E Bay return has disappeared - unco-operative buyer

Nebbit

I recently sold a small jewellery item on E Bay. The buyer rejected it, saying it was a fake. I arranged via the usual E Bay channels to send him the postage so he could return it. I also, foolishly - but due to imminent holiday - released the refund of the purchase cost to him. Since then, three weeks ago, the item has not been returned, and I have heard nothing from the buyer apart from a request for further money for postage, which I politely declined. A week ago I  'reported an issue' with the buyer to E Bay, but only had a standard reply saying my issue won't be shared with the buyer and that I won't be told about any action E Bay may take. What else can I do please?

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

Once a return request is refunded it's unlikely eBay will get involved any further.

How much was the item? 

FFHillbilly

I'm not sure, but I think you have lost your leverage as soon as you gave them a refund.
what you should have done was go through the eBay return process, wait untill you had received the item, then issued the refund
I don't know exactly what you did when you say "released the refund of the purchase cost to him" but I suspect that this option just admits liability on your part, refunds the buyer, closes the case and thats it
so the buyer may seem uncooperative to you as they have received a message from eBay along the lines of "the seller has decided to refund you in full, you don't need to send the item back or do anything" 

Nebbit

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head said:

Once a return request is refunded it's unlikely eBay will get involved any further.

How much was the item? 

About £50 

Nebbit

FFHillbilly said:

I'm not sure, but I think you have lost your leverage as soon as you gave them a refund.
what you should have done was go through the eBay return process, wait untill you had received the item, then issued the refund
I don't know exactly what you did when you say "released the refund of the purchase cost to him" but I suspect that this option just admits liability on your part, refunds the buyer, closes the case and thats it
so the buyer may seem uncooperative to you as they have received a message from eBay along the lines of "the seller has decided to refund you in full, you don't need to send the item back or do anything" 

Yes, I refunded the buyer. This has never happened to before and I was not quite sure what I was doing. 

soolin

I’m sorry but I agree with the above, I think you lost your chance with redress. 

With hindsight and for anyone else reading this , the return label bought by the seller through the eBay system would be tracked. The easy thing then is if you are away is to wait until tracking shows item has been returned (hopefully through the letter box!) and then refund. Refunding early before item has even been returned rather lets the buyer off the hook.

JetpackVelociraptor

Send another polite reminder to the buyer before you give up. Start off by saying you're sure it's an oversight, but please can they use the label provided by eBay to return your item. Point out that you provided the refund prior to return out of goodwill however they still need to return the item to you to complete the return. Mention that you wish to resolve the matter amicably and do not wish to have to take further action.

If they ignore that, send a letter via registered post giving them 14 days to post the item back to you or you will be taking further action to recover either the goods or your costs. For £50 it's probably not worth actually taking them to court, but you'd be surprised how many people will respond to a polite reminder that looks like it could escalate.

forgotmyname

I would play the dumb card and speak to ebay why the buyer has been refunded and you have not received the item back.
Assuming you have a tracking to confirm you paid and they have not returned it.

Nothing to lose if they say your fault for refunding.

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

Nebbit said:

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head said:

Once a return request is refunded it's unlikely eBay will get involved any further.

How much was the item? 

About £50 

The buyer should still return the item, as above £50 isn't much, relatively, but worth pestering them and then sending a letter before action as a bit of a bluff (perhaps send the letter after the time to leave feedback has expired). 

Nebbit

Thank you for these useful suggestions 

Nebbit

I have now had a reply from the buyer, which is good. He says he has not returned it because  the returns label was cancelled by EBay, due to the fact that I had agreed to refund him in full. Is this EBay's normal practice?  I have never before had anything returned so I am very ignorant here.