topic Re: Only received a partial refund in Buying

Only received a partial refund

josie_s_86 — Sat, 31 Oct 2020 12:21:55 GMT

I recently tried to purchase some items from a seller. Unfortunately, despite the listing saying otherwise, the seller refused to ship to Australia due to Covid (which I understand).

So he cancelled my order and refunded my money. No problem or so I thought. I found out that the refund was $30 dollars short and Ebay had given me some lame voucher, which was worth $30 dollars, that could only be used if I signed up to Ebay plus and for only certain items with a strict time limit to use said voucher. You can't take money and only give a gift voucher back Ebay.

Suffice to say I'm not happy and have tried to contact Ebay and looked through their confusing help menu to no avail. I don't believe the seller is at fault, I believe Ebay is at fault. So does Ebay actually have a contactable phone number in Australia any more(I have tried one but is was disconnected!) so I can resolve this issue. I would really like to resolve this before informing my bank of the fraud committed.

Has this issue happened with anyone else?

Thanks.

Re: Only received a partial refund

imastawka — Sat, 31 Oct 2020 12:38:52 GMT

Chat is the only option these days.

The phones have been closed down for months due to Covid

https://www.ebay.com.au/help/startchat_click?topicId=4000&contextId=b88c4b2d-b59c-4560-89df-ceb0b18c70bd%3A1757ea79a40&initFrom=HOME

Scroll to the bottom of the page

Re: Only received a partial refund

springyzone — Sat, 31 Oct 2020 21:31:41 GMT

Correct me if I have this wrong, but are you saying that you signed up for ebay plus and were given a $30 voucher, which you then used to go towards this purchase.

But now the seller has refunded you but the amount you received back is minus the $30 voucher amount.

There was someone else on the boards just a few days ago, asking virtually the same question, which was if there was some way to get their voucher reinstated after a cancellation of a sale.

I don't like your chances as most vouchers are one use only. Do as stawka suggests and contact chat, you never know, they may give you another voucher but as you mentioned, they usually have strict time limits.

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The way your post read though, it sounded as if your refund was $30 short but you were offered an ebay voucher. Are you 100% sure that offer was in relation to your purchase? I had exactly the same offer pop up recently and yes, it was for $30 if I joined ebay plus. I didn't take it up but ebay does make different offers now and then, although mine have never been in compensation for anything. I guess what I am asking is, if this is what you think has happened to you, did anyone specifically say this to you or have you just assumed it because the offer showed up at the same time as the cancellation?

Ebay does not normally refund money for part of a cancellation, normally that would come from the seller.

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The only other thing I can think of to account for a refund difference would be currency exchange differences although it wouldn't come to $30 I wouldn't think, not unless you had made a fairly big purchase.

Re: Only received a partial refund

lyndal1838 — Sat, 31 Oct 2020 21:45:06 GMT

@josie_s_86 wrote:
I recently tried to purchase some items from a seller. Unfortunately, despite the listing saying otherwise, the seller refused to ship to Australia due to Covid (which I understand).
A lot of overseas sellers are currently refusing to ship overseas due to the very slow delivery times but most of them just change their shipping services. I am surprised you were able to pay if the seller was not currently shipping internationally.

So he cancelled my order and refunded my money. No problem or so I thought. I found out that the refund was $30 dollars short and Ebay had given me some lame voucher, which was worth $30 dollars, that could only be used if I signed up to Ebay plus and for only certain items with a strict time limit to use said voucher. You can't take money and only give a gift voucher back Ebay.
If you have used a voucher to pay part of your invoice you do not get that back in cash. You get back the money you paid and the voucher value goes back to ebay.

If you joined ebay Plus you are still liable for the joining fee and you will still get all the perks of that membership for the next 12 months. If you do not want the membership to cntinue you need to cancel before it renews in 12 months time. There is a lot more to ebay Plus than getting one voucher.....maybe you need to read the Terms and Conditions before sounding off.

Suffice to say I'm not happy and have tried to contact Ebay and looked through their confusing help menu to no avail. I don't believe the seller is at fault, I believe Ebay is at fault. So does Ebay actually have a contactable phone number in Australia any more(I have tried one but is was disconnected!) so I can resolve this issue. I would really like to resolve this before informing my bank of the fraud committed.
The phone centre has been closed down since early in the year due to coronavirus....much the same as many businesses all over the world.
NO fraud has been committed.....you used a gift voucher to pay part of an invoice and it was returned to the issuer (ebay) when you received a refund of the money YOU paid.
You have not lost anything.

Has this issue happened with anyone else?
It happens to everyone who uses a voucher as part payment of an invoice if the transaction is cancelled and the payment refunded.

Thanks.

Re: Only received a partial refund

josie_s_86 — Mon, 02 Nov 2020 12:34:13 GMT

Sorry if I wasn't clearer Springzyzone.

No I never signed up for Ebay plus, Ebay was wanting me to and offering a $30 dollar voucher.

I do think Ebay offered the voucher as a good will gesture as it coincided at the exact same time as the refund and the refund was exactly $30 dollars short, the same amount as the voucher. No, no one has said anything to me one way or another and I have only assumed given the timing and the amount.

I did make a fairly big purchase, although the currency exchange rates have never really been an issue. Usually the exact same amount has been refunded even with large purchases.

If it it a currency exchange rate issue, then that's a pretty **bleep**ty thing to do, considering the seller said he would ship overseas in the listing and cancelled the order without telling me and it was only through me phoning America finding out the reason why he cancelled. He even relisted the item saying he would ship overseas when he has no intention of doing so.

Re: Only received a partial refund

springyzone — Mon, 02 Nov 2020 20:45:26 GMT

Thanks for getting back to clarify.

Firstly, I have to say I don't think the voucher was offered to you as compensation for a shortfall in your refund.

I know it may have occurred at the same time as you were having difficulties with your purchase but I think that is just coincidence.

Ebay regularly makes special offers to members, via messages, with invitations to sign up for ebay plus. These deals have differed over time but as I said, I received the exact same $30 voucher offer recently so I suspect it was sent to a lot of people.

One thing I have noticed (learnt) from this board though is not every member receives certain offers. Sometimes you'll hear of someone getting a message about an offer but another person doesn't get it. So even if you have friends who may not have received the offer, it doesn't mean the offer was specific to you, if that makes sense. It will probably have gone to a lot of different people, just not every single person.

The $30 shortfall in your refund then has to have some other explanation as I don't believe the $30 voucher offer was meant as a substitute.

What I would do is message the seller. Mention that you received a refund but it was $30 short of what you paid and ask them to clarify exactly how much they refunded as you are trying to work out what happened. I can only think of currency exchange problems but it does seem a large amount. It can add up though.

If you don't get any clear answers from that, I would do as imastawka suggests and contact ebay chat. I wouldn't even mention the voucher offer as I think that will just confuse the issue, just say you made a purchase that the seller cancelled but the refund you received came up $30 short, could they check it out and explain.

I'd love to hear how you get on with this. Good luck.

Re: Only received a partial refund

lyndal1838 — Mon, 02 Nov 2020 22:07:58 GMT

Thanks for the clarification....I think I may have the answer now.

Could you post the item number so we can check for sure?

I suspect that the item was listed with Global Shipping, whether the seller realised it or not.

The seller gets paid for the item and any postage within the USA. The rest of the postage and charges (including the GST) goes to Pitneey Bowes who arrange the shipping internationally once they receive the item in KY.

If the seller refunds you without a dispute being opened he can only refund what he received. If an official dispute is opened by you, it should also trigger a refund of the money sent to Pitney Bowes for the international postage, fees and GST.

I agree with Springy.....the $30 voucher is co-incidence. I had the same one that expired on 31/10 and yesterday I got another one for the same amount. lol

Just a tip....if you want to join ebay Plus wait till the voucher goes up to $50 and cover your year's subscription in one go.

Re: Only received a partial refund

pc-blackice — Tue, 03 Nov 2020 18:24:10 GMT

The $30 Ebay plus voucher with the redemption code "YOGIFT"? because a lot of people got that voucher

Re: Only received a partial refund

laceyribbons6329 — Sat, 30 Jan 2021 04:32:30 GMT

Hi, I'm also having a problem with a refund. Returned a shirt, US $39.99, immediately received US $39.99, but didn't reliaze that I paid $54.13 Australian. I have been chasing the buyer as they have to request EBay to make the full refund. I'm finding they are not understanding why I want the difference. Have tried to make contact with EBay, but unable to as the item is more then 10 days old! I'm thinking, no more purchases from the USA!

Re: Only received a partial refund

davewil1964 — Sat, 30 Jan 2021 04:55:10 GMT

If you paid $US39.99 and were refunded $US39.99, you were refunded in full. If it's sitting in your Paypal account as $US, convert to $A. You might even make a profit.

Changes to exchange rates are a risk you take. Neither the buyer nor eBay is obliged to give you any difference.

Re: Only received a partial refund

countessalmirena — Sat, 30 Jan 2021 05:12:43 GMT

@laceyribbons6329,

Your post is a little confusing. The item was 39.99 USD...? and you returned the item for a refund, and received back 39.99 USD? Are you saying that the postage amount was not refunded to you? Or are you talking about 39.99 USD not converting to $A54.13 at the time of refund and therefore you feel you've not been fully refunded?

If the former, was the item sent via the Global Shipping Program? You should post here to say yea or nay, and then the posters here can give you some further advice.

If the latter, then you have not understood that it is the actual dollar amount received by the seller - the price set by the seller for the item (and its postage) - which is the amount you would be refunded - irrespective of the current exchange rate. In other words, if your purchase ($39.99 in US dollars) cost you 54.13 Australian dollars (and for instance you received back $A52.04, as per today's current USD-AD exchange rate), you have been fully refunded. The fact that the exchange rate fluctuates is one of the issues that affects international purchases and funds transfers.

Read my reply here which explains in full.

EDIT: Ah, davewil, that will teach me to open a reply window and hang fire while I go out to water the roses...

Re: Only received a partial refund

katistrophik — Sat, 30 Jan 2021 09:31:12 GMT

@laceyribbons6329 wrote:
Hi, I'm also having a problem with a refund. Returned a shirt, US $39.99, immediately received US $39.99, but didn't reliaze that I paid $54.13 Australian. I have been chasing the buyer as they have to request EBay to make the full refund. I'm finding they are not understanding why I want the difference. Have tried to make contact with EBay, but unable to as the item is more then 10 days old! I'm thinking, no more purchases from the USA!

lacey, you have jumped in to a couple of threads now looking for help with problems that aren't really problems.

Pleae don't just go in to threads and think you may find a way to make problems for sellers - if you have any REAL issues perhaps start your own thread, but before doing so read up a liitle on how eBay buying works

https://www.ebay.com.au/help/buying/buy-now/buying-works?id=4002

Re: Only received a partial refund

upperscore — Mon, 14 Feb 2022 20:05:41 GMT

I have the same issue here. The voucher when joining ebay plus is now $40. I was tempted to join eBay plus just because of the $40 voucher which covered 60% of the price of the item i was purchasing. Now if the purchase is cancelled i will get back only what i paid but not the voucher value neither the voucher back. Whilst I understand that the voucher cannot be redeemed as cash or i am not refunded the voucher value in cash- eBay should give us back the $40 voucher without time limits to use. Of course I should be able to utilize the voucher only where I need and when I need not just to purchase anything before it expires.

Re: Only received a partial refund

janeababe — Tue, 15 Feb 2022 00:00:25 GMT

@upperscore wrote:
I have the same issue here. The voucher when joining ebay plus is now $40. I was tempted to join eBay plus just because of the $40 voucher which covered 60% of the price of the item i was purchasing.

I just don’t understand your reasoning?
Why spend $40 cash to join up to eBay plus, to receive a $40 voucher to spend on your item, saving you $40? 🤔

Why not skip eBay plus, spend the $40 you saved, on the item you want to purchase, and then if it cancels, you will get a FULL refund.

Logic really.

Re: Only received a partial refund

padi*0409 — Tue, 15 Feb 2022 00:04:35 GMT

@janeababe wrote:

Logic really.

Sadly that's something that isn't always discernible on the boards Jane.

Re: Only received a partial refund

worag_0 — Thu, 17 Feb 2022 06:52:21 GMT

A debt of gratitude is in order for returning to explain.

First and foremost, I need to say I don't think the voucher was proposed to you as pay for a setback in your discount.

I realize it might have happened simultaneously as you were experiencing issues with your buy however I imagine that is simply incident.

Ebay routinely makes extraordinary proposals to individuals, through messages, with solicitations to pursue ebay in addition to. These arrangements have varied after some time however as I said, I got precisely the same $30 voucher offer as of late so I speculate it was shipped off a many individuals.

One thing I have seen (learnt) from this board however isn't each part gets specific offers. Some of the time you'll know about somebody receiving a message about a deal however someone else doesn't get it. So regardless of whether you have companions who might not have gotten the deal, it doesn't mean the deal was explicit to you, assuming that seems OK. It will presumably have gone to many individuals, simply few out of every odd single individual.

The $30 deficit in your discount then, at that Point, must have another clarification as I don't accept the $30 voucher offer was implied as a substitute.

How I would treat message the dealer. Notice that you got a discount however it was $30 shy of what you paid and request that they explain precisely the amount they discounted as you are attempting to work out what occurred. I can imagine cash trade issues however it appears to be an enormous sum. However, it can add up.