If one is eligible for some item free or as gift he should get it and that should be within the time frame. At least eBay should have a deadline and strictly follow it. We sellers are expected to send a product within 7 days and deliver it within time frame then why not eBay. Leaders always lead by examples.
Best Way out of this is in case the buyer does not gets his gift within the stipulated time line, he should have an immediate option of getting a redeemable voucher worth the market value of the item.
What say eBay? can you give this?, we sellers are made to refund the item value in case of non shipment or non delivery within the deadline. So why not you for free gifts. This will once for all end these problems of gift delivery.