An eBay Money Back Guarantee case starts when a buyer reports that an item has not arrived or asks to return an item that does not match the listing, and the problem is not resolved between you. Either side can then ask eBay to step in, and eBay can step in on its own in some situations. For an item not received report that window runs from 3 to 21 business days after the report. If eBay decides for the buyer, the buyer gets a full refund including original shipping and eBay seeks reimbursement from you. Your funds may be held while the case is open, the loss can count against your seller standards, and you have 30 calendar days from eBay’s decision to appeal. Most of these cases are won or lost on two things, whether you answered inside 3 business days and whether your tracking met every element eBay checks.

What the eBay Money Back Guarantee Covers

eBay’s Money Back Guarantee policy covers most transactions on eBay. It applies in three situations.

The buyer does not receive the item.
The item the buyer receives does not match the listing, for example the wrong item, or an item that arrives broken, damaged or faulty.
The seller does not honor the return policy stated in the listing.

Your obligations as a seller are written into the policy. You are responsible for delivering the item described in the listing, honoring your stated return policy and providing a resolution when a buyer reports a problem. If the purchase was completed on eBay.com, you must meet the policy’s requirements and timeframes even if you listed the item on a different eBay site.

Which payments and items are covered

Coverage depends on how the buyer paid. Purchases paid through eBay checkout by card, PayPal or PayPal Credit, Apple Pay or Google Pay, Venmo, Klarna, spendable funds, Alipay, eBay-facilitated wire transfer or eBay gift cards, vouchers or Bucks are covered. Items where any part of the payment was made outside eBay, such as bank transfer, cash, money orders or escrow, are not. That rule is one of several reasons never to accept payment off the platform.

Some categories are excluded entirely, including real estate, websites and businesses for sale, digital content and other intangible goods, NFTs, classified ads, services, travel tickets, industrial equipment and motor vehicles. Certain pre-approved sports card breaks are also outside the guarantee. Trading cards, bullion, coins, paper money and items sold as not working or for parts carry a shorter not as described window when the seller does not offer returns. The buyer must request the return within 3 calendar days after the estimated or actual delivery date.

The checkout site decides the rules

eBay states that buyers and sellers are subject to the Money Back Guarantee or other buyer protection policy of the site where the buyer completed checkout, regardless of the site used to list the item. If you list on eBay.co.uk and do not exclude international shipping, a US buyer may check out on eBay.com, and that order runs under the eBay.com rules. Sellers who ship worldwide work under more than one version of the guarantee, and their evidence routine has to meet the strictest one they sell under.

When buyers lose coverage

Buyers can lose protection if they voluntarily close a request or case, open duplicate claims through another resolution method, engage in fraudulent or abusive buying, or violate an eBay policy. A buyer who files a chargeback for the same transaction is opening a duplicate claim, which can end Money Back Guarantee coverage for that order. That move shifts the dispute to the buyer’s bank and to eBay’s payment dispute process, covered in our guide on eBay payment disputes and chargebacks.

When eBay Steps In

Most lost cases are lost on time. The policy gives you a short window to respond and a defined window in which eBay can be asked to step in. Know these numbers by heart.

Case type	Buyer can open	You must respond	eBay can step in
Item not received	Once the estimated or actual delivery date has passed, up to 30 calendar days after it	Within 3 business days, with tracking, a delivery update or a refund	From 3 to 21 business days after the report. eBay may step in without the buyer asking if there is no valid tracking.
Not as described return	Up to 30 calendar days after the estimated or actual delivery date, or within your returns window if longer	Within 3 business days, with a solution	From the time you accept the return, or 3 business days after the request. At the latest 21 business days after the request if you never responded, or 10 business days after the refund deadline if you are issuing a refund.
Remorse return under your return policy	Within the returns window in your listing	Within 3 business days, honoring your policy	Same windows as a not as described return

Two more deadlines matter for returns. Once a returned item reaches you, you must refund within 2 business days, unless the return details show a later refund deadline. If return tracking shows delivery, or the item was shipped through eBay International Shipping, eBay may refund the buyer automatically on your behalf. eBay may also hold a return request open for up to 35 business days after the return was accepted.

For item not received reports, one action ends many cases before they start. If you provide tracking, eBay may close the request automatically once tracking shows delivery. A seller who uploads tracking from an integrated carrier on every order lets the system close these cases without a decision.

Step through the eBay item not received case clock to see when the buyer can report, when you must respond and when eBay can step in.

How eBay decides an item not received case

eBay looks for evidence of successful delivery to the address in the Order details, or proof the buyer collected the item. For shipped items on eBay.com, the policy requires all of the following.

A tracking number from an integrated carrier, uploaded to eBay, showing a shipping scan before the latest estimated delivery date.
A delivery status of delivered or attempted delivery, or the equivalent in the destination country.
The date of delivery or attempted delivery.
The recipient’s address, showing a ZIP code or international equivalent that matches the Order details page. If the ZIP code is unavailable, the city or county must match.
Signature confirmation on orders with a total cost of $750 or more. On eBay.co.uk the same element applies to orders of £450 or more.

Every element matters. A tracking number from a carrier eBay does not integrate with, a first scan after the latest estimated delivery date, or a missing signature on a $900 order can each decide the case for the buyer even when the parcel arrived. For local pickup, eBay accepts a copy of the order details signed by the buyer at collection, or the seller scanning the buyer’s QR code or entering the 6-digit pickup code in the eBay app.

How eBay decides a not as described case

eBay looks for evidence that buyer and seller each met their return requirements, whether the seller breached eBay policies when listing the item, whether the item can be shipped back, and proof of return delivery if the item was being returned. The seller’s return requirements include responding within the return request with a solution, providing a return label or acceptable return method when you pay return shipping, keeping your return address current, paying any customs fees on the return, issuing the refund through the return request on eBay, and providing new tracking for any replacement. Missing any one of these can decide the case against you.

Business models that lose these cases

Sellers who do not respond to return requests. Silence is the fastest way to lose. If you never respond, eBay can step in and decide without your input. Run this model compliantly by assigning a named person to check requests every business day and by setting automated return rules where they fit your catalog.

Sellers mailing $750-plus orders on untracked or unsigned services. Without the delivery elements above, eBay has no basis to find for you. Run this model compliantly by using integrated carrier tracking on every order and signature confirmation on every order at or above the $750 line on eBay.com.

Sellers with slow customer service. Cases escalate when buyers feel ignored. A buyer who gets a reply within hours often accepts a tracking update, a partial refund or a replacement. Run this model compliantly by answering every eBay message within one business day and by offering a clear solution in the first reply.

For a closely related case, read How to Handle an eBay Linked Account Suspension or Restriction.

When the stakes are high, have our merchant processor dispute team review your eBay case before you respond.

What a Decision for the Buyer Costs You

When eBay decides a case for the buyer, the costs come in layers.

The refund and reimbursement

For an item not received case, if eBay determines the item was not delivered or collected, the buyer receives a refund of the full item cost and original shipping, and the seller may be required to reimburse eBay. For a not as described case, if eBay determines you did not meet your return requirements, the buyer receives a refund of the full item cost and original shipping, you will be required to reimburse eBay, and the buyer may not be required to return the item. That last point is the one sellers miss. You can lose both the money and the item.

eBay may collect the reimbursement by invoice or by taking the amount from your funds as described in its Payments Terms of Use. If that fails, eBay reserves the right to seek reimbursement through other means. If you provided a return label, eBay may also charge you for the label it issued on your behalf.

The seller standards effect

eBay’s Seller standards policy defines a case closed without seller resolution as one where the seller did not resolve the buyer’s issue, eBay stepped in to review the case, and the seller was found responsible. On eBay.com you are allowed 2 such cases in your evaluation period, or 0.3 percent of transactions, whichever is higher. Each one also counts as a transaction defect, and the defect rate must stay at or below 2 percent. You are only evaluated as Below Standard on defects if they involve more than 4 different buyers. Falling to Below Standard brings its own limitations, including lower search placement, lower selling limits, holds until tracking shows the item is moving, and higher final value fees until performance improves. eBay runs this evaluation on the 20th of each month. Since October 15, 2026, eBay Live transactions no longer count in seller standards or service metrics, including sales completed before that date. Extended time at Below Standard can lead to selling restrictions. Our guide on a Below Standard seller level covers that program.

First case compared with repeat cases

The Money Back Guarantee policy does not set an account penalty for a single lost case. The cost is the refund, the reimbursement and one defect. The seller standards policy explains why repeats matter. Two cases closed without seller resolution are the allowance for a smaller seller across an entire evaluation period, which is the last 12 months if you had fewer than 400 transactions in the past 3 months. A third can push a small account toward Below Standard. A larger seller has more room in percentage terms, but a pattern of lost cases on one product line usually also shows up as a Very High rating in service metrics. Our guide on a High INAD or INR rate explains that program.

Funds Holds During Cases

The policy states that if a buyer reports an item not received or requests a return, or eBay steps in on a Money Back Guarantee case, your funds may be held as outlined in the User Agreement and Payments Terms of Use. eBay’s Transaction holds page adds that a hold may be applied to your funds until the dispute or case is resolved. Funds on hold for a transaction can be used to refund the buyer for that same transaction.

Two practical points follow. First, the fastest way to release a case hold is to resolve the case, either with the buyer before eBay steps in, or with evidence that leads eBay to decide for you. Second, a case hold sits on top of any other hold. A seller already under transaction holds, or rated Very High for item not received, can have the same order’s funds waiting for more than one reason. Our guide on funds held for an open Money Back Guarantee case walks through the release in detail.

Appealing Within 30 Calendar Days

The policy’s appeal rule is short. When eBay decides the outcome of a transaction issue, the buyer or seller may submit an appeal within 30 calendar days of eBay’s decision. eBay may ask for additional documentation as part of the review. The policy also states that buyers and sellers permit eBay to make final decisions about all cases, including appeals. The Seller standards policy confirms you can appeal a case closed without seller resolution within 30 days of eBay’s decision.

An appeal works when it shows evidence eBay did not have, or did not weigh, when it decided. The first question in every case we review is whether the seller had tracking or condition proof and did not submit it. If the answer is yes, the appeal has a basis. If the answer is no, the appeal usually fails, and the effort is better spent on prevention.

Our appeal method

Position. State in one sentence that the item was delivered, or matched its description, and that the evidence supporting that was not considered. Name the order number and case number.

Root cause. Identify why the case closed against you. Typical causes are tracking that was never uploaded, a first scan after the latest estimated delivery date, no signature on an order of $750 or more, a missed 3 business day response, a refund issued outside the return request, or a return label not provided. Say which one applied. Do not blame the buyer or the carrier. If the buyer’s conduct falls under the Abusive buyer policy, describe the facts and let eBay draw the conclusion.

Corrective action. Submit the missing evidence within the 30 calendar days, such as tracking with the required elements, delivery confirmation, signature proof, photos of the item before shipping, or the messages that show you offered a solution in time.

Preventive action. State the rule you now follow, for example tracking on every order, signature at the threshold and a named person answering requests every business day. eBay does not require this section for a case appeal. It frames the appeal as a corrected process, and it is the habit that keeps the next case from opening.

Click through each step of an eBay Money Back Guarantee case appeal to see what the seller states and which exhibits go with it.

Appeal evidence checklist

eBay decision date, and the date 30 calendar days later.
Order number, case number and case type (item not received, not as described or remorse return).
For item not received, provide integrated carrier tracking uploaded to eBay, a shipping scan before the latest estimated delivery date, delivered or attempted status, date, matching ZIP code and signature confirmation for orders of $750 or more.
For local pickup, provide order details signed by the buyer, or a record of the QR or 6-digit code scan.
For not as described, provide photos of the actual item before shipping, the listing as it appeared at sale, condition description and item specifics, your response inside the request, the return label provided and return tracking showing what came back.
eBay messages showing you responded within 3 business days and offered a solution.
Any facts that point to conduct described in the Abusive buyer policy, stated plainly.

What happens after an appeal

If eBay reverses its decision, the case outcome changes and the defect tied to it can be adjusted. The policy also notes that eBay reserves the right to seek reimbursement from the seller if a buyer successfully appeals. If your appeal is denied, our guide on a denied Money Back Guarantee appeal covers what remains open to you.

Regional differences and the law

eBay runs its own versions of the guarantee on international sites. The UK eBay Money Back Guarantee page also gives sellers 30 calendar days from eBay’s decision to appeal. The UK page also sets signature confirmation at £450 rather than $750, so a seller shipping a £500 parcel from Leeds and a $500 parcel from Ohio faces different delivery proof. The statutes in the table shape what buyers expect and what eBay checks, and a lawyer licensed in your country is the person to apply them to a specific dispute.

Region	Law	What it means for cases
United States	FTC Mail, Internet, or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule, 16 C.F.R. Part 435	Sellers must have a reasonable basis for stated shipping times and offer buyers the option to cancel with a prompt refund when they cannot ship on time. With no stated time the default is 30 days, and a prompt refund means within 7 working days under section 435.1. Many item not received cases start with a handling time the seller could not meet.
United Kingdom	Consumer Rights Act 2015, c. 15, sections 11, 29 and 31, and the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013, SI 2013/3134	Goods must match their description, goods stay at the trader’s risk until the consumer takes possession, and consumers buying at a distance from a trader generally have 14 days from the day the goods reach them to cancel under regulation 30. Section 31 makes a term that excludes the trader’s liability under sections 9 to 17 or 29 not binding on the consumer, so a “no returns” line in a business listing does not remove these rights.
European Union (eBay.de and other EU sites)	Directive (EU) 2019/771, Article 6, implemented in Germany in section 434 BGB	Goods must match the description, type, quantity and quality in the contract, and the seller is liable for a lack of conformity that appears within 2 years of delivery under Article 10. The directive governs contracts concluded from January 1, 2022. A not as described case often mirrors a statutory conformity claim.
European Union and United Kingdom	Platform-to-Business Regulation, Regulation (EU) 2019/1150, Articles 11 and 12, and the retained UK version	Business sellers can raise complaints about how eBay applied its rules through the internal complaint-handling system, with mediation under Article 12. The regulation has applied since July 12, 2020, and it is the route that fits a dispute over how eBay applied its own rules.

Sellers on EU sites also hear about the Digital Services Act, Regulation (EU) 2022/2065. It has applied since February 17, 2024. Article 20 gives at least 6 months to lodge a free complaint against a platform decision taken on the grounds that content is illegal or breaks the platform’s terms, and Article 21 adds certified out-of-court dispute settlement. A reimbursement after a lost buyer case is a payment matter, so the P2B complaint and mediation routes are the better fit.

Case Prevention Routine

The prevention lesson is to resolve returns and item not received requests directly before the buyer can ask eBay to step in. A case you resolve yourself does not become a case closed without seller resolution. The routine below is what we set up for sellers who have lost cases.

Check requests every business day. Open the returns and requests queue in Seller Hub each morning. Assign one owner and a backup.
Answer inside one business day. The policy gives you 3 business days. Using one leaves room for weekends and follow-up.
Lead with a solution. For item not received, send tracking and a realistic date, or refund if the parcel is lost. For not as described, accept the return with a label or offer a partial refund the buyer can accept.
Refund through eBay only. The policy requires refunds through the return request. Refunds outside eBay also fall outside payment dispute seller protections.
Ship with proof. Integrated carrier tracking on every order, first scan inside handling time, signature confirmation at $750 or more on eBay.com.
Photograph before shipping. Keep dated photos of each higher-value item, its condition and its packaging.
Keep your return address current. Returns go to your registration address if no return address is set, and for US items where you offer returns, the return address must be in the US.
Review lost cases monthly. For each case lost, record the cause and the rule that would have prevented it.

A composite example

A composite seller of camera gear loses three item not received cases in one quarter. Each parcel arrived. Two were sent on a service whose tracking did not upload to eBay, and one $1,100 lens shipped without signature confirmation. eBay decided all three for the buyers. The seller appeals the two with tracking that did not upload, attaching carrier records within 30 calendar days, and accepts the loss on the lens because no signature exists. Going forward, the seller ships every order through a service that uploads tracking and adds signature to every order at or above $750. The camera seller is a teaching composite, and the order values and causes reflect patterns we see on eBay accounts rather than one client file.

For a closely related case, read eBay Payment Dispute Evidence Routine for Every Order.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does eBay step in on an INR case?

eBay can step in from 3 to 21 business days after the buyer reports the item not received. It may step in without the buyer asking if there is no valid tracking. On returns, eBay can step in when the seller fails to respond or to resolve the return within the policy’s timeframes.

What happens if eBay decides for the buyer?

The buyer is refunded the full item cost and original shipping, and eBay seeks reimbursement from you. On a not as described case where you did not meet your return requirements, the buyer may also keep the item.

Can eBay hold my funds during a case?

Yes, funds may be held when a buyer reports a problem or eBay steps in on a case. Held funds can be used to refund the buyer for the same transaction.

How long do I have to appeal?

You have 30 calendar days from eBay’s decision. eBay may ask for additional documentation during the review.

Do closed cases affect my seller level?

Yes, cases closed without seller resolution count under eBay’s seller standards. On eBay.com you are allowed 2 in your evaluation period, or 0.3 percent of transactions if higher, and each also counts as a transaction defect.

Get Help With eBay Money Back Guarantee Cases

A single lost case is usually a lesson in one missing piece of evidence. Where we help is the account with many cases closed against it and funds being held, where you need to sort which cases have the evidence for an appeal and which to accept, and to fix the process that produced them.

Bring it to our eBay suspension and account health service and our merchant processor dispute service, submit your case for a free assessment, or book a consultation.

Sellers who also run Amazon, Walmart or Etsy storefronts can compare the other marketplace account recovery desks we staff.

How to Handle and Appeal eBay Money Back Guarantee Cases