Your order couldn't be cancelled

[comyca]

I bought a lens on ebay.

Seller emails me saying that there is a defect in the lens, wants to know if I still want it or do I want a refund?

I tell him I want a refund.

It's been like a week and now I got email from ebay:

"Your order couldn't be cancelled"

We couldn’t cancel your order because there was an issue with the refund. If you don’t receive the it by the estimated delivery date, please report that your order hasn’t arrived. If you receive the item(s), you can request a return.

This is so confusing and frustrating.

Why wont ebay give me back my money?

I thought the seller's bank accounts are linked to ebay.

What is the reason for not being able to get my almost $400 back?

[sherah1210]

Has the seller shipped the item and have they uploaded tracking?

[krazzykats]

Open an item not received case, and choose refund.

Get help with an item that hasn't arrived | eBay

[soh.maryl]

The OP cannot open an item not received case until the package is at least one day late per the last estimated delivery date.

And the OP has not yet shared that date with us.  

[fab_finds4u]

When you sell on eBay you need to link a checking account for payouts and attach a payment method for seller fees that aren't taken  from the payout. 

There was an issue with the refund because the seller cannot refund until they attach a payment method for seller fees that aren't taken from their payout. 

When the seller refunds there's a .30 transaction fee that the seller has to pay to eBay. eBay wants that .30 before the refund will go through.

If the seller refuses to refund  or is unable to refund then you must get your money back by filing a dispute after the expected delivery date. Then eBay will be able to step in and refund if the seller doesn't refund.

[ms.rodriguez*]

This is the correct explanation.  To the poster, the seller does NOT have the full amount in his account. Email him and tell him to add a credit card to his account or link a bank account to ebay  and that account should at least have your full refund in it.   Tell him to do it because if you open a case and ebay steps in to refund, he will still owe the fees but he gets a "defect" for having Ebay handle the refund. A few 'defects" , and he is suspended.