Forum Discussion

chessvilla's avatar
chessvilla
Community Member
12-04-2026

Multiple BBE on one order - WHY? Export team/ Customer Support Team- How is this even fair?

Dear BBE Team,

 

I would like to raise a concern regarding the current defect policy applied to orders. The existing system, where multiple defects can be assigned to a single order, feels unfair and disproportionately harmful—especially for small businesses like mine.

 

It would be far more reasonable to limit defects to a maximum of one per order. An order is a single transaction, regardless of the number of items included. Assigning multiple defects for the same order does not accurately reflect the situation and can severely impact sellers’ performance metrics.

A buyer cannot be “disappointed multiple times” within a single order simply because they purchased more items. Yet under the current BBE metric, if a buyer orders multiple items and an issue arises, sellers are penalised multiple times for what is essentially one transaction. For example, if a buyer purchases three items in one order, a single issue results in three defects. If they purchase five items, it could result in five defects. This approach is excessive and damaging.

 

On other eBay performance metrics, only one defect is applied per order, regardless of item quantity. This standard is logical and fair, and it would make sense for BBE to follow the same principle.

 

In my specific case, I received three defects from a single transaction due to an INR (Item Not Received) case. The issue arose because the buyer provided an address in Japanese, which standard shipping carriers cannot process when generating an AWB. Despite repeated attempts to resolve the issue with the buyer (buyer never responded on M2M even after repeated attempts), the situation remained unresolved. Nevertheless, I was assigned three defects for one order, which has now resulted in account restrictions.

 

I respectfully ask: how is this fair, and what could I have done differently in this situation?

I strongly urge you to review and revise this policy to ensure fairness and sustainability for sellers and kindly review this for my account. Limiting defects to one per order would be a reasonable and much-needed change.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

4 Replies

  • issac@ebay's avatar
    issac@ebay
    eBay Employee
    24-04-2026

    Hello cernak.m​ 

     

    Greetings from team eBay!

     

    Thank you for raising your concern.

     

    For the BBE metric, defects are evaluated at the item level within a transaction, not at the overall order level. This means that if an order contains multiple items, each item may be assessed individually under this specific policy.

     

    That said, if you believe the defects applied to your account are unusual or not aligned with policy, the best course of action is to contact eBay Support directly.

     

    Our community team is unable to review or investigate account specific details here on the forum, as we must protect your privacy and comply with how seller information is handled.

     

    When you reach out via eBay.com > Help & Contact, we recommend providing:

     

    - The order number

    - The associated BBE defect(s)

    - A request for a detailed explanation of how the defects were applied

     

    A support specialist will be able to review your account and provide clarification or take action if needed.

     

    We appreciate you bringing this up however encourage you to follow up through the appropriate support channel so it can be properly reviewed.

     

    Regards, 

    eBay Team

  • cernak.m's avatar
    cernak.m
    Community Member
    23-04-2026

    I had the same issue where I received 2 defects for one transaction.
    I wrote about it here on the boards and you told me that that should not be possible.
    One transaction must be counted as a one defect no matter if there are 2 - 3 or 10 items in the order!
    If I am not mistaken its written same way in some eBay policy.

    Dont you see how wrong it is to be punished multiple times for one order?

    NON other eBay performance policy works like this! All are counting just one defect per transaction. Than why the BBE must be different again?

  • chessvilla's avatar
    chessvilla
    Community Member
    13-04-2026

    Dear BBE Team,

     

    I am writing to express my concern regarding a recent decision where three INR (Item Not Received) cases have been opened for a single order ID, simply because the buyer purchased three items together.

     

    In this situation, the buyer has not responded to any of my messages requesting the necessary information required for shipment. Without these details, it is not possible to proceed with dispatch.

     

    I would also like to understand why buyers are allowed to enter their name and address in a language that is not accepted by international shipping carriers when generating shipping labels. This creates a significant challenge for sellers, despite it being outside of our control.

     

    Given these circumstances, I am struggling to understand how the seller is at fault. I have reached out through the Help & Contact channels, but have only been informed that the system has made this decision and that it cannot be reversed. It is concerning that an automated system does not seem to account for the actual situation.

     

    This issue has now resulted in my account being restricted, which is extremely distressing. I have been operating this account for the past four years, maintaining 100% positive feedback and a strong track record.

    I kindly request your urgent assistance in reviewing this matter and providing a resolution.

    Thank you for your time and support.

     

  • issac@ebay's avatar
    issac@ebay
    eBay Employee
    13-04-2026

    Hello chessvilla​ 

     

    Thank you for taking the time to share your situation.

     

    Based on the information you’ve provided, this appears to be related to a Bad Buying Experience (BBE) restriction. For additional context on how these metrics are assessed, you may find the following page helpful: https://export.ebay.com/en/fees-regulations-policies/ebay-policies/bber-2025/#FAQ. Reviewing these standards can be useful before contacting eBay support.

     

    For privacy and security reasons, we’re aren't able to review or assist with account specific matters on a public forum especially pertaining to the appeal of a Bad Buyer Experience Restriction.

     

    We can offer general guidance here, but issues tied to a specific account require further investigation.

     

    To protect your information, decisions of this nature are made by specialized teams following a comprehensive evaluation, and we’re not able to revisit or modify those outcomes on a public forum.

     

    We’ve noted your concerns.

     

    In order to ensure your account information remains protected and to explore whether any further clarification may be available, please reach out via eBay.com > Help & Contact, where our support team can assist you in a secure environment.

     

    However, if the a final mandate has already been communicated, it may remain in place.

     

    Where earlier communication has been provided by our team, we suggest following up on those for context.

     

    Regards, eBay Team