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We're simplifying order cancellations
Summary: seller_news_team announces a new update to simplify the order cancellation process for buyers and sellers. Buyers can now request a cancellation before the item is shipped. The update aims to improve buyer satisfaction and increase repeat purchases. Sellers will receive cancellation notices in eBay messages and are encouraged to respond within three days. If accepted, full refunds and fee credits will be issued, and items may be relisted automatically. Protections are in place for sellers, such as feedback removal for declined requests and guidance around shipped items and unpaid auctions.
We're launching a change that will simplify the order cancellation process for both buyers and sellers: Buyers now have the option to request an order cancellation using the Cancel order button before the item is marked as shipped. Our goal is to create a more user-friendly and consistent experience to build trust between buyers and sellers, and encourage repeat purchases.
In prior tests, these changes resulted in a minimal increase in cancellation requests (maintaining an overall average cancellation rate of 1%, with an increase from .9 out of 100 transactions to 1.1 out of 100 transactions), and a notable 25% improvement in buyer satisfaction, which led to a higher likelihood of repeat purchases.
FAQs
How it works
How can I see and respond to cancellation requests?
When a buyer requests a cancellation, you’ll receive a notice in your eBay messages. You’ll also be able to see orders with cancel requests in your Seller Hub > Orders > Cancellations or My eBay > Selling > Orders.
You'll have 3 days to accept or decline the request. On paid orders, eBay will automatically decline the request after 3 days, but we encourage sellers to respond quickly.
You have the choice to accept or decline a cancellation. When feasible, it’s recommended to accept the request, especially if it’s sent within minutes or a few hours of when an order is placed. Doing so has shown to discourage return requests or “item not received” cases, and encourages the buyer to return to eBay for their next purchase.
When will the new cancellation process update take effect?
It will take effect August 28. Sellers may still observe some requests coming through direct messages as buyers adapt to these changes.
What happens when I accept a cancellation request?
After you accept a cancellation request, we’ll automatically issue a full refund to the buyer and fee credits to you as per our fee credits policy. If the listing was of a single quantity or Buy It Now item, we'll automatically relist the item for you unless you select No next to Relist item? when canceling the order.
Protections
What if a buyer leaves negative feedback for refusing their cancellation request?
eBay will protect you by removing negative or neutral feedback on these orders.
What protections are in place if I've already shipped the item?
Once you ship the item, be sure to promptly update the tracking information and order status to 'shipped' on eBay. When an order is marked as shipped, buyers will no longer be able to access the Cancel order request flow.
If a buyer has requested cancellation before you were able to update the shipment status, and you have already shipped your item, you can decline the cancellation request.
For more information, visit our help article on how to mark an item as “shipped.”
What if a buyer wins an auction but doesn't pay and asks for a cancellation?
You'll have 3 days to accept or decline the cancellation request on an unpaid item. Cancellation requests for unpaid items will be automatically approved after 3 days if there is no response from you.
eBay monitors and takes action against buyers who habitually fail to pay. We proactively restrict such buyers from bidding. Don’t ship items until payment is confirmed, and ensure all communication is kept on eBay so we can assist if needed.
Customized & personalized items
As a seller of customized items on eBay, what if the order is already in process when a cancellation request is made?
If a cancellation is requested, communicate with the buyer via direct message to explain why the request will be declined, then proceed to decline it. Keeping your communication on our platform helps us provide support if the buyer seeks a refund through their payment provider.
