Buyer says returned item but it hasnt arrived

[balami57best]

Buyer bought my Wii. After 2 weeks he opened a case against me and wanted 8 pounds refund for a faulty control button on  the handset but said he was happy otherwise and if I paid he would close the case. So rightly or wrongly I refunded him and trusted him. I told him I had sent 8 pounds via paypal and asked him to shut the case. I sent 2 emails and no reply. He then sent via the case history a return date and tracking number. There is no such number and I have complained twice to Ebay and told them all I have said so far in this email. I have now received an email saying I should refund this buyer by tomorrow as the last day. Can someone please help me. I am down financially for a computer and stupidly gave back 8 pounds for a controller.  Now I haven't received the computer back. There must be something I can do

[rusticrye]

Your post isn't clear, but it sounds as if the buyer has changed his mind and decided to return for a full refund. However, going down the DIY route as it seems he has will get him nowhere.

Complaining to Ebay is pointless as the entire case and returns system is automated. You have to follow the instructions provided.

If the case or return request is still open, formally agree to refund on return (hit the link), and that will auto-generate a tracked returns label for the buyer to print and use.  Unless the buyer uses this label to return the goods, you will not be charged for it, and the case will eventually auto-close in your favour.  His DIY tracking number, invalid or otherwise, is of no interest to Ebay.  The tracking number that Ebay supplies within a case or return request is the only one which counts.

@balami57best 

[john1297576]

If a case was opened, it would be conditional on it being returned by tracked means.

You don't say what sort of case, but if NOT AS DESCRIBED, you accept the case and provide a Reply Paid Label and on return you refund in full . If the £8 was made as a part refund then you would have to pay the balance, BUT if you just sent £8, buyer would get a refund as well.

Failing to accept the case and ebay takes over and to be honest anything can happen. Sometimes they just refund.

You don't really say what exactly you have done, if you provided a reply Paid Label, when scanned at the Post Office that would add tracking to the Case and no refund would or should be made until tracking showed as delivered.

If the tracking number is invalid, then it will never show as Delivered.

Complaining to ebay is a waste of time, the process is automated and should be followed precisely. Failing to do it correctly and then things go wrong for the seller.

[balami57best]

Hi thank you. Buyers words were "doesn't work or is defective....all works fine apart from one controller. A button is faulty. Happy with a £8 partial refund or can send the bundle back".......so I sent the refund as part of the opened case request. Since then no answer to emails asking him to shut the case. Just a tracking number that isn't one. I didn't send a return label as I thought on refund of 8 that was the end of it. But later then a memo to say was on it's way back . With a non valid tracking number. And no show of parcel. I seem to be in a bad place