Proper way to cancel unpaid order?

[racingfreak92]

Hello,

I had a user purchase a Buy It Now auction and then contact me that they wanted to cancel. Per this eBay support page, https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/getting-paid/cancelling-transaction?id=4136 it says "If a buyer asks you to cancel an order, they’ll need to send you a cancellation request."

I asked the buyer to do this, and they said that "ebay wont allow him to do that."

Is the buyer right? Its only been two days since they made the order. Is that 'too late' already for them to request a cancelation, and the above ebay link is wrong? Or is the buyer wrong? Looking for clear guidance on best practice here.

-Purchase made on April 26th

-Buyer never paid

-Buyer tells me today eBay wont let him cancel.

[tellmemama · Accepted solution]

The buyer cancellation request is only available for 1 hour after the listing ends which is why s/he can't do one now. You can cancel with no defects to your account since there is a message from the buyer asking to cancel.

[dhbookds]

Buyers can only cancel themselves within the first hour.  Sellers then cancel and use "buyer requested cancellation" as a reason...........  Buyer gets no strike, seller gets immediate credit on fvf and immediate relisting is available.  No feedback can be left. 

The other alternative is to  file the Unpaid item case, that takes about 6 days to complete...allowing buyer to pay or he gets an UPI strike.

Most of us would go the buyer requested cancellation route.....filing the UPI will scare some buyers into paying, but then wanting a return when they get the (not as described, probably) item, which open the seller into having to pay for the return shipping and also allow a buyer to leave a neg.

Cancellation is faster, cleaner and safer.......tho that's my opinion........some feel the UPI is right and proper.

[1tuna]

...............general reply.........

buyers can only send a request to cancel within the 1st hour,it is not automatic,a seller still has to approve it.Its usually in the sellers best interest to get the sale over, if thats what the buyer wants.The buyer did make contact and express his wishes.I always cancel for that.If I do not here from a buyer after a week maybe,then its right to filing a NPB.Sometimes I will resend an invoice.I have never really had to file a NPB on my regulars/returning customers,all of my regular buyers are the best and get plenty of leeway but it has to be earned

[southern*sweet*tea]

If a buyer asks you to cancel, then cancel using buyer requested. You get your fees back and can list immediately.

Buyers only have a one hour window to formally request a cancellation.

[racingfreak92]

Thank you Joe and others who answered this. If buyers can only cancel for 1 hour, ebay should update their support page as its misleading.

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/getting-paid/cancelling-transaction?id=4136 

[earlyant-77]

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@racingfreak92 wrote:

Thank you Joe and others who answered this. If buyers can only cancel for 1 hour, ebay should update their support page as its misleading.

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/getting-paid/cancelling-transaction?id=4136 

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Yes it is misleading. There is only a 'request to cancel' form or an hour after the listing ends(which the seller can deny, but I wouldn't recommend that). After that, they need to send you a message asking to cancel.

[tellmemama]

My pleasure. And I agree the wording is the usual ebay-ese. Fortunately these boards are here to help people navigate through it~