Question on Receiving a Refund on a Package with a 2-3 Month Return Shipping Time and No Tracking

[icygirl75]

Hello,

Recently I received an item from a seller on eBay and the item was missing a piece and so I wanted to get a refund or exchange on the item. The seller and I ultimately decided to return the item.

I used the "contact seller" option on the "My eBay: Summary" page for this order to initially contact the seller and have been in contact with the seller through the "My eBay: Messages" page for every message since.

I sent the seller the package without tracking since they were okay with that. The thing is the package is being shipped back to them from Canada to Japan and the shipping and handling fees here in Canada can be very expensive. The least expensive option I could find with tracking would have costed approximately $70.00. Without tracking, the least expensive option I could find was about $20.00. I shipped the package back to them with the latter option and was told the delivery time would take about 2-3 months.

My question is: What's the best thing I could do here on eBay to make sure I get a refund on this item? The seller also said they would cover the return shipping and handling fee. I'm concerned because the eBay Money Back Guarantee should only last until 30 days after the estimated delivery date, since the package wasn't tracked all the way to my doorstep. The package was only tracked until it left Japan. And even if I start a case, as far as I understand, I only have up to an additional 21 days since eBay will close cases if they last for longer than that.

The estimated delivery date for this package, when it was sent to me was Sept. 11 - Nov. 6. I only just shipped it back today on October 10. Adding 30 days plus 21 days for the time I have to open a case and to leave it open only brings me to December 27, if I'm understanding everything correctly.

I never used the "Return this item" button for this package and never received an email from eBay that said anything like the seller has accepted a return request from me.

Am I taking the right steps, or is there something else I should do here? Any help would certainly be appreciated.

Thanks,

Jessica

[pjcdn2005]

Neither ebay or PP will force a seller to refund a return unless there is proof of delivery but hopefully your seller will do as promised.

Regarding another posters claims that paypal will sometimes allow proof of shipment rather than proof of delivery, that would definitely not apply in this case.