Just sharing with you what I have learned being both a Ebay buyer and seller. First, buyer need's to look at their method of payment Paypal and/or creditcard as back up source of funding/e-check or credit card.
I bought an item through the Buy Now option. Contacted seller 2 days later to ask for tracking. He then advised me that he listed the item also at Amazon and only had one item. He really did not care that this was a Rare item that cost more than I had Bought Now. He said he refunded all money upon getting my inquiry on tracking. This mean's the seller had my money for 2 days never refunded until I the BUYER contacted him. 5 days later and no refund.
My method of payment for the item was the $50 available in my paypal balance and the remaing $40 with back up credit card on Paypal account. I contacted Paypal to find out why the refund showed as PENDING they advised that the Ebay SELLER's method of refund is by e-check vs credit card so it would be taken off pending once the e-check cleared, this was 7-8 days. I forget the nightmare details. $50 was finally available to try and get this RARE item but the $40 back to my credit card would still take 2-3 days more due to the credit card refund is not processed by paypal until e-check clears as well.
If I was you, I would not release the claims. While there are inconsiderate Ebay seller's on here there are also dishonest Ebay buyer's that try to pull criminal actions.
Let Ebay and Paypal work it out between the two of you, get all your coorespondence an ledger's from Paypal and whatever source buyer's refund was being paid out of by Seller's account. The number's should equal when it's all said and done. Some buyer's will rush you in hope's that you don't realize they are pulling the bait and switch on your financials.
Good luck, I try to find my item's on Amazon because often it's about the same price and I have never had one problem and Amazon Prime Member's get Free shipping within 2 days. We have our monthly vitamin and health item's that ship monthly or every other month for less and Free Shipping. Amazon always's takes care of us to the point they have given us I'm sorry this happened to you money back. Sometime's it's $10 on our next order.
The point is that without Customer's their is no service to provide. We deserve Excellent Customer Service, refund's in a timely manner just as we are required to pay immediately and Ebay/Paypal should actually be a third party and stay out of the financial aspect. Credit card's are safe and secure on the internet because the credit card company has Buyer's protection. I would rather pay thru my credit card because I can just call them day one and dispute the charges and they will provide a provisional credit immediately to my account and take out the money from the seller and hold it pending investigation. They send out dispute letter to the Seller with all my facts and evidence and Seller provides their facts and evidence and the credit card company decides. If Buyer is not entitled to the refund then the buyer is charged back and the provisional credit is removed, which can cause overdraft's. Seller does not get their money back and are charged a chargeback fee of approximately $15-$30. I think that's fair.
Good luck, I'm done doing major shopping on Ebay because I have bought over $1000 in less than 30 days and 3 of those transactions the Seller never sent the item, sent the wrong item asked me to pay to ship back to him....lol or no longer can find my item's. Had a seller lie to me about tracking when they could have been honest and that would have been fine.
This is what is wrong with this country. There is no Customer Service because of the greedy whether individual, small business or Corporations. It's all about the dollar and **bleep** the consumer. Greed is the root of all evil. Money just facilitates the greed. There were days when there was no paper money and there was still greed.
