seller wants me to send back destroyed item? I just want a refund.

[candyman99]

I received an iphone back glass that arrived shattered into little pieces.  I took a picture of it and sent it to the seller and they authorized a return.  I don't have the bits anymore and would just like a refund.  When I click on contact seller it says they don't exist anymore.

Is there a way to still get a refund?

[ed8108]

When you issued a prepaid return label , you are required to send back the damaged item, to receive a payment refund.

[mtgraves7984]

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@candyman99 wrote:

I received an iphone back glass that arrived shattered into little pieces.  I took a picture of it and sent it to the seller and they authorized a return.  I don't have the bits anymore and would just like a refund.  When I click on contact seller it says they don't exist anymore.

Is there a way to still get a refund?

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@candyman99 

If the seller approved the Return by requiring that the item be returned before refunding, then you could send back the picture of the shattered item. That's not the best way to have handled it... which would have been to save the bits to return, but it may be a way forward. Follow this next time: eBay Money Back Guarantee policy

If you close the claim, you're done on eBay but could go to PayPal (if you used them) or your credit card.

[kensgiftshop]

If the seller wants the item returned before refunding, that's their right.

You should have held on to the pieces until you found out if they wanted it returned or not.

[spark-chaser1]

It's the money or the item. Even if the phone was ground into dust, you should have prepared to ship it back. 

The seller may need the physical item to examine it, or any other reason that they determine. By throwing the phone away, you are now at the mercy of the seller who can decide to " throw away" your refund. They are fully within their right to do so at this point.

[qeqo_0 · Accepted solution]

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@candyman99 wrote:

I received an iphone back glass that arrived shattered into little pieces.  

Is there a way to still get a refund? 

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For returns, eBay issues USPS labels. USPS will not accept broken glass.

Regardless the seller's status, click RETURN THIS ITEM, and ARRIVED DAMAGED.

You'll have to return the photo instead, if @candyman99 must be returned to get your refund.

[dirk12955]

Very helpful.    I'm selling on ebay 23 years and today I learned something new.  👍

[dolcetreasures]

The seller may need the damaged junk for auditing purposes or QA. Please follow the rules of returns to become whole. 

[tabcu51]

Requiring the return of the item in order to process the refund is simply Standard Operating Procedure for quite a few sellers, in fact it helps activate one of few seller protections available to them and so many will opt for this method of "return for refund."

[spark-chaser1]

I also do not accept broken glass. But that never stopped the USPS with providing me some😉