Buyer is cancelling an hour after they won the bid. I haven't even had a chance to ship.

[adeptmonkey]

My auction was just completed today. The buyer decided they didn't want the item because they found it elsewhere after winning the bid.

-  The buyer already paid on eBay. 
-  eBay sent me notice that the buyer is saying they never received the item (of course not, the auction just completed. I'm in Oregon, they are in Texas. How do I ship to Texas in less than 4 hours?!!!!
-  It looks like, if I approve the refund, eBay is going to charge me a $534 fee. 
-  I've attempted to have eBay call me on my cell phone. They keep saying they tried and my number blocks them. That's not true. I have disabled any blocking on my device, and I've called T-mobile to make sure there is nothing that would block eBay's call. T-mobile confirmed that eBay should be able to call. I've never had this problem with ANY other company EVER. 
-  How do I resolve this without getting charged a fee. I didn't do anything wrong, the buyer is the one requesting the cancellation before I have a chance to ship! 

PLEASE HELP!!!!

[wastingtime101]

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@adeptmonkey wrote:

@buyselljack2016 

So, it looks like this: 

Review and refund

Total refund to buyer

$3,729.30

Refund summary

Refund summaryTransaction details Transaction amount

Purchase price: $3560.00
Shipping: $169.30
Fee Credits:  -$534.90

Refund amount you owe

$3,194.40

When I click on "Show details" it adds this:
Final Value FeeVariable percentage: $534.90

So, I have no funds available to cover that $534.90 of the refund, are they going to charge my bank account or my card that $534.90? Or is that all going to come out in the wash? 

This system is very confusing. 

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I was slow typing my last post but this confirms what we've all been saying. The $534.90 is coming from eBay's pocket. The balance $3,194.40 is what you owe.

I'll repeat what I said on my last post: 

eBay puts the funds from the sale on hold. Then they pull the refund amount from either your available funds (which you don't have) or your backup funding source (bank account). Once that's complete they release the hold and send those funds to you. Then it's up to your bank how long it takes them to process the payout. In the end it all evens out, but you do have to front the $3,194.40 for the refund. There's no way around it.

[buyselljack2016]

you are beyond being able to use "buyer requested" because the buyer did not "request to cancel. theyddi INR 

[adeptmonkey]

@wastingtime101 

I haven't received any funds from the sale yet (I'm the seller). The fact that the buyer chose "item not received" or whatever it is, makes it look like I'm negligent or that the item got lost in the mail. It didn't. The buyer just made payment on the item today -- their payment hasn't even cleared yet.

Note, that the buyer says they were not given any other option in their cancellation request, and it doesn't offer the option of "Buyer cancelled" when I go to approve the refund. 

If they charge my card $534.90, I don't have that $$$ in my account right now. That's the problem. 

[buyselljack2016]

I believe they will want to charge your account $3,194.40. eBay is covering the $534.90

[adeptmonkey]

@buyselljack2016 

So, what do I do?

Of course, the buyer didn't receive the item. The auction ended yesterday afternoon, and the buyer only made payment this afternoon. I haven't had a chance to ship it.

This makes it look like the cancellation is my fault, not that the buyer is simply backing out. Am I wrong? 

[wastingtime101]

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@adeptmonkey wrote:

If they charge my card $534.90, I don't have that $$$ in my account right now. That's the problem. 

---

The buyer could not systematically request to cancel so instead they filed a non-receipt claim (INR = item not received). Ignore everything about cancelling and deal with what is: an INR claim.

eBay is not going to charge $534.90 - they are going to pull the amount you owe $3,194.40 from your bank and if you don't have those funds, your bank will probably get hit with an overdraft fee.

Do you have a family member that can lend you the money for one week, and you can pay them back after eBay releases the funds from the original sale? That will be your best option.

Note: If you do not voluntarily refund through the INR and eBay has to step in, that will resolve in a forfeiture of the $534.90 fees. That means you'll owe the full $3,729.30 and only get $3,194.40 paid out. Do not put yourself in that position.

[12345jamesstamps]

I did a refund...I waited 3 days to do it. And I marked item shipped on 1st day of sale...but didn't ship it yet. LOL.

Buyer asked to cancel as well. I waited until all 'available funds' cleared...and then I did the refund. It gives me a negative 'available funds' but goes into positive once I get more sales into 'available funds'.

If you are not expecting any sales soon it will probably come from your banking institution.

 I am wondering if you can mark shipped and then give a refund like I did...

[wastingtime101]

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@adeptmonkey wrote:

This makes it look like the cancellation is my fault, not that the buyer is simply backing out. Am I wrong? 

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Appearance is the least of your worries right now. You need to get approx $3,200 in your bank to front the money for this refund.

[adeptmonkey]

@wastingtime101 

That makes no sense. The buyer made payment but it hasn't cleared yet. I'm guessing it will clear in the next 24 hours. I have 3 days to respond to the refund request. If I wait for their funds to clear wouldn't it just make more sense for eBay to refund everything back to the buyer and not charge me a fee? 

I never received any funds from eBay on the item at all. If what you are saying is true, I'm just screwed. It seems like a really messed system and I will immediately close my eBay account. 

[wastingtime101]

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@12345jamesstamps wrote:

 I am wondering if you can mark shipped and then give a refund like I did...

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That off book method is not going to work because the OP is a new seller whose funds are on hold. It's not a matter of waiting a few days for funds to clear. On top of that, there's an INR with a clock ticking.

The seller needs to find a way to put $3,200 in their bank to front the refund, then the original sale funds will be released after the refund clears.

[adeptmonkey]

@12345jamesstamps 

I'm not a professional eBayer. I don't plan to have any more sales. After this insanity I will be closing my eBay account never to return!

I'm just a guy trying to sell a scope my father left me that I will never use. 

[wastingtime101]

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@adeptmonkey wrote:

@wastingtime101 

That makes no sense. The buyer made payment but it hasn't cleared yet. I'm guessing it will clear in the next 24 hours. I have 3 days to respond to the refund request. If I wait for their funds to clear wouldn't it just make more sense for eBay to refund everything back to the buyer and not charge me a fee? 

I never received any funds from eBay on the item at all. If what you are saying is true, I'm just screwed. It seems like a really messed system and I will immediately close my eBay account. 

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It's not going to work. Even when the buyer's funds clear, they will be on hold. Generally speaking, new sellers with high value items are subject to funds being held for 30 days. Even if that wasn't the case, the funds would be on hold because of the INR request.

There is no way to work around the system on this and wait it out. You need to borrow money and put it in your bank. After the buyer's refunded the original sale funds will be released and you can pay back your lender.

Also - you cannot immediately close your account. I believe it's a 6 mo waiting period from your last transaction before you can close it.

[adeptmonkey]

@wastingtime101 

Wow, what a cluster**bleep** of a system. How does it ever make sense to use eBay unless you do it professionally? 

 

I think what I'll do is just go talk to the bank tomorrow and explain how eBay is screwing me and either deny the charge or close the account.

[12345jamesstamps]

I didn't realize how expensive the sale was.

I am so sorry.

Not doing the refund...eBay will do it from your banking source.

Question to others experts here: Will seller still be charged an eBay fee for a sale even if refund is given?

[buyselljack2016]

any chance that CS can help this seller?