Brand new account makes a purchase then chargeback. eBay sides with the buyer... HOW?

[maximus.j]

Happy friday,

Buyers account created on Dec. 18th 2025

Purchase made on Dec. 18th 2025

I have an issue right now fighting a chargeback.  Item was purchased and paid for on Dec. 18th.  Delivered on Dec. 23rd.  On Dec. 24th, the buyer was filing a chargeback with his bank.  No message from him until after the fact, no INAD case, nothing.  My item was a car high pressure fuel pump that is coming from a 2017 car.  All the part numbers from both the car manufacturer and the part manufacturer were in the listing, as well as a picture of said part number on the pump.  The listing was crystal clear and I added a disuasive statement saying that fitment needs to be confirmed before ordering otherwise it wouldnt be a valid reason for return.  I say disuasive because we know that's worth nothing on this platform.  The buyer's point is that one model in the compatible vehicle list had a different pump than the one I was selling and he was expecting that part to be sent; and not the one listed in the title, description and pictures...

Of course, I challenged the chargeback with all the proofs that were needed.  In my opinion, that was a slam dunk.  I was wrong... very wrong.  Looks like in these case, eBay is not the decision maker.  The buyer's bank is.  So even if I explained clearly that the buyer made assumptions that were cleared through my listing, the bank sided with the buyer.  To add to the insult, eBay slammed me with a $20 dispute fee charge (!!!)

I contacted CS through phone, stating that the buyer didnt follow the terms of service and that Seller's protection should apply, eBay said it doesnt.  When I asked why, the only answer I got was that they had to follow the bank's decision.  I told them they had a role to play in this situation and have to protect their sellers, but recommended me to push with the bank (how should I know which bank it was and who to talk to anyway?).  The best thing that the CS lady could do is to waive that dispute fee charge.  I ended the call before losing my cool, because I know that throwing a tantrum to a CS rep is just wrong.  So I calmed down and did some digging online.  Contacted eBay through social media; they referred me to CS again.

So I called them again.  The second lady I spoke to told me that the previous one escalated my request again, but from her own experience, unless I have new information to provide, they will stand by the decision.

I am lost for words.  Brand new account that was created precisely for this purchase, chargeback 24h after reception and nobody from CS can acknowledge that this is super shady.

My account is 24 years old, made over 3300 sales and never experienced anything like this.  In all these years, I only lost a sale because of a mistake I made, which I assumed and gladly handled it.  If I had done anything wrong, i'd take the loss and keep going my way, but I just cant digest this one.  It's not a crazy amount of money ($220), but it's the fact that this entitled buyer thinks he's going to get away with the crime.

So, here I am, asking for help today.  Happy to give additionnal details in case I missed them, but i'm really puzzled with that decision.  To a point where I paused all my listings until I figure out what to do.  Because if buyers can scam sellers like that and eBay gives them the nod, I prefer to give my whole inventory to charity and save myself the hassle.  I do not make this for a living, so I will not feed these types of  ... persons.

Thanks in advance.

[mrdutch1001]

a charge back is between the CC holder/buyer & the CC company/Payment processor/Bank and eBay is not in the picture when it come to chargebacks... and that is one factor of which there is no recourse for a seller...

sorry but eBay cannot help you in this type of situation. It is what it is.... and this sortta thing can happen to ANY seller at ANY time on ANY selling site.

[maximus.j]

I understand that, but eBay is the middle man here who should be the ones letting them know that there a couple things that are... suspicious.  I had to go through my credit card company once because a company wasnt accepting a return for something I bought that was not as described.  For me to get my money back, I had to send my purchase to the seller and email the tracking info to the CC issuer.  That's what a middle man should do.

Now, they refunded the buyer and i've lost both my item and my money.  Doesnt make sense at all.

If the buyer would have sent me a note saying, listen, I screwed up and this is not what I need; given that it was christmas, I was ready to accept the return.  But all I got was threats, so I was down to play ball because I thought I was covered.   NOT!

[flipistics]

What information did you provide them when responding to the chargeback?

[maximus.j]

Everything that I had.   What I listed vs. what was sent, the messages from the buyer, tracking info; everything.

Buyer never denied that was what he received; he just made a mistake and passed it on me.  I dont know what could have been added to the listing that wasnt already in there.  Part numbers dont lie.

[electronicsextraordinaire]

Dunno how or why but in the PayPal days, I had a Credit card chargeback on eBay purchase situation and PayPal made me whole to the tune of $300. I wasn’t moving a lot of volume with PayPal either.

I guess PayPal had stronger seller protections.

I was considering a police report because I also felt defrauded but I got my money so whatever.

[flipistics]

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@maximus.j wrote:

Everything that I had.   What I listed vs. what was sent, the messages from the buyer, tracking info; everything.

Buyer never denied that was what he received; he just made a mistake and passed it on me.  I dont know what could have been added to the listing that wasnt already in there.  Part numbers dont lie.

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The only thing I can think of is to make clear to the reps (and the bank if you can find out which it was) that you accept returns and the buyer did not contact you or file a case through eBay. I'm pretty sure I saw somewhere an eBay policy that states that attempting to resolve a dispute with the seller is a requirement. I think the credit card companies also have that as a requirement before you file a chargeback.

[maximus.j]

Agree with you on paypal.  Also had a case a loooong time ago where the buyer used a fraudulent credit card.  Transaction was automatically reversed but paypal covered the loss since the item was already shipped out.   Mind you, it was a $15 item so nothing to lose sleep over with.

In 24 years, I must have paid in the high 5 digits worth of selling fees.  Standing by this decision is not a great business decision in my opinion; but I have no control over that.  All I know is that I am out if they do.  

[maximus.j]

Yep, I mentionned this to the CS reps today that the TOS were not followed and this is clearly where eBay should step in.  If the buyer would need to return and I refused, then the chargeback would be the next logical step.  But knowing that everything happened within 24h is wild.

[flipistics]

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@maximus.j wrote:

Yep, I mentionned this to the CS reps today that the TOS were not followed and this is clearly where eBay should step in.  If the buyer would need to return and I refused, then the chargeback would be the next logical step.  But knowing that everything happened within 24h is wild.

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devon@ebay  Is there anything you're able to do to help?

@maximus.j  There may be very little you can do. If the buyer is from the USA, file a mail fraud report with the USPS or possibly with Canada Post. You can also file a police report. It likely won't help you recover any money, but people who do this sort of thing don't usually just stop after one time. You may help them get caught in the future.

[maximus.j]

Buyer is from Ontario and i'm from Quebec.  That would be a waste of time if I rely on my legal background.  Even if things are super sketchy, there is still a reasonable doubt that the buyer havent done that in the spirit of stealing someone else's property, but instead doing anything he can to recover his money.  As long as I cant clear that doubt, neither police or CP will investigate.  And even if I manage to prove he intentionally defrauded me, I dont think the police will ram his door for a $220 fraud.  

[rosepeak]

I'm sorry this happened to you but tbh, I'd say you're kinda lucky if this is the first time you're getting scammed. I get scam buyers at least a few times a year and I don't even make nearly as many sales as you. Maybe I'm just unlucky 😅

Anyway sorry, not trying to make this about me. Just wanted to say that I sympathize with the frustration completely. In my experience a lot of these scammers do have newly created accounts too... It seems that we hard-working sellers have no choice but to let dishonest people get away with it sometimes.

[femmefan1946]

In my opinion, that was a slam dunk.

No. 

If the chargeback was "purchase not recognized" you can supply the invoice with the customer's address and win.

If the chargeback was "not as described" you can offer Return Shipping (we can buy USPS shipping labels from Canada).  Usually you get your item back and then the chargeback is processed. 

My account is 24 years old, made over 3300 sales and never experienced anything like this.

Bound to happen eventually.

If your annual "failed transaction" rate is less than one per cent you are doing better than industry average. 

You might get some satisfaction by reporting this "mail theft" to both your own and their local police forces.  At best it might lead to the final clue in a building case against a serial scammer, at worst you have a little satisfaction.

And returns and refunds are business expenses that can be used as tax deductions. 

[marnotom!]

There are three conditions for protection eBay will consider in an “item not as described” payment dispute (or chargeback). Based on what you have shared in this thread, I don’t believe you met any one of them.