Paypal dispute - advice needed

Downthedrain

I regrettably ordered a guitar from China and paid using Paypal (linked to my Debit Card). 20 items were show in stock with a promised delivery time of 4 weeks. I placed the order and the stock level dropped to 19. After a few weeks the guitar was still shown as 'awaiting shipping' on my order status.

After repeatedly contacting the seller they eventually admitted they don't have stock and the guitar would need to be built to order, but despite three further messages to them they won't give me any idea of timescales and now have stopped responding altogether. I disputed the sale with the seller and asked for a refund but all they kept saying is I need to give them time to make the guitar.

My next step was to open a dispute with Paypal, but none of the pre-determined categories fits the situation and I'm stuck.

Can anyone offer advice on how to lodge my dispute?

eskbanker

Item not received?

Spikeygran

Which platform did you purchase from? If its ebay have you actually opened a case with paypal yet?

Downthedrain

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81960274#Comment_81960274

I ordered directly, not via a platform as the guitar isn't available elsewhere.

danny13579

Item not as described.

It showed as 20 in stock, then 19 after you ordered. In fact there were none in stock and they weren't even made yet.

I assume you were led to believe that the guitar was already made and ready to go, not that it had to be made from scratch? So misrepresentation on their part.

You were promised a delivery time of 4 weeks, if this has passed then seller hasn't fulfilled their end. The language barrier probably isn't helping either.

Is PayPal not giving you an Item not as described option? This all seems pretty straightforward to me. Have your messages between you and the seller ready as you may need to send them to PayPal when you open your case, but they'll tell you what they need.

Downthedrain

I can select item not as described, but none of the next set of questions apply as they're all based on actually receiving an item:

born_again

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81960405#Comment_81960405

How can you open a "Item not as described option"

When poster has not received anything?

As per @eskbanker "Non Receipt" is the way forward.

danny13579

Downthedrain

I can select item not as described, but none of the next set of questions apply as they're all based on actually receiving an item:

Is there any option such as misrepresentation by seller? You were sold an item that you were led to believe existed and was ready to send but didn't exist and wasn't ready to send. This option looks a bit like it.