For a couple of years, when an eBay seller uses the eBay app to prepare a shipping label for a purchased item, eBay automatically and immediately sends the buyer an email notice by interstate wire communications facilities informing the buyer that the item "has shipped" and is "on its way." In fact, there is no necessary connection between preparing a shipping label and the delivery of the item to the carrier. In the latest instance, eBay informed me by wire communication on 1/5/2018 that an item had been shipped. The carrier says, as of 9:00 pm on 01/10/2018 that it has not received custody of the item. This last fact is conformed by eBay. On checking delivery status on line at eBay, eBay states that shipping status of the item in question will be updated once the item reaches the carrier. In reliance on eBay's knowingly false statement as to shipping date, I failed to find an alternative source for the item and will probably not be able to do so in time for when I need it. eBay Customer Service has informed me repeatedly that they can neither address this issue nor even suggest which "department at eBay" can address the issue. eBay's on-line "help" is restricted to a few issues, none of which relate to issues with eBay's behavior. eBay customer service on "technical issues" consists solely of recorded messages delivered by robot and unrelated to any failures by eBay. I am studying how I can get the attention of anyone at eBay with the power to change its behavior. BBB has proved worthless, as one could predict. What puzzles me is how this puts a single penny in eBay's pocket. Seems like entirely gratuitous misbehavior.