Why am I being punished?

[ganib51]

Hey so I was almost broke and trying to make a few bucks and I came upon eBay, I had a couple tv screens that I wanted to sell so I put those TVs up and within a matter of time they sold, I shipped them and they get to the customer all broken, the box was ripped up and even a T-shirt was thrown inside the box( I do not know where the tshirt came from because it was not in there when I shipped it). The buyer decided to get a refund and I agreed with him because of how absurd the whole situation is so I gave him that refund. The moment I agreed to refund the buyer eBay charged my card $271 straight from my bank without warning so I called customer support and they told me within 48 hours I should get that money back because it takes a couple days. I waited a couple days and now instead of getting my money back eBay charged me another $80. I now only have 90 dollars in my bank account and that’s all I have for the next 2 weeks all because I wanted to make a little bit of money on the side. Why am I being punished for this? I thought the money that was on hold is specifically for refunds. No one is helping and that’s the reason why I am reaching out here because there isn’t even an email who I can contact. I am starving myself right now so I can feed my son because those 90 is all I got for the next 2 weeks. I am going to issue a refund from ups also because they broke the screens I paid good money for but that’s a separate issue. If anybody can help me get that money back I would appreciate it.

[heckofagame]

Once money is on a hold, it sits there until the situation is resolved, requiring you to find an alternate method of refunding. Available funds or processing funds can be used for refunding, but not held funds.

[ebooksdiva]

If you refunded the buyer without having enough funds in your eBay account then the amount of the refund is pulled from your payment account on file.

Your buyer paid $50.00 for the item plus $155.80 for shipping the total is $205.80. I don't know where you think eBay took an additional $65.20 from your credit card for the refund because eBay doesn't refund more than the buyer has paid.

[12345jamesstamps · Accepted solution]

New sellers who haven't sold something in 30 days can get a hold on those funds for 30 days. 

Doing the refund comes out of "available funds"...if you have none...then it comes from your banking source.

Shipping a TV like that...should have sold it to a friend or someone.

If you promoted it...that also comes out of immediate funds before you get the funds from the sale.

Not much can be done through eBay. 

[inhawaii]

You take in $100.

That $100 gets put on hold.

Now you need to refund a customer $100.

That money can't come from the $100 you just took in because that $100 is on HOLD.

The refund will come out of your back up funding source.

In a few days/weeks when your original $100 is taken off HOLD, it will become available.

[kensgiftshop]

You're not being punished, that's the way refunds work if you don't have the avaliable funds to cover the refund.

You have to cover the refund, then the buyers payment will be sent to your checking account when the hold is released.

[toomuchstuffagain35]

This is where I don't see why they can't take the refund out of the funds on HOLD, when they specifically say they are holding those funds "in case of a refund".

[ganib51]

The weird part was that my available funds was around -270. Im not too aware as to how eBay really works I just assumed that’s how it looks when the money is on hold. Once the refund was issued the account went from -270 to 0 and then they charged my account. So either way in a few days I won’t get any money because there is no money they are going to give me.

[sakic92710]

I don't understand it.  Isn't the money on hold in case there is a problem?  If there is, the hold comes off & the money goes back to the buyer.  This is the way it is supposed to work.  If not, then it's just one more reason why eBay is a pain in the @$$ with screwed up business model.

[fashunu4eeuh]

---

@ganib51 wrote:

The weird part was that my available funds was around -270. Im not too aware as to how eBay really works I just assumed that’s how it looks when the money is on hold. Once the refund was issued the account went from -270 to 0 and then they charged my account. So either way in a few days I won’t get any money because there is no money they are going to give me.

---

Hi @ganib51 

So sorry you got caught up in this. Sadly, eBay is not the place to raise urgently needed funds due to the myriad of rules, procedures, and policies. Without understanding how it works, sellers leave themselves open to costly mistakes.

[ganib51]

I was trying to fight this and trying my best to get my money back but it sounds like I’m just gonna have to do what I was going to do in the first place: I’m just going to take the loss and hold an excessive and annoying grudge against eBay.

[fashunu4eeuh]

---

@ganib51 wrote:

I was trying to fight this and trying my best to get my money back but it sounds like I’m just gonna have to do what I was going to do in the first place: I’m just going to take the loss and hold an excessive and annoying grudge against eBay.

---

I wish eBay made it clearer to new sellers that the risk involved in selling here is substantial, and can cause financial  hardship to the uninitiated.

But let me add @ganib51 , that we know it takes real courage to put oneself out there to create benefits for loved ones. It’s commendable and proves conscientiousness. With your drive and openness, i am certain success will only be a matter of time for you, wherever you head.

eBay can be a good thing, and i wish you well, whatever you decide. 

[lakefor94]

There is not any punishment,  you just made a mistake in online selling.

TV should have been sold locally for cash. You have to eat the shipping cost as well. A $50 item with $150 shipping is a terrible equation.

As an experienced shipper/seller, no way I would try to ship a 55" TV.  Way too much risk vs. reward. They are meant to ship boxed on a pallet. No way would I even think about having a UPS store pack and ship it. 

Getting any money out of UPS is going to be tough as well.

EBay won't be helping out with any courtesy refunds. Sorry to hear of these issues.

Best of luck the rest of the month.

[inhawaii]

---

@sakic92710 wrote:

I don't understand it.  Isn't the money on hold in case there is a problem?  If there is, the hold comes off & the money goes back to the buyer.  This is the way it is supposed to work.  If not, then it's just one more reason why eBay is a pain in the @$$ with screwed up business model.

---

I was under the impression that monies on hold are not usable for any reason (even a refund) until the hold is lifted. Someone correct me if i'm wrong, 

[tobaccocardyahoo]

Lightning does not strike multiple times in the same spot.

If you had multiple broken monitors, you did not pack them adequately.

Yes, Ebay magnified the effect of your error, but that is not uncommon for new sellers to experience on any marketplace.