topic Re: Buyer kept item + got full refund – eBay blocking my appeal with false restriction in Member To Member Support

Buyer kept item + got full refund – eBay blocking my appeal with false restriction

jenngree52 — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 15:34:32 GMT

Hi all, looking for some help as I’m getting nowhere with support.

I sold a Pokémon TCG bundle (ETB + 5 tins), and the buyer opened a “not as described” case 7 days after delivery.

The issue:

Case was automatically closed in the buyer’s favour within minutes
No manual review took place
Buyer was refunded in full and has kept the item

My listing:

Clearly states: 1 Ascended Heroes ETB + 5 mini tins
Does NOT state the tins are part of the Ascended Heroes set
Photos show exactly what was included

So the buyer’s claim is based on assumption, not the actual description.

I submitted an appeal, but:

It has never been reviewed
I keep being told my account is “restricted/suspended” (despite being able to sell normally)
This “restriction” is being used to block my appeal

What’s making this more confusing is:

I’ve had multiple replies from different support agents
Some say my account is restricted
One agent explicitly confirmed the others were incorrect and that my account is active and not restricted

So I’m getting completely contradictory information, and my appeal is still not being processed.

Case details:

Order: 14-14339-91714
Case ID: 5376170936
Return ID: 5315127514

At this point:

Buyer has item + refund
Appeal is blocked by incorrect info
Support responses are inconsistent

Has anyone experienced this before or managed to get a proper manual review in a situation like this?

Any advice on getting this escalated properly would be appreciated.

Re: Buyer kept item + got full refund – eBay blocking my appeal with false restriction

jckl1957 — Sat, 21 Mar 2026 08:49:52 GMT

Cases are not normally closed within minutes.

How did you respond when the case was opened?

The best option is always to accept the return and provide a label, then at least you would have the item back to sell again. From looking at the buyer's feedback, it seems they believe you refused to deal with the return and they asked Ebay to step in. If that happens, then almost inevitably, the buyer is refunded and told to keep the item.

I can see two possible avenues here.

Speak to Customer Services again. If you did not have any opportunity to deal with the case, then you could argue that they broke their own rules by refunding the buyer instantly. Make sure you have to hand the email from Ebay stating a return had been requested, with date and time received, and then the date and time the case was closed. If the case was closed within minutes, Ebay may possibly offer you some recompense.

Contact the buyer. Be professional and polite. Say you see they have been refunded and stress that the refund was paid by you and not by Ebay and ask them to return the items they bought from you. You should offer to provide a label or funds for postage,

Re: Buyer kept item + got full refund – eBay blocking my appeal with false restriction

jenngree52 — Sat, 21 Mar 2026 20:26:05 GMT

I responded to the case by refusing the refund, as was stated in listing "No returns accepted". The case was then closed within minutes after my one and only statement in the case.

The only clause in the "No returns accepted" that will allow the buyer a return is "Sellers may be required to accept returns for items that are not as described."

BUT the item was exactly as described and as shown in images!!

I have contacted customer services, and I AM NOT over exaggerating here, 15+ times! They are not helping me at all! Im stuck in a loop with them, I am never speaking to the same customer service rep more than 1 time, every reply is made by a different customer service rep who send me the same copy and paste message and I am having to explain my case all over from the start in every correspondence. Only to be stonewalled again and have to start at the beginning with a new customer service rep! This has taken HOURS of my time and nothing is getting solved.

In what world is it ok for ebay to refund the buyer and tell them to keep my item? Where is the sellers protection here?

Re: Buyer kept item + got full refund – eBay blocking my appeal with false restriction

tobiasd4 — Sat, 21 Mar 2026 20:59:32 GMT

Ebay always believe buyer if they claim not as described.

You should have accepted case and issued returns label, then refund on return.

Because you refused case, as you found, you refund and buyer keeps item.

You agreed to this when signing up to ebay.

Re: Buyer kept item + got full refund – eBay blocking my appeal with false restriction

jenngree52 — Sat, 21 Mar 2026 21:06:15 GMT

So what is the meaning of the "Sellers Protection"?

What is the point in the option of having a "No Return" listing?

What is the point in the dispute/appeal process if they don't look at the evidence?

Seriously? Are you just gas lighting?

Re: Buyer kept item + got full refund – eBay blocking my appeal with false restriction

jenngree52 — Sat, 21 Mar 2026 21:24:47 GMT

Also the listing in question had a quantity of 2. Bought by 2 different people. The exact same bundle of items. One person is happy, the other is not. Im telling you now this has been handled complacently by ebay at ALL STEPS OF THE PROCCESS!

Re: Buyer kept item + got full refund – eBay blocking my appeal with false restriction

papso22 — Sat, 21 Mar 2026 21:30:43 GMT

No returns is only for when the buyer has changed their mind, not for when the buyer claims 'not as described'.

There is no seller protection against claims for not as described. You can't win these and can either refund without return, or provide a return label and refund on return.

There is no appeal process when a seller allows ebay to decide a case, which you did when you refused the return.

Re: Buyer kept item + got full refund – eBay blocking my appeal with false restriction

tobiasd4 — Sat, 21 Mar 2026 21:30:57 GMT

No returns only applies to change of mind by buyer for private sellers.

Business sellers have to accept all returns.

No good moaning to us, EBAY SITE = EBAY RULES.

You are not the 1st to be in this situation.

Ebay say they never see the item, but believe buyer.

Re: Buyer kept item + got full refund – eBay blocking my appeal with false restriction

jenngree52 — Sat, 21 Mar 2026 22:09:02 GMT

So using that logic, in theory I can go buy up everything I want on ebay, then when it arrives, I'll message and gaslight the seller before opening a "not as described" dispute. Then I get all my items for free? Have I got that right?

Re: Buyer kept item + got full refund – eBay blocking my appeal with false restriction

jenngree52 — Sat, 21 Mar 2026 22:42:07 GMT

This basically was either a case of "Buyer changed their mind" or "Buyer knows how to scam the system"

The item not as described dispute was a excuse and false claim like I have stated!

Why does no one want to help me?

Re: Buyer kept item + got full refund – eBay blocking my appeal with false restriction

papso22 — Sat, 21 Mar 2026 23:00:52 GMT

@jenngree52 wrote:

So using that logic, in theory I can go buy up everything I want on ebay, then when it arrives, I'll message and gaslight the seller before opening a "not as described" dispute. Then I get all my items for free? Have I got that right?

No you haven't got it right.

A seller can choose whether to simply refund, pay for a return label and get the item back, or let ebay decide.

Only the first and last allow the buyer to have the item for free.

There is no help we can give. Ebay doesn't know what you sent, and as you didn't issue a return label or refund, they did what they always do in this situation and issued the refund for you.

It was a mistake thinking you had any control or protection, you didn't.

Re: Buyer kept item + got full refund – eBay blocking my appeal with false restriction

jenngree52 — Sat, 21 Mar 2026 23:20:45 GMT

Can you please point me to where in the term's that I agreed to give ebay the right to issue refunds on my behalf with no chance of return of item and give away my item for fre?

And if this term does exist, why does it even give the seller the option to reject the claim if its 100% going in buyers favour? Isn't that a trap?

I rejected the claim because I was 100% certain I would win the case, I mean why wouldn't I be? The item I sold matched the title, description and images exactly. I don't believe my case has ever been looked at properly.

So now the case is closed, appeal is closed, stonewalled by phone suppot. There is no action I can take? Seriously?

Re: Buyer kept item + got full refund – eBay blocking my appeal with false restriction

papso22 — Sun, 22 Mar 2026 06:33:30 GMT

I suggest you read the user agreement. You will see that you agreed that ebay has the right to decide disputes.

You should also read the money back guarantee guidance.

You could try and get the item back from the buyer but not through ebay.

You are not the only one to make this mistake. See here, it was a collection item but that makes no difference.

https://community.ebay.co.uk/t5/Seller-Central/Ebay-wrongly-issued-refund-breaking-own-rules/m-p/8011735#M771934

Re: Buyer kept item + got full refund – eBay blocking my appeal with false restriction

jckl1957 — Sun, 22 Mar 2026 06:37:31 GMT

There is nothing you can do.

To repeat what has aready been said, if a buyer opens a return because the item is not as described, you have to accept the return, get the item back and refund the buyer. Otherwise, you are likely to lose your item and the money.

If, when you get the item back, it is a false claim, you can report the buyer to Ebay.

You asked where it says this, The link below will give details of the Money Back Guarantee for sellers but this is the relevant sentence and it is very clear and unequivocal:

I don't accept returns, why am I getting a request from the buyer?

If the buyer is asking to return the item because it's damaged, faulty, or didn't match your listing description, then you need to accept the return.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/selling/managing-returns-refunds/handling-return-requests?id=4115