Safety Centre

How does eBay Buyer Protection work?

1. Always pay for your purchases with PayPal.
   To use eBay Buyer Protection, you’ll need to pay for your item using PayPal.
2. If your item isn’t as described or doesn’t arrive, contact the seller first.
   Give them a chance to sort things out for you.
3. If you still need help, let us know your problem. We’re available 7 days a week.
   You can notify us online or our customer service representatives who are available Monday-Friday: 8:00AM-10:00PM and Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holidays: 9:00AM-6:00PM.
4. We’ll contact the seller to help sort things out
   We’ll contact the seller and ask them to solve your issue within 10 days. After 10 days if the problem can’t be resolved between you and the seller, you’ve paid using PayPal and your claim qualifies for coverage with eBay Buyer Protection, eBay will arrange for the purchase price plus original shipping to be refunded through PayPal.
5. If you didn’t pay with PayPal
   If the seller hasn’t resolved your issue you can still contact us and we will contact the seller to try to resolve the problem.

To get in touch with Customer Support, click the Contact Us button on the left-hand side of the page, or use the Contact Us link at the top of most eBay pages.

Please see Terms and conditions of eBay Buyer Protection / Full Details

Frequently Asked Questions

When does eBay Buyer Protection apply?
eBay Buyer Protection applies to items purchased on eBay with PayPal in the last 45 days that are not received, are damaged or are not as described in the listing. There are certain items that the policy does not include such as services; custom made items; airline flight tickets and items listed in categories such as Vehicles (including, motor vehicles, motorcycles, caravans, aircraft and boats); Gift Certificates; and Residential Property (Real Estate). For a full list of exclusions see here.

What happened to PayPal Buyer Protection?
Buyer protection for your eBay purchase will now be handled by eBay and is designed to be simpler and faster. eBay Buyer Protection also introduces a new, streamlined process for customer service, so you can get help either on the phone or online. PayPal Buyer Protection will however continue to exist, so you can still use it if you wish.

How does this programme benefit sellers?
eBay Buyer Protection makes it easier for buyers and sellers to resolve issues with a new, streamlined process for customer assistance. We always encourage buyers to work directly with sellers before opening a case with us because this is often the fastest and easiest way to resolve problems. The new system also makes it easy for sellers to give their information to eBay. Sellers can always contact our live customer support specialists to discuss their case 7 days a week, Monday-Friday: 8:00AM-10:00PM and Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holidays: 9:00AM-6:00PM. Contact us.

Do I need to send the item back to the seller?
For Significantly Not As Described claims, if eBay requires you to, you must post the item back to the seller, or to eBay, or to a third party at your expense and provide proof of delivery to eBay. Where eBay requires, you must dispose of the item and provide evidence of its disposal in accordance with eBay's instructions.