Item has not been delivered

[immasales]

Item marked return delivered issue refund by 2/29. Item has not been delivered and tracking number states that it is still in transit. I contact customer service for help and what do they do? Placed a 10 day hold on funds while this item is still in transit. Not only have I not received my item back, they practically issued the refund now. How is this helpful to sellers. Been on eBay for more than 15 years and things are really getting bad.

[mam98031]

You did the correct thing by contacting Ebay and getting the refund stopped.  I have no idea why Ebay issued the refund to the buyer. 

If you have an open INAD, Ebay will put your funds on hold to cover what the buyer paid you originally.  However Ebay doesn't send that to the buyer.  You still have the money, it is just being held.

Once you get the item back, you have a couple of days to issue the refund to the buyer.  If you don't do that, the buyer will have a box they can check on the INAD which asks Ebay to step in.  You don't want that to happen.  If Ebay is asked to step in, they will force the refund at that time.

You should be fine right now.  The INAD is still in process.  Nothing to do but wait.

[kensgiftshop]

If they put the funds on hold, they haven't refunded the buyer, just holding it until the item is returned.

[mtgraves7984]

"... they practically issued the refund now."

@immasales 

Well... no they haven't. They're holding it (in lieu of refunding) to allow your package to get to you. It's all good so far.