Seller agreed to partial refund but did not send it. eBay only shows return request
Summary: gct-ca expressed frustration about a seller who had agreed to provide a partial refund, but the refund was not issued. Instead, gct-ca noticed that eBay only displayed a return request, creating confusion and inconvenience. msau4301 and femmefan1946 responded to this discussion, but no further information or resolutions were provided in their replies.
Hi,
I bought an item listed as “Pre-owned - Excellent,” but it arrived damaged with visible deformation.
I contacted the seller through eBay messages. The seller replied that he could refund me $50 and admitted he could’ve packaged it better. He also said he had not been paid by eBay yet and that it should take 2-3 days after delivery. He also wrote: “If you complain I’ll never get paid,” which seemed unusual to me.
I accepted the $50 refund through eBay messages and gave him until Monday evening, June 8, for an update. After that, the seller somehow found my personal phone number and texted me outside eBay, saying that eBay does not like exchanges of emails or numbers, but that he found my number. I replied only to ask him to keep all communication through eBay messages. I haven’t heard from him since, and no refund or update was received.
I would prefer to keep the item and receive the agreed $50 partial refund, rather than return the item. However, eBay’s help flow only seems to let me open a full return request with return shipping.
What is the correct process here? Should I open the return request anyway and explain that I want the agreed partial refund, or is there another way to get eBay to review the messages and help with the partial refund?
Thanks.
femmefan1946
·2 months agoI contacted the seller through eBay messages.
That was polite, but not necessary.
You have up to 30 days from delivery to open an Not As Described claim.
The seller replied that he could refund me $50
Okay
said he had not been paid by eBay yet
No.
EBay may Hold a new or occasional seller's payments for up to 30 days pending customer satisfaction.
he seller ...texted me outside eBay,
EBay gives member phone numbers with shipping instructions, because some shippers or border officials demand it.
I replied only to ask him to keep all communication through eBay messages.
You did the right thing.
You were not satisfied.
Again -You have up to 30 days from delivery to open an Not As Described claim.
However, eBay’s help flow only seems to let me open a full return request with return shipping.
Yes.
What is the correct process here?
The seller has proven to be untrustworthy.
You have up to 30 days from delivery to open an Not As Described claim.
EBay has a Money Back Guarantee - they are not helpful with post sale dickering.
msau4301
·2 months agoTry messaging him again suggesting urgency in a response (or the refund!) or you will be forced to open a case. If he's waiting to be paid it might mean he is a fairly new seller. If he's a seasoned seller someone "complaining" shouldn't affect his being paid. It's also possible that if he's on weekly payouts he really had to wait for his money to issue the refund without being in the hole.
If you still don't hear back from him by tomorrow (allowing a full day from when he said he'd be paid) I'd open a case. It's up to him to send you the return label which he probably won't want to do.