This policy was updated on 12 December 2024 to add information about requesting feedback removal in certain situations and is effective as of this date.

Frequently Asked Questions

How am I protected from abusive buyers?

If eBay finds a buyer's behaviour abusive, we will take action on the buyer and remove negative and neutral feedback and defects, including opened cases in service metrics.

What if something happens that is outside of my control?

We will protect you by removing negative and neutral feedback and defects when things happen outside your control, such as weather or carrier delays, or when the item arrives late but tracking shows you sent it on time.

Protections for Above Standard and Top Rated sellers

If you're delivering on your service promises and creating good buying experiences, you'll have access to additional seller protections when listing on eBay.com.au.

To be eligible, you need to be registered in Australia and meeting eBay's seller performance standards at the time of the protection:

Your seller level is Above Standard or eBay Top Rated; and
You don't have a 'Very High' rating in any category of your service metrics

An item is returned after it was used or damaged by the buyer

Protections for all sellers

Abusive buying activity

When we determine that a buyer has violated the abusive buyer policy, we'll remove any associated negative or neutral feedback and defects, including any open cases in service metrics. For abusive buyers, we may also limit their ability to request returns on eBay. In serious cases or repeated abusive behaviour, we may suspend the buyer's account.

You can assist us by reporting the buyer - opens in new window or tab and clearly describing what they are doing. This will help us investigate potential policy violations and take actions to protect you.

See the abusive buyer policy for examples of buyer behaviour that isn't allowed.

A buyer falsely claims an item was not as described

A buyer retracted their bid or didn't pay

A buyer demanded something not offered in the original listing

Events outside your control

An item arrived late but tracking shows that you sent it on time

Severe weather, natural disaster or carrier disruptions caused the item to arrive late

Category-specific protections

Sneakers and Handbags sold with Authenticity Guarantee

Car and Truck Parts & Accessories

Other protections

Seller performance

eBay Money Back Guarantee

For transactions where eBay Money Back Guarantee applies, sellers are responsible for delivering the item that was described in the listing, honouring their stated return policy, and providing a resolution when a buyer reports a problem with an order. We'll protect sellers if they have met these obligations.

When a buyer reports that an item hasn't arrived

If you uploaded tracking information from an integrated carrier before the latest estimated delivery date and the tracking shows evidence of successful delivery:

You won't be responsible for refunding the buyer

The following protection was added to this policy on 11 April 2023. It is being introduced gradually and does not yet apply to all sellers. We will provide updates via eBay Announcements - opens in new window or tab.

For orders up to $750, additional protections apply if you used a protected integrated carrier. If you uploaded tracking and there was at least one carrier scan before the latest estimated delivery date:

We'll automatically respond to the buyer's report
You won't be responsible for refunding the buyer

Sellers will be advised when a request is opened if it falls under this protection. Please note that you must upload the tracking details to the order before the latest estimated delivery date for this protection to apply.

When a buyer reports that an item isn't as described

If you offered free returns in your listing, and you accept the return and issue a refund:

We'll automatically remove any negative or neutral feedback left for the transaction

When a buyer doesn't send a return back

If we don't receive proof of shipment from your buyer while the return request is active and the request is then automatically closed:

We'll automatically remove any negative or neutral feedback left for the transaction

When eBay is asked to step in and help

If eBay steps in on an 'Item not received' request or return request and determines that you've met your obligations to the buyer:

It won't be counted as a case closed without seller resolution

For more information about how eBay decides the outcome of a case, see our eBay Money Back Guarantee policy.

Duplicate claims

Buyers can't use more than one resolution method to get a refund. If the buyer files a chargeback or buyer protection claim with their payment provider:

We'll close any open 'Item not received' request, return or order cancellation request for that transaction
The buyer won't be able to open an eBay 'Item not received' or return request for that transaction

Protections for payment disputes

If a buyer files a payment dispute and the transaction is eligible for protection under our Payment dispute seller protections, we'll cover the amount of the dispute, waive the dispute fee, and remove negative and neutral feedback related to the transaction.

Learn more about seller protections for payment disputes.

Eligibility for protections

Most transactions on eBay are covered by seller protections. However, the following types of items and listings are not covered:

Items that violate any of our prohibited and restricted items policies
Items that are excluded from eBay Money Back Guarantee. Some examples include vehicles, heavy machinery, real estate, Websites & Businesses for Sale, Classified Ads, Services, event tickets, digital content and intangible goods

If you do any of the following, you may lose your eligibility for seller protections:

Operate with a false identity
Fail to follow through with your service promises (such as not honouring your return policy)
Have a history of serious policy violations, such as selling counterfeits, using prohibited forms of third-party fulfilment or taking sales off eBay
Abuse or fraudulently use the seller protections – for example, you have a history of:
- Reporting false 'Item not as described' requests when you had not described the item correctly
- Unfairly deducting too much from the buyer's refund. This protection should only be used to recoup the actual lost value of the item when it is returned in a different condition than the original item

For more information, see our Seller protections abuse policy.

If eBay steps in to help with a return or item not received request:

You'll no longer be able to deduct an amount from the buyer's refund when an item is returned used or damaged by the buyer
If we determine that you're responsible for refunding the buyer, we won't remove negative and neutral feedback and it will count as a "case closed without seller resolution"

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