How do I cancel a buyer's order when funds are on hold?

[ixibatgirlixi]

I am a new seller on eBay so the funds are usually on hold for a few weeks when a purchase is made.  A buyer recently purchased an item from me and paid, now they are asking to cancel their order.  When I go to cancel the order and choose "buyer requested cancel", it says that if the funds aren't available it will charge my bank account.  The funds for this purchase will not be available until April.  Am I able to just cancel the order without it charging me?  Or do I have to wait until the funds have posted?

[dentalsales4u]

Don't make you buyer wait for their refund.

You always need a backup payment on file.

If the funds aren't there, eBay will charge your bank account or the credit card you have listed to use.

Once the hold is up, they should be transferred to your bank account making you whole except for the .30 transaction fee.

[ittybitnot]

A buyer recently purchased an item from me and paid, now they are asking to cancel their order.

@ixibatgirlixi 

Have you shipped the product? 

[kensgiftshop]

You'll have to cover the refund.

When the hold is released on the buyers payment, the funds will be sent to your checking account.

[mam98031 · Accepted solution]

To make the buyer wait until your funds are off hold will not only damage the health of your selling account it is completely unfair to the buyer who has nothing to do with the hold.  Waiting will cause you to get a late shipment defect.

So if you have enough in your bank account, then go ahead and process the cancellation and send the buyer their refund.  Once that gets processed, if you need to, contact Ebay and see if they would release at least the funds for this one transaction for you so you can put it back in your bank.

I would suggest that you contact Ebay for Business on Facebook or Twitter for the better trained CSRs.

Here are your options for contacting Ebay Customer Service.

https://twitter.com/askebay?lang=en

https://www.facebook.com/eBayForBusiness/


If when you use the link below you can only get to the Automated Assistant, type AGENT in the box and hit enter. You will then get more options.

https://www.ebay.com/help/contact_us?id=4002&st=10

For the Payment Team
https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/getting-paid/getting-paid-items-youve-sold/payments-hold?id=4816&&...

[redmodelt]

As a side note; Your no return policy does not override eBays. If there are defects in the packaging or item, they must be called out in the description of the item being sold. If you have not done so, I suggest reading the Money Back.

While there are a few categories it does not apply to, the greater number of listings can be returned, with you paying shipping, if the buyer opens a not as described return. 

[12345jamesstamps]

Canceling the order after payment means they have paid (period) . Which means if you cancel the order...the buyer gets their money ASAP before you get anything coming in. Any funds coming in (or on hold) to you will be subtracted immediately for this refund. I made that mistake. I should have waited a few days until I made the refund...Once I get my funds and I have nothing incoming would have been the best option for me. If you have no funds coming in...your banking institution will be used...but not immediately. eBay usually gives a seller some time to sell stuff to offset the refund.

[caldreamer]

EBAY requires that you make "immediate refund" when customer cancels item.    If you refuse to give customer a refund...they can go to credit card company and "reverse payment" (keep item and your money).

You need to keep money in your account to cover any problems that may arise.

[mam98031]

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@caldreamer wrote:

EBAY requires that you make "immediate refund" when customer cancels item.    If you refuse to give customer a refund...they can go to credit card company and "reverse payment" (keep item and your money).

You need to keep money in your account to cover any problems that may arise.

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No Ebay does not.  A buyer can not process a cancellation under any circumstance.  What they can do is request one.  It is ONLY the seller that can process the cancellation.

And you are correct, IF the seller does accept the cancellation, then after filing that, they should immediately refund the buyer in full.  Ebay will then process the refund back to whatever the source was for the original payment by the buyer.

[ixibatgirlixi]

No, not yet.

[mtgraves7984]

"... it says that if the funds aren't available it will charge my bank account."

@ixibatgirlixi 

They're only looking for the $.30 Transaction fee. The rest of the buyer's refund comes from the funds on hold. 

[slippinjimmy]

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@mtgraves7984 wrote:

"... it says that if the funds aren't available it will charge my bank account."

@ixibatgirlixi 

They're only looking for the $.30 Transaction fee. The rest of the buyer's refund comes from the funds on hold. 

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FYI - Starting next Wednesday the 30 cent fixed fee will also be refunded on a buyer cancellation.

[ixibatgirlixi]

Thank you everyone for your advice.  I spoke directly with someone at eBay and they gave me a "loophole" (that is what they called it lol) so I am able to cancel the item and it will only refund the money that was for that transaction from those specific funds even though they are on hold.  So it wont charge my card or take money from any other sales, and my account will not be negative.

[mam98031]

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@ixibatgirlixi wrote:

Thank you everyone for your advice.  I spoke directly with someone at eBay and they gave me a "loophole" (that is what they called it lol) so I am able to cancel the item and it will only refund the money that was for that transaction from those specific funds even though they are on hold.  So it wont charge my card or take money from any other sales, and my account will not be negative.

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Please share.  What did they tell you to do?

[homeportal]

I just had a similar issue. 
Order placed, items purchased, payment made. 
Then an almost immediate request to cancel, while payment is still processing and won't  clear for another day or two.

Customer Service told me to wait until the payment has cleared - *then* cancel and refund.  And it won't affect me as a seller and I won't lose any fees because sellers have 3 days to decide if they'll accept the cancellation request anyway.

So I just let the customer know that their cancellation request and refund will take place in the next 48 hours, dependent on the payment clearing. 
It was just too much $$ to be okay having eBay charge my card and then hoping I get it back and/or isn't a scam.