OK, some hard advice for you. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, just don't shoot the messenger!
A smell is a subjective thing and as such no way to prove it is false or not. BUT a smell can be a valid reason for a SNAD case. (especially if your listing states item comes from a smoke free home or mentions other odors/sources)
So your first issue was that you rejected the return. One needs to read up on your responsibilities as a seller as it comes to returns. The best move, the one that creates the best buyer experience, is to accept all returns. If you can get the buyer to pay return shipping - WIN. If not, well it is the cost of doing business - ALL retail selling has to deal with returns, refunds, etc.
Now the fact that you rejected a return might have some bearing on eBays handling of the matter, right or wrong. Usually when eBay sees a seller that is reluctant to accept a return, they will just refund the buyer with your funds and the buyer has the funds and your product. So in some regards you were lucky that return shipping was required.
Now the fact that the package didn't get to you is curious. As another posted you need to check the addresses you have on file with eBay to make sure an old address isn't still in their system. IF this is the case, then the package was sent where you directed and there is nothing eBay will do.
Now another tool for the kit. IF you take a tracking number (TN) to the USPS, a supervisor should be able to provide a printout of the GPS coordinates of where that TN was delivered AND the associated address. That info is acceptable to eBay as evidence of misdelivery or non-receipt. Perhaps that would help provide it wasn't one of your old addresses.
All you can do at this point is appeal the decision on the case if you have any appeals left with eBay.
But all of that said.... all of this could have been avoided by just accepting the return!
I know, not what anyone wants to hear, but often we pay a little "tuition" to learn some lessons in life. Hopefully this tuition was just irritating and not life altering?
@es0000 wrote:The buyer did not mail them to my address, I can see where the town that they were sent to via USPS tracking. eBay updated the return to Delivered (not clear why), has issued a refund to the buyer, and charged my paypal account.
I filed a dispute several days ago when I saw the town on USPS before the change to Delivered and they closed the case regardless, today.
I'm with the others, @es0000. This is YOUR FAULT because eBay doesn't care where an item is delivered as long as the tracking says Delivered.
See this example -- eBay says it's Delivered, even though it was delivered back to the sender!
Don't bother checking your return address; whether it's correct or wrong doesn't matter.
