Possible to give buyer free return without incurring a defect?

[rollingsteam]

A buyer  purchased an item from me and then requested a cancelation. I tried to cancel it but eBay was glitching and wouldn't let me do it. 3 days later eBay says the buyer's cancellation request expired and I now have to ship out the item.

So now I would like to let the buyer return the item for free, since this was more my fault than theirs. But is there a way to give free return shipping without them selecting a "reason for return" that gives me a defect? My understanding is that selecting one of the buyer-at-fault reasons for return (like "Changed my mind") will require them to cover cost of return shipping.

[comicstwo]

@rollingsteam   I wouldn't ship the item.  I would first try canceling the sale as problem with buyers address. 

It looks like you are now in managed payments.  Go to the sold item and choose the drop down menu next to it. Then select issue refund. 

If it's not working try another browser.

[rollingsteam]

I already shipped the item because that's what eBay told me to do on the phone. But there was/is no refund option for this item like there is for my other sold items. I guess the transaction is stuck in some weird cancellation limbo?

[stephenmorgan]

You can purchase the return shipping label from different on-line shipping companies and then eMail them the shipping label.