Option to request refund keeps giving me an error (for days)

[Zvedy03]

I would like a refund for an item that has arrived damaged even though it was packed in bubble wrap, foam and 2 boxes. When I tried to contact seller through ebay he said that the item was sent fine but clearly that was not honest. Ebay's contact seller option is now disabled for some reason. I would like a refund firstly since item is damaged (I provided seller with pictures) also, for the horrible customer service I have received from the seller and it has now been almost a month since I tried contacting them. Please help. Not sure what to do. I contacted paypal via message but still no luck.

[kernowlass]

@Zvedy03 

You have up to 30 days to open an ebay dispute so why did you not use that option?

When you contact the seller you can 'request' a refund or you can scroll down further on the list and choose the option that the item was misdescribed or damaged and then the seller normally has to refund you if ebay find in your favour.

So if you can do that and haven't already used up that option by just 'requesting a refund' which the seller can refuse then try opening a paypal dispute.

How do I open a dispute with a seller when a purchase goes wrong?

You can open a dispute in the Resolution Centre of your PayPal account within 180 days of payment if:
•You don’t receive the item OR service
•You receive an item but it’s significantly different than the description on eBay or on the seller’s website

By opening a dispute, you can communicate directly with your seller to work out a problem transaction.

If you reach an agreement with the seller you can close the dispute. If you're still not happy with the result, you can escalate the dispute into a claim. Paypal will review the claim and decide on reimbursement.

These steps apply to Personal accounts. If you have a Business account, please log in to see the steps that apply to you.

To open a dispute:
1.Log in to your PayPal account.
2. Click on the transaction and use the resolve a problem option at the bottom of that details page.

Note:
•Generally buyers must wait at least 7 days from the date of payment to escalate a dispute for an item not received
•Where an item has not been received, please ensure you have given the seller enough time before opening a dispute

DO NOT CLOSE THE DISPUTE UNTIL YOU HAVE A CLEARED REFUND OR YOUR ITEM WHATEVER THE SELLER SAYS. ALSO DON'T FORGET TO ESCALATE THE DISPUTE TO A CLAIM WITHIN 20 DAYS IF THE SELLER DOES NOT REFUND.

If that does not work then if you funded your paypal payment via a card then contact your card issuer and see if they will do a chargeback for you.

Also make sure you have activated the below link in case you have to return the item to get a refund
https://www.paypal.com/us/smarthelp/article/FAQ3544