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Ebay seller won't issue refund for undelivered items, what can i do?

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chefguru

Junior Member
State: Pennsyvania

I have a problem, I purchased an item on Ebay ($235 total), I paid in full, the seller stated in his auction that he would issue a refund if the item was delayed. After the item was not delivered (one month late at that point) I contacted the seller, and told him I wanted a refund. the seller said he would look into the problem. I informed the seller that since his auction stated he would offer a refund if requested, I didn't want the item re-sent, I wanted my refund. the seller refused.

the seller swore to me that the item was shipped one month ago, but I didn't believe him. I just got an email informing me that the seller was going to ship the item again tomorrow. I told the seller not to bother because I would not accept the shipment. The seller has told me that he doesn't care what I do then because he's not going to issue a refund, and if I don't want him to re-send the items, then I'm out of luck, and he's not going to respond to any more emails from me, and that he guesses I'll just have to "do what I have to do"

ebay and paypal are refusing to do anything about this situation, and now I'm kindof screwed.

can anyone help me out here? what should I do now?
 


Veronica1228

Senior Member
chefguru said:
State: Pennsyvania

I have a problem, I purchased an item on Ebay ($235 total), I paid in full, the seller stated in his auction that he would issue a refund if the item was delayed. After the item was not delivered (one month late at that point) I contacted the seller, and told him I wanted a refund. the seller said he would look into the problem. I informed the seller that since his auction stated he would offer a refund if requested, I didn't want the item re-sent, I wanted my refund. the seller refused.

the seller swore to me that the item was shipped one month ago, but I didn't believe him. I just got an email informing me that the seller was going to ship the item again tomorrow. I told the seller not to bother because I would not accept the shipment. The seller has told me that he doesn't care what I do then because he's not going to issue a refund, and if I don't want him to re-send the items, then I'm out of luck, and he's not going to respond to any more emails from me, and that he guesses I'll just have to "do what I have to do"

ebay and paypal are refusing to do anything about this situation, and now I'm kindof screwed.

can anyone help me out here? what should I do now?
I suggest you agree to have him resend the items. That's the only way you will at least get your money's worth. You can of course attempt to sue him, but you'll probably have to do it in the state he is located in and the airfare, lawyer's fees etc. will end up costing you much more then it is worth.

Janedoe seems to be quite knowledgable about these types of scenarios. Hopefully, she will ring in with more advice. (Jane, don't die of shock because I paid you a compliment.)
 

JETX

Senior Member
chefguru said:
can anyone help me out here? what should I do now?
Veronica is correct. Have them resend the item. If they don't, or you continue to refuse, your ONLY recourse is to sue the seller in HIS home state. And the costs of travel, etc. are NOT recoverable.
It is better to get something you paid for, then to not get anything at all.
 

GregCA

Junior Member
Its important not to wait over 30 days for an item you've paid for. Both PayPal and eBay have an "item not received" complaint process that can assist you, but both have time restrictions that I believe have already expired. If you selected to fund your PayPal payment to the seller with your credit or debit card (always a good idea), you always have the option of doing a chargeback by contacting your creditcard company or bank directly.

Just beware that PayPal will sometimes close/limit accounts when you pursue a chargeback. The chargeback will expose them (PayPal) to the risk of losing money if the seller doesn't have enough money in his/her account that they can freeze when the chargeback comes through. PayPal tends to get cranky when they're exposed to risk/loss and if they can't get the $$ from the seller, they sometimes penalize the buyer with account limiting or try to debit his/her account without notice.

Good luck!

Greg
 

manowar27

Member
I find it kind of odd that some people don't think twice about spending $6.oo for a beer in a bar, losing $500.00 at a race track, spending $400.00 on some idiotic cell phone, buying $2000.00 rims to put on a car worth $800.00....but if they get screwed on Ebay, they flip out !! I'm not saying you persay, just in general. I spent $300.00 on some vintage hockey magazines and got a box with 3 foam ceiling tiles instead. Jokes on me I guess. I was pissed off, but didn't lose any sleep. Ever buy anything at a flea market or garage sale? Same thing. You spends your money with strangers and takes your chances !!
 

janedoe23

Member
I would also take the item and leave it at that. You can always resell it if you no longer have a use for it. Can I ask what were the exact shipping terms for this item? Did he state that the item would not be delievered for a couple of weeks? I'm kind of curious to find out if this seller is a drop shipper. Drop shippers are bad business and you need to recognize some of the clues within an auction so that you don't buy from them.

Another option is filing a chargeback if you used a credit card to make the purchase. The seller would have to prove that he shipped the item and that you recieved it. If he fails to show proof or if he doesn't respond then the judgement is in your favour. Paypal accounts cannot be closed if the buyer is making a justified chargeback.


***shucks Veronica** ;)
 

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