Advanced refund?

[jjddmwi]

Has Ebay always provided a refund to the buyer before the item even gets back to the seller?

I am the seller, and I accept returns.  I have an item coming back to me due to fit.  The buyer just shipped it and it seems like once it got the USPS acceptance scan, Ebay gave the buyer their refund.  Baffling.   I didn't authorize the refund because I don't have it back yet.   

[devon@ebay]

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@valueaddedresource wrote:

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@jjddmwi wrote:

@valueaddedresource  

Yes, this is in the clothing category.  As a matter of fact, I have 2 returns coming back and BOTH buyers received the advanced refund.  

No idea if it matters, but both are returning due to not fitting - and I have 30 day returns, buyer pays shipping.

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Thanks @jjddmwi - I've been digging into it more and discovered a stealth unannounced change in eBay's Refunding Buyers policy page. 🔍

The Internet Archive shows this is what the page looked like on April 9, 2024:

https://web.archive.org/web/20240409021543/https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/managing-returns-refund...

And here's what the page says today:

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/managing-returns-refunds/refunding-buyers?id=5182#section1

Unfortunately, April was the most recent archive so it's impossible to say when exactly it changed, but considering we haven't seen very many (any that I'm aware of?) reports here in the community from other seller seeing it, I'd guess it's likely much more recent than that - probably in the last month or so.

It says this change will not impact seller protections , so in theory sellers should still be able to deduct up to 50% if an item is used or damaged by the buyer and should still have neutral and negative feedback removed if they choose to deduct from the refund for that reason.

However, it's not clear how that will actually work in practice.

If the buyer is provided a full refund in advance and the seller completes the process with an allowed deduction once the item is actually received, does eBay let that buyer keep the full amount and just eat the difference themselves or will that difference be taken back from the buyer?

If it is taken back from the buyer, that sounds like a recipe for all kinds of problems, including possibly running afoul of consumer protection laws and regulations and most certainly increasing chargebacks claiming unauthorized charges.

I'm guessing eBay may be planning on revealing details at eBay Open and/or in the Fall Seller Update but since this is clearly already in effect now, they really do owe it to sellers to provide information now, in my opinion.

devon@ebay  kyle@ebay  elizabeth@ebay  please get with the appropriate team to find out when this went into effect and details of how it works, including how eBay determines when a buyer is eligible for an advanced refund and who funds the difference if the seller rightfully deducts from the refund once the item is received back.

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Hey @valueaddedresource! At this time we do not have any additional details that we can share on this topic. 

[wastingtime101]

That could mean an announcement coming at eBay Open. Or it could mean this is a test eBay's not willing to discuss at this stage.

Either way, it all seems pretty straightforward with the exception of which buyers qualify and I doubt eBay will reveal that info, opening up the process to abuse.

[valueaddedresource]

Thanks devon@ebay !

I agree @wastingtime101 , my guess is an announcement for eBay Open or Fall Seller Update since usually they don't change policy pages if it's just a test.

[bennotbill]

If this does become an ebay thing won't it just lead to lots of complaints and arguments from buyers.

Along the lines of - Why aren't I a "Trusted Buyer"?

And it's bound to be the sellers fault.

[aproudparent2010]

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@jjddmwi wrote:

Has Ebay always provided a refund to the buyer before the item even gets back to the seller?

I am the seller, and I accept returns.  I have an item coming back to me due to fit.  The buyer just shipped it and it seems like once it got the USPS acceptance scan, Ebay gave the buyer their refund.  Baffling.   I didn't authorize the refund because I don't have it back yet.   

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The screenshot you posted shows that they haven't taken the money from you yet, when the item comes back you authorize the funds to be released to the buyer.

[jjddmwi]

@aproudparent2010  - Ebay did refund the buyer before I had the item back.  The buyer is the one who let me know.  They were refunded as soon as the acceptance scan showed up from USPS.  I saw a screenshot of the refund.  

The money was not taken out of my account until I had the item back, however.

[aproudparent2010]

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@jjddmwi wrote:

@aproudparent2010  - Ebay did refund the buyer before I had the item back.  The buyer is the one who let me know.  They were refunded as soon as the acceptance scan showed up from USPS.  I saw a screenshot of the refund.  

The money was not taken out of my account until I had the item back, however.

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Exactly what i said above.......

[gf_computers]

I just had a return that was an "advance refund". The buyer damaged the item. It was a 3D printed computer part that  they heated and warped then returned it saying no longer needed. Ebay closed the return allowing the buyer to keep the refund and I kept all of my funds. 

[valueaddedresource]

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@gf_computers wrote:

I just had a return that was an "advance refund". The buyer damaged the item. It was a 3D printed computer part that  they heated and warped then returned it saying no longer needed. Ebay closed the return allowing the buyer to keep the refund and I kept all of my funds. 

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@gf_computers interesting, thanks for the info!

Did you have to report the buyer or anything? Normally in the return flow I believe it would allow for deducting up to 50% if the item was damaged, but I'm curious if there any additional steps needed in order for you to keep all the funds.

[rlw2970]

I have a friend that is a Seller that this happened to today (9/3/2024). They issued the buyer an 'advance refund' and they returned a totally different bottle of perfume!

[xadexane]

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@rlw2970 wrote:

I have a friend that is a Seller that this happened to today (9/3/2024). They issued the buyer an 'advance refund' and they returned a totally different bottle of perfume! 

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How does eBay @valueaddedresource determine that this was a thrusted buyer, to be thrusted an advanced refund?

[valueaddedresource]

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@xadexane wrote:

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@rlw2970 wrote:

I have a friend that is a Seller that this happened to today (9/3/2024). They issued the buyer an 'advance refund' and they returned a totally different bottle of perfume! 

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How does eBay @valueaddedresource determine that this was a thrusted buyer, to be thrusted an advanced refund?

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@xadexane that's the million dollar question but unfortunately, as eBay staff said earlier in this thread....they're not revealing details at this time. 🤐

[blacktopautoparts]

Just as there are "TRUSTED BUYERS", how about the "TRUSTED SELLERS"? A few weeks ago, I got a Instrument Cluster returned from a customer and they damaged the lens, then tossed the item in a box full of plastic Easter eggs in a box way much bigger than what we sent it out in. Not only did they mess up our service metrics initially marking it as a defective item, they returned this damaged and also placed it in a larger box than what my initial label was for the return costing me more in shipping costs and then also add the shoddy packaging they used. Once situations like this occur where it goes to eBay and they just auto authorize these returns, where does this leave the seller? We end up losing even more money in the end with this kind of a joke of a return process.

eBay concierge reps have been so stressed out the past year with the screwed up feedback policies that eBay has had, they finally semi fixed this issue. Now they are going to create the reps another round of troublesome calls that they have to deal with from sellers because returns for Motors now will impact the sellers. Not sure who comes up with these backwards policies.