Rebecca Garland
Rebecca Garland
Business and Education Expert

Many people have made buying and selling on eBay.com a profitable business model. But not everything works perfectly all of the time. With so many sellers trying to compete for buyers and so many buyers trying to find the best price on the items they are looking for, some issues may arise. So, it is essential to find the best way to contact eBay customer service.

eBay.com is a website with millions of users. Not all of those users are satisfied, and when something goes wrong, they want to be sure they can contact eBay customer support quickly and efficiently. Unfortunately, looking at the sheer volume of eBay complaints online on sites like PissedConsumer, GlassDoor, and the BBB, contacting the company isn’t as simple as many customers would like.

Whether you’re buying or selling, the company has eBay customer service support for potential issues.

eBay Questions and Answers

Number of eBay reviews – 47.7K

eBay rating* – 2.0⭐⭐

Claimed losses – $378M

Successful calls – 7%/430K

Resolved issues – 594

Key Insight

  • There are several options to contact eBay customer service if you face issues. You may use eBay live chat, phone numbers of the resolution center, social networks, and community. 
  • The eBay telephone number for customer service is not readily available on the company’s website. However, there are opportunities to reach the eBay resolution center to address general customer service issues, hacked accounts, or to report fraud.
  • If you need to start an eBay live chat, you should do it via your account and the “Help and Contact” button at the bottom of the page. 

How Does eBay Work?

When eBay.com was first introduced, it was strictly an online auction. Very soon, however, the business model expanded, and eBay.com became not just an auction site, but also a prolific platform for buying and selling.

Sellers bring new or previously used merchandise ranging from figurines to RVs and vehicles and set a price or set up an auction. Buyers use the eBay search feature to look for the specific item they want and either bid or pay for the item like any other retail site. The seller then ships the item to the buyer.

There are quite a few moving parts in a transaction, and that is why so many customers look for eBay support. Unfortunately, like any website that brings buyers and sellers together, some are unethical. Many eBay complaints include issues with the buying and selling process. But many other negative eBay reviews have concerns about the platform or account issues and wonder how to contact eBay by phone. Still, others have questions about simply how to handle eBay returns. They also want to know what eBay phone number for returns is.

eBay's customer service fields complaints about purchased items that never arrive and payment issues. The most prominent articles in the eBay help section are about payment issues and hacked accounts. These are common issues customers complain about when they contact eBay.

ebay help sectionSource: eBay Help and Contact

What Are eBay Pros and Cons?

Overall, PissedConsumer users find more disadvantages in eBay than advantages. The most common issues concern difficulties contacting eBay customer service and getting refunds, faulty delivery, and fraudulent sellers. 

Some reviewers say that there are too many cons to enumerate. Still, the pros, such as affordable prices, great variety of choices, and convenience, are persuasive enough for consumers to shop on eBay.com.

Pros

  • Good prices
  • Variety of products
  • Convenient to use

Cons

  • Poor customer service
  • Not reliable shipping
  • Refund issues
  • Fake sellers

How to Contact eBay Customer Support by Phone?

The eBay customer service phone number is not readily available on the company’s website. If you dig through the help section in search of the eBay telephone number, you’ll eventually find options to get help from an automated assistant or contact an agent. Other options include a returning process and reporting an item that hasn’t arrived. 

Contact eBay assistantSource: eBay Help and Contact

While the company offers to call you, many eBay reviews express frustration with trying to contact the company on their own terms. Customers want to call eBay directly and are trying to find how to contact eBay by phone. While it might not be heavily publicized on the website, there is an eBay customer service phone number available for customers to use. You can reach the eBay resolution center by calling (866) 961-9253 for general customer service, (866) 348-9519 for hacked accounts, or (866) 643-1607 to report fraud.

Reaching eBay.com customer service by phone can be tricky, as one customer discovered. In his review (#2928911), the frustrated customer explained that his credit card was used fraudulently. Yet despite calling the various eBay phone numbers, the poster has not been able to reach a live representative, even a month later.

I have called several numbers found on the internet and NONE has been a good contact number. There is NEVER a LIVE agent available to speak with me.

How to Contact eBay Customer Service via Email

Some consumers prefer written communication and sending emails instead of looking for a phone number for eBay customer service. However, eBay's customer service does not list a general email address on the company’s website. If you dig a bit through the automated help chat feature, you can find an eBay email for specific purposes. A fraudulent eBay email, for example, can be sent to spoof@ebay.com and the company will record the message.

You can also get in touch with customer service through the eBay live chat feature if you are logged in to your account. To use this option, you need to click the “Help and Contact” button at the bottom of the page, select the topic that is most relevant to your issue, and follow the link. At the bottom of the page, you'll see a section labeled “Need more help?” Simply click the “Chat with us” button and follow the instructions provided. Alternatively, you can access eBay live chat with the representative through the “How can we help you today?” page.

For a more general complaint, however, the automatic help chat feature redirects you to the eBay customer service number and gives you the option to have the company call you. If you choose the relevant issue from the eBay support menu, you may see an option to email the company for specific issues. Otherwise, you will find the most eBay help by chatting with an agent, having the company call you, or calling the company directly.

One eBay.com user explained his issues with limited communication options in a video review. In his eBay complaint, the user explained that he had decades of positive feedback on the website, but had his account banned for life after a customer complained to the company rather than him.

Additionally, when he tried to contact eBay.com about the issue, he finally got some answers after “chatting with 2 customer support reps (who both hung up on me) who both said I am banned and they cannot disclose why due to eBay policy.” Despite positive ratings on all of his orders, the user was cut off from the service and no email was ever sent.

How to Contact eBay Customer Service via Community and Social Networks?

eBay support does have an online presence on social networks. While you always have the option of using the eBay customer service number, you can also contact the company through Twitter or Facebook. To contact eBay help via Twitter, ask questions using the @askebay handle.

There are many eBay complaints and questions available on the company’s Facebook page (@ebay) as well. Through the eBay Facebook page, you have the option to post on the company’s wall or contact the company through messenger. Some customers leave their thoughts and complaints in eBay reviews by tagging the company or commenting under their posts.

eBay comments on FacebookSource: facebook.com

How to Contact eBay Resolution Center?

The eBay resolution center may be your best option to sort out issues specifically between buyers and sellers. Inside the eBay resolution center, you’ll find resources specifically for buyers and sellers regarding transactions. In the resolution center, eBay customer support provides information and acts as a sort of mediation service when issues do arise.

eBay resolution center Source: resolutioncenter.ebay.com

If you have an issue with a return and cannot find eBay phone number for returns, you can use the company’s resolution center. If you have an eBay complaint, you might start by finding the specific purchase in your account through the eBay.com resolution service. The links provided will take you to your bought and sold items where you can see unpaid invoices or items shipped.

When you drill down into specific transactions, you are presented with options for how to contact or call eBay. In some cases, you may find options for an eBay email. You may be able to cancel transactions or send additional messages to sellers as well.

The options inside the eBay.com resolution center will be specific to the type of transaction you’re concerned about. In many cases, you may get more targeted support working through the resolution center than by calling a generic eBay telephone number.

eBay, Inc has become a powerful force in buying and selling online. Customers can find just about anything they might be searching for through eBay.com, which makes an eBay gift card a great present for most. The site has grown from a simple auction to a massive selling platform for just about every industry in the world. While some customers run into trouble with eBay's customer service, for many others, the platform may be the only place they can find what they are looking for.

*The company ratings on the PissedConsumer website are calculated using a mathematical algorithm that evaluates the information in the company’s profile. The algorithm parameters are: users’ rating, the number of resolved issues, the number of company responses and more. The PissedConsumer algorithm is also subject to change in the future.

 

Legal disclaimers:

  1. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this publication, it is not intended to provide any legal, medical, accounting, investment or any other professional advice as individual cases may vary and should be discussed with a corresponding expert and/or an attorney.
  2. All or some image copyright belongs to the original owner(s). No copyright infringement intended.

Leave a Reply for Mark powell

Karl Eastwood #3979
Had enough. I have been a member of ebay for 22 years. I have used the same bank account for most of this time for buying and selling. All of a sudden eBay is withholding my money for auctions I have sold items on. They expect me to send out my items worth hundreds of pounds and then wait for a customer to confirm delivery, and of course, there are unscrupulous people out there who will say they haven't received the item - and eBay will believe them and not me so I lose out on my money and the customer keeps my stuff for free. I must be an absolute idiot to use them for selling. Never ever again, lesson learnt!
Robert Linton #3981
Would like to exchange an incorrect part. Your system of passwords is enough to make one crazy. Every time I purchase an article I go crazy with “I am not a robot, how many boats, motorcycles,traffic lights etc”. all to no avail.I would like to instill one password, destroy the others, and make peace with your IT dept. if this is not possible, we do not need each other’s business. Your passion for security gets in the way of easily doing business. Thanks.Bob Linton
Saad jafar #3990
A seller send me an item that I didn’t order and put that this item cannot be returned. He is a cheater and I want full investigation. I will cancelled my eBay account and want nothing to do with me. Please cancel my account with you.
Saad jafar #3991
A cheater has been found. Please cancel my account with you for good. Yo allowed cheaters to be sellers.
shewkumar jewram #4002
I was informed today that order #124267822839 is not available..and was ask if i would like to replace with different merchandise. No...i do not need a substitute..I need my full refund....I need my money back..so if u can kindly see that my money is replaced back on my card ..thank u....need my refund as the items are not available..thank u
Ismail Elshahat #4003
Why do you change Tax when I order from china. And who get the Tax. Thank you in advance for your reply.
Jimbo Slice 1 #4006
eBay is nothing more than your common thief and is very unprofessional they are liars and thieves and I'm telling you right now it's best just to stay far away from them and don't take your merchandise and try to sell it on there because you will get {{{REDACTED}}} in the end EBay is straight trash
GGibbs #4010
Told to return produc t to get a refund. I used the label they ebay sent me and it was returned to me. I just want a refund will send it elsewhere as needed! GKG
Anne Donohoe #4013
I bought a cd from eBay and shocked when I received a letter form out postal service here in Ireland that I had to pay duty if €4.83. I have never been charged duty before on anything I bought on EBay, Amazon it any other on line stores. Furthermore it is impossible to contact EBay either on their chat forum or e mail. I have tried on several occasions but e mails came back as wrong address and the chat lines don’t work. Very annoyed
oyedele funmilayo #4024
I bought Michael Kors trainers sneakers suck on the 16th, cancelled the order because it was not my size andthe items has been relisted and I have not receive any refund
Theodore R Baxter #4054
I get a ebay gift card yesterday but the code is not work I need my money back it cost $40,00 dollars I seriously want my money back from the ebay gift card ok
Mariam #4066
Hello , I ordered a makeup chair and made a payment since last week but I don’t get a Fm code from eBay…..then I realized I dropped a wrong email address.I am yet to receive my order because Agros requested for the fm code. Please can you look into this for me. I’ll await your responds
Kristen Mccabe #4069
I m trying to get my money back from a return back in March 2022. I was contactef by Ebay once saying if I hadnt heard from the seller in 4 days Id get to keep item and be reimbursed. I havent heard a thing sincce. I dont understsnd why Ebay does nothing to support their customers. Why is it so hard to reach anybody over the phone? I really dont think forcing customers to wade through thousands of articles to solve issues is a good way to do business. I wont use ebay anymore.
Clinton Grambeau #4077
I’m not sure what to do.I just bought my dream putter that I’ve been looking for for years off an eBay seller in the UK. And the eBay shipping service he used has seized the putter because the box was 10cm to long. They have contacted both the seller and myself to let them know they have the putter and I’ll get my money back and they’ll keep the putter.I’ve got so much emotionally invested in this purchase that I feel I’ve been robbed, all the hours searching and researching to finally find my dream purchase and they just take it. And then send me communication to let me know they’ve taken it.I’m not sure what to do or who to contact can you please help me out.Kind regards,Clinton Grambeau.
Mrs A Alexander #4108
i am hard of hearing so using phone to goodness knows where is of no use. I KEEP TRYING TO CHAT TO SOMEONE ON LINE BUT GETTING NOWHERE. JUST GOING ROUND AND ROUND IN CIRCLESWHO DO i CONTACT TO CHAT ABOUGHT GETTING REFUNDIve been using ebay sinc3 2008 and its getting worse and se to contact anyone to help. Im now using Amazon more and more
SEWELL #4149
REQUIRE CONTACT DETAILS & RETURN ADDRESS REF, EX HIRE MENS TROUSERS . TOTALLY DISSATISFIED WITH THE ITEM RECIEVED. HENCE ,WOULD LIKE RETURN & REFUND PLEASE..
Jay Hadley #4184
I have been a 100% buyer on ebay for over a decade. One day I changed the browser on my laptop. Next thing I know, I am getting an "account froze-password changed" e-mail. Since I do not know the password, it will not let me enter the site. And I don't have to tell anybody here about trying for phone support. That's it. They can all go straight to he**! !
josephine scalfan #4208
Total scam ebay is I have tried to contact them they do not answer - No way to contact a live person - email sent no response - The seller took money for an item she forgot to remove from ebay so I am out $135.00 SCAMMERS
Rohe #4210
EinspruchFall Nr 5292282215Hiermit erheb ich Einspruch gegen das Abbuchen einer Profission in Höhe von 44,35€Dieser Verkauf kam infolge eines technischen Defekts an meinem PC nicht zustande und als dieser wieder funktionierte war die Aktion geschlossen und der Käufer hat mir nicht mehr geantwortet.Am 26.04 erhielt ich von ebay eine Mail mit dem Inhalt, dass man an den "Käufer" eine Rückerstattung des Betrags veranlsst hat.Per Telefon war das heute, am 03,05.2022 nicht zu klären, da die Damen mir nicht zuhörtenDaher bitte ich um Rückerstattung des eingezogenen Betrags von 44,35€
Delray NMN Manus #4211
How do I speak to a eBay agent