FAQ: Why was the buyer automatically refunded?

There are instances when your buyer may receive an automatic refund. The most likely scenarios when this could happen are:

Seller’s return policy rules

Your return policy can be set up to refund the buyer once the tracking shows the returned item has reached you. Once tracking confirms delivery, the buyer will be automatically refunded.

eBay Money Back Guarantee

eBay will process an automatic refund for these scenarios:

• If the seller does not respond within the SMIR (Seller Make It Right) 3 day period to a dispute raised by the buyer.
• If no tracking was provided or the seller has not shipped the item within the specified timeframe.
• If the seller does not refund the buyer and return tracking shows the item was delivered.
• If a payment dispute is found in the buyer’s favour, the payment institution will reverse the payment and refund it to the buyer’s original payment method.

Additionally, If a seller is suspended for fraudulent activity, eBay may automatically open a case and issue a refund to the buyer.

Remember, if sellers do not respond within the SMIR timeframe and the case is closed in the buyer’s favour, this will result in an account defect.