How Will Ebay Handle Refund If I Don't Manually Approve It?

[1nicebuy]

A buyer returned a product as I allow returns but I'm on vacation and won't be able to test the product until beyond the date Ebay says I need to issue the refund by.  I haven't had to issue a refund in years and the form of payment they use is different than how the deposited the money so the charge for the refund isn't going to go through until I update the payment method if they try to issue the refund automatically.

I have a negative account balance due to the hold for the refund amount.  I'm wondering, if I'm not able to change the payment and process the refund until after the date Ebay requested me to issue the refund by, will they automatically refund the buyer using Ebay's own funds or does the buyer have to manually initiate a dispute to request the refund then Ebay will find in their favor and issue the refund leaving my account with a negative balance? Or will they use the bank account information that they use to deposit funds from sales?  In other words, do they only do ACH deposits and not debits? (only debit a credit or debit card?)

The other thing I'm wondering is in thousands of transactions I've never had a dispute against me.  If they have to file a dispute to force Ebay to issue the refund would that negatively affect anything else about my Seller account other than the account balance? 

[luckythewinner]

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@1nicebuy wrote:

Or will they use the bank account information that they use to deposit funds from sales? 

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eBay has a page that explains how refunds work:

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

[simba6]

If you don't refund, eBay will and also ding you for poor customer support.    Buyers always win such cases anyway so, there is no need to "test" before refunding.

[lakefor94]

Don't allow eBay to do the refund in your behalf. That garners a nasty defect on your selling account. 

If my available eBay funds won't cover a refund, I have a credit card attached to my seller account that eBay can charge. I don't run into these situations very often. 

I suppose they might could also debit from my bank account if they needed to.

I think the correct answer would be the credit card attached to the seller account.

[ittybitnot]

 there is no need to "test" before refunding....

@simba6 

If the OP, @1nicebuy is eligible for the  program that allows a seller to withhold a refund up to 50% due to buyers not returning the item in the same condition or returning the proverbial rock instead, there is a reason to inspect or test the item.  

If not, then you are correct, that "inspect the item when returned" is just eBay fluff, and it matters not what is in the box. The refund will need to be processed by the seller upon return or eBay will do it for them from the seller's proceeds.  If there is not enough 'available' (not on hold) funds eBay can debit the buyer's bank account or credit card.  I don't know which one eBay chooses if the seller does nothing, but I assume it would be the bank account hit as a first choice. 

[kensgiftshop]

You have two days after tracking shows the package was delivered to issue the refund.

If you don't and Ebay has to do it, they'll pull the funds from your checking account if needed, give you a defect and probably keep their fee's because you didn't handle the return/refund.

[coolections]

Does the item show delivered back to you ? If yes, issue the refund. Worry about anything else when you get back.

[chapeau-noir]

If you're on vacation and can't test the item, then unfortunately that's the breaks and you'll just need to refund.

Sometimes it works out that way.  I've had to refund sight-unseen because of exactly this, but eBay isn't responsible for my holiday schedule and neither is the buyer, so I just have to go with it.

[simba6]

Oops.  I should have said that about the TRS program.

[bonjourami]

"You have two days after tracking shows the package was delivered to issue the refund."

Thats supposed to be the criteria, but there have been many complaints on the boards that Ebay refunded the buyer the moment the seller received the return.

[fab_finds4u]

I have a comment about deducting 50% from a refund that was returned under MBG. If it's not as described why would a seller deduct anything?  The buyer is entitled to a full refund when it's not as described.

That feature to deduct  is supposed to be for remorse returns where the item is not in the original condition because they removed tags or used it. They have to do something that lowered the value.  

If I'm wrong please tell me.

[klhmdg]

@fab_finds4u    Buyers have been known to say not as described for free shipping return and then send something else or garbage back.

IF the buyer says Not as Described and send back something different that lowers the value, and the seller should not have to eat shipping costs both ways and refund 100%

[cashmeredelight]

no need test it as Ebay would not believe you anyway and will give the buyer back their money.If you do dispute in all probability you would loose and then have to pay a $20 extra fee. Ebay is for the buyer!!!

[cashmeredelight]

Just issue refund as soon as it arrives - can do this from wherever you are

[12345jamesstamps]

Issue the refund. If you have no available funds and none coming in after a number of days it comes out of your banking institution per your debit card of that banking institution.

Usually the funds on hold will take care of the refund...unless you have other things like refund from shipping or promoted fees and such.

I don't see a lot of activity on this account per 30 days and usually eBay only looks at a monthly basis and not "thousands of transactions".

Do not let the refund escalate to eBay taking care of the refund. Just refund and enjoy a vacation.

And you cannot change how you refund buyers at the last minute.