWhat do you expect from ebay anyway? Ebay offers time-limited buyer protection and provides the platform.
Enforcing consumer rights is not ebay's job.
Unfortunately, there are far too many users who think they absolutely have to buy from the Chinese because the price is tempting. But heaven help if something is wrong, then everyone is to blame except themselves. In China there are no consumer rights and that should be clear to every buyer by now.
I'm surprised that you still buy online at all when, according to your ratings, you've had soooo much bad luck already!
Maybe think about whether the local market wouldn't be better after all!
gryg-iva
OP2 months agoYes, eBay makes money from every transaction and actively advertises buyer protection and secure trading. If a seller is clearly acting fraudulently or delivers goods not as described, eBay can't just completely wash its hands of responsibility and say “not our problem”.
No one expects eBay to enforce personal consumer rights in court – but at the very least, you can probably expect a fair review, consistent action against problematic sellers, and functioning support from a platform of this size. Even if the buyer protection period has formally expired, this does not release eBay from its responsibility to the users of its own platform. Under the principles of European consumer protection as well as the DSA, online marketplaces share responsibility for taking action against problematic merchants and not leaving consumers unprotected.