Reclaim PayPal fees - Collection only item - buyer wants refund as they are too far away to collect.

[knobbly]

Reclaim PayPal fees - Collection only item - buyer wants refund as they are too far away to collect.

I listed an immersion tank on eBay, big item so made it 'Local Pickup only. cash on collection'

The buyer, paid using PayPal (he did this after I messaged him to remind local collection only and cash on collection). He is around 180 miles away and decided it's too far to drive, and no longer wants it. If I refund him then I lose PayPal fees and eBay FVF. 

Is there anyway of reclaiming these?

Many thanks

[rusticrye]

Because Ebay sellers can't prevent buyers from paying with PayPal for collection items (leaving them wide open to Unauthorised Account Use claims that can't be contested without proof of posting), and PayPal no longer refund any part of their payment processing fee (not surprisingly, as they did after all process the payment, and then have to process it for a second time), listing for collection on Ebay simply isn't viable.  I suggest you list on Gumtree, Ebay's sister site, where you'll have full control over how you're paid (which should be cash or bank transfer only). Plus, you can leave the ad running till someone has actually turned up, paid, and taken the item away. 

If you're still within 32 days of purchase, cancel the Ebay transaction ('problem with buyer's address'). That will auto-refund the timewaster in full, and credit the selling fee back to your Ebay account.   And add his Ebay ID to your Blocked Bidders List so he can't mess you around again.

@knobbly