Why was my refund issued as an E cheque?

[zolabud]

I issued a refund a week or so back and have just had a mail from Paypal saying my E cheque refund has gone through.

I had no idea 'til today that an E cheque had been issued.

I don't keep any money in my Paypal account ad the refund was for £119, I suppose this is why an E cheque was issued?

I don't mind as it was a particularly difficult and aggressive buyer but why didn't Paypal tel me that an E cheque was issued?

[PayPal_john]

When you have no balance the only way of issuing a refund is via eCheque, a card cannot be used. You are told when it's being sent how it will be funded, you might not have seen it if you were clicking quickly through the screens though...

[suyung55]

I too have this very problem,refunded my buyer and made sure i had enough money in my bank account before i sent it yet my buyer is still waiting,my paypal is saying  refund pending till the 22cnd and this evening its saying about an E  cheque.i dont understand either.

[PayPal_Maria]

Hi suyung55,

When you issue a refund through PayPal, you have the choice of funding the refund from your available balance in your PayPal account or as an eCheque from your bank account. It isn’t possible to send an instant refund unless you have the full amount of the transaction in your PayPal balance, as the processing time is 5 to 7 working days to transfer funds from your bank account to PayPal.

When you are making a payment, PayPal actually credit the funds on your behalf to make your transaction complete to your seller immediately. We then wait the 5 to 7 days to be reimbursed by your bank account.

Hope this helps,

Maria

[forgodsake19]

if your cash as a buyer leaves your account instantly then your refund should be made by the same method used to pay in first place i returned an item not as described using the tracked mail they got it back 23rd dec i have to wait till 7th jan for my refund this is unfair i should be refunded as soon as they get there item back its becoming painful this e cheque rubbish

[kernowlass]

But it doesn't leave your account instantly >>>>

When you pay a seller it is never instant > paypal credit the seller for you and then start the process of uploading your funds to paypal from your funding source. PayPal take the wait for the funds. 

It can leave your bank account from 2 hours to 3 days later but as PayPal use electronic transfer it can be 5-7 days before PayPal receive it. 

That is why we get posts on here from buyers saying their item has been posted but funds not left their bank account yet. 

The seller has already been credited by PayPal so that you get your item more quickly. 

But they don't refund in advance so this time you have to take the wait unless the seller has cleared funds in their PayPal balance and don't have to wait for funds to clear from their bank account. 

[wallydug]

so say i had £3 in my pocket and thats all the money i had and i specifically kept that to get myself a latte from costa and so i go order my latte and i get a normal coffee instead but then i take it back to get my money back and the girl behind the counter replies sorry we dont have the £3 to refund you i will just reimburse you via an echeque!! what the **bleep** would you say? its ridiculous its like buyers are victimised as if i paid for something immediately and it left my account i would certainly want it back in my account immediately