Refund outside 30-day Period

[bessingerdesignltd]

I purchased an item in February this year. It was found to be faulty and was returned a week later. I requested a refund within the 30-day period which the buyer has not given to date. I have had limited correspondence with the seller and been unable to move forward. I contacted eBay and they said they cannot help as it is outside the 30-day window. I do not understand this as the refund request was well within the 30-day period, but the seller is not communicating consistently so it has dragged on into May 2026 without a resolution. What are my options.

[*vyolla*]

When you opened the eBay refund request and returned the item to the seller using the label they gave you, the tracking should've updated to show delivery.

This should then have triggered a full refund for you.

Did you try to return an item outside of eBay's return process?

[red_magpie]

I requested a refund within the 30-day period

But what does "I requested a refund" mean??

Did you simply ask for a refund? Or did you open an item not as described case under eBay's money back guarantee? Did the seller send you a prepaid return label, as required, and did you return it? Did the tracking record confirm delivery? If the seller didn't respond to the case, did you escalate it after three working days for eBay to step in?

Unfortunately, when buyers don't tell us how they returned items it often means that they didn't read and follow the returns and refunds procedure that eBay provides.

It's unlikely that anything can be done now. Your best hope is that your payment provider e.g. credit or credit card issuer might still be able to help, although depending upon the exact date of payment it may be very close to or already too late for the usual time limit of 90 days. Good luck anyway.

[john1297576]

Even  if you followed correct procedure within the 30 day time frame it is up to you the buyer to follow through if seller does not respond. Ebay will not deal with refund, UNLESS you escalate.

If you do not escalate, ebay assume resolved between buyer and seller and case closes.

[bessingerdesignltd]

Hi

I returned the item first for Assessment as it was faulty. I then requested a refund.
Sent from my iPhone

[jckl1957]

If you used the Ebay process and started a return through ebay by opening a case using the Ebay Money Back Guarantee, once tracking shows the item has been delivered to the seller, they have 48 hours to refund you.

if they don't, you have to go back to the open case and ask Ebay to step in.

However, if the seller doesn't voluntarily refund you, and you don't go back to the case and ask Ebay to intervene, after 21 days with no action, the case will time out and close.

That could be what happened here.

For future reference - as long as you are within 30 days of receipt, you DO NOT return an item for 'assessment'.

You open a case.

Return the item.

Ask Ebay to step in if necessary.

Get all your money back.

[*vyolla*]

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@bessingerdesignltd wrote:
Hi

I returned the item first for Assessment as it was faulty. I then requested a refund.
Sent from my iPhone

---

That's a shame, all returns must be made via eBay's returns process.

Where is the item now?

[red_magpie]

I returned the item first for Assessment as it was faulty.

Sadly it seems that I was correct - by returning it on your own initiative "for Assessment" you threw away your right to a refund. If only buyers would understand - you cannot invent your own rules on eBay!

eBay's money back guarantee would have assured you of a refund if you returned it as "not as described". The seller would even have been required to send a prepaid return labese. Allowing the seller extra time for Assessment presumably put you outside the time limit to claim.

Please, please, please remember that eBay is robotic in applying its exact rules and time limits. They don't accept reasons or excuses for not complying with these, however well intentioned.