eBay not refunding listing fees when a refund is due

[shooger]

I had an item sell, and the buyer didn't pay, so I filed a NPB alert. A few days later, he went NARU (probably for non-payment of some other seller's items). I waited 10 days and filed the FVF request. The fee was returned. Now, in order to get a refund on the listing fee, you have to list the item again (usually right from the FVF screen). But the link never popped up. All it said was "your fee has been credited, click here to view your account status". Having no way to relist from there, I relisted it through normal means (from the auction page, from My eBay, etc) but when I went to "submit and list item" the fee section said "your listing fee will not be refunded if this item sells". So there was no way for me to get a refund on my listing fee.

I consider this theft, and I'll be emailing PowerSeller customer support.

I wonder how many millions eBay makes because of "glitches" and "oversights" like this.

"Oops, we just stole another $0.60 US from a seller! Oh, there's another! Hey look, it happened again... and again... wow we got $1.20 from that guy!"

It's probably not worth your time, but maybe you should occasionally make sure you're not losing too much money this way. It doesn't happen a lot, but it happens.

One last thing. I'm annoyed about the recent changes that make "sell similar" and "relist" so different. There are times when you should use one but not the other, and it's not intuitive.

Use "relist" only if:
- the item ended without a buyer
- AND this is the first time it ended without a buyer
- UNLESS you used "sell similar" to list it this time
- OR the item did sell, but the buyer didn't pay
- AND you filed a NPB alert and FVF request

Use "sell similar" only if:
- the item ended with a buyer
- AND the buyer did pay
- OR if you want to list another copy of the same item and have two copies of it up for auction at the same time

Never "sell similar" if the item didn't sell, unless this is the second time it didn't sell, and the last time you listed it, you used "relist". Never "relist" if you're raising the price for any reason.

There are other dos and don'ts, but these are the main ones.

You can be losing fees or missing chances at getting fees back if you use one or the other at the wrong time.

[llee2]

Yeah, I've lost the relist credit a few times when I think I should have gotten it refunded. Thanks for clarifying although I think the whole process is still very confusing.

[shooger]

Just relisted another item that ended up going the NPB and FVF route. "This item doesn't qualify for a listing fee refund if it sells." GRRRR!

I emailed eBay about the "glitch" (which is probably not a glitch). They said "email us with full details of each occurance and we will investigate it and determine if you are due a credit".

Do they know how much extra time that's going to take!?!?!?

Yes, yes they do.

[zarzuella]

I've noticed the same thing - I've even started to keep notes on relists because I was so sure I should have had a credit and didn't get one.

Another 'glitch' that is in ebay's best interest not to fix ....

Ann

[laplaya29]

Uh Oh.. you mean I have to start watching this now too. Its bad enough that I dont get end of auction notices and payment notices, now I have to monitor if my item sells on the second time around that I get the listing fees re-imbursed for the first time I listed it. Just sitting here shaking my head. A lot of my auctins end without bids and I just hit the re-list button, but never have I checked my invoice to see if the item did indeed sell the second time around if I got any fees back.

Bill.

[off_to_uni]

I noticed the same thing, but I have also noticed I have not received most of my recent No sale credits. eBay is great at making money.

[laplaya29]

No Sale Credits?? Please elaborate. Are we supposed to get our listing fees back if the item does not sell??
That would be nice.
Bill.