How to cancel a transaction when UPI case already open?

[bassox333]

Hi, just looking for some thoughts on this.  We have a returning customer from Hungary who purchased several items from us last week, paid for them, and we dispatched.  They then purchased one additional item.  An unpaid item case was opened against them yesterday (we honestly didn't recognise the username) and they've now messaged us asking politely to cancel the order as they made a mistake and didn't realise that they had won this item.    

Now, we're pretty certain that it's not possible to cancel the order once a case has been opened.  Without first closing the case, and the only to to do so is to select that yes payment has been received.  

What are your thoughts on marking the transaction as payment received, selecting the payment method as 'other' or cash on pickup, which ought to close the UPI and then unmarking the order as paid and opening up a cancellation?  Would this even work?

Normally we would just take tell the buyer to pay up or take the strike but in this case they are a returning customer.  Any thoughts would be deeply appreciated.  

[bassox333]

For what it's worth here's the message that we get from eBay when trying to cancel, confirming that we're unable to do so.  

Cancel Transaction Message

[pjcdn2005 · Accepted solution]

What are your thoughts on marking the transaction as payment received, selecting the payment method as 'other' or cash on pickup, which ought to close the UPI and then unmarking the order as paid and opening up a cancellation? Would this even work?
—————-

No, I don’t not think that would work. I am fairly sure that you won’t be able to open a cancellation once the current case is closed, regardless of the reason you use for closing it.

[bassox333]

Thank you, I suspected as much. It's too bad there's not a mechanism to cancel and close the case at the same time. We don't believe that this buyer has any ill intent, and it would be nice to be able to help them not get an unpaid item strike.

[bassox333]

We called eBay and they confirmed that our proposed work around would not work. And admitted that there ought to be an established way around a situation like this. Hopefully the customer will understand that our hands are tied and there's nothing that we can do on our end. We politely suggested that in the future they contact a seller as soon as possible if they made a mistake, not to wait until after an unpaid item case is opened. Thanks again.

[ricarmic]

I can't remember 100% if this worked or not.

I believe I was successful by turning off unpaid item assistant after the case was opened. (if I recall I had to do this through going to the actual item itself that was the only place I was able to access it through the drop down list)

Doing this if I recall means the case "never" closes, and you won't get your fees back.

I did this for the same reason, it was an anomaly amongst ok transactions from a multi item purchaser.

[momcqueen]

If it's their first mistake, ebay Customer Service will grant them a Mulligan if they call and ask for it. Everyone is allowed one accidental Unpaid Item Strike removal as far as I can tell. As long as their account is in otherwise good standing.