eBay Return Policy: Money Back Guarantee, Seller Windows & Refunds

eBay is a marketplace, so there's no single "eBay return policy" in the way a store has one. Each seller sets its own return terms in the listing, and eBay layers its Money Back Guarantee on top to protect buyers when an item is wrong, damaged or never arrives. Here's how the two fit together, based on eBay's own help pages. For more about eBay, see the eBay store page.

Seller return policies vs. the Money Back Guarantee

There are two kinds of returns on eBay:

• Change-of-mind ("remorse") returns. If the listing says the seller offers returns, you can send the item back for any reason, including changing your mind ¹. The listing sets the window ¹.
• Item not as described. If you get the wrong item, or it arrives broken, damaged or faulty and wasn't clearly described that way, you're entitled to return it for a refund even if the seller doesn't offer returns ¹.

The eBay Money Back Guarantee covers that second case, plus items that never arrive and sellers who don't honor their own stated return policy ¹.

How long you have to return an item

If the seller doesn't offer returns, or your change-of-mind request comes after the seller's window, the seller can choose to accept or decline it ¹. An item that arrives after the latest estimated delivery date is treated as if it didn't match the listing ¹.

Requesting in time is only the first deadline. Once a return is accepted, you also have to ship the item by the latest ship date eBay gives you in an email and in the return request ¹. If you don't ship by that date, eBay may close the request ¹.

How to open a return request

1. Go to your Purchases in My eBay, find the item and select Return this item ².
2. Choose a reason and add a comment ².
3. If the item arrived damaged, broken or faulty, add at least one photo (up to 10), then confirm the return ².
4. Once the return is accepted, eBay emails you asking you to send the item back – ship it by the date in that email ². The same date also appears in the return request, and eBay may close the request if you miss it ¹.

For more than one item: return a set or bundle as a whole lot, use one request for multiples of the same item, and open a separate request for each listing in a combined purchase from the same seller ².

What the seller can do

The seller has 3 business days to respond ². They can accept and offer a full refund, offer a partial refund, offer a replacement or exchange, ask for more details, or decline if you changed your mind and their policy says no returns or you missed the deadline ².

If the seller doesn't respond or doesn't resolve the problem, you can ask eBay to step in ². If the seller never responded, the latest point to do that is 21 business days after your request ¹. eBay says it usually resolves these cases within 48 hours ².

Who pays return shipping

• Item doesn't match the listing: the seller pays ¹.
• Change of mind: the listing says either "free returns" or "buyer pays" ¹. If you pay, the return shipping cost isn't included in your refund ¹.

If you paid for a return label provided by eBay, its cost is deducted from your refund ². Use tracked shipping that can be independently validated ¹, and items worth $750 or more need signature confirmation ².

Condition of returned items

Send the item back in the same condition you received it ¹. If it comes back used, damaged or missing parts, some sellers may deduct the loss in value from your refund ¹. Pack carefully: damage in transit from poor packaging can also lead to a deduction ².

Refunds: how much and how fast

• Within the seller's return policy, the seller must allow a full refund but may exclude the original shipping cost ¹.
• Not as described, if eBay finds the seller didn't meet their return requirements, you get a refund for the full cost of the item and original shipping ¹.
• Speed: sellers must refund within 2 business days of receiving the return ¹, and refunds typically arrive within 3-5 business days of the seller receiving it ².
• Method: most refunds go back to your original payment method ¹.

Items that never arrived

You can report a missing item once the estimated or actual delivery date has passed, and up to 30 calendar days after it ¹. If the item didn't arrive at your checkout address, you're entitled to a full refund including original shipping costs ¹.

What the guarantee doesn't cover

The Money Back Guarantee doesn't cover purchases where any part of the payment was made outside eBay, such as a bank transfer, cash or money order ¹. Excluded items include ¹:

• Real estate, websites and businesses for sale
• Digital content, intangible goods and NFTs
• Motor vehicles, including RVs, aircraft and boats

Some items inspected under eBay's Authenticity Guarantee are final sale and aren't covered for "doesn't match the listing" claims ¹. The guarantee is also not a product warranty ¹.

You can lose coverage by voluntarily closing a request or case, filing duplicate claims, abusive buying or violating eBay policy ¹. Filing a chargeback with your card issuer for the same transaction can get your eBay case closed ¹, and once you close a return request you can't reopen it or file a new one for the same purchase ².

Quick tips

• Read the return policy in the listing before you buy; it decides change-of-mind returns ².
• Photograph damage right away; damaged-item requests need at least one photo ².
• After the return is accepted, ship by the date in eBay's email; a missed ship date can get the request closed ¹.
• Don't close a request just to "try again"; it can't be reopened ².
• Disagree with eBay's decision? You have 30 calendar days to appeal ¹.
• Compare marketplace and store rules in our return policy guides.