Buyer protection case decided without any comprehensible justification – seller looking for help / experiences | Members help members

wollen_steigern_haben · 2026-04-15T22:14:54.445000Z

Hello everyone,I’m reaching out to the community here because I’m no longer getting anywhere with the progress of a buyer protection case and the communication with eBay customer service, and I’m hoping for some advice or similar experiences.This concerns a private sale of an item worth approx. EUR 2,650 via eBay.After receiving it, the buyer initially reported an alleged defect with the item. I then pointed out several times that, to clarify a possible shipping damage claim, documentation of the condition upon arrival is required (photos of the parcel, packaging, and item), as well as a report to the shipping provider. Despite repeated requests, the buyer did not carry out these steps.As the case progressed, the return reason was changed by the buyer without further explanation from “defect” to “item differs from description.”I documented the item completely before shipping (condition, packaging, shipping preparation) and also provided the buyer with additional information and pictures before the purchase. The item was shipped via DHL with extra insured shipping.After several phone calls with customer service, the case was initially reviewed by eBay (specialist department?) and then rejected again in the appeal process. I was not given a specific substantive explanation of why this was considered a discrepancy from the item description in this case. Instead, I was only referred to the general buyer protection policies.In the meantime, the amount of EUR 2,650 was debited from my account, while the buyer still has the item. So at the moment I am in the situation where I have neither the goods nor the payment in my possession.In my last phone call with customer service, I was told that the case was understandable to them, "there’s quite a bit that seems to have gone wrong on eBay’s side here," and that they would pass this on to the specialist department again so they could review the case once more – however, the final decision from the specialist department went against me without any further substantive explanation.I now have the impression that my arguments and the buyer’s lack of cooperation in the process were not taken into sufficient account.So my question to the community:Has anyone had similar experiences, especially in cases where the buyer provides no documentation and the return reason is changed afterward?And based on your experience, are there any ways to get eBay to carry out a fresh, objective review or to escalate the case further in another way?Thank you in advance for any help or advice.

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Buyer protection case decided without any comprehensible justification – seller looking for help / experiences | Members help members | eBay Germany