Ebay refund advice

[MEG]

An item I purchased on ebay arrived and it was significantly not as described. Being a fairly reasonable person, the seller and I agreed on a partial refund rather than the hassles with sending the item back in addition to a refund. However the seller wants me to "leave me positive feedback first so paypal can release the funds then ill forward you your $30." Now, I have no real reason to believe the seller is trying to stiff me the $30 but, and this could just be me, would I be walking into a sucker play here and significantly reduce my ability to file a claim if the refund never comes and I left positive feedback?

What is the recommended course of action for those in my position?

[hal]

I'm always reasonable on the first go-round. If I get a BS response, I get very mean right away. Maybe you don't need to be mean - yet.

What the seller is asking for is not reasonable. He would be under no obligation to refund your money after you leave + feedback.

Replay saying NO. Refund first else I contest this transaction with paypal. You hold all of the cards - all of the power. Don't just give it away.

Be firm, polite. Explain just like I did that this is not in your best interest and leaves you completely without recourse.

This is not extortion (he may accuse you) - you would be perfectly in the right.

[Black]

hal wrote:
I'm always reasonable on the first go-round. If I get a BS response, I get very mean right away. Maybe you don't need to be mean - yet.

What the seller is asking for is not reasonable. He would be under no obligation to refund your money after you leave + feedback.

Replay saying NO. Refund first else I contest this transaction with paypal. You hold all of the cards - all of the power. Don't just give it away.

Be firm, polite. Explain just like I did that this is not in your best interest and leaves you completely without recourse.

This is not extortion (he may accuse you) - you would be perfectly in the right.

I think MEG was looking for an answer to the feedback/paypal question- I see no reason to think s/he needs advice on how to come off like a jerk.
I personally think the feedback/paypal thing is fictional.
I wouldn't leave any feedback at all until the transaction has concluded completely.

[Janit]

MEG wrote:
However the seller wants me to "leave me positive feedback first so paypal can release the funds then ill forward you your $30."

No question, ask for your refund to be completed before leaving feedback! You should be diplomatic but firm about this and keep the following in mind:

It is not necessary for PayPal to "release" the funds in order for the seller to issue you a partial refund. In fact, this is one reason why PayPal puts "holds" on certain kinds of transactions -- to make sure the money is available in the account for refunds should a dispute arise.

Asking for positive feedback prior to issuing a refund sounds perilously analogous to what eBay calls "feedback extortion" on his part, depending on how the request was phrased. The seller can get into trouble for making this request should you complain to eBay about it.

[space-time]

is this a $50 item or a $500 item? in other words, is that $30 refund a big percentage of the wining bid?

[MEG]

Thanks all, I will push that the transaction concludes (i.e., the refund is given) before feedback is left.

[wurm]

I don't have an answer but I'm curious as to how the seller justified that the item was significantly not as described.

[Black]

wurm wrote:
I don't have an answer but I'm curious as to how the seller justified that the item was significantly not as described.

Aw, c'mon, it should be possible to ask a specific question and get a quality answer here without having to type your life's story.

[Carnos Jax]

What's the seller's feedback (both score and percentage)? If it's a high number and 100%, you've got nothing to worry about, and in the interest of making life easy I'd go ahead and do it.

[wurm]

Black wrote:
[quote=wurm]
I don't have an answer but I'm curious as to how the seller justified that the item was significantly not as described.

Aw, c'mon, it should be possible to ask a specific question and get a quality answer here without having to type your life's story.
Of course it's possible, and there were some great answers. I said I was curious.