eBay return "lost" - refund options?

Matt_Mallone

Hi all,

I bought a buy it now item off an ebay business seller about a month ago. I cancelled and was told to return the item for a refund*. I sent it back using standard post and obtained a certificate of posting.

It's been 10 days since it should have arrived back with the seller but he's claiming it's not been delivered. What are my options to get my money back aside from claiming from royalmail? As I understand it the seller is still lawfully bound to refund me within 30 days of my cancellation request, even if the item is lost. If that's the case, how is that enforced? Would paypal or my credit card company help?

Any advice appreciated.


*the seller gave me no dispatch notification, was slow to dispatch and never responded to my message of cancellation. I sent him another message which was slightly more urgent and he took it totally out of context resulting in a silly to-and-fro of heated messages.

campdave

Ebay will not force the seller to refund as there is no delivery confirmation. You'll need to claim the value of the item back from the post office using your proof of postage, and send it tracked next time.

techspec

As above - Ebay/paypal wont make the seller refund without tracking.

But sometimes Ebay refund from their own pockets.

[Deleted User]

techspec wrote: »

As above - Ebay/paypal wont make the seller refund without tracking.

But sometimes Ebay refund from their own pockets.

This happened to me recently (I was the seller, though), and eBay gave the buyer a no fault refund.

I was gobsmacked. Pleased for the buyer, though, as I think she had genuinely returned the item to me, it just hadn't turned up, and she didn't have tracking on it.

Matt_Mallone

Thanks for replying guys. cmathews... I'm curious to know, did the buyer write anything in particular to get that decision? What was the item price?

[Deleted User]

Matt_Mallone wrote: »

Thanks for replying guys. cmathews... I'm curious to know, did the buyer write anything in particular to get that decision? What was the item price?

I don't remember even seeing what she wrote, sorry. The item in question was around the £15 mark.

Matt_Mallone

Just updating to say I rang eBay customer services and they've told me to keep chasing up my refund with the seller and as a gesture of good will they've given me a voucher covering the cost of the item (rounded down to the nearest pound). I'm pretty happy with that so thanks again for the info re. eBay's occasional leniency in favour of buyers, I probably wouldn't have contacted them at all if not for that.