REFUNDED EBAY HAS MARKED IT AS RETURN RECEIVED..ITEM NOT BEEN RECEIVED.IN FACT IT HAS NOT BEEN SENT!

[lowen126]

The item still has not been returned. The refund was removed from my Paypal account without informing me. on Dec 20th. Ebay accepted the buyer's reason for return without question! In fact the buyer had changed her mind. She had left the following feedback on receipt of the necklace:- " Positive feedback rating "it is just what I wanted All fine. Beautiful 😊Thanks a lot. . .
EBAY HAS MARKED IT AS RETURN RECEIVED. THIS IS WRONG IT HAS NOT BEEN RECEIVED. IN FACT IT HAS NOT EVEN BEEN SENT. 
The son of the buyer changed her mind for her for whatever reason. He wrongly denigrated the item, he surely did not think it was real pearls at £11.50 (£15.00 - postage). The Buyer had liked it. I apologised but dispute his description, I am  backed up by the buyer's original feedback. As she changed her mind she should pay postage. She apparently left him to return it, which he has not done. It leaves the seller open to all manner of abuse and badly out of pocket with the price of postage both ways. If the buyer pays postage, as I was under the impression was the stipulation on my listing, at least it makes them think twice about messing sellers about.
At the present time the "buyer" has been refunded but still has the item, could this not be construed as theft? The buyer was offerred a deal to keep it. The buyer did not bother to say it had not been sent and eventually answered that it would not be sent until she got back home at the end of January even if I paid the postage (which I do not feel I should).
I reported it to Ebay before and as it has been marked by them as received- nothing seems to have been done. I would like the item back- I would like to think that Ebay supports the seller better. I had another recent case where another buyer said an item had been sent damaged which is ridiculous, why would a seller do such a thing? Not all sellers are honourable but neither are all buyers. Ebay's 'return postage must be paid' edict is exposing sellers and they will find other selling sites such as Facebook Marketplace, Schpock etc.
I doubt Ebay will do anything do they know how frustrating writing to robots is, no wonder mental health problems escalate.

[red_magpie · Accepted solution]

Until something like this happens few sellers realise how biased against the seller eBay's money back guarantee is.

EBay's policy is that it if can't determine whether the item was as described they will take the buyer's word, and require the seller to refund them. As eBay never even sees the item it's almost automatic that the buyer wins. No evidence is required.

If you want the item to be returned you must send the buyer a prepaid return label. If you don't eBay will enforce the refund and not require the buyer to return the item.

You have accepted this in policy in accepting the user agreement, see: http://pages.ebay.co.uk/help/policies/money-back-guarantee.html

[lowen126 · Accepted solution]

Thank you for the answers. I have to accept that yet again, as in life, it is not fair but has to be endured.
Poor show! Lamentable!
The micromanagement of the listings now, with the robots altering what one puts and the brand obsession will cause further not as described I fear. It is spoiling what was a gentle hobby.
How do I send a postage label - can I do it by email? the option is no longer available because Ebay states it has been received! Can I send stamps by post, I won't get it until end of Jan. anyway.
Thanks for the warnings of reprisals.