eBay Refund Policies

**724Seney** · January 25th, 2021, 02:06 PM

I recently purchased a pen on eBay. It was an international transaction. When the pen arrived I found undisclosed defects and, worse, it was totally inoperable. Noteworthy is the seller is an experienced pen collector. I had corresponded with the seller (via the eBay message system) prior to the sale about some specifics regarding the pen; when the pen arrived it was clear some of his answers were outright lies.

All this was easily documented for eBay with photos and references to his messages to me.

The seller had indicated on his sales post he would not accept any returns but when I requested a return because the pen was "not as described," I was informed by eBay he agreed to accept it back. He pushed back at having to provide me with a pre-paid return label; when eBay told him he had to do so, he then flat out refused to pay for the pen to be insured for its sales price. My position was I would not return it if it was not properly insured & tracked because, by that point, I knew what would happen if it was not insured & tracked........

eBay recommended to me that I request they "step in" so I could formally "open a case. " I did so and eBay wrote to the seller insisting he provide me with a proper return label to include full insurance and tracking. They gave him five days to do so. The seller refused to cooperate with eBay and today I got a notice from eBay that they were fully refunding my purchase cost and I did not have to return the pen.

I am certainly satisfied with this outcome. But, I'm wondering how this all works on the seller's side of things? Does eBay take the money they are refunding me out of the seller's account or does the money come from eBay's coffers as part of their guarantee and the seller keeps what he collected from me?

I can no longer provide negative feedback on this guy and I hate the idea that he is getting off scot free.

**RobJohnson** · January 25th, 2021, 02:15 PM

I would really hope that eBay takes the money from the sellers account, sounds like he has been a pig.

In terms of scot free, I hope he has lost his pen and money has been taken.

Can you hint at or name the seller?

**dneal** · January 25th, 2021, 02:16 PM

eBay covers the refund up front. They get their money back from the seller.

**724Seney** · January 25th, 2021, 02:28 PM

Originally Posted by RobJohnson

I would really hope that eBay takes the money from the sellers account, sounds like he has been a pig.

In terms of scot free, I hope he has lost his pen and money has been taken.

Can you hint at or name the seller?

Pig does not even begin to describe this guy. He has been rude and offensive from the very first post. Refused to consider my offers until he realized I might get it for his opening price and then tried to strong arm more money from me by threatening if I didn't offer more he would close it down before it ended. On and on and on........... But, worst have been his lies. Truly egregious. Unfortunately, I put up with all this BS because it was a pen I had been looking to acquire for some time now. And, I thought I had asked all the right questions and gotten all the right answers to believe it was a good pen. No, the pen was not sold cheaply.....he asked full market value...... but the last one I saw at full market value was more than two years ago..

He is a very experienced collector and, I think, was hoping to unload a pen he had ruined by leaving a very corrosive ink in the barrel to dry. The internal mechanics of the pen were totally ruined.

Quite honestly, naming names is not going to benefit any of the FPG members; he is not a high volume seller.

**724Seney** · January 25th, 2021, 02:29 PM

Originally Posted by dneal

eBay covers the refund up front. They get their money back from the seller.

Good to know. Thanks. Hopefully they will also take some restrictive action(s) on his seller's account??

**Chrissy** · January 25th, 2021, 02:32 PM

Originally Posted by dneal

eBay covers the refund up front. They get their money back from the seller.

^^^ This. ebay refunds the money then they take it from the seller's account. If it's in his PayPal account it can be taken back from there straight away. He doesn't get to keep the money from you. For refusal to issue a correct pre-paid return label and for having ebay step in and sort out this problem he will have a penalty on his selling account that might have downgraded him from whatever seller rating he was to a lower one. He could lose his special offers on listing fees plus have other restrictions.