eBay Buyer Filed Chargeback 6 Months Later

eBay Buyers And Chargebacks

A reader had messaged us asking for advice about a situation they are currently in. They sold a gift card in digital form ie delivered via eBay message as opposed to sending the physical gift card which would have given him tracking information to provide as proof for the case, it also potentially makes the transaction a physical good and not a digital good. Here's what the reader said...

I received an email today that a buyer of a $200 digital gift card that I sold back on December 3rd filed a chargeback today...a little over months later. I delivered the gift card through eBay messages but my message box doesn't show the message I sent as it only shows the last 6 months of messages so I have no proof that I delivered it. I also know the seller protection usually doesn't cover digital goods, am I just totally screwed here? Thanks for your help!

Unfortunately I don't think having that eBay message would have done you any good anyhow. In my experience whether selling Bitcoins or Gift Cards or XBox codes, you should always physically send the card, or code, or even a slip of paper but you must send something. Anytime an eBay/Paypal transaction has no tracking number it leaves the seller open to a chargeback. If the buyer claims they never received eBay/Paypal will ask you for tracking, if you can't provide it you automatically lose the case.

Unfortunately this is one of the pitfalls of selling digital goods and specficially gift cards. There's a lot of scams with gift cards both on the side of buyers and sellers.