How we help Things we're unable to do

Our goal is to provide a safe marketplace for our community. If you ever have a transaction issue on eBay, we may be able to help with guidance and tools on problem solving, buyer protection, and services to help protect you against fraud.

How we help

Many problems are the result of misunderstandings that can be worked out when members talk to one another. The first thing we recommend is for the buyer and seller to communicate with each other. Read our guidelines on finding contact information and communicating with your trading partner.

If you aren't able to work things out with your trading partner, contact us so that we may help. On the Contact us page, you'll be able to open a case and track the steps that have been taken to resolve the problem. If the problem can't be resolved between you and your trading partner, eBay may facilitate by making a decision in favour of either the buyer or the seller. The seller may be required to issue a refund, or the buyer may be required to pay for an item, or the sale may be reversed.

If suspicious activity is reported, our Trust and Safety team will investigate the situation. If a member violates a policy, we will warn them that we may restrict or suspend that member's account. If the matter is serious, we will cooperate with law enforcement authorities.

Although the vast majority of buyers and sellers on eBay are reliable, we continue to provide safeguards so that you enjoy a safe trading environment. If something goes wrong, we're committed to working with both buyers and sellers to try to fix it.

Things we're unable to do

Occasionally, someone will ask us to help with sending an item or paying for an item. eBay doesn't hold the items that are being sold on the site. We can ask a seller to send the item, or a buyer to pay for the item, but eBay can't send the item to the buyer or pay the seller. When a buyer or seller doesn't complete an obligation to which they agreed to, we take the matter seriously and may restrict or suspend an account as a result.

eBay is committed to providing a safe trading environment for all members. We work hard to ensure that all members on eBay treat each other with honesty and fairness.