Should I have gone straight to Paypal ...

[mustremembertonamechange]

or does the resolution centre on eBay work in the same way?

I received some goods in a shocking state. Three of the 4 items were seconds and the 4th wasn't even that good. All of the items were in a different material to that in the listing and all were different sizes to that described too.

I sent a polite message requesting a refund and I asked for the postage costs to return the items. This was refused and the seller seems to be getting increasingly angry with each message. I've opened a case on eBay. Thought I could escalate to Paypal at any time in the next 20 days. Paypal says I can't open a case as eBay are dealing with it.

Have had a recent bad experience with eBay's idea of 'resolution'. I have posted here about a case of blatant shill bidding and it was apparently ignored apart from them sending me a lovely little video clip explaining to me what shill bidding was . I have therefore not got a huge amount of faith in them sorting this.

Paypal have always been great on the other hand. But I've only ever had to claim for missing goods not shoddy ones.

I have to wait 8 days before I can even escalate to customer support. I've got a very angry sounding bloke shouting SEND IT ALL BACK repeatedly. He has outright lied to me now. There is no way I am posting back the goods at my own expense in the hope of a full refund without an intermediary being
involved. Sorry for the essay, any advice please?

you will have to send it back by trackable means, and you will have to pay for the return yourself. eBay will ask for the tracking info and then they will refund you. Paypal would tell you to do just the same.

If you are leaving 4 negative feedbacks leave them over a week apart, then they will count as 4 - leave them all on the same day, they will only count as 1.

Thank you fergoose. So is it actually the case that the buyer will nearly always be out of pocket in these cases? Why do you have to pay anything when the seller has tried to rip you off? I wouldn't mind so much paying to return the goods to eBay for someone to see what has been sent.

I have taken photos but there is no point in emailing them to the seller. He knows exactly what he sent out and is completely denying anything wrong with them at all. I would be very surprised if he wants them back unless he's going to try the same with someone else.

Good tip for the feedback, I'd forgotten that one, thanks.

sometimes eBay will give you a prepaid label to send items back - but unless the seller gives you the return postage then yes you will be out of pocket.

Open the dispute, tick the box other and type in refund - hopefully then eBay will refund without the need for return.

Thanks fergoose. I've opened a dispute and realised it was 'other' but didn't know what to write in the box. I think I put see below where I had explained the problem in full. Oh well I'm going to wait for eBay to tell me to return the goods. The seller is very angry that I'm "insulting his intelligence". No point replying to him now.

Quick update. I ended up escalating the claim as the seller was becoming most unpleasant and I really felt unable to communicate with him any more. Heard today that eBay have refunded me the full amount including the postage. So relieved. Thank you fergoose once again

Excellent - good news. Did you have to return the items in the end?

Now for the feedback and stars?

I haven't had to return the goods and I've been told the case is now closed. Have given my first ever negative and stars as low as possible. Have to say it felt good .

excellent - and you can leave the next neg in a week's time?