Paid for item, then seller unregistered, then got eBay refund, then seller texting to say...

[coshell501]

..get refund from eBay (but already did for item not received - as item had no tracking info). Then said to pay (outside of eBay) once item received. - Should I pay it or not once item is received? Sounds dodgy as hell. What else should I maybe do? Is the seller trying to double his money? IE does he keep the initial payment, then eBay pays my refund, then he tries to get another payment? Or does he lose the initial payment? Help & advice please!

[1956glyn]

Hi

I would wait to see if you receive the item or not.   If you do indeed receive the item and are happy with it then i would pay the seller for it.     OR option B ask the seller to send you the return postage cost and send it back to them if you receive it.

You also must be really careful when exchanging details because Ebay may think you are now trying to do an off Ebay deal 😞    So make it blatantly clear in Ebay messages what you are trying to do.

I would stay on your guard because Ebay have kicked the seller off the site if they have suddenly become unregistered.  Saying that if this is the situation they may well not be able to pick up Ebay messages.

[geosacha007]

It doesn't sound  dodgy at all. You cannot end up with the goods and a refund.

You have got a refund from the seller (ebay will have forced it). If you then receive the goods and are happy with them then you do need to repay the seller.  There is no mechanism for doing that through ebay so it will have to be a payment outside of ebay e.g. bank transfer. 

It would be immoral, and indeed illegal, to receive the goods and not then pay the seller.

If you do not receive the goods of course make no payment.  If you receive them but want to return then do not repay but ask the seller to send you a return label (at their expense) and return the item. 

[myriad*seller]

It's possible eBay made a goodwill refund from their own pocket 

So if OP pays if it arrives then the seller has twice the money they started with

Did ebay fund the refund themselves or did they take it from the seller?