eBay Reviews 

I recently had an extremely disappointing experience with eBay that has completely eroded my trust in the platform as a safe place to make purchases.

I purchased a motorcycle engine from a seller called Salvage Cycle Parts based in Dallas, Texas. Their listing explicitly stated the engine was compatible with 2008 through 2020 Yamaha YZF-R6 models. I own a 2020 Yamaha R6, and I am a Yamaha dealership — so I know these motorcycles. The engine does not fit a 2020 model. The compatibility claim in the listing was factually incorrect.

When I contacted the seller, they initially acknowledged the listing was inaccurate and agreed to issue a refund upon return of the engine. Shortly after, they reversed course entirely and refused to honor that agreement, hiding behind the fact that eBay's standard return window had closed.

I then turned to eBay for help. This is where things went from bad to worse. Despite the fact that this is a clear-cut case of item misrepresentation, not a standard return, eBay's customer service was completely unhelpful. The policies applied to my case were rigid, generic, and showed no effort whatsoever to account for the specific circumstances. I did absolutely nothing wrong in this transaction, yet I was left holding an engine I cannot use and was out a significant amount of money.

eBay's Money Back Guarantee is supposed to protect buyers in exactly this type of situation. It failed entirely. The lack of flexibility, accountability, and genuine desire to help is alarming for a platform that millions of people trust with their purchases.

As a result of this experience, I have filed a chargeback with my credit card company, submitted a complaint to the Texas Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division, and will be sharing this experience across every relevant platform and review site. I will also be reconsidering all future purchases through eBay entirely.

eBay needs to do far better. A seller admitting a listing is incorrect and then refusing to make it right, while eBay stands by and does nothing, is completely unacceptable. This is exactly why buyers and sellers alike are walking away from this platform in favor of alternatives that actually stand behind their users.
I will NEVER buy anything on eBay ever again!

NO SUPPORT. Every person has a unique situation they may need help with and articles don't get things done like a human. I had a duplicate account. Someone bid on an item I no longer had. I was getting notices to ship, but I was signing into another account. Part of that is my fault, but I needed help to contact the buyer to let them know I no longer had the item. I don't have all day to read "articles" . And today Ebay charged me $10 fee for reimbursing the person. NO HUMAN HELP! I'm done with Ebay.

I learned of a scam where a seller on Ebay can create a tracking number, send a package to someone in the same zip code and tell Ebay that the purchased item was delivered. That recently happened to me for an above ground pool. I contacted the carrier (UPS) about the tracking number and was told the item sent was from a bank to another bank in the same zip code.

UPS sent me an email indicating the tracking number provided by the seller was not intended for me. That email was forwarded to Ebay who denied my dispute because all the seller has to show is that a package was sent in the same zip code, regardless of what UPS says. Ebay customer service thanked me for being a loyal customer for 21 years. I guarantee that will not reach 22 years.

Just know if you sell an item and the buyer has is go to their local post office for pickup; you will not get paid for your item for at least 30 days or more.

you can still find rare items here, but the platform has become way too greedy. the global shipping program fees and extra taxes added at the checkout are ridiculous now. by the time you pay for the item, tax, and shipping, it costs double the original price. ebay used to be a great marketplace but now it's just a rip-off..

On February 20, 2026, I purchased a vintage bicycle spare part from a supplier in the United States, who was never friendly and from the beginning transferred the responsibility for shipping to eBay. Today, June 18, 2026, almost four months later, my purchase still hasn't arrived. After several complaints, eBay's response was, "The seller reports it was shipped and there's a tracking number. Upon verification, Asendia doesn't recognize the number." I tried to report this, but neither the seller nor eBay took note. I opened a case requesting a refund due to the time elapsed, to which eBay gave me a 15-day deadline to resolve, arguing that the seller claims it was shipped. This happened three times, so I contacted the payment provider, informing them of the case and requesting a refund due to non-compliance. When eBay found out, they closed my case, and there's no way to communicate with them, and the seller hasn't responded to my message. Now PayPal is asking me to file a police or government report for loss or theft, with all the inconvenience and wasted time that entails. Is this a new way for customers to lose their money?

These people are selling fake coins I reported one seller 10 times eBay done nothing. They say they have a money back guarantee which is complete bs Someone needs to sue these people pants off.

best place to shop around safely but they take a lot of fees

My experience with eBay has been extremely disappointing.

I sold a Montblanc pen through the platform, and the item was delivered to the buyer four days ago. However, eBay is still holding my payment, claiming that I need to verify my identity.

The problem is that I have already completed the verification process using my valid Brazilian passport, and all my information was submitted correctly. Despite complying with their requirements, my funds remain unavailable.

As a seller, I find this unacceptable. Once an item has been delivered and the requested documentation has been provided, there is no reasonable justification for continuing to withhold payment.

This was my first experience using eBay, and unfortunately, it will likely be my last. I have sold items through other platforms before and have never encountered this kind of issue. The lack of transparency and the delay in releasing funds have left me feeling frustrated and unfairly treated.

I cannot recommend eBay based on my experience.

ebay horrible place to sell items, don’t trust ebay platform it’s against you always. Find a better place to sell your items stay away from ebay!

Several times just looked at an eBay item and within 12 hours it charged my Card w/o Authorization !!!

They removed the item that people liked the most on ebay. Despite me posting the proof of it's authenticity with name tag and bar code for my handbag.

I was a top-rated seller on eBay for 13 years with 100% positive feedback and a flawless delivery record. eBay permanently restricted my account without warning, froze my funds for 190 days, and refused to provide a single human explanation.

The 190‑day rule is supposed to protect buyers — instead, it was used as a blanket excuse to lock away money that I legitimately earned, even though every item had been delivered and there were zero disputes or chargebacks.

What makes this worse is the complete lack of human involvement. No investigation. No explanation. No appeal. Just automated emails and copy‑paste scripts. A decade of trust and work was erased by a bot.

eBay can shut down your business overnight, keep your money for half a year, and you will have no one to talk to. No support. No escalation. No accountability.

The 190‑day rule isn’t “protection.” It’s a weapon — and they used it on a seller who never missed a single order in over a decade.

This is a warning to every seller on eBay: if it can happen to a 13‑year Top Rated Seller with 100% feedback, it can happen to you.

Customer service at eBay is non-existent. Relaying on AI to answer issues which lack effectiveness. Direct customers to use eBay help site, which is worthless and does not answer any questions. Called 866-540-3229 and it directs you to the help site and then hangs up. A multi-billion-dollar company having a rating of 1.3 out of 5 is true characteristic of "LACK OF CUSTOMER SERVICE" protocol for eBay. I ordered 4 sets of 4 packs of coffee which means 16 packs of coffee and received only 4 packs. I have been trying to get help from eBay customer service for the last 8 days, and it is impossible to find any human being to talk to and get a resolution. It is obvious that eBay policy is to make it extremely hard and impossible for customers to reach out for help, even though they are very quick to charge your account for the purchases made. In contrast to eBay, Amazon has excellent customer service and if Amazon can implement such an excellent customer service protocol, then eBay could do it if the company desires to do so. Rating of 1.3 means it is not eBay management desire to do so. The rating of 1 in this review is more than generous and in reality, it should be rated at ZERO or less.
The recent communication from eBay is that I need to file a "POLIC REPORT" before they can proceed with investigating this matter. How embarrassing is to go to a police station and file a report about eBay's seller's mismanagement of a shortshipment. It is getting hilarious and laughing matter as this matter proceed to be a comedy show.

i just got permanently suspended. i have had the account as a buyer for years. i decided to list stuff last night to sell that i no longer want, and i actually sold 2 items. and was going to ship out today. i woke up to the same email. i called the ebay customer service and the first person said i was marked as risky and because it was permanently suspended i can't appeal. and hung up. the second person said they can't tell me why im marked as risky and there's nothing i can do. i can no longer buy sell or use ebay at all and for no reason. i know i didnt do anything wrong. wow. just wow.and i'm not the only one.

What used to be the 'go to' site is now so bad I actually hate it. No longer bargain prices, but corporate monsters and too many dodgy sellers. When 95% of prices are beaten by Amazon why use it? Encounter an issue and you will find ebay a nightmare to deal with. No contact number and going in constant circles trying to find a helpful link. It's impossible to rate their customer service as it doesn't exist! I stopped selling on here a couple of years ago and use only to purchase small items now. As for refunds, be prepared to wait and wait for them.

eBay Review

AFTER MORE THAN 25 YEARS, I WILL NEVER DO BUSINESS WITH EBAY AGAIN

After more than 25 years using eBay, I recently experienced something that caused me to terminate my relationship with the platform.

I sold a pair of premium hearing devices. The item was clearly identified, photographed, shipped, delivered, and paid for. eBay collected its fees, distributed the funds, and issued a written “Transaction Complete” notice.

Some time later, the buyer claimed that the hearing devices received were not the hearing devices ordered. In response, I submitted substantial evidence, including photographs, serial-number verification, shipping records, video documentation, and a notarized third-party affidavit demonstrating that the hearing devices returned were the same hearing devices originally sold.

Although the listing clearly stated that returns were not accepted, eBay instructed the buyer to return the item and charged the seller for the return shipping.

I was ultimately informed that the final decision rested with a third-party financial institution whose identity was unknown to me and unavailable for direct communication. I was further informed that no meaningful appeal process existed.

The experience left me with several unanswered questions.

If eBay issues a written “Transaction Complete” notice, when does a transaction actually become final, and when may a seller reasonably rely upon that notice and apply the proceeds of the sale for their intended purpose?

If seller protections exist, what protections remain available once an external payment dispute is initiated?

If a third-party financial institution can effectively determine the outcome of a transaction, why are those limitations, risks, and practical consequences not more clearly disclosed to sellers from the outset?

And if eBay lacks authority over the decision itself, what authority allows eBay to refund the disputed funds, retain its fees, and seek reimbursement from the seller?

My concern extends beyond a single transaction.

Trust is the foundation of every marketplace. Buyers and sellers enter into transactions with the expectation that the rules, protections, responsibilities, and remedies governing those transactions are transparent, understandable, and consistently applied.

A review of publicly available consumer complaints reveals that concerns regarding dispute handling, transaction reversals, seller protections, fees, transparency, and accountability are far from isolated.

Each reader will reach their own conclusions.

As for me, I have reached mine.

When trust is lost and the reasons for that loss are clearly self-evident, trust cannot be restored.

After more than 25 years on the platform, I have permanently terminated my relationship with eBay and will never do business with the company again.

R Baldwin

The seller sent the wrong product item, and the automated help chatbot was entirely useless at processing the return. It feels like the application protects dishonest shops more than the customers paying real money.

eBay use to be the marketplace. Now its only scamming customers.

As a customer you do not have any rights on eBay and eBay doesn't do much about it.

Placed an order and regretted it within 5 minutes.
Tried to cancel directly but it wasn't possible because seller already "posted" it.

This is the second time in my last two orders where I was left on my own with no way to solve my issue.

Last time my item was DOA and I didn't get any support.