I don't get it......

[westernstargifts]

A buyer purchased and paid for several items yesterday and then sent a message asking me to hold them as she wanted to make some additional purchases.  I told her to request an invoice when she was ready.

Today the buyer purchased several more items and requested an invoice.  She also asked me to cancel one item as she had purchased it in error (it was a duplicate of another item).

I sent the invoice, without the item she did not want, and filed a mutual cancellation for the extra item.  I emailed her asking her to agree to the cancellation when she received the email from eBay.

A few minutes later she paid the second invoice.  When I went to "awaiting shipment" the item for which I had filed the MC was also there.  Positive feedback had been left for the buyer (automatically).  However, I had just received a message from eBay saying that the buyer had agreed to cancel and that my FVF had been credited to my account.  But the transaction (in my "awaiting shipment") showed as not being paid and that the buyer had been blocked from making payment because the case was closed.

I checked the order details and it showed that there was a PayPal transaction.  I followed the link and, sure enough, payment had been made for this item.  There was no way in My eBay or in the resolution centre to mark it as paid.

I contacted the buyer immediately after receiving her payments (early this afternoon) and asked if she had changed her mind about the cancellation.  I still have not heard back from her.

I have never run into this situation before.  I am not sure what to do next other than wait for the buyer's reply.

Anyone else ever run into this problem before?

[rose-dee]

This is an unusual circumstance.  I wonder if the cancellation process and the invoicing process aren't well tuned to each other, and that it may take time before the cancellation is properly reflected on Paypal?

I'll be interested to see what the outcome of this is, or if anyone else has specifically encountered this situation. 

[pierrelebel]

I often run into buyers changing their mind on one item or purchasing a duplicate in error.  No big deal.

"and filed a mutual cancellation for the extra item.  I emailed her asking her to agree to the cancellation when she received the email from eBay."

However, to avoid possible confusion, I usually do not send the request to cancel the unwanted item(s) until the payment for all other items is received, acknowledged and feedback left for the prompt payment (I do it manually, not done automatically by the system).

[westernstargifts]

I have been wondering too if there was a system glitch because they were done so close together.

I haven't heard back from the buyer yet.  She may not even be aware that the extra payment was made from her account because she did agree to the cancellation.    If I don't hear back from her by tomorrow I think I will contact her again and make her aware of it.

I will keep you updated.

[melissasminis]

I had a buyer recently who bought an item, asked me to cancel the transaction because she made the purchase in error. I sent a mutual cancellation agreement.The buyer then paid for the item, and a day later agreed to the cancellation I sent. It was weird. A strange system I guess.

[melissasminis]

Also, the payment went through Paypal, maybe because she paid me before accepting the cancellation. It shows in my ebay that the buyer is blocked from making payment, due to the cancellation, confusing.

[rose-dee]

.

Good advice!  It does make sense to handle it this way, since it doesn't matter if a couple of days pass with the unwanted item showing as unpaid until the cancellation is processed. 

I'll file this suggestion away for future reference.  

[westernstargifts]

The buyer finally contacted me this afternoon and she did not want this item.  I issued a full refund.

Now that it has been refunded the transaction still appears on my "Awaiting Shipment" page.

When the buyer agreed to the cancellation eBay sent me a message stating that the FVF had been credited to my account.  At the same time they took the payment from her account so at this point I have no idea whether or not I have been charged any fees.  I will for sure have the PP transaction fee.

I will also file Pierre's suggestion away for future reference.

[pierrelebel]

" will for sure have the PP transaction fee.'

When you refund a PayPal payment, you get the fee refunded to you except for the flat $0.30 per transaction.

It is easy to spot the $0.30 difference when you check your PayPal account.

"so at this point I have no idea whether or not I have been charged any fees. '

Easy to check on your eBay seller account by searching by transaction number.  You should see the original charge and the matching credit.

[westernstargifts]

eBay did refund the FVF on both the item and the shipping fee (1.97 & .91) on April 19.  For some reason, though, the following day they charged me .13 for FVF on that listing.  I don't know where they got that figure and I didn't sell another one.

The 30 cent charge is the one I meant.  PayPal did refund the other fee when I issued a refund.