eBay says, “Note that a scan at any point indicating that the item is in transit or delivered is sufficient to validate the tracking.” Except that when you’ve got a tracking number that shows the item was shipped and scanned in multiple locations, but never arrived at it’s destination, you’re still screwed if they file a claim. They will side with the buyer and issue the refund despite the fact that they have proof the item was shipped. 

It’s happened to me twice recently and the first time I let it escalate to a claim because, according to that sentence at least, eBay had my back and, no, they refunded the customer anyway. So the second time it happened I had no choice but to refund rather than risk getting another “defect” on my account. These two orders totaled over $200 worth of stuff and, frankly, I’m pissed.

Now you’re saying, why didn’t you ensure them? This is a valid question but I (used to) not insure packages that weren’t breakable items and weren’t going very far (which both of these were). My logic has always been, surely, the post office can at least handle that, right? Apparently not. Apparently, when you pay the post office your money to ship something they just assume that money is a donation because you just love them so much and they give zero craps what happens to your package. It’s like bribing a mobster. Sometimes they take your protection money and still burn down your store because they don’t like your face. I just find it insane that you can pay the USPS to provide a service and, if they fail to complete that service, in this case delivering the package, there is no consequence for them and they just basically shrug and saying, “Sucks to be you..” They get to not only keep your money, but the package they lost is your problem, a problem they won’t even help you solve despite being the person who caused the problem and has all the means to solve it. How is any of this legal?

ANYWAY, we’re now automatically insuring everything because I am sick of this crap.

But, back to my point, that sentence above from eBay sounds all great and supportive of sellers but, in reality, it’s just BS and something to make it sound good for PR. The actuality is that the marketplace doesn’t ever have the seller’s back and that you’re only protection is to insure everything, swallow the extra expense and hope for the best.