eBay item arrived damaged: what sellers should do, from the first message to the carrier claim

What should you do when an eBay item arrived damaged?

When a buyer tells you an eBay item arrived damaged, the order of steps matters: get photos, make the buyer whole quickly, then sort out the cost with the carrier. The buyer should not feel your carrier problem. They paid for an item in good condition and the damage is a not as described problem from their point of view, covered by the eBay Money Back Guarantee.

That programme gives buyers 30 calendar days from delivery to request a return for an item not as described, or your longer return window. You must respond within 3 business days, after which the buyer can ask eBay to step in. A damage report is urgent work.

Step 1: what photos and information should you ask for?

Ask for these in one message, politely, so the buyer only has to do it once:

• A photo of the damage on the item itself.
• A photo of the outer box or bag, showing any crushing, tears or wet marks.
• A photo of the inside packing, showing how the item was protected.
• The shipping label, if it is still readable.

Something like this works:

Hello, I am really sorry your order arrived damaged. So I can put this right quickly and claim from the courier, could you send photos of the damage, the outside of the box and the packing inside? Please keep the box for now if you can. I will reply as soon as I see them.

Photos help in three ways: they tell you whether a replacement will fix it, they support a carrier claim, and they show you which part of the packing failed.

Step 2: replacement, refund or return?

Whichever you choose, do it inside the request in Seller Hub so it is recorded, and before the 3 business days run out. If you are waiting for photos, make a fair offer anyway rather than letting the deadline pass.

Why refund without a return is often right

A broken item usually has no resale value, and return postage on a bulky parcel can cost more than the item. Asking for it back adds cost, delay and a second chance for things to go wrong. Unless the carrier needs to inspect it, or the item is valuable enough to repair, let the buyer keep or dispose of it.

A worked example: the cost of one damaged parcel

Example, with hypothetical numbers. You sold a ceramic vase for £30 including £4 postage. Your cost for the vase was £14. It arrives in pieces.

1. Refund without a return: you refund £30. You have lost the £14 vase and £4 postage, a total of £18 compared with not having made the sale.
2. Replacement: you send another vase at £14 plus £4 postage, in better packing. The sale stands, but your costs are £36 against £30 income, a £6 loss on the order.
3. Carrier claim: if the carrier pays out under its terms, some of that loss comes back. Whether it does depends on the service, the declared value and the evidence.

Now the same calculation with £1 more spent on a double box and corner protection on every vase you send. If that stops even one breakage in many orders, it has paid for itself. Packing is the cheapest place to fix damage.

Step 3: claiming from the carrier

Your contract for delivery is with the carrier, so you make the claim, not the buyer. Each carrier sets its own rules: time limits for claims, what proof it needs, the maximum it will pay, and whether certain items are excluded. Check the carrier's own terms before you rely on a payout.

• Keep proof of posting, the label and the value of the item.
• Collect the buyer's photos and keep them with the order.
• Submit the claim promptly, within the carrier's time limit.
• Record the claim reference and the outcome against the eBay order.

Refund or replace for the buyer first. The buyer's request has a 3 business day clock; the carrier's process does not wait for it.

Choosing a service with cover

Many carriers offer more compensation cover on some services than others, or let you add extra cover for a fee. For valuable or fragile items, compare what each service would pay out if a parcel arrives broken, not just the postage price. A slightly dearer service with meaningful cover can be the cheaper option across a year of orders, especially for items that break easily.

Damage reported weeks later

Sometimes a buyer reports damage a few weeks after delivery. If it is still inside the 30 calendar day window, or your longer return window, treat it like any other request. Ask for the same photos. Damage that appears late may be transit damage the buyer did not notice, or it may be a fault or wear. The photos usually make it clear, and a return lets you check for yourself on higher value items.

Does damage count against your seller level?

The damage report itself does not. It only counts if the buyer asks eBay to step in and eBay closes the case without your resolution, which is recorded as a case closed without seller resolution and a transaction defect. A request you resolve yourself, by refund, replacement or return, does not count.

How do you pack so items arrive in one piece?

Choose the right outer packaging

Use a box for anything that can break, bend or crush. Padded envelopes suit flat, tough items only. Use a new or sturdy box, sized to leave room for padding on every side.

Fill the gaps

The item should not move when you shake the box. Use bubble wrap, paper or air pillows to fill the space, and wrap fragile items individually.

Protect corners and screens

Corners, glass, screens and handles take the knocks. Add card or foam to those points.

Double box fragile items

For glass, ceramics and electronics, a box inside a box, with padding between them, absorbs drops far better than one box.

Seal and label clearly

Tape every seam. A fragile label will not stop rough handling, but it can help, and it shows the buyer you cared.

Test the packing yourself

For a product you send often, pack one exactly as you would for a buyer and drop it from waist height onto a hard floor a few times, on its corners and its flat sides. If anything inside moves or breaks, a carrier's conveyor belts will do the same. It takes five minutes and one spare item, and it can save many replacements.

Keep a damage log

Write down every damage report: the product, the packing used, the carrier and the service. After a few weeks, patterns appear. One carrier, one product shape or one type of envelope is often behind most of them.

Damage when someone else packs the item

If a supplier packs and sends the item, you depend on their packing. Ask how they pack fragile items, and share damage photos with them so they can improve. Agree in advance who pays when an item arrives broken.

eBay's drop shipping policy allows fulfilling orders directly from a wholesale supplier, but not listing an item and then buying it from another retailer or marketplace that ships directly to your customer. Either way, the seller is responsible for safe delivery and for the buyer's satisfaction, so the buyer's refund or replacement comes from you.

A damaged item checklist

• Reply the same day with a request for photos of the item, box and packing.
• Offer a refund, replacement or return inside the request within 3 business days.
• Refund without a return when the item has no value left.
• Claim from the carrier separately, with photos and proof of posting.
• Change the packing for that product before the next one goes out.

For the wider process around refunds, see how to accept a return on eBay and when an eBay partial refund makes sense.