Seller Non-Performance

Sellers are expected to perform consistently in a manner that results in a high level of buyer satisfaction. If a seller’s interactions with buyers result in greater than a 5% level of buyer dissatisfaction, as evidenced by negative/neutral feedback and/or Item Not Received complaints received over the recent 90-day period, the seller is in breach of the Seller Non-Performance policy. Please note that although we are not including Detailed Seller Ratings at this time, we will be using them in the future

When a seller lists an item on eBay, and a buyer bids for and wins that item, the seller and buyer have entered into a contract that both members are expected to honour. If the seller doesn't live up to this agreement, it leads to a bad buyer experience and may result in negative or neutral feedback for the seller. Good practices that help sellers promote buyer satisfaction include:

Accurately describing the condition, size and quality of the item directly in the listing.
Honouring the original terms by accepting payment for an item at the end of a successful sale.
Promptly dispatching the item with appropriate packaging once payment has been received.
Responding promptly and professionally to questions from the buyer.
Proactively communicating with the buyer throughout the transaction.
Issuing refunds in a timely manner when accepting returns or when there are problems with delivery.

Breaches of this policy by a seller may result in a range of actions, including:

Listing cancellation
Limits on account privileges
Account suspension
Forfeit of eBay fees on cancelled listings
Selling fee schedule adjustments
Loss of PowerSeller status
Referral to Law Enforcement

The consequences for breaching this policy are determined primarily by the level of buyer dissatisfaction. Sellers with buyer dissatisfaction levels between 5% and 10% will, at minimum, have their selling privileges limited for a period of time. Sellers with buyer dissatisfaction levels exceeding 10% will, at minimum, have their site privileges substantially restricted, possibly including a complete restriction on selling privileges. Failure to bring buyer satisfaction rates within an acceptable range may result in account suspension.

Some Examples

You list your guitar on eBay and a buyer wins it. However, you’ve changed your mind and no longer want to sell the guitar. You would be in breach of the Seller Non-Performance Policy if you:

refuse to accept the buyer's payment and don't send the guitar;
accept the buyer’s payment, but don’t send the guitar;
accepts the buyer’s payment, but sends a different guitar to the one shown in the listing;
accepts the buyer's payment, but the guitar the seller sends him is significantly different than the guitar described in the item listing.

You sell books on eBay. Buyers are frequently unhappy with the outcome of transactions with you. This is evident by:

high levels of disputes regarding transactions;
a high rate of complaints of items not received or items not as described
a high percentage of Negative and Neutral Feedback as compared with other eBay sellers

By creating unacceptable levels of buyer dissatisfaction, you have breached the Seller Non-Performance Policy.

Additional Information

What buyers can do if they feel a seller has breached the Seller Non-Performance policy

If a seller has refused to complete a sale, and payment has not been sent or payment has been refunded, report the seller. Make sure you include a copy of the email documenting the seller's refusal to complete the sale with the full message text and complete email headers when making your report.

If a buyer has paid for an item and has not received it, nor a refund, or believes the item was significantly misrepresented, they should refer to the eBay Item Not Received process. Buyers will also find instructions that will enable them to contact eBay to report the seller on this page.

After receiving a report, eBay will consider the circumstances of the alleged offence. If a complaint cannot be proven with certainty, it is possible that no action will be taken. For privacy and security reasons, eBay cannot discuss the result of the investigation.

If a seller cannot complete the transaction because the item is no longer available to sell, the seller may consider contacting the buyer, explaining the situation and attempt to reach an amicable resolution. While eBay encourages the buyer to be open to a reasonable resolution proposed by the seller, the buyer is not obliged to agree to any such proposal.

Why does eBay have this policy?

Buyers and sellers within the eBay online marketplace are expected to honour their commitments. eBay has this policy to ensure that eBay’s sellers understand their obligations and to protect eBay’s buyers.

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