Sold a watch more than a week ago, buyer paid immediately, I posted it RMSD the same day and sent him the tracking number.
Three days later I got a mysterious email from eBay's "authenticity centre" saying my watch had been authenticated and would be professionally repacked and sent to the buyer. Had no idea what this was.
Yesterday the buyer sent me a message demanding to know where his watch was, not unreasonably. I try to be a great ebayer so was really concerned. Called ebay, turns out that any watch listed (that's listed, not sold) for £1,500 or more is automatically subject to this new system. So the address I send it to wasn't the buyer but some warehouse near London where the check is done.
Anyway, they sent it on via UPS who have been trying to deliver it (they claim) for three days. I messaged the buyer and got ebay to do the same but he just told me he's been in all day and they have again claimed they couldn't deliver it, despite not actually trying and not leaving a card. So he's asking for a refund. That's between him and ebay it turns out, but that's not the point. Poor bloke has shelled out a lot of money for something which a week later hasn't arrived and shows no sign of arriving. Really upset for him and annoyed for me.
I understand why they're doing this, to protect buyers from fakes and sellers from scams (although of course what they're really protecting is their market which watch sellers have been leaving in droves because it's such a mess of swindling) but the system clearly doesn't work.
Anyone else had experience with this sh*tshow?