3 min article

Get help if you bought as a guest

If your item hasn't arrived, has turned up damaged or faulty, or if you just want to return it, let the seller know so they can help you out. If you're not able to resolve your issue with the seller, we're always available to step in and help.

Looking to sign up for an eBay account? Creating an account makes it easier to shop on eBay and keep track of your purchases. Find out more about the benefits of being an eBay member in our article on signing up for an eBay account

If you don’t have an eBay account, or didn’t sign in to your account when you made a purchase, you’re still protected by our eBay Money Back Guarantee. If the item you bought hasn’t arrived, or if it’s faulty, damaged, or doesn’t match the seller’s description, you can get your money back.

If you’ve changed your mind and no longer want the item, you can ask the seller if they’ll accept your return. Most sellers are happy to help out.

Your guest order confirmation email

When you buy an item as a guest on eBay, we’ll send you an order confirmation email with all your order details. The subject line starts with “Order Confirmed”. If your order hasn’t arrived, or if you need to return it for a refund, you’ll need to use your guest order confirmation email.

If you can’t find your guest order confirmation email, select the button below and we’ll send you a link to your order details.

Find guest order details

Your item hasn’t arrived

If your item hasn’t arrived, you’re protected by the eBay Money Back Guarantee and can either ask the seller for a refund, or for a replacement item (if they have one).

Check when your item is due to arrive

The first thing to do is check your item’s estimated delivery date in your order confirmation email. You can also select View order details in your order confirmation email to find out the shipping carrier, any tracking information the seller provided, and your item’s current location. If the estimated delivery date hasn’t passed yet, your order is probably still on its way.

Confirm your delivery address

It’s a good idea to check that the delivery address you used at checkout is correct. You’ll find the address your order is being sent to in your order confirmation email and on the order details page.

If your shipping address is incorrect, select Contact the seller on the order details page and ask the seller if they’ll cancel the order. They can then relist the item and you can buy it again with the correct address.

Tip
If the estimated delivery date has passed, and your shipping address is correct, you should check with a neighbor in case you weren’t home when the package arrived and they took delivery of it for you.

Let the seller know your item hasn’t arrived

If the estimated delivery date for your item has passed, the delivery address is correct, and you still haven’t received your item, let the seller know. Here’s how:

  1. Open the order confirmation email. The subject line starts with "Order Confirmed".
  2. Select View order details in the body of the email.
  3. Select Contact Seller.
  4. Select I haven’t received my item yet.
  5. Choose No, I want to contact the seller.
  6. Fill in the details and then hit Submit.

Once you’ve opened your request, you’ll receive a confirmation email and the seller will have 3 business days to get back to you.

What happens next

If your item still hasn’t arrived, the seller will need to provide either tracking information/evidence of delivery, or a refund or replacement.

  • If they’ve agreed to send you another item, they’ll let you know the details about sending it out to you
  • If they’re issuing a refund, it should be processed within 2 business days. Your refund will be sent to your original payment method and funds are usually available within 3-5 business days. If your refund is sent to a credit card, depending on the card provider, it can take up to 30 days to show on your statement

If tracking details show the item was delivered to your postal code after you opened the item not received request, we'll send an email to you and the seller. Your request will then close automatically within 24 hours. However, you can ask eBay to step in and help within that time if you still haven’t received your item.

You need to return an item

If you want to return an item, either because you’ve got a problem, or just because you’ve changed your mind, you start your return by letting the seller know. If the item is faulty, damaged, or doesn’t match the description, you’re covered by the eBay Money Back Guarantee, and the seller has to accept your return.

If you no longer want an item, check the seller’s return policy in the listing to see if they offer returns, how long you have to request a return and any other conditions. To find the return policy:

  1. Open your order confirmation email. The subject line starts with "Order Confirmed".
  2. Select View order details in the body of the email.
  3. Select the description of your item to go to its listing.
  4. Go to Returns to see the seller's return policy.

You can still ask the seller if they’ll accept a return, even if their policy says they don’t offer them – but they may not say yes.

Let the seller know you’ve had a problem

Here’s how to start a return for an item you bought as a guest:

  1. Select View order details in your order confirmation email. 
  2. Select Return item.
  3. Select your reason for the return and select Next.
  4. You can add a message to the seller and also upload up to 10 photos showing the item’s condition.
  5. Select Confirm return.

Tip
You can request a replacement (another of the same item) or exchange (a different, but similar item) if the seller offers them in their return policy, and the total refund value of your item is less than $250.

What happens next

Once you’ve opened your request, the seller has 3 business days to get back to you. How they respond will depend on the reason for your return.

You received the wrong item, or it arrived faulty or damaged

Here’s how the seller may respond:

  • Accept your return request and offer a full refund – You’ll return the item and the seller issues you a full refund, including the original shipping cost. The seller will also pay for return shipping
  • Issue a full refund and let you keep the item – This typically happens with low-cost items where the return shipping would cost more than the item
  • Offer you a partial refund and let you keep the item – This can be a good compromise when you’re not completely satisfied with your purchase – for example, if it arrived with a minor scratch – but you’re happy to keep it
  • Send you a message – The seller may ask you for some more details about your return request

When the seller replies, we’ll send you an email with details of the next steps.

If you can’t come to an agreement with the seller within 3 business days, you can ask us to step in and help.

 
You changed your mind about an item

Here’s how the seller may respond:

  • Accept your return request and offer a full refund – You’ll return the item and the seller issues you a full refund, including the original shipping cost. Usually the buyer is responsible for return shipping costs in these cases. However, check the seller’s return policy in the listing to see if they will cover it
  • Issue a full refund and let you keep the item – This typically happens with low-cost items where the return shipping would cost more than the item
  • Offer you a partial refund and let you keep the item – This can be a good compromise when the seller doesn’t accept returns, but wants to offer you a gesture of goodwill – say if you ordered the wrong thing by accident
  • Decline your return request – Sellers can only decline your return request if you changed your mind about an item and they stated in the listing that they don’t accept returns, or if you missed the seller’s deadline to start a return
  • Send you a message – The seller may ask you for some more details about your return request

When the seller replies, we’ll send you an email with details of the next steps.

Sending the item back

When the seller accepts your return, they may let you keep the item (normally if it’s a lower value item, or if they’re giving you a partial refund), or you may need to send it back to them before they’ll issue your refund.

If you have to ship the item back to the seller, we'll send an email to your Messages - opens in new window or tab with the subject "Send the item back". You'll find the date you'll need to ship the item back before in this email. If you don’t ship the return by the specified date, we may close the request and you won’t receive a refund. Who covers the shipping costs depends on why you’re returning it. Learn more about return shipping.

Adding tracking details to your return helps protect against delays or issues in the refund process. If you use an eBay returns label, tracking is automatically uploaded. If you’re using your own return shipping label, you should manually add tracking details to the return. 

When you’re sending the item back, repack it carefully, and remember it has to be in the same condition as when you received it. This means it can’t be used or altered in any way, and you’ll need to include any additional items or paperwork that came with it, such as:

  • All original packaging such as boxes, bags, tags, and UPCs
  • Accessories such as cords and remote controls
  • Certificates, manuals, warranty, and rebate cards
  • Free gifts or bonus items
  • All items included in a bundle

Getting your money back

Once the item is delivered to the seller, your refund should be processed within 2 business days.

Your refund will be sent to your original payment method and funds are usually available within 3-5 business days. If your refund is sent to a credit card, depending on the card provider, it can take up to 30 days to show on your statement.

Tip
You can always check the status of your request by going to View order details in your order confirmation email, then selecting Resolutions.

Get help from eBay

Most of the time the seller will be able to solve any issue you have with a purchase. However, if after 3 business days the seller hasn’t been able to resolve your problem, you can ask us to step in and help. After the 3 business days are up, you can ask us to step in at any time within 21 business days of opening your request. You can ask us for help through your order confirmation email.

Why was my refund less than the amount I paid?
Depending on the condition you sent the item back in, the seller may reduce the refund they issue you. For more details, please see our Condition of returned items policy.

What should I do if I sent back the item, but the seller didn’t receive it?
When returning an item you should always use tracked shipping. If you didn’t, and think the seller should have gotten the item back by now, you can ask us to step in and help.

Can I return more than one item from my order?
Depending on the listing, you can return one item or multiple items. Here are your options:

  • Lots, sets, and bundled items – You need to return the entire quantity of the order. For example, if you bought a set of paintbrushes you can’t return just one of them
  • Multi-quantity listings – You can return any quantity of your purchased items. For example, you selected a quantity of five t-shirts at checkout. You can return some or all of them, but you only have one opportunity to do so. If you choose to return two t-shirts, you can’t return the other three later
  • Multiple listings from the same seller – You can return each item. For example, you buy three books that the seller listed individually, but you paid for all of them at once at checkout. You can return each book individually

If the item you received doesn't match the description in the listing, or if it arrived faulty or damaged, you can return it even if the seller's returns policy says they don't accept returns.

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