Buyer Requested Refund Then Deleted Account

[collectorcardscanada]

Hi all, weird selling instance I have a question about - hoping someone can help.

I recently sold two items to the same buyer (0 feedback) in the same day, so I chose to combine the items and ship together.

The day after the estimated delivery date, I receive a message that the item was not delivered, and a custom message of “I want a refund”. The items are trading cards, and returns are not allowed (barring them not showing up, or the description being incorrect). Unfortunately, due to their individual values, I shipped lettermail (no tracking).

Anyways, I asked the buyer if the other item arrived (as they were packaged together and they hadn’t opened a ticket), and to let me know. A few days have gone by with no response, so I go to reach out again. The buyers account is no longer active, and has been deleted.

The resolution date for the ticket is in two days, and I’m curious whether I should issue the refund still? If the account was deleted with 0 feedback just a days after a purchase, it makes me think EBay flagged them for fraud or something?

Is this something I should contact customer service about, or should I just bite the bullet and refund regardless?

Any insight is appreciated!

[msau4301]

I wouldn't send a refund to a deleted account, I don't think it could even go through.

I would still contact customer service about it just so it's on record. I'm not sure if there is a place on the resolution page to explain the account has closed and the buyer has not been responding, you assume the item may have been received.

There's a good chance this buyer has tried this with more than one seller and eBay has closed the account (or the buyer may even closed it thinking it meant he had severed responsibility).

[ilikehockeyjerseys]

They didn't delete their account. They were likely nerfed by the security team. Check your e-mail associated with your account to see if you received an e-mail with a subject like like MC### Suspicious Buyer For Item. 

I don't think you need to refund in this case. If the buyer's account was deleted, they cannot escalate the case for a refund. I don't think customer service can close the case, so it will time out eventually, I think after 30 days.

I would encourage you to contact eBay's customer service to verify if what I have written above is correct. eBay's Twitter or Facebook customer service pages are generally better than their website customer service. You can contact them on Twitter via a DM. If you don't have "social media", you can always make a throw away account. They have a way to verify your eBay account when you DM them so the Twitter account does not have to be linked to your eBay account name wise. https://twitter.com/askebay?lang=en

[ilikehockeyjerseys]

Yeah, the thing when contacting customer service is that they sometimes don't understand context on the phone.

You may get someone who just repeats their policy about refunds and no tracking. They may not fully listen or comprehened the context that nobody uses tracking in Canada for items under a set price, and the buyer's account was nerfed by eBay's security team, leaving the INR in limbo. 

[msau4301]

Yes absolutely! I just couldn't remember if there was a place to add comments/info within the claim/refund request since (knock on wood) I haven't had to do it in many years, but if memory serves I thought the resolution section had comments section to add to the case, this way at least it would be recorded.

[darak10]

hell no dont refund!  you dodged a bullet here.  if he was a con artist, he would have waited to get the refund and then disappear.   but he took off first, god knows why, and none of your business.   I would consider this situation resolved.  

unless you got an 'suspicious' buyer email, likely not.  Ive gotten a couple of these, the last one was to a successful sale w/ positive feedback before customer was apparently flagged and removed.  Message from ebay said 'dont refund', and I was like, of course I wont, they have my item and are/were happy with it lol 

[reallynicestamps]

The items are trading cards, and returns are not allowed (barring them not showing up, or the description being incorrect).

No Returns does not mean No Refunds.

Your no returns policy means that you never want to see the purchase again, but eBay's Money Back Guaranteemeans that you will be refunding an unhappy customer.

and they hadn’t opened a ticket),

From eBay's point of view, there is nothing for you to do.

No Claim, no refund.

Remember that the buyer is still covered for up to 180 days by Paypal's  Buyer Protection,if they used PP ,and by the chargeback feature of their credit* card if they used that with or without PP.

If you contact Customer Service, use the employees assigned to social media because you will get a transcript of the advice you are given.


https://www.facebook.com/eBayForBusiness/ — Message button in upper right on landing page.

https://www.instagram.com/ebayforsellers/


https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/How-do-I-contact-Customer-Support/m-p/32016431#M1783851 -> Automated Assistant, type AGENT -> enter. You will then get more options.


*If they used a debit card or gift cards to pay, there can be no refund.

[byto253]

To be fair to the OP, he does say " The items are trading cards, and returns are not allowed (barring them not showing up, or the description being incorrect). "