@malibu_one wrote:
I purchased an electronic item to the value of $70. When it did not function I contacted the seller, sent a video, and the seller offered to send a replacement. The seller didn't want the defective item returned due to postage costs. After regular assurances that the item was on the way he raised a "non return" case which cancelled my case. I was unaware that a defective or broken item must be returned to qualify for a refund. This left me with no recourse for compensation. What can I do?
Unfortunately the eBay request system is not set up for replacements - always take a return request for how it works in reality, as a refund request. Due to this, the procedure unfortunately has to be: return original item, acquire refund, re-purchase item (from the same or a new seller), unless you have very good reason to trust the seller will follow through on their promise of a replacement (personally I won't even offer replacements as an option when a case is open, if it's not worth paying for an item to be returned, most sellers would probably just refund, if it is, the seller will pay it, begrudgingly or not).
You may want to try appealing the case with ebay before going to PayPal (if that is an option) - I don't know what the chances of being successful will be, but if they check the messages, surely that will reveal the seller did not want the item returned and has not provided the promised replacement (assuming a second tracking number was never provided, which can be done within a case dispute, despite no other functions supporting this option).
