Why I'm Leaving eBay After Over 20 Years as a Seller – And Publishing My Open Letter to eBay

For more than two decades, I was an active eBay user –
as a buyer, as a seller, as an honest participant on a marketplace
that once stood for trust and fairness.

But today I have to say:
eBay has changed. And not for the better.
What I experienced in recent weeks is a perfect example of a platform
that systematically disadvantages sellers, shields itself from criticism,
and leaves you out in the cold when things get serious.

Specifically:
• Returns are accepted even when the reasoning is clearly questionable
• Sellers have almost no means to defend themselves – and risk losing both item and money
• Reaching out to eBay leadership is impossible – emails bounce back
• Support is essentially unreachable due to automation
• The platform talks about “equality” – but clearly favors the buyer

So I wrote a letter to eBay's board,
expressing my criticism in a calm and factual manner.

But even that letter couldn’t be delivered.
Emails to the board and support were technically blocked.

So I’m publishing it here –
for everyone who’s had similar experiences,
for everyone who thinks they’re just an isolated case,
and for everyone tired of being taken for a fool.

My letter to eBay:
Torsten Nicodemus
Musterstrasse 1
12345 Musterhausen
017x xxx xx xx
eBay name: XXX
Dispute: 12345678910

Dear eBay Team,
Dear Board Members,

I’ve been using your platform for over 20 years – both as a buyer and a seller.
During this time, I’ve conducted thousands of honest, reliable, and fair transactions.
But the way my seller account is being treated now shows me one thing clearly:
eBay is no longer a place for private individuals with integrity.

This particular case involves a dispute over an item worth around 30 euros. A small amount – not worth fussing over.
But what this case reveals is far worse than the money:
a systemic imbalance that has become standard on your platform.

eBay systematically favors one side – and disenfranchises the other
As a seller, I have no real options:

I cannot offer returns at the buyer’s expense, even when it's a clearly stated private sale.

I cannot prevent a refund even if I’ve described and delivered everything correctly.

I have no way to access my seller balance, even though the dispute amount is clearly defined.

Instead of withholding just 30 euros, you block my entire account balance.
No court order. No distinction. No option to appeal.

This is not buyer protection – this is structural abuse
You claim to stand for fairness, safety, and equality.
But my experience says otherwise:
A platform design that elevates buyers to a privileged class – and reduces sellers to second-class users.

If this kind of structure existed in broader society,
we’d call it systemic discrimination.
I’ll use a term that fits the digital world better:

eBay operates a class system.

Buyers = privileged class
Sellers = disadvantaged class

Both use the same platform – but they do not have the same rights.
And that is, in my view, a clear case of platform power abuse disguised as buyer protection.

Your system creates economic harm – and destroys trust
I want to highlight that freezing the entire seller balance over a minor dispute is legally questionable.
In Germany, the principle of proportionality applies.
If I have a balance of €300 and only €30 are disputed,
freezing the full €300 is unacceptable.

If you’re using my money for your own liquidity, I expect in return:

Interest for the period of the freeze

Full transparency on how and why this action takes place

A way to defend myself – not automatic submission

I’m out – and this goes beyond just my seller account
I will no longer use eBay to sell.
I refuse to invest my time, goods, and effort into a system
that treats me like a potential threat rather than a valued partner.

And if I can’t trust eBay as a seller,
I won’t use it as a buyer either.

Because trust is not a clause in your T&Cs – trust is created by fair treatment.

I’m not expecting an apology.
All I expect is that you confront this issue.
Because I’m not the only one feeling systematically mistreated –
I’m just one of the few saying it out loud.

With disappointed but very clear regards,
Torsten Nicodemus

P.S.
I expect a written reply from a responsible department within 10 working days.
If no response is received, I will escalate the matter to the consumer protection authority.

P.P.S.
I reserve the right to publish this case on public platforms to highlight the structural issues
that sellers on eBay increasingly face.

What I’m doing now – and why eBay won’t earn another cent from me
I’ve removed all listings from my account. I’m no longer watching anything. The app has been deleted from my phone.
Not because I’m “offended” – but because I refuse to be part of a system that fails to protect me when it matters.

In short:
I’m no longer a customer.
I’m now a warning.

Those who treat me fairly will still get fair prices – just elsewhere: via classifieds, Hood, or maybe even my own direct sales page.

eBay, on the other hand, has forgotten the most basic business rule:

Respect in → respect out.
No respect in → no more business.

That’s the end of the chapter for me.