No seller protection at all !

[tammiegoldenhair]

I sold a Native American Sterling silver belt . The buyer kept it till the last minute and then opened a return saying they just didn’t like it . The return was on the way back and is stuck along the way . I offer free returns so I would usually receive the return and then execute the refund . I called customer service to extend the date to allow time for it to arrive . The buyer called eBay to complain it’s taking too long and eBay refunded the 725.00 without waiting for the belt to arrive . What if it never arrives ? What if it’s damaged ? What if it’s a bag of rocks?  Who is eBay to refund without confirmation through tracking . I have called without resolve . There is nothing I can do they stole the money . There is zero seller protection any more ! 

[bonjourami]

Im sorry, but Ive never heard of Ebay 'extending the case' with a snad return. I expect the timeline ran out so Ebay refunded her.This was the neg you received?

[12345jamesstamps]

Even if eBay gave your money back....that money is tied up for a while before you get it.

I assume tracking shows something coming. What is the buyer's feedback like and what has the buyer purchased in the past? A new buyer usually wouldn't purchased something that expensive without purchases in the past. A new eBay ID...I hope not.

You should have done the refund before eBay did it. I wonder if you get a "ding" for not refunding.

It has tracking and eBay refunded? That is odd.

Are you sure the buyer didn't do a last minute credit card dispute?

[greatmidwestcoin]

I believe, and I could be wrong, that if the seller offers free returns, everything is on the seller, including lost in the mail being returned. If you do not offer free returns and eBay provides the buyer the label, eBay is to have insurance to protect both sides if lost. At least this is what an eBay CS explained to me, although that is worth probably half a coconut.

[mr_lincoln]

Hi @tammiegoldenhair 

The remorse reason means you can deduct the original shipping the Buyer paid and your Free returns lets you deduct up to 50% of the item price if the item is NOT what you sent them or is but is damaged.  

What is the Buyer's Feedback like? 

On a return if the item is NOT back in your possession with confirmed delivery you should have been able to go back to the claim and ask eBay to step in and close it in your favor regardless of the disposition of whatever they sent back.

Something does NOT sound right about this ... 

[ittybitnot]

You should have done the refund before eBay did it. I wonder if you get a "ding" for not refunding.

@12345jamesstamps 

Why should the seller refund when the item has not yet been returned? 

[tammiegoldenhair]

The timeline did not run out. I  called to ask to allow more time for the item to to be returned as a courtesy to the buyer because the package is lost in the system. 

[ittybitnot]

@tammiegoldenhair 

Who was the carrier for the return?  USPS?   You funded the return with an eBay generated label?  

From where back to you? 

Have you checked the tracking on the carrier website?   Is it for an eBay generated label? or did the buyer provide their own?  

A buyer complaining it was taking too long would typically not result in a refund from your proceeds.  

[12345jamesstamps]

The seller stated "ebay refunded the buyer"....so whether or not the seller refunded the buyer...buyer  got refunded...it was a question about getting "ding" for NOT refunding the buyer.

[ittybitnot]

I expect the timeline ran out so Ebay refunded her.

@bonjourami 

If the timeline for the buyer to return the item "ran out", why would they ding the seller?  Buyer's don't have to provide proof of delivery anymore?  

I suspect something else entirely, that perhaps the buyer called eBay and gave them an alternate "proof of return".   

We need some more information from the OP @tammiegoldenhair 

[ten_o_nine]

@tammiegoldenhair 

My experience with all returns that they have to say delivered, then eBay gives a 2-day window to refund buyer before eBay issues the refund, what is the tracking#? it might show "in transit" in one system, but "delivered" in others.

[bonjourami]

"If the timeline for the buyer to return the item "ran out", why would they ding the seller?  Buyer's don't have to provide proof of delivery anymore?  "

The reason I mentioned it is because Ebay has been known to refund a buyer even without a proven return delivery to the seller. They are willing to accept the pkg being on its way to the seller as an attempted return on the buyers part,but if they feel thats taking too long, they will refund the buyer.

P.S. It happened to my Ebay friend, a pkg was returned to her, got lost in the system, and after a certain length of time, the buyer was refunded.

[tammiegoldenhair]

the tracking is showing lost in the system going nowhere, after a very frustrating day long event eBay made it right and returned the money .  They also gave the buyer the money as well . The postal system now has a very nice belt ! 

[tammiegoldenhair]

indeed I did appeal and was awarded the refund but it was not without a very frustrating customer service experience. I have found as of late you can call 4 times and receive  four totally different answers . 

[mr_lincoln]

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@bonjourami wrote:

"If the timeline for the buyer to return the item "ran out", why would they ding the seller?  Buyer's don't have to provide proof of delivery anymore?  "

The reason I mentioned it is because Ebay has been known to refund a buyer even without a proven return delivery to the seller. They are willing to accept the pkg being on its way to the seller as an attempted return on the buyers part,but if they feel thats taking too long, they will refund the buyer.

P.S. It happened to my Ebay friend, a pkg was returned to her, got lost in the system, and after a certain length of time, the buyer was refunded.

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@bonjourami   It still makes no sense since it was a remorse return ... the Buyer waiting until the last minute to actually file the return has nothing to do with the actual return's time frame.  If the package is delivered to the Seller outside their allotted time the Seller can have the case closed in their favor.

There must be something missing or if what you say is true it sounds like the Buyer has done this before ...