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Resolving transaction problems in our Resolution Centre

In this article:
Communicating with your trading partner to resolve issues

Working it out in our Resolution Centre

Responding to a case against you

If you ever have a problem with a sale, eBay is here with resolution guidelines, programmes, and services to help you get the best outcome possible.

First, try communicating with your trading partner

Most problems are best resolved with early and direct communication between the buyer and seller. Our tips for communicating with your trading partner help you resolve issues as quickly and easily as possible.

You can contact any eBay member through our email forwarding system. Here’s how:

  1. Click on your trading partner's User ID anywhere it appears on the site. (Click here to find a member by their User ID or email address.) The member’s Feedback Profile appears.

  2. Near the top of the Feedback Profile, click the Contact Member button.

  3. An email form appears where you can enter your question to your trading partner.

  4. If you want the member to receive your registered email address, clear the “Hide my email address…” check box on the email form.

You can also ask for your trading partner's phone number and direct email address by requesting their contact information.

Working it out in our Resolution Centre

If you're not able to work it out directly with your trading partner, you can open a case at the Resolution Centre. eBay then contacts your trading partner and helps you both discuss, track, and resolve your case.

Who can use the Resolution Centre

As a buyer, you can work out the following situations at the Resolution Centre:

  • You pay for and receive an item, but it's significantly not as described in the listing. For example, the listing says it's new but it looks used, or the listing says it's a book but it's a DVD.

  • You pay for an item but don't receive it.

  • If you paid with PayPal, use the PayPal Resolution Centre, and you may be covered by PayPal Buyer Protection. You can still get to your PayPal case from eBay’s Resolution Centre.

As a seller, you can work out the following situations at the Resolution Centre:

  • You sold an item but haven't received payment.

  • You want to cancel a transaction.

Note:  If you have a different problem, like a feedback or identity theft problem, use the Contact Us links on the Help pages rather than the Resolution Centre.

Opening a case

First, it's best to read the instructions for your type of case:

Buyers:

Sellers:

Timing is important

Be aware of the timing for resolving cases and using protection services, because most have a window for when you can open cases, be credited for certain fees, or be eligible for buyer protection. This information is included in the instructions above.

Getting to the Resolution Centre

If you can't work things out directly with the seller, you can open a case at eBay's Resolution Centre. If you paid with PayPal, you can open a case at the PayPal Resolution Centre.

PayPal Resolution Centre

If you paid for your item using PayPal on an eligible eBay site, go to the PayPal Resolution Centre to open your case. This is the first step in filing a claim for coverage under PayPal's Buyer Protection programme.

  • You can open a case in the PayPal Resolution Centre up to 45 days after your PayPal payment.

  • You can also get to your PayPal case for your eBay purchase from eBay’s Resolution Centre.

Important: The resolution process for PayPal claims is different than the process for non-PayPal cases. To understand about PayPal claims, read about the PayPal resolution process. The rest of this article is about non-PayPal cases only.

eBay Resolution Centre

eBay's Resolution Centre creates a dialogue between you and the seller, and tracks your case for you.

  • You can only open a case through the specific eBay country site where you’ve purchased or sold the item.

  • If you bought the item as a guest, you'll need to register to open a case.

To get to the Resolution Centre, click here or click Resolution Centre at the bottom of most eBay pages. You can also get to the Resolution Centre from your listing in My eBay, and your item number will be filled in on the form for you:

  1. Go to My eBay.

  2. Click the "Won" (if you're a buyer) or "Sold" (if you're a seller) view.

  3. Find your item and select "Resolve a problem" from the "Take action" menu.

    The Resolution Centre – "Resolve a problem" form appears with options for you depending on whether you bought or sold your item. "Your cases" also appears and displays status on any open cases.

  4. Select your problem and click Continue.

    • If your problem isn't one of the four listed, click "My problem is not listed here," and you'll be redirected to send an email about your problem.

  5. Follow the instructions for your type of case (as described under Opening a case).

Responding to a case against you

If someone opens a case with you, it’s important to respond quickly and work with your trading partner to resolve the problem. If you don’t address your trading partner's concerns or don’t respond within the time specified, the case could be escalated to our Trust and Safety team. 

  • If you're a buyer, you have 7 days to respond to a case for an unpaid item or if the seller wants to cancel the transaction. If the case is for an unpaid item, you could receive an unpaid item strike, which can lead to restrictions or suspension of your account.

  • If you're a seller, you have 10 days to respond to a case for items not received or not as described.

Here's how to respond to a case:

  1. Your trading partner submits a case through the Resolution Centre.

  2. You receive an email from eBay describing the case.

  3. Read about the issue and click Respond Now.

  4. The "Resolution Centre – Case details" page appears. Fill in your information and click Submit response.

  5. You receive a confirmation that your response has been sent to your trading partner.

  6. Keep talking until you've resolved the case.

    • To help yourself, your trading partner, and eBay keep track of your communication, respond to the case only as indicated by the emails (through the Resolution Centre system).

  7. You can track the case at the Resolution Centre.


Contact Customer Support

If you have an additional question about this subject, email us at Customer Support.
If you would like to ask a question on another subject, please use the Contact Us page.



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