02-05-2026 11:44 AM
Hi, hope someone can help. I sold an item recently and after the seller had paid for the item and I had dispatched it, eBay held onto the funds and didn't't release them to me. The buyer isn't happy with the item and I am being asked to issue a refund, which I am happy to do. But as eBay never released the funds to me, they are now asking me to add a payment method in order to issue a refund. But I can't refund the money I've never had?
02-05-2026 12:15 PM
This is how ebay does refunds. They are taken from the seller's funding source (or balance) but you will get to keep the payment when it clears.
02-05-2026 12:17 PM
Has the buyer returned the item?
If they haven't, and you want it back, don't refund them until you have the item back.
The process with refunds is that Ebay will take a refund from your payment source and then release the buyer's payment to you.
This may leave you out of pocket for a short time.
02-05-2026 1:01 PM