Sold item on Ebay,buyer requested refund.Paypal refunded without return of item

[Peachy12]

Paypal says it has seller protection,what a lie. I sold an item on Ebay, the buyer requested a refund, the excuse being the size was wrong. The item was description was detailed with measurements. I did not deny a refund-but asked the buyer to return the item for a refund. The next day a case was opened on PP. I responded ( I was told by a rep. that I had jumped the gun) and offered the same response service in returning the item for the purchase price of $200 ( s/H is buyers responsibility) because of this $6.80 difference, PP refunded the money because PP ( ASSUMES) it is an agreement between the buyer and seller that because the buyer accepts the refund amount, that the item does not need to be returned.i contacted PP, I was told to " work it out with the buyer". I tried to contact the buyer to return the item but he does not respond. PayPal has been absolutely useless in resolving this issue. PP should have a minimum % feature for automatic and authorized refund amounts. In my case the refunded price was a fraction of the cost of the item and should not have been refund without my approval. I can understand if it was damaged , and I refunded the cost of a repair and the buyer accepted- but it wouldn't be the cost of the item. PayPal is allowing fraudulent behavior and does not discourage this from happening. Although they did offer to SEND A MESSAGE to the buyer requesting the return of the item. Can anyone respond to what they think the outcome will be??? I ve contacted IC3 (Internet crimes) hopefully there can be some resolution there.

[sharpiemarker]

Or file a complaint at BBB.org and it will get forwarded to PayPal dept of executive escalations.

[sharpiemarker]

Something is confusing about this story.

What ya should have done was say in the dispute phase, return for a refund, nothing else and escalated the case.  PayPal would have found in favor of the buyer and required them to return the item.  BAM, done!  If you are going to wheel and deal and make any specific claims in the negotiations, PayPal will hold you to it.  I don't know how you saying return for refund got changed to just refunding the money, skipping returning the item.  What were your exact words in the communication with the buyer in the dispute?

[Peachy12]

My refund policy is for purchase price of item not including s/H charges that PP does not differentiate from what is charged. I specify on my listing buyers pay s/H charges. That is where the problem lies. Because I offered the buyer only the purchase price, PP saw this as a partial refund and agreement between buyer and seller that item need not be returned- thus releasing the funds without my approval.

[DPCreations]

Does this mean your listed selling price included S & H and that you don't charge a separate price for S & H?  If so then PayPal is making the correct decision.

[Peachy12]

No, my listing is not free shipping- then it would have been full refund with no issues. My listing states BUYER pays s/H charges. PP apparently does not take listing rules into account when there is a dispute

[sharpiemarker]

So basically your policy is return for refund but the buyer is only refunded the price of item. S/H is non refundable.  PayPal jumped the gun refunding the whole amount in error without the buyer returning the item, right?  Call up customer service.  PayPal need to pay for their error, something!

[Peachy12]

I tried numerous times to explain that the art offered was the full price of the item, less s/ H which is stated on my eBay policy. PP is not taking responsibility because they say I jumped the gun and offer what they considered a partial refund. PP does not care since the buyer accepted and ended up keeping the item.

[sharpiemarker]

How would that be considered a partial refund to PayPal is beyond me if you clearly said in the dispute response that the buyer return item for refund, amount of refund notwithstanding.  Either the story is not clearly explained, PayPal bot made an error, some outsource man handling the case made an error...something.  lol

File a complaint at BBB.  Explain in your complaint that you told the buyer that they return item for refund of item price only but PayPal refunded the buyer without waiting for the item to be returned. And that for them to resolve the complaint, since they cannot force the buyer to ship the art back, you should be credited the full amount PayPal refunded back to the buyer as damages.  

The executive escalations dept which is different from who you deal with in disputes dept will investigate the whole transaction from top to bottom.

[DPCreations]

@Peachy12

Was the shipping price displayed as a separate item? 

What was the item listing price?

What was the listed shipping price?

[Peachy12]

Auction price is separate. This is why I was confused with the refund. I was specific in detailing that s/H was to be paid by the buyer, that is why I specified only the PURCHASE PRICE of $200 would be refunded upon return of the item.