sorting out a refund, seller wants paypal account name

[guanosoup]

I bid on something last night, won the auction and payed up straight away. Seller has just contacted me to say they have already sold the item and is requesting me to send them my PayPal account name so they can refund me.
Here comes the daft question... Is that just my name, as that is what it says as I log into PayPal, or something more technical and mysterious?
Guide me through this process, I am distrustful of tech stuff at the best of times!

surely its against ebay rules for them to sell the item to someone else. yes its just the e-mail address you use for your paypal account but they shouldn't need it as they can just go on paypal find your transaction and press refund

Its just your PayPal email but they don't need it to issue a refund via eBay. Also I would think they're just unhappy with the price you won the item for if they are saying they don't want to sell it to you. Keep an eye out to see if they relist it!

Tell them to just press the 'refund' button on the transaction details for the payment they received from you.
No need for them to have your details at all.

Thank you, I will reply requesting they refund me through PayPal.
Logically, it should be straightforward as I can see their email etc when I log into transactions, so they must see mine too.

Don't start me on the selling something away from eBay once listed, surely that's not ethical/legal etc etc...

if they send you the money as a payment you will have fees and they risk you opening a not received case and getting the refund twice

they refund via your orig payment, no need to have your email. And they are a non performing seller so you can report as such plus leave a neg and low stars if you wish.