Unable to issue a refund - eBay error message

[rbemerson]

I received an item back from a buyer, who'd requested a return. OK on that part. When I try to send the refund to the buyer, I get a red error message box, and "The return can't go through now, try again later or ask for our help" (or very close to that). The "help" is useless - it all ends up in mediation, which isn't wanted. Buyer gets the money back, end of story. The problem is ebay won't send it back. Not a good thing! 

[mkaczorsee]

Are you getting this error message on mobile device?

I had this a few months ago when a buyer wanted to cancel (wrong size)

...tried on computer...went thru. 

[rbemerson]

Nope - working from my regular laptop (Win10).

I thought that maybe I could work from Paypal. Nope - it's got to be eBay. 

I just tried the refund again, and... same result. Try later or the same useless alternatives. Grrr...

I've sent the buy a note explaining the problem, and I sent a screen grab showing the error message. 

[papa486516]

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@rbemerson wrote:

When I try to send the refund to the buyer, I get a red error message box, and "The return can't go through now, try again later or ask for our help" (or very close to that).

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You need to have someone Friends & Neighbors you enough cash @rbemerson to your PayPal account that covers your negative balance, plus the buyer's entire original payment.

For example, if the original payment was $100 including shipping and sales tax, buy* you only got $80 after fees, you can't just offer your $80 and expect PayPal to add the $20 back. And PayPal won't withdraw the $80 or $100 or $200 (including the negative balance) from your bank account.

You have to show an actual positive balance enough to refund the entire original payment. Then after refunding, you'll get the sales tax back, the negative balance back, your dog, car, house back, etc. And you'll repay the someone that borrowed you the cash.

*see @jonathankirkland I meant to type "but"

[rbemerson]

OK, the original payment went to my bank, but my primary money sink and source is a credit card. If I understand what you say correctly, eBay/Paypal won't debit the plastic for the amount? I can't bring back the amount from the bank? That is, create a positive balance with a withdrawal.

It's weird that eBay doesn't say "no cash balance available" or simply bill me, in the monthly charges, for the amount of the refund. Having to have someone send money to support a return is ...um... a little on the odd side. 

[rbemerson]

This is ridiculous. I see the negative balance in PayPal. Next to it is "Add money". Click on that, and all I see is a card and the bank. Nowhere is there a "use this" button or whatever. 

I'm struggling hard to see how a refund can be so "not ready for prime time".

[rbemerson]

This is getting more and more confusing. The final invoiced amount should have been $65.50. $50 for the item and $15.50 for Priority, medium box. The buyer says he was invoiced $70.82. 

BTW, thinking things through, to get to a positive balance of $63.15, I'd need to pump $126.30 into the account. $63.15 to zero out the -$63.15, and $63.15 to have a positive balance of $63.15.

[rbemerson]

I finally got through to a real, live-sounding person (who knows what AI's can do). The problem was resolved by the agent - no explanation for the problem was given. 

The buyer paid $65.50 + New York state sales tax, which explains their spending $70.82, not $65.50. PayPal was properly debited, and all's well. Talk about a rain dance for nothing... Grrr...

[rbemerson · Accepted solution]

The matter was resolved after I got through to a real, live person. eBay waved a digital magic wand, and the buyer received their full refund. I have no explanation for why the problem occurred, but I'll take fixed without explanation over explained but not fixed. 🙂