Ebayers communicate either by direct email or through the ebay message system.   Advantages exist to the message system. It allows a seller to communicate without disclosing personal information such as email address. It also can be done conveniently while marking items sent or or payment received. The problem with the message system is it often it does not also come through as an email. Spam filters or other electronic gremlins somehow block communications sent from the message system from being received as email. It is not uncommon to receive an email from a buyer complaining of lack of contact days AFTER the information was sent to the buyers message box. Ebay is now grading sellers through the DSR star system. One of the grading catagories is communication. Buyers ..PLEASE check your message inbox before complaining of poor communication.