eBay Says Delivered but the Buyer Says It Never Arrived: Seller Guide

Audit the scan: five things “delivered” must establish

Read the record as a set of facts. “Delivered” describes a carrier event; by itself it does not tell you whether every eBay evidence condition is satisfied. For an ordinary posted order, compare these five fields.

Policy basis: eBay’s successful-delivery requirements; signature confirmation thresholds.

Compare with Order details, not a later address in a message. Keep the original order address and the label used. If they differ, say so. A buyer’s request to send somewhere else is not evidence that you delivered to the checkout address.

The £450 check includes postage and tax

The threshold includes the full amount paid for the items, postage and tax. For example, £440 of goods plus £10 postage reaches £450. A photograph or a more expensive tracked service is not automatically signature confirmation.

The signature policy lists exceptions for Simple Delivery and the Global Shipping Programme. Check which service this order actually used; an eBay label is not necessarily Simple Delivery. The seller-protection page sets programme and dispatch conditions. Keep the supplied label and acceptance record rather than assuming the delivery badge settles eligibility.

Signature policy and programme exceptions; seller protection conditions.

Also preserve the acceptance scan and your stated handling time. Check dispatch and transaction eligibility under the seller-protection policy; delivery evidence is one part of that assessment.

What if eBay and the carrier show different information?

First check the number and selected carrier on eBay. Then capture the carrier’s current event history and the eBay status with the time you checked each. A stale marketplace summary and a wrong tracking number need different corrections.

1. Compare the reference character by character with the posting receipt.
2. Follow the carrier’s own tracking page. Save the full history, delivery date and available destination information.
3. Use the request’s tracking option to add or correct details where available. Include the reference in your factual explanation too.
4. If the destination is hidden, request written delivery confirmation tied to this tracking number and the order destination.

A public page that hides the street address is not proof of a wrong delivery. Equally, a matching postcode does not explain a photograph of a different building. Preserve both facts and ask the carrier to investigate the specific mismatch.

eBay’s tracking troubleshooting guidance covers incorrect references and carrier details.

Choose the action that fits the buyer’s report

Ask for a precise description without treating the buyer as dishonest. The useful question is which part of the delivery record needs checking.

Attempted delivery is not the same as completed delivery

eBay’s marketplace INR evidence rule expressly includes an attempted-delivery status, provided the other required fields are present. Save the attempt date and matching location. “Available for collection” or a driver saying they tried is not a reason to invent a successful-delivery event.

If the item is awaiting collection, communicate the carrier’s actual options and dates. If it has been returned, preserve the return tracking and review the current case rather than continuing to describe it as waiting at the destination.

A bank dispute uses a different standard. Its posted-item protection rule specifies delivered status. If you receive a chargeback notification, follow the seller payment-dispute guide instead of assuming this INR attempted-delivery rule transfers.

Neighbour, safe place and reported theft

eBay’s seller INR help supports asking the buyer to check their address and neighbours. It does not establish that every neighbour or safe-place delivery qualifies for protection. Keep any instructions actually recorded and submit the relevant delivery facts.

A claim of theft after delivery also does not prove that delivery was correct. Ask the carrier to resolve any address or photograph concern first. Do not promise an eBay outcome or courier compensation for theft. A marketplace decision does not determine every separate consumer-law question.

Buyer communication guidance and marketplace delivery rules; the separate payment-dispute delivery standard.

Build a short, checkable submission to eBay

The goal is to let the reviewer connect this order to the evidence without guessing. Keep originals, then prepare a readable selection.

• Order identity: order number, item and checkout destination.
• Tracking identity: correct carrier, reference, live carrier record and evidence of when tracking was uploaded.
• Delivery event: exact status, event date and destination information; required signature confirmation where applicable.
• The disputed fact: the buyer’s specific concern alongside the relevant photograph, instruction or carrier response.
• Actions and status: investigation reference, what you have submitted and the current request deadline.

Use the request’s structured tracking field as well as supporting text. Do not rely on a tracking number sent only in a separate message. Where the carrier has not answered, state the gap; an investigation reference is evidence that you asked, not evidence of correct delivery.

Adaptable wording inside the INR request

Order [number] used [carrier], tracking [reference]. The carrier records [exact status] on [date]. The destination shown is [verified information], compared with [matching information] in Order details. Tracking was uploaded on [verified date].

The buyer disputes [specific fact]. I have [actual action taken]. Attached are [documents actually included]. [State any unresolved destination or signature gap accurately.] Please review these records against the delivery requirements for this order.

Adaptable wording to the buyer

I can see the tracking records [status] on [date], but you have said [specific concern]. Could you confirm whether [relevant delivery detail] matches your address, and check [named neighbour/location, only if relevant]? I have asked [carrier/provider] to check [specific issue] and will keep updates in this request.

Replace every bracket and remove statements you cannot verify. Do not accuse the buyer, claim GPS proves receipt when you have not seen it, or ask them to close the request before resolution.

Keep the eBay decision and courier investigation separate

If the label came through a broker or marketplace, start with that provider’s investigation/claim instructions. Confirm who is entitled to claim and record the service’s notification deadline separately. Keep responding to eBay while the enquiry runs.

A courier finding of misdelivery can change the facts you should give eBay. A courier refusal to pay compensation does not prove that eBay must protect you. For general booking and claim context, our courier-claims overview includes buyer advice too; use the sender/booking route relevant to your order.

What happens if eBay still rules against you?

Read the decision reason before choosing the next step. If eBay steps in and requires a refund, its seller help says it may recover that amount from you and record a case closed without seller resolution. A delivered badge is not enough to disregard that decision.

Save the closure date and the evidence reviewed. If you obtain genuinely additional information, check the seller INR appeal guide. The standard appeal window is 30 calendar days from case closure. A carrier letter obtained later may establish a delivery that happened before closure; a parcel first delivered after closure is a different situation.

If the buyer opens a payment dispute, eBay closes the corresponding marketplace request or case. Follow the payment-dispute response process and its deadline. A closed INR case in that situation is not an appeal win.

If the parcel was never delivered or usable evidence cannot be established, review resolution options using the initial seller INR guide. Preserve any separate courier route even if the marketplace decision stands.

eBay’s escalation consequences; seller appeal guidance; duplicate-claim rules.