It is an age-old challenge every eBay seller has to face: You can’t satisfy every customer. When selling on eBay, there are various problems arise from each order, and occasionally, you have to deal with angry buyers. Perhaps their items were damaged along the way, or they feel like the product’s color is not the same as the photo. Fortunately, the eCommerce giant has a solution for you to win over dissatisfied customers: eBay partial refund!
In this article, we will walk you through:
- The basic knowledge about eBay partial refund;
- How to issue a refund on eBay;
- Important things to note before giving a partial refund.
Let’s begin, shall we?
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eBay Partial Refund: Basic Knowledge
What is a partial refund?
In a nutshell, an eBay partial refund is a feature available to eBay retailers via the seller hub. By using this feature, you can offer a refund to your customers when selling on one of the best selling platforms in the world.
However, just as the name states, only a part of the amount your buyer paid for the item will be returned. Unlike the “Return” option, in which the buyer gets back the total amount but has to send back the item, for a partial refund, the buyer can keep it. That’s one of eBay benefits that offer buyers a discount from the original sale price.
This option saves retailers from the headache of dealing with customers’ return requests and the extra shipping fees that will add up to your eBay fees. Even if an eBay vendor accepts returns, issuing a partial refund makes it more comfortable for both sides.
Aside from the convenience, an eBay partial refund is an excellent tool for solving problems with your buyers and keeping them from leaving negative feedback. Once a customer reports an issue to eBay, there is a high chance that the platform will take his side. While negotiating with customers, take advantage of this function to avoid further issues that might result in bad ratings.
When should you issue a partial refund on eBay?
When your customers report an issue with the item they purchased, yet it’s not significant enough to warrant a return, the eBay partial refund option will come in handy. In that case, you may offer a partial refund without getting eBay customer service involved. Some common scenarios are:
- The buyer has received the wrong item (in terms of color, style, size, etc.) but still wants to keep it.
- The product has minor physical damages (like a few scratches during the eBay shipping process) that don’t affect its function.
The amount of the partial refund is situational, based on the agreement between the retailer and the buyer.
Don’t forget that eBay sellers also have the right to return only a portion of the item’s value if a buyer sends it back for a full refund but the item arrives in used or poor condition. When this happens, one of the following can be applied:
- Vendors offering a free return may deduct up to half the original purchase price to recover the lost value.
- Vendors who don’t offer a free return may deduct up to 20% of the original cost.
Understanding sellers’ frustration when they receive a returned item that is no longer sellable, the platform has implemented a special eBay partial refund policy for these circumstances. When you issue a partial refund for a used or damaged item, eBay also:
- Removes any negative/neutral eBay product review in your service metrics regarding that claim.
- Immediately closes any open cases regarding that claim.
- Protects you from any chargebacks that might occur following the refund.
How to Give a Partial Refund on eBay?
Now that we have gone over the basics, let’s get to the main part: How to send a partial refund on eBay?
Depending on the payment method used for the original transaction, the steps involved in issuing a refund on eBay may vary. Typically, when selling on eBay – one of the top marketplaces, you can complete the procedure via Paypal or eBay managed payment.
#1. eBay partial refund via Paypal
The simplest way to handle partial refunds on eBay is through Paypal since the payment platform makes the process convenient and streamlined. For up to six months (180 days) from the original transaction date, you may refund the customer a portion of their purchase.
Once you’ve logged in to your PayPal account, just follow the steps below.
- At the top of the homepage, click the Activity tab.
- A list of transactions will drop down. Select the particular transaction for which you want to issue a partial refund.
- Click the Refund This Payment option.
- The full sum will be displayed by default. Based on the agreement between you and your customer, you can edit the refund amount.
- Make sure that all the transaction details are correct, then complete the transaction and issue the eBay partial refund to the customer.
#2. eBay partial refund via the eBay-managed payment
Those who used eBay-managed payments for their online vendors may issue the refund via their seller hub.
- Choose the specific order that you wish to issue a refund for from your seller account. From the options that drop down, click Send Refund.
- Fill in the reason for the refund.
- Edit the refund amount.
- Double-check to make sure that the transaction details are correct, then select the Send Refund button.
When you provide a refund using eBay-managed payment, you can choose to issue by item or order. Since you know the exact value of each item, issuing a refund per item is more straightforward. For an order-level refund, the process can be more complicated as the refund amount is divided by the total number of products in the purchase.
Unlike PayPal, which gives you six months to execute your refund decision, eBay-managed payments only give you two months from the original transaction. This is something customers should keep in mind if they want to request a full or partial refund.
Things You Should Remember Before Issuing a Partial Refund
Of course, not all circumstances call for an eBay partial refund. In some situations, it is not even possible, and this depends significantly on your customer’s behaviors during the process.
For instance, you should always leave a paper trail. Make sure you and the buyer have discussed the situation and reached an agreement via eBay message. That will give a reason for any refund being issued. Otherwise, an eBay partial refund might result in a defect on your account’s credit report.
As mentioned, you can’t partially refund an item that isn’t delivered. If a customer makes an “item not received” request, you have no other option but to provide a complete refund upon the request itself.
On the other hand, if the customer requests a “return,” you may negotiate with him or her and politely steer him/her toward an eBay partial refund.
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eBay Partial Refund: FAQs
- Can you give a partial refund on eBay?
As an eBay seller, yes, you can. The partial refund option is always available in the Seller Hub within 90 days since the original transaction.
However, if you are an eBay buyer, you can’t request a partial refund by yourself. The only option you have is “return,” which requires you to send back the purchased item for a full refund. In case you want to keep the item and get back part of the amount you’ve paid for it, you can discuss the refund with your seller via eBay messages.
- What happens if I offer a partial refund?
After you’ve sent a refund from the Seller Hub, you will receive an email confirming that the refund has been carried out and another email when it is complete. The amount you refunded will be shown in the order detail.
- How long does eBay buyer have to accept partial refund?
After 21 business days (or about 29 calendar days), every refund request from eBay sellers will be closed automatically. That means eBay buyers also have 21 business days to make their decisions regarding the refund.
- What happens if I accept a partial refund on eBay?
Before you click Accept, the partial refund request is stalled. If you accept the request, eBay will issue a partial refund while you get to keep the item, and the case is closed.
- How long does eBay refund take?
In most cases, eBay refund time is up to 72 hours after the refund request is accepted. However, it also depends on the payment method your buyer chose to finalize the transaction:
- If they paid using PayPal: The buyer will receive the sum on the same day eBay confirms the refund.
- If they paid using debit cards: The buyer will receive the sum 3 days after the moment eBay confirms the refund.
- If they paid using credit cards: The buyer will receive the sum 3 to 7 days after eBay confirms the refund, but he may not see it in the account until the settlement date is negotiated with the bank.
Final Thoughts
While eBay strives to protect its customers, the platform also provides various tools for sellers to maintain open transactions and avoid negative feedback. eBay partial refund is one of those tools. By taking advantage of it, you can retain customers in even the stickiest situations and become an eBay top rated seller.
Your customers’ satisfaction is what keeps your eCommerce enterprise going. Issuing a refund might impact your profit margin, but it will be beneficial in the future. Think long-term and always put the customer first!
To leverage customer experience, check out LitCommerce, the all-in-one multichannel selling solution. Our solution can help you with professionally-designed listing templates, order management, and inventory syncing, all from a central dashboard.
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