Buyer paid for item with expired card; how to cancel?

[dougo13]

Seller contacted me to tell me he used an expired card. But the eBay software says that I must issue a full refund if I cancel the order. How do I prevent this? Is there a way for the buyer to pay with a different card after the buy it now is complete? 

First time I've run into this problem...

[marnotom!]

I’m confused. Did the payment go through and it’s now pending deposit to your account?  A payment with an expired card normally doesn't "go through".

[msau4301]

As marnotom says if it was an expired card payment (and order) shouldn't have gone through. You can't refund if you didn't receive any money and if you received the money the card must have worked. You can cancel and unpaid item, but you have to refund an order that has been paid for.

There is a small window (at least there used to be) that you could cancel based on "buyer requested" but only if payment hadn't been made and within a few hours of the sale. There is also a way for the buyer to cancel the order if you can't so you could try putting it back to him (again this is assuming the payment hasn't actually gone through.

[ricarmic]

In my own experience one of my chargebacks was a result of the fact that the buyer unknowingly used an expired card (there was quite a "conversation" in the background when I called the buyer between them and their spouse). This payment came through eBay fine, but later showed up as a credit card unauthorized chargeback.

My point is that I know from that that a payment, at least sometimes, can come through despite the fact its from an expired card. I don't remember how much later it was that the chargeback happened but my guess is week(s) after the purchase date.

[reallynicestamps]

Since the payment couldn't go through, you have not been paid.

But now that the two of you are in contact, you can give them your Paypal address and they can transfer the payment that way.

And payment gives the buyer two levels of Buyer Protection, its own and the chargeback feature of the (unexpired) card they use for the corrected payment.

For some reason this feels somewhere between sketchey and scammy, but I can't figure out what the scam would be.

Don't ship until you are sure you are paid.

The whole "late shipping" is much less important for non-US sellers like us.

[flipistics]

Just tell the buyer to cancel the order. The buyer should have the option available as long as it hasn't been marked as shipped. When you accept the cancellation, it should automatically relist it. If the buyer still wants the item, they can change their payment details and repurchase it. If they simply changed their mind, then that's also good for you as it probably saved you a return.

[recped]

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@flipistics wrote:

Just tell the buyer to cancel the order. The buyer should have the option available as long as it hasn't been marked as shipped.

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Buyers can ASK for a cancellation but they cannot do it all on their own. The only difference now is that instead of 1 hour to make an official request they can do it anytime up until the order is shipped (or marked as shipped). It's still up to the seller to cancel (or not).

I still find it very hard to believe that eBay could even process an expired card. It is of course possible to use a card that is ABOUT TO expire, even after you have recieved a new card with a new expiry date where they tell you to cut up the old card. There is usually a one month period where both cards would be valid.

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

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@recped wrote:

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@flipistics wrote:

Just tell the buyer to cancel the order. The buyer should have the option available as long as it hasn't been marked as shipped.

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Buyers can ASK for a cancellation but they cannot do it all on their own. The only difference now is that instead of 1 hour to make an official request they can do it anytime up until the order is shipped (or marked as shipped). It's still up to the seller to cancel (or not).

I still find it very hard to believe that eBay could even process an expired card. It is of course possible to use a card that is ABOUT TO expire, even after you have recieved a new card with a new expiry date where they tell you to cut up the old card. There is usually a one month period where both cards would be valid.

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@flipistics 

@recped 

When attempting to use my CC on file for both CP and another website (both WERE expired) websites immediately blocked me from completing transaction until I corrected. It gave me Expired CC card error message. eBay "should" do the same.

-Lotz

[ricarmic]

It probably bears mentioning that in my example, that's what the buyer said, the argument between him and his wife about it led a lot of credence to the authenticity of his comment, and he did repay for the item and paid as well the $20 extra charge I got charged so there for sure wasn't any malice (or "crime" as I call it in my annual cookie jar insurance report)......

[ilikehockeyjerseys]

eBay doesn't have a mechanism to change the payment method before something ships. They are very much stuck in the stone age in that way. 

Cancel the order. Politely ask the buyer to re-buy the item with the correct card. Explain that you had to cancel because eBay does not have a mechanism to change their payment method. Send them a direct link to the new relisted item to make it as easy as possible for them.

Your average person wants the item, so they will re-buy it. 

Yes, you're taking a risk that they won't re-buy it. You should weigh that against the risk of a chargeback.