Are You Having Issues with eBay Fee Deferrals?

eBay offered to defer certain selling fees for eBay Store subscribers due to the coronavirus outbreak. However, some cash-strapped sellers reported problems today.

In a thread on the eBay boards titled, "Well so much for the great "eBay Fee Deferral Program,"" sellers report eBay has taken 100% of their fees rather than deferring them 50%.

Adding to the problem is the fact eBay has suspended phone support as it sets up customer service reps to work from home.

The original poster wrote today, "When this was announced I have to admit I was really touched and even bragged about the offer on Facebook and other social media sites. I applied and was accepted. Woke up this morning to find that eBay had taken the whole invoice amount, and of course eBay support is down. Why I expected this to work...I should have known better."

eBay had announced the deferral program on March 25th on the eBay Announcement Board, where it explained, "If your request is approved, 50% of the Covered Fees on your current invoice will be deferred until the next billing cycle, and the remaining 50% will be due on the subsequent billing cycle."

In a page eBay set up to explain the deferral fee program, it offered a table with details that are confusing. But underneath the table, a bullet point states, "If you are approved by March 31, 2020 and have an invoice dated March 31, 2020, 50% of the Covered Fees will be deferred until the April 30, 2020 invoice, and the remainder will be deferred until May 31, 2020 invoice."

We also heard from a reader who had a similar issue. He said he had asked eBay 2 weeks ago to defer fees due to a lack of sales this month as his family struggles due to COVID-19. "Today as I wake up on March 31st. eBay went ahead and removed every single penny I owed them from my PayPal account," he wrote.

A self-described 20-year eBay Powerseller with 100% feedback, he said he has nothing right now and can't pay his mortgage or buy food for his family.

"I think this is important for others to know how they treat sellers even after I pleaded for help and they even went ahead offering deferment for sellers such as myself. This must go out to other sellers and the general public."

Let us know if your deferral went through or not. 

If you find yourself unable to feed your family during these unprecedented times, please seek help from local organizations and the government's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP); any other ideas for people in need?

Comments (10) | Permalink