Seller sold me a defective item, not as described. Accepted my return but return case was cancelled

[vitkryny_0]

I bought an item from a seller.

An open-box ROG ALLY X - handheld gaming computer. 

It arrived not as described and damaged. 
I don’t know if it was damaged in shipping or not but it doesn’t look like it happened during shipping as there were no impact marks anywhere on the packaging or the protective hard carry case case it was in when it arrived.

Either way, I immediately contacted the seller upon opening the device as it was not as described and raised a return request for my full refund.

They accepted the return request and sent a prepaid label via eBay.

Followed by a message, stating that the address was wrong and that I needed to send to a different address.

I contacted eBay support to ask for a new label and (stupidly) raised a PayPal dispute at the same time. 

This meant that my return case was closed (despite the seller agreeing to a return/ refund). 

I have since attempted to contact the seller for a new label and they have not been responding to my messages.

Now I am worried I will lose my money because eBay also refuse to help with this, apparently because I raised a payment dispute - even though both parties agreed to a return/ refund. 

The PayPal case states they are awaiting eBay’s response but nothing’s happening either.

When speaking with eBay support about this, they said that PayPal will be reaching out to the seller directly.

However, PayPal support told me that they will only contact eBay because they don’t have the seller’s details… 

So I don’t even know who to believe here. 

What do I need to do next?

What are my chances of returning the item for a refund like originally agreed?

What happens if eBay don’t reply to the case?

or what if the seller refuses now, despite agreeing before? I’m really scared to lose my money.

[jckl1957]

Ebay don't have anything to do with the case now you have opened a case with Paypal.

You will have to hope that Paypal can sort this out and communicate with them.

If you had simply sent the item to the address shown on the first label, the seller would have been obliged to refund you.

As soon as you open a case with Paypal, the case with Ebay is closed and generally, Ebay cases are more strsightforward.

[vitkryny_0]

Thanks for the reply. Appreciate your time. 

I didn’t want to send to the original label because I was worried the seller wouldn’t be able to receive the item back and I would lose the money (and the item, defective or not).

Would I have been obliged to receive a refund even if the original purchase was sent back to the wrong address (as originally given)?

[jckl1957]

Yes.

You have to prove attempted delivery to the address the seller provides.

It is up to the seller to ensure the return details on their account are right.

Hopefully, Paypal will be helpful but, if anything like this happens again, stick to the Ebay process.

[red_magpie]

If PayPal doesn't refund you, dont forget that your credit or debit card provider may be able to help.

But PLEASE don't repeat the mistake of trying to caim a refund for the same item from two financial institutions at the same time! Your experience is a lesson to other buyers that both are liable to the case.