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Buyer opened “Not as Described” return but has not returned the item
Summary: gutung-0 seeks advice on handling a buyer who opened a "Item Not as Described" return request on eBay, yet hasn't returned the item or responded to messages. The seller believes the listing is accurate and suspects misuse of the return process. myangelandmyprincess suggests ensuring a return label was offered, while inceptions advises that if no item is returned, the case should close automatically without refund. However, gosimus warns that attempting to dialogue without formally responding to eBay might allow the buyer to escalate the claim, resulting in a refund from the seller's account and a defect on their record. The consensus is to follow the formal return process to avoid such issues.
Hello everyone,
I would appreciate your advice regarding a buyer who opened an “Item Not as Described” return request.
The buyer claimed that the item was not as described, but my listing is accurate. The description and photos clearly match the item that was shipped.
I contacted the buyer several times to ask what the issue was and to try to resolve the situation, but the buyer has ignored all of my messages. eBay can verify our message history.
The buyer has not provided any evidence that the item is different from the listing.
What concerns me the most is that the buyer still has not returned the item. They opened the return request, but they have neither sent the item back nor responded to any of my messages.
This makes me feel that the return process is being misused.
Has anyone experienced something similar? What should I do in this situation, and is there a way to ask eBay to review the buyer’s behavior, the message history, and the fact that the item has not been returned?
Thank you in advance for any advice.
fashionsandbeauty4u
Mentor3 months ago@gutung-0
Ebay shows you are registered from Kazakhstan and opened your account in March 2026. Were these sold to someone in the United States? If so, are you expecting them to return to Kazakhstan? Did you send the Buyer the money to purchase a return label?
gosimus
Mentor3 months ago@gutung-0
< my listing is accurate. The description and photos clearly match the item >
That doesn't matter. Nobody is going to evaluate the merit of the NAD claim; eBay automatically sides with the claimant, i.e., the buyer. You should have accepted the return and provided a prepaid shipping label, as myangel already answered. Then, if the buyer doesn't return the item, you prevail by default. If you've been horsing around, trying to establish a dialog and all that, what happens next depends on how savvy the buyer is.
If the buyer knows what to do, after the prescribed period of time, with no formal response to the NAD by you, the buyer will click into the claim and use the feature called Ask eBay to Step In.
If the buyer does ask eBay to step in, then eBay will
• refund the buyer out of your account
• not credit the fees you paid back to you
• give you, or more accurately your account, a Defect
inceptions
Mentor3 months agoHi @gutung-0
No problem if you accepted the return and provided the return label and the buyer doesn't return the item within the return window. The case will close out automatically and you won't have to refund.
If you refunded instead, the buyer is advised by eBay that he doesn't have to return the item as he has no obligation or incentive to return the item. In this case, you'll just have to chalk it up as a learning experience and pay more attention to the options before choosing one.
myangelandmyprincess
Mentor3 months agoDid you click to accept the return and provide a return label?