She returned the merchandise to eBay. What happened to her refund?

When Gloria Lenoir returns her merchandise to eBay, the company doesn’t refund her $29 and closes her case. How does she get eBay’s attention?

Q: I recently bought two tubes of Voltaren, a pain medication, through eBay. I paid $29 for the product but decided I could not use it. I tried to return the product, but the seller did not respond.

eBay provided a USPS shipping label so I could return the item. I returned the item to the seller about a month ago but I did not get my refund.

When I tried to enter the USPS tracking number, the eBay website will not accept it. eBay has closed the case. Can you help me get my refund? – Gloria Lenoir, Austin, Texas

A: So let me get this straight: You returned your tubes of Voltaren to the buyer via eBay and you received nothing? Come on.

The seller should have responded when you asked to return the product. This isn’t the first time we’ve had an nonresponsive eBay seller. When that happens, eBay should reconsider whether the merchant belongs on its platform. No ghosting customers! And after talking to eBay myself there’s no evidence the merchant got a talkin’-to.

I’m glad eBay got involved and sent you a return label. For a few days, at least, it looked as if eBay had taken your side.

“We have reviewed this case and decided in your favor,” it said in an email to you. “You should return the item to the seller for a refund. We’re sorry you had a problem with your purchase.”

eBay should have been able to track your return and issue a refund but, for some reason, it couldn’t. The tracking number USPS gave you was valid. Someone in New York accepted the merchandise after you sent it back. But it looks like the tracking number didn’t quite work with eBay’s system.

Closing your case was the wrong move; eBay should have opened an investigation and not closed it until it was resolved. Your case just slipped through the cracks.

I think you did everything you could to keep your case alive. You kept your correspondence in writing (good work!), and you kept all emails and messages (nice going!), but you still couldn’t get to the right place at eBay. Next time, try one of these https://www.elliott.org/company-contacts/ebay-customer-service-contacts. A polite, brief email with your entire paper trail attached should get to the right person.

I asked eBay about your case. Although it wouldn’t reveal what went wrong with your refund, the company promptly refunded your $29 after I contacted it.

Christopher Elliott is the chief advocacy officer for Elliott Advocacy. Email him at chris@elliott.org or get help with any consumer problem by contacting him at http://www.elliott.org/help.

© 2022 Christopher Elliott