how to make best of messed up return/refund as buyer

[ericlovescameras]

i bought an item. the seller took a long time to give it to usps. i sent the seller a message about it. they responded sorry, created a shipping label, but did not take the item to usps until a few days later.

the end of delivery window arrived. i bought the item at a brick and mortar store and requested a return through paypal (i could not yet through ebay because it had not arrived). the seller responded through ebay, "No worries for the return . I have provided you a full refund and just keep the [item] free of charge due to poor execution."

the refund did not process through ebay or paypal. usps tracking updated, and showed that the item will arrive today/tomorrow (04/10).

i responded through ebay that the refund had not processed, and likely would when the item arrived tomorrow (04/10). through ebay, i said when the item arrived and the refund processed, i would attempt to return their unused/unopened item to the store. if successful i would send them half the money back (keeping half myself to pay for time going to the store twice and once waiting in the return line which will happen tomorrow).

the seller and i both messed up. i'm trying to make the best of it for both of us, as ebay makes it hard for both the seller and buyer. so which will happen ...

1. item arrives tomorrow

2. refund automatically processes through paypal

or

1. item arrives tomorrow

2. i have to forget about the paypal return request and request the return through ebay?

then, assuming the store takes back unused/unopened item the seller sent, how should i best send them half the money back? through paypal friends & family using my balance so no additional fee is taken?

thanks.

[ericlovescameras]

no, you definitely cannot start a small claims court for $40 in any state. i would use time spent and legal fees to raise it to the state minimum. i would travel to the seller's state, if their minimum is lower. if it's in the sellers state, i could add travel expenses. 

[ericlovescameras]

me, it's the same in both our state's. i'll ask a lawyer how to handle that if it comes to it. i know this comes to a crazy person, but, when it comes to being lied to and/or cheat, i am.

i will begin contact lawyers on tuesday. if the seller and i do not work it out by then. no, first i'd wait for the escalation to finish in case it ends in my favor. but if paypal doesn't accept screen shots, it won't.

[azaz_8302]

No, eBay takes up to 10 photos, but PayPal takes none. Upload your screenshots to an image hosting website, then include those links on your dispute's Messages page at PayPal.

Before escalation (unlike eBay, you can escalate to PayPal the minute after you open a dispute) you are talking to the seller, not PayPal. So PayPal won't see your links, if a human and not a bot even looks at your dispute to make a decision, until after escalation.

[ericlovescameras]

thanks for the reply. so what's the point of escalation? the dispute already let me send messages to the seller.

boy, never again will i make the mistake of opening  dispute through paypal instead of ebay. though i probably won't have to; out of 100s of sells and buys on ebay i've had like 5 go even slightly wrong. 

[mkaczorsee]

If you escalate on PP, you will have to return the item to the seller at your expense. 

Just chalk this up to experience and give the extra one to a friend. 

Everyone is stressed these days.  Move on. In a year, this won’t matter....look at the big picture of life. 

Good luck on your future purchases. 

[ericlovescameras]

the extra one was already given to a friend because lighters cannot be returned once filled with butane.

this is principle. i don't care about the money.