eBay
What does this mean?
Grade A (high: almost everything comes from official pages read directly). 97% of 38 sources are the organization's own pages or government sites.
Get help with (3)
- Lost packageReport the item as not received after the delivery date, give the seller 3 business days, then ask eBay to step in.
- Item arrived damaged or defectiveStart a return request as item not as described; the guarantee applies even if the seller does not accept returns.
- Refund requestUse the seller's return policy or the Money Back Guarantee; eBay can step in if the seller does not refund.
Contacts (7)
Chat
- Chat with eBay customer service Sign-in required
eBay asks you to pick a topic first so it can route you.
Use for: Refund request, Lost package, Item arrived damaged or defective
Source: ebay.com, verified 2026-10-12
Online forms
- Report an item that hasn't arrived Sign-in required
Use for: Lost package
Source: ebay.com, verified 2026-10-12
- Start a return request (item not as described, damaged or wrong item) Sign-in required
Use for: Item arrived damaged or defective, Refund request
Source: ebay.com, verified 2026-10-12
- Notice of Dispute webform (required before arbitration or small claims)
The notice must include your claims, the relief you want, and your username, email and phone number. Informal resolution lasts 45 days.
Use for: Refund request, Poor service or broken promise
Source: ebay.com, verified 2026-10-12
Online tools and accounts
- eBay Help & Contact (pick a topic, then chat or request a call) Sign-in required
Use for: Refund request, Lost package, Item arrived damaged or defective, Unauthorized charge, Account access
Source: ebay.com, verified 2026-10-12
- eBay Money Back Guarantee policy (timelines and step-in rules)
Use for: Lost package, Item arrived damaged or defective, Refund request
Source: ebay.com, verified 2026-10-12
- Arbitration opt-out notice (new users, within 30 days of first accepting)eBay Inc., Attn: Litigation Department, Re: Opt-Out Notice, 339 W. 13490 S., Ste. 500, Draper, UT 84020
Opt-out form: https://pages.ebay.com/policies/arbitrate-optout.html. You must sign and send it yourself.
Source: ebay.com, verified 2026-10-12
Escalation path
Go up one step at a time. Keep the reference numbers and dates from each contact.
Customer service
Open the request with the seller first.
Supervisor
Ask eBay to step in from the request in Purchases once the seller's 3 business days have passed.
Written complaint
Card or bank dispute
Fair Credit Billing Act billing-error and purchase-dispute rights (Regulation Z)
Electronic Fund Transfer Act error resolution and unauthorized-transfer liability (Regulation E)
A chargeback ends Money Back Guarantee coverage for that transaction; use it only after eBay's process fails.
State agency
Your state’s attorney general. Find it in the list of state agencies (also as JSON:
states/<code>.json, for example states/ny.json).Public complaint
RegulatorBetter Business Bureau
Known blockers
- eBay shows a bot verification page on most help URLs; requests, step-in and appeals need the buyer's sign-in.
- No general eBay phone number was found; callback and chat options appear only after you choose a topic in Help & Contact.
Scam warnings
Official domains
ebay.com
Real links and emails from eBay end in one of these.
eBay will never ask you for
eBay says it will never ask you to confirm your account password or personal details by email, and will never ask for your password or financial information over the phone.
Source: pages.ebay.com, verified 2026-10-12
Known scams
Fake emails with the eBay logo and a false sender address, fake eBay sign-in pages, and offers to complete a sale outside eBay or with unapproved payment methods.
Source: pages.ebay.com, verified 2026-10-12
Overpayment schemes, often with counterfeit cashier's checks, and requests for extra shipping or other charges after a sale.
Source: pages.ebay.com, verified 2026-10-12
Report phishing
- Forward suspicious emails that appear to come from eBay (as an attachment)
Use for: Fraud or scam
Source: pages.ebay.com, verified 2026-10-12
How complaints actually go
Every point links to its source. “Reported by customers” marks an anecdote from a forum: a tactic to try, not a fact to quote. Checked 2026-10-12. Markdown: dossiers/ebay.md
In short
On eBay you open a request with the seller first, wait 3 business days, then ask eBay to step in under the Money Back Guarantee. Keep everything inside eBay checkout and messages: payments outside eBay are not covered, and a card chargeback for the same order can end your guarantee coverage. Use the chargeback only after eBay's own process fails. eBay never asks for your password or financial details by email or phone; forward fakes to spoof@ebay.com.
How complaints actually go
- Report an item not received no later than 30 calendar days after the estimated or actual delivery date. You can ask eBay to step in from 3 business days after the report until 21 business days after it. eBay Money Back Guarantee
- For an item not as described, open the request within 30 calendar days of delivery (or within a longer seller return window). eBay can step in once the seller accepts the return or 3 business days after your request. eBay Money Back Guarantee
- You may appeal an eBay decision within 30 calendar days of the decision. eBay Money Back Guarantee
- eBay publishes no general phone number on the pages checked; chat or a callback appears after you pick a topic in Help & Contact, and you must be signed in. eBay: start chat
- Before arbitration or small claims, the User Agreement requires a Notice of Dispute through eBay's webform and a 45-day informal resolution period; filing deadlines pause during it. eBay User Agreement
What tends to work
- Ask eBay to step in from the request in Purchases as soon as the seller's 3 business days pass; if eBay finds delivery was not proven, it refunds the item and original shipping. eBay Money Back Guarantee
- For a not-as-described return, the guarantee applies even if the seller does not accept returns; photograph the item and packaging before you open the request. eBay Money Back Guarantee
Traps and fine print
- Payments made partly outside eBay checkout (bank transfer, cash, money orders, escrow) are not covered by the Money Back Guarantee. eBay Money Back Guarantee
- Filing a chargeback or another buyer protection claim for the same transaction can end Money Back Guarantee coverage. eBay Money Back Guarantee
- Trading cards, coins, bullion and paper money have only 3 calendar days for a not-as-described request when the seller does not offer returns. eBay Money Back Guarantee
- A new user can opt out of arbitration only by a signed written notice postmarked within 30 days of first accepting the User Agreement. eBay User Agreement
By the numbers
- ACSI 2026 (interviews through December 2025): eBay scored 78 out of 100, down from 81; the online retail industry average was 79. ACSI Retail and Consumer Shipping Study 2026
Scams that target customers
- eBay says it will never ask you to confirm your account password or personal details by email, and never asks for your password or financial information over the phone. eBay Security Center
- Fake emails with the eBay logo and a false sender address, fake eBay sign-in pages, and offers to pay outside eBay or with unapproved payment methods. eBay Security Center
- Overpayment schemes with counterfeit cashier's checks, and requests for extra shipping or other charges after a sale. eBay Security Center
- Forward emails that appear to come from eBay, as an attachment, to spoof@ebay.com. eBay Security Center
For the whole industry, read Retail and online shopping — how complaints work.
Verification notes
eBay is a marketplace. The buyer opens a request with the seller first; eBay steps in under the eBay Money Back Guarantee if the seller does not resolve it. No general customer service phone number appears on the eBay pages checked; contact runs through Help & Contact (chat or callback after you pick a topic). Filing a card chargeback for the same transaction ends Money Back Guarantee coverage.
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