Hello dear community, today I just have to give a big shoutout to the eBay support team. Who needs Netflix when you’ve got a ticket open with customer service? The entertainment value is absolutely first-class! A quick bit of background to the comedy (ticket: SR# 1-507365122689): I’ve been a member since early 2008, have been an eBay Plus member from day one without interruption, and have over 950 positive reviews. In short: I actually like the platform. On 24/07, I’m interested in a Samsung QLED TV (B-stock) for EUR 599.00. Right on the price details on the item page, the voucher code YDEFSI2SYBPCNKCM worth EUR 50.00 is shown to me and live deducted from the item price. In this official promo window, there are absolutely no restrictions or hints at a specific payment method (see upper part in the attached combined image) . As it turns out, this is a personalized discount promotion to which eBay specially and exclusively invited me as a loyal customer (see lower part in the combined image) . Motivated by this tailored discount, I use the option on the item page and submit a price proposal of EUR 580.00. The seller accepts – and that legally binds me to the purchase contract. The simple math of the case: Accepted price proposal: EUR 580.00 Minus the promised voucher: - EUR 50.00 Legitimate final price: EUR 530.00 After the click, the big wake-up call at checkout: the system suddenly demands the full amount of EUR 580.00 and withholds the discount. Only now, in the voucher overview under “My eBay,” does the addition “when paying with Klarna” suddenly appear (see middle part in the combined image) . Before that, at the crucial moment of the purchase decision and right on the item page, this was completely concealed! To avoid jeopardizing my spotless account with an unpaid item, I had to reluctantly pay the full amount via PayPal. But now comes the real jackpot – the support team’s written performance: Act 1 (employee L...): Coldly states in writing that the voucher expired on 28/07 at 09:00 a.m. (Too bad my evidence image clearly shows that it was valid all day until 28/07/26). Act 2 (employee A... M...): Enters the stage and strongly contradicts his colleague in writing on the same day: “The voucher is still valid and redeemable until 11:59:59 p.m.!” – Brilliant advice for a purchase that was completed 4 days ago. A time machine, unfortunately, is not included. Act 3 (employee B... I...): The blame shift. I simply shouldn’t have completed the purchase if it didn’t work. Right, I should have just broken the legally binding contract after the price proposal and risked my spotless account. My mistake! Act 4 (employee A...): The rescue attempt. He absolutely wants to call me (nothing written anymore!) and, as sensational help, sends me a link to... drumroll... “Selling limits for commercial sellers” . Sure, as a private buyer of a TV, those exact limits are what keep me up at night! I have now written to support on 29/07 that I greatly appreciate this comedic interlude, but that I will continue the communication in writing only for evidence preservation purposes and refuse phone calls. The formal complaint is now with management. The deadline for compensation (EUR 50 credit or a universal replacement voucher) is unquestionably running until 04/08/2026 . If eBay lets the deadline pass, the whole thing sadly loses its humor: then this seamless real-life satire goes straight to the Wettbewerbszentrale as an evidence file (keyword: misleading pricing / misleading advertising under PAngV & § 5 UWG). The TV will be revoked (which means the seller commission is gone) and my eBay Plus membership will be terminated without notice. Question for you: Has anyone ever experienced conditions like a “Klarna requirement” being withheld in exclusive invitation promotions in the item’s price details and only shown after the binding purchase has been completed via price suggestion? And to the eBay moderators reading along: do you internally find this support theater just as funny as I do, or will someone with real review competence take pity and manually credit me the 50 euros I’m entitled to? Best regards!
