To ask for your advice with a dodgy eBay transaction?

[itsBritneyBeach]

Hi everyone, my first venture into AIBU apologies it's long but didn't want to drip feed.

4 weeks ago today, I won the bid on an item of clothing from eBay and paid immediately via PayPal.
Two weeks went by and it wasn't marked as dispatched and I'd sent one message, and so sent one more further message asking where it was. She replied on the 2nd Friday saying along the lines of "sorry I've been away the last couple of days, I've posted it first class and it should be with you on Monday"

Monday came - no item. I gave her the benefit of the doubt, but by Friday #3 nothing had arrived and so I opened an official eBay request to get a refund. She responded on Monday, with a message saying "I can understand this must be frustrating for you, apologies for the misunderstanding xxx" but I'm thinking what misunderstanding? I paid for the item and you've bloody lied about it?! The item is £50 so not just a couple of quid I can lose out on.

I thought okay, the refund's being processed. But then I got this message this morning!

eBay won't allow me to contact them about it until the 20th when it should "clear by" but there's nothing to clear as she's clearly taking the piss.

I messaged her again as per PayPal's instructions but she never replies to messages so I'm not feeling hopeful.

What the hell do I do now?!

this was 4 weeks ago? why did you leave it so long to complain?

Because I'd contacted her several times and she said she'd posted it. I have exams on at the minute and didn't want the extra stress but I have been messaging her since 4 days after payment to ask why it's not been posted yet

all you can do is wait for ebay. i had the same and ebay wouldnt do anything till the date they give the seller.

Contact eBay through the resolution centre for a refund or request a call back and explain the situation. eBay quite often will side with the buyer

Thank you, I went through the resolution centre but now they're just telling me to wait until the 20th when it "should clear by" but the issue is, she's "refunded me" as far as it looks like to eBay, but PayPal have said the refund hasn't gone through.

I hate waiting games

That’s standard protocol when you ask ebay to get involved. They give the seller 7 days to resolve the situation before they will step in adjudicate.

If she is unresponsive then on the 20th, ask ebay to step in and they will refund you.

Then you can leave appropriate feedback, remember to make it factual and non emotional / insulting, so ebay have no reason to remove it. Something like “item didn’t arrive and poor communication from seller”.

PS if she has refunded you then the case will have closed with eBay. When you go to the resolution centre, does it still show as open?

@19lottie82 thank you, and yes I'll definitely be leaving factual feedback

She has "responded as such" but the case shows as still open, waiting for the refund to clear on the 20th, which hopefully it either will do and all will be fine or it will show that it's not gone through properly and eBay will be able to sort it🤞🏻

For the seller to refund you off her own back she will need to have funds in her PayPal account. Should that be from sales or that she has transferred back in from her bank account. If she doesn’t have the available funds then that could be why the refund hasn’t gone through.

If ebay step in they can force a refund through, leaving the sellers PayPal account with a negative balance.

Thanks for your help everyone. I opened the case with eBay half an hour ago and it's been closed in my favour.

Then the cheeky seller has messaged me saying she didn't see why I needed to get eBay involved and SHE won't be dealing with ME again?! Fine by me