Refund question

[twofingerstoGideon]

Hi, I just can't get a straight answer to this from ebay's help centre, so hoping someone here can help.

I auctioned two items. One went for £500, the other for £380. The buyer paid as a single transaction. He is now saying the £500 item isn't authentic and wants a refund. I had the item authenticated (it's jewellery) before offering it for sale, but would like the customer to return the item and I'll give a refund, as I don't want poor feedback etc. and am happy to put the item up for sale with local 'real' auctioneer at a later date.

My Paypal account shows that the whole transaction is on hold, even though he is not disputing the £380 item, so they've taken £880 from my Paypal account, leaving me with a £600 'debit' on Paypal .

Had a frustrating 'chat' on ebay's online help, where I was told I need to refund the item and then they will release the funds. So where am I meant to get the money to give the customer his refund, when I haven't actually received the money for the sale? How do you refund money that you haven't received? I could understand the logic of giving him money if I actually had his money, but I haven't as the payment is showing as 'pending'. I'm confused!

you don't refund until they return the item
then you do a partial refund

On what basis would the OP do a partial refund if the item is returned to her?

My question's about how I fund this. Paypal are holding ALL the money and said that when the item is returned to me I should give the buyer his money back. However, I haven't received the money in order to give it back as Paypal has it! That's the bit I don't get.

So... customer spent £880. I have not received this money as Paypal is holding it. Customer now wants £500 back when they return item*.

This is like... you go into shop and take away two expensive items but leave the money with a third party instead of giving it to the shop. You decide you aren't happy with one item and demand refund from shop, but shop does not have your money. Third party still has it. Shop then waits (and hopes) that original money will come through at later date. This is the logic I'm struggling with. I'm not a shop and don't have several hundred pounds lying around to give a refund from money I haven't received!
*My quibble is not about giving the refund; I'm okay with that, but think Paypal should only be holding back the amount the item is worth and then releasing it to the buyer once I confirm receipt of returned item.

If the buyer paid as a single transaction, PayPal will treat it as one. If he'd paid in two, only one would be held. As he didn't, the whole transaction is suspended.

As a PP said, though, you should be able to issue a partial refund of the £500 once you've received the item back.

Wow, you posted items worth that amount of money. I sure hope you get genuine items back not fakes.

Refund only happens after you receive item, and most of this is automated.

Paypal will release the money back to them. Steps are

Buyer sends it back by tracked method
EBay sees from tracking that item has arrived
Paypal release the money buyer expects (500)
Paypal will release any remaining sale money to OP (380) once case is fully closed (should be quick, but will be minus any deductions Ebay see fit to make, and Ebay may want to wait if buyer is happy with the 380 item).

Try hard not to dispute the return, or Ebay will keep an extra £50 = FVF for the £500 sale. So the 380 you think is yours would become 330. THAT'S why they are holding onto so much of OP's money, for possible deductions, and the 2 purchases are probably linked Paypal transactions so easier for Paypal to just do the lot as one unit (their automated software at work).

I think because PayPal are holding the money when you've received the item back you tell them to issue the partial refund (so £500 of the funds they're holding) and then they'll give you the rest iyswim? Don't quote me on that but I seem to have a memory of it happening to someone I know

Thanks, lljkk, that makes more sense. I'm not disputing the return, but couldn't get my head around them saying 'you issue the refund and 48 hours later we will release the original funds, when - as you seem to be suggesting - I believed the refund should be funded from the money they're holding, not 'fresh' money from me IYSWIM!

Item was sent special delivery, compensation service. I'm not worried about them returning a different, fake item - it would be impossible to replicate it and I took literally dozens of photos before sending.

In years of trading I've never had to do a return before - typical that it had to be on a high value item!

Thanks for all the replies, everyone!