eBay Money Back Guarantee requests and PayPal Buyer Protection cases that impact seller performance

	Policy overview Buyer requirements for opening an eBay Money Back Guarantee request or PayPal Buyer Protection case Requests and cases closed without seller resolution Requests and cases that won't be removed Best practices to help to avoid buyers opening requests and cases Why does eBay have this policy?

Policy overview

As a seller on eBay, it's important to remember that you're delivering more than items—you're also delivering service.

To keep customer service a priority, we ask sellers to meet our seller performance standards, including minimising the number of requests and PayPal Buyer Protection cases that are opened and closed without seller resolution.

For the eBay Money Back Guarantee, when a buyer initially asks to return an item because it didn't match the listing description, or the buyer reports they didn't receive the item, we call the transaction issue at that point a 'request'. If the buyer and seller can't resolve the problem, and the buyer or seller asks us to step in and help with the transaction, the request then becomes a 'case.' For PayPal Buyer Protection, the transaction issue is a 'case.'

A request or case closed without seller resolution is any request or case the seller is unable to resolve with the buyer prior to the request or case escalating to eBay or PayPal for review, and eBay or PayPal determines the seller is responsible.

This policy outlines some of the requirements that must be met for a buyer to open a return request, report an item as not being received, ask us to step in and help with a transaction issue, or a PayPal Buyer Protection case. This policy also provides an overview of requests and cases that count and don't count in your seller performance evaluation.

Buyer requirements for opening an eBay Money Back Guarantee request or PayPal Buyer Protection case

There are a number of checks in place that may prevent an eBay Money Back Guarantee request or PayPal Buyer Protection case from being opened. If a buyer tries to request a return, report an item as not being receive, or open a PayPal Buyer Protection case with you, but it doesn't pass our checks, a request or case won't be opened. We make sure that:

	The transaction is eligible for eBay Money Back Guarantee or PayPal Buyer Protection.
	The buyer has paid for the item.
	The buyer hasn't already received a full refund via PayPal.
	A request or case hasn't already been opened for the same transaction (this includes requests and cases under eBay Money Back Guarantee or PayPal Buyer Protection).
	Based on delivery estimates, enough time has passed from payment to when a buyer should have received an item.

Requests and cases closed without seller resolution that may be removed

Return requests for items not as described may result in a transaction defect. Cases closed without seller resolution count towards a seller's performance evaluation. Our seller performance standards provide detailed information on how these requests and cases affect seller status.

Cases in any of the following scenarios are automatically removed as transaction defects and will not count towards the maximum percentage of cases closed without seller resolution:

• Cases that have been closed in the seller's favour or no one is found at fault.

• Return requests, reports of an item not being received, and PayPal Buyer Protection cases in which a seller issued a refund before the buyer asked us to step in and help won't count as a case closed without seller resolution.

• Cases in which the buyer is found to be abusing eBay Money Back Guarantee, or found to be opened by a competitor with the intention of negatively affecting a seller's performance standards.

• Cases in which the buyer has been suspended for a severe policy violation. In this situation, both the transaction defect and the case that was closed without seller resolution are removed.

If you're sure a case fits the requirements above, and wasn't removed from your seller performance evaluation, please contact us.

Requests and cases that won't be removed

We value sellers who deliver issue-free transactions and provide excellent customer service. In general, escalated return requests and reports of an item not being received, opened PayPal Buyer Protection cases and cases that are opened and closed without seller resolution, won't be removed as part of the seller's performance evaluation.

The transaction defect rate that results from the escalation of requests and cases won't affect your status until you have transactions with defects involving at least 8 different buyers, or at least 5 different buyers to impact your eBay Top-rated seller status, within your evaluation period.

Best practices to help avoid buyers opeining eBay Money Back Guarantee requests and PayPal Buyer Protection cases

Here are examples of best practices that may help prevent buyers from opening requests and cases:

• Send the buyer a message acknowledging when you receive payment, when you expect to send the item, and confirmation once you've sent the item.

• Upload tracking or delivery confirmation information as soon as it's available.

• Accept returns, while clearly outlining who is responsible for the return postage costs.

• Communicate professionally with the buyer at all times, from listing to sale to delivery.

For more tips, see our selling practices policy.