Seller refunded, but not through ebay's returns process; via PayPals 'Friends and Family' option...?

[hddragonn]

My seller never shipped, even up to the last day of the delivery window, so I asked to cancel the transaction. They verbally said they would, but then dragged their feet on the refund. I ended up asking eBay to step in, and the seller responded today with a refund outside of eBay's returns/refunds process.

Yes, the money is sitting in my PayPal account, but something just feel hinky about this. eBay doesn't know that they refunded me; all they know is that the seller 'offered another solution'. TBH, I haven't sold anything on ebay in awhile so I'm not sure if this is some new feature, but I'm just going with my gut that something feels off here. Is there a risk that the funds could be reversed? I can't bring myself to close the resolution/claim until I understand what's going on here. Can anyone shed some light on what might have happened?

Thank you!

[green-night · Accepted solution]

Can anyone shed some light on what might have happened?

Your seller refunded you outside the return process so that you can't leave feedback if they can get the case closed in their favor (or you close it yourself).    A paypal payment sent as "Friends & Family" cannot be reversed so you don't need to worry about that. 

[myboardid]

You have your money, close the case. 

[hddragonn]

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wrote:

Your seller refunded you outside the return process so that you can't leave feedback if they can get the case closed in their favor (or you close it yourself).    A paypal payment sent as "Friends & Family" cannot be reversed so you don't need to worry about that. 

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Thank you so much, this is exactly what I needed to know. Have a great weekend!

[missjen831]

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wrote:

Can anyone shed some light on what might have happened?

Your seller refunded you outside the return process so that you can't leave feedback if they can get the case closed in their favor (or you close it yourself).    A paypal payment sent as "Friends & Family" cannot be reversed so you don't need to worry about that. 

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I don’t think this is why the seller refunded outside the process. He can’t get the case closed in his favor and the OP is about to get a double refund since the OP asked eBay to step in. Feedback can still be left if the buyer closes the case. 

[green-night]

I wonder if the seller did this then thinking that would be the case.  My first thought was that if OP's seller called ebay and provided proof that they refunded outside the return process that ebay would somehow be able to close the case without processing the refund through the INR and in turn blocking the OP from leaving fb.   What you say makes sense in terms of still being about to leave FB, but my initial thought was they wouldn't.    Can't image why else they would do it this way (unless the seller just had no idea how to refund?).   

[flyinhawaiiangirl]

Could the seller avoid an out of stock defect by refunding the OP this way?

[green-night]

The seller wouldn't have gotten an out of stock defect if they refunded through the INR case.  That would only be if they canceled the transaction themselves. 

[creoleorchid]

I tend to think it’s more that you have a clueless seller. Maybe he thought he would avoid a defect that way, maybe he couldn’t figure out how to do it otherwise, maybe maybe maybe. 

I also think it’s very likely you will end up with a double refund. If that happens, don’t be in a rush to repay through F & F because eBay could reverse the refund made through the eBay case if he files an appeal. 

[green-night]

eBay would never reverse the refund.  Sellers who win appeals get the money from ebay as a courtesy, not the buyer. 

[tammgreen9]

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wrote:

I tend to think it’s more that you have a clueless seller. Maybe he thought he would avoid a defect that way, maybe he couldn’t figure out how to do it otherwise, maybe maybe maybe. 

I also think it’s very likely you will end up with a double refund. If that happens, don’t be in a rush to repay through F & F because eBay could reverse the refund made through the eBay case if he files an appeal. 

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eBay doesn't reverse refunds on appeal. They pay the seller back out of their pockets and psss that along to us in fees