How-to guide · Beginner · 8 steps · Updated 24 October 2026
eBay return policy for sellers: set it up and handle every return
The eBay return policy for sellers lets you choose no returns, or returns within 30 or 60 days. You also choose who pays return shipping: the buyer, or you. But a buyer can always return an item that arrives damaged or not as described, and then you pay. You answer a return request within 3 business days, and refund within 2 business days of getting the item back. This guide sets up your policy, then follows one return to the refund and your fee credit.
A return open right now? Go to answering a return request. Want to refund without the item coming back? See partial refunds.
Steps 1 to 8 work without Productivo. The last part shows how Productivo, the app behind this guide, can help.
Before you start
In shortYou need an eBay seller account and access to Seller Hub. The rules here are eBay.com’s.
Who it is for
LevelBeginner
WholesaleEasy
Every step works as written. Step 2’s address rules help when stock sits in more than one place.
ResellingEasy
Every step works as written. Step 5 matters most: used items need clear condition notes and photos.
HandmadeEasy
Every step works as written. Made-to-order pieces may suit no returns, but not-as-described returns still apply.
Wholesale dropshippingMedium
Steps 1 and 2 need care: your policy and return address must fit the supplier’s return terms.
- You finish with
- A return policy you can honor, return rules set up, and a routine that answers, refunds and checks fee credits on time.
- You need
- An eBay seller account with Seller Hub
- Your return address, and your supplier’s return terms if one ships for you
- About 30 minutes for the setup in steps 1 and 2
eBay return policy for sellers, step by step
Steps 1 and 2 are a one-time setup. Steps 3 to 8 follow one return from the request to your fee credit.
One return, from request to fee credit
Who acts at each stage, and by when. Each stage links to its step.
- Buyer · Step 3Opens a return requestChange of mind: inside your return window. Not as described: up to 30 days after delivery.
- You · Step 3Accept, refund, offer a partial refund or send a messageWithin 3 business days
- Buyer · Step 4Ships the item back with the return labelNo sign of it after 15 business days? eBay may close the return.
- You · Step 5Check the item and refundWithin 2 business days of getting it back
- eBay · Step 8Gives back part of your feesCheck it on your financial statement
No answer from you, or no agreement after 3 business days? Either side can ask eBay to step in (step 7).
A drawing, not eBay’s screen. eBay can extend some deadlines in single cases.
Step 1 of 8: Choose your return policy
In shortPick no returns, 30 days or 60 days, and who pays return shipping. Save it as a business policy.
The eBay return policy for sellers offers five choices. Each one decides what happens when a buyer simply changes their mind. Under every one, a buyer can still return an item that is damaged, wrong or not as described.
eBay return policy options for sellers
Pick the one you can honor on every order. Damaged, wrong or not-as-described items can come back under every policy, and then you pay the return label.Policy When a buyer changes their mind, and when to pick it No returns You may decline it, and eBay will not accept it for you. For items you cannot take back. 30-day buyer-paid returns The buyer has 30 days and pays the return label. Pick it when a label is large next to your price. 30-day free returns The buyer has 30 days, and you pay the return label. Counts toward Top Rated Plus. Pick it when your price leaves room for a label now and then. 60-day buyer-paid returns The same, with 60 days. Only if your stock, or your supplier, can take an item back that late. 60-day free returns The same, with 60 days, and you pay the label. Counts toward Top Rated Plus. A few categories may also offer 14-day returns: Camera Drones, Camera Lenses, Collectibles & Art, Digital Cameras, Jewelry, and Medical & Mobility.
Top Rated Plus needs free returns. It is for Top Rated Sellers only. A listing qualifies with same-day or 1-business-day handling and free returns for 30 days or more. It then gets the seal and 10% off the final value fee. The Top Rated Plus requirements explain the account side.
Restocking fees are not one of eBay’s options. eBay only lets some sellers deduct from a refund when an item comes back used or damaged. eBay says that deduction may not cover restocking or return postage costs.
Save it as a business policy
A business policy is eBay’s return policy template. You create it once, and each listing picks it.
- Open the business policies dashboard in the Account section of My eBay. Opt in if eBay asks.
- From Create policy, select the return policy type.
- Give it a clear name, such as “30 days, buyer pays”, and select Save.
Editing a policy updates every listing that uses it. A listing that cannot be revised keeps the old terms, under a policy named “Copy of…”.
Choose a policy you can honor on every order. eBay can take away its seller protections from sellers who do not honor their return policy.
Result: Your eBay return policy, saved as a clearly named business policy your listings use.
Step 2 of 8: Set return rules and your return address
In shortIn Return preferences, let eBay accept or refund small returns for you, and send each return to the right address.
Open Return preferences. Two rules save you work on small returns:
- Send a refundThe buyer keeps the item and gets an automatic refund, when the refund is under an amount you set. Use it when a return label would cost more than the item is worth.
- Approve a returneBay accepts the return for you, when the total refund is under an amount you set.
For each rule, pick the return reasons it covers. A rule can also cover only some listings or categories. A new rule only applies to returns opened after you save it. You can also tick RMA number (Return Merchandise Authorization), so eBay asks you for one before the buyer ships.
Even without rules, eBay may accept a return for you. Your listing must offer returns, and the request must come inside your window. The return must stay in the US, and an eBay label must fit the parcel.
Send returns to the right address
Keep your return address current in Addresses. Without one, returns go to your registration address. The address set when the buyer opens the return decides where it goes. You cannot change it afterwards.
With several locations, add a return address rule: select Edit next to Return address rules, then Create new rule. Name it, pick the address, and pick a condition: refund amount, return reason or item category. Then select Save rule. A rule can send items to your Primary return address, the Closest address or the Original ship-from address.
For items shipped from the US, use a US return address. If you offer returns and your return address is abroad, the Money Back Guarantee makes you pay the return shipping.
Result: Return rules for small refunds, and a current return address for every location.
Step 3 of 8: Answer each return request within 3 business days
In shortOpen the request, read the reason and photos, then accept, refund or message the buyer within 3 business days.
When a buyer opens a return, eBay emails you and sends an eBay message. Open your Returns dashboard, or the Returns tab under Orders in Seller Hub, and select View return details. You see the buyer’s reason, the date you must answer by, and any comments or photos.
You have 3 business days to answer. If you do not, eBay may refund the buyer and take the money back from you, without the item coming back. eBay may also hold the order’s money until the return is closed.
Your answers, by the buyer’s reason
The options eBay shows in View return details depend on the reason and on your policy.The buyer’s reason What you can do Damaged, faulty, wrong item or not as described You must solve it, even with a no-returns policy. Accept the return: the buyer gets a full refund with the original shipping, and you pay the return label. Or refund in full and let the buyer keep it, offer a partial refund, offer a replacement or exchange, or message the buyer. Changed mind, and your listing accepts returns Accept the return and refund the item in full. You may keep the shipping the buyer paid. With free shipping, you cannot take your shipping cost off the refund. Your policy says who pays the return label. You can also offer a partial refund, refund without the item, or message the buyer. Changed mind, and your listing says no returns You may decline. You can also accept, refund, offer a partial refund, offer a replacement or exchange, or message the buyer. Accept a return
- In View return details, select Accept the return, then Continue.
- If you pay return shipping, choose how the item comes back, as in step 4. If the buyer pays, choose your return address.
- Enter an RMA number if you use them, and select Confirm.
eBay then gives the buyer a date to ship by. With no sign of shipping after 15 business days, eBay may close the return and shield you from negative feedback. Some stay open up to 35 business days. You cannot close a return yourself.
Decline the return appears only for a change-of-mind return on a no-returns listing. You may add a reason; the buyer does not see it.
Answer within 3 business days, every time. A message to the buyer is one of the answers eBay lists, so a question counts.
Result: Every open return answered within 3 business days, with the option that fits its reason.
Step 4 of 8: Send the return label
In shortSend an eBay label from the return, or upload your own with tracking. Whoever pays the label owns a lost parcel.
Who pays the return label depends on the reason. For a damaged, wrong or not-as-described item, you pay, even with no returns. For a change of mind, your policy decides: you pay with free returns, the buyer pays with buyer-paid returns. If the buyer will not pay, ask eBay to step in.
When you pay, View return details offers four ways back:
- Send an eBay shipping labelConfirm your return address, and eBay sends the buyer a label. It picks the cheapest service: USPS Ground Advantage, Priority Mail or FedEx Ground. Tracking is included; insurance is not.
- Upload a shipping labelBuy a label from your own carrier, upload the image, then enter the carrier and tracking number. Items of $750 or more need signature confirmation. For a carrier other than USPS, turn on RMA number in Return preferences first.
- A label in the boxEnter the carrier and tracking, add a message, and tick I provided a return label with the original item.
- Confirm you will facilitate the returnFor another way, such as a pickup. Agree the service and cost with the buyer first.
An eBay label is charged to your account only when the carrier scans it. If the buyer never uses it, you pay nothing. eBay sometimes charges an estimate instead of the real weight, at rates it negotiated. When the label would cost more than the refund, eBay offers no label. A partial refund is often cheaper then.
In general, a lost return is the problem of whoever paid the return shipping. That side works with the carrier. The eBay shipping labels guide covers buying labels in Seller Hub.
Only use tracked return labels. If the side that pays return shipping skips tracking and the item never arrives, eBay may decide the case against it.
Result: A tracked return label sent from the return, paid by the side your policy names.
Step 5 of 8: Check the item and refund within 2 business days
In shortCheck the item, then refund through the return within 2 business days, or eBay refunds for you.
Once the item is back, you have 2 business days to refund. The exact deadline is in the return details. In the return, select Refund buyer. If return tracking shows delivery and 2 business days pass, eBay may refund for you.
- The buyer’s moneyIt goes back to the original payment method. That usually takes 3 to 5 business days, and up to 30.
- Your moneyThe refund comes out of your Available and Processing funds. If they are short, eBay takes the rest from your bank account or card on file.
- The listingeBay relists the item for you. Untick Relist item if you do not want that.
When the item comes back used or damaged
Some sellers may deduct up to 50% to cover the lost value. Top Rated Sellers can do it on listings with 30-day or longer returns. Other sellers can do it on listings with free returns, unless they are Below Standard (seller protections).
How much you may deduct
eBay’s guidance for an item returned in a worse condition than you sent it, shortened. Only for sellers who qualify, as the text below says.Condition when it comes back Deduction from the refund Excellent: unused, complete, seals and tags intact No deduction Good: original packaging missing, or seal opened but the item is as sent 5% to 10% Fair: parts missing, signs of use, installed, tags missing, or a device still signed in to the buyer’s account 15% to 30% Poor: heavy wear, damaged, essential parts missing, opened items that cannot be resold (makeup), or not all items sent back 35% to 50% To deduct, select Report Problem or Refund Now in the return. Enter the reason, pick the percentage, explain it in a comment, and select Refund now. Report the buyer from the return too, and refund within the 2 business days. A deduction gets no fee credit, and the option disappears once eBay steps in.
Inspect the item the day it arrives, then refund. Take photos of what came back before you deduct anything.
Result: Each returned item checked and refunded through the return within 2 business days.
Step 6 of 8: Offer a partial refund when it costs less
In shortOffer one partial refund inside the return, or send one from the order. It often costs less than a return.
A partial refund gives the buyer part of their money back, and they keep the item. eBay suggests it for a small flaw, or for a buyer who ordered the wrong size or color. It can cost less than return shipping.
In a return request
- In View return details, select Offer a partial refund, then Continue.
- Enter the amount, add a message if you like, and select Send offer.
You can offer it only once. If the buyer accepts, eBay closes the return. If not, the return goes on.
After a sale, with no request open
Find the order in Seller Hub or My eBay, and select Send refund from its menu. Choose a reason and the amount, then select Send refund. It works up to 90 days after the sale. With a return or other request open, refund through that request instead.
What one return costs you
Made-up example. A desk lamp sells for $40 with free shipping. With a made-up 8% sales tax, the buyer pays $43.20. Your first label cost $8, and an eBay return label costs $9. A changed-mind lamp comes back unused. With a partial refund, the buyer keeps it. Money left is before what the lamp cost you.What happens You refund Fees back Return label Money left No return $0 $0 $0 $25.72 Changed mind, buyer pays the label $40 $6.28 $0 −$8 Changed mind, free returns $40 $6.28 $9 −$17 Scratched, sent back $40 $5.88 $9 −$17.40 Scratched, $10 partial refund $10 $1.47 $0 $17.19 The scratched lamp shows the choice. The $10 partial refund leaves $34.59 more than the full return. So the full return wins only if the scratched lamp sells again for more than that, after fees and shipping. As new, it sold for $40. The free-return rows also show what free returns cost you: the $9 label on each change-of-mind return.
Offer an amount you can live with: you only get one offer. Work out your own numbers with the eBay fee calculator.
Result: A partial refund offered where it leaves more money than taking the item back.
Step 7 of 8: Know when eBay steps in
In shortIf you and the buyer do not agree in 3 business days, either side can ask eBay. A decision against you costs more.
The eBay Money Back Guarantee covers three problems: an item that never arrives, an item that does not match the listing, and a seller who does not honor their return policy. In each, eBay can refund the buyer if you do not solve it. eBay’s clock runs like this:
eBay’s clock on returns and missing items
From the eBay Money Back Guarantee and the return request help page. eBay can extend some deadlines in single cases.What happens When The buyer reports an item not received Once the estimated delivery date has passed, up to 30 calendar days after it You answer an item-not-received report Within 3 business days, with tracking, an update or a refund The buyer asks to return an item not as described Up to 30 calendar days after delivery, or your return window if it is longer Either side asks eBay to step in From 3 business days after the request, or once you accept the return. At the latest 21 business days after the request if you never answered eBay decides Normally within 48 hours You appeal eBay’s decision Within 30 calendar days of it For an item the buyer says never arrived, eBay checks your tracking. It must come from an integrated carrier, be uploaded to eBay, show a scan before the latest estimated delivery date, and show delivery to the buyer’s ZIP code. Orders of $750 or more also need a signature. The eBay tracking number guide shows how to upload it.
If eBay decides against you
- The refundeBay refunds the buyer and takes the amount from your Available, Processing and On hold funds.
- Your feesNo fee credit for that refund.
- Your seller levelIt counts as a case closed without seller resolution, and the buyer’s negative feedback stays. Top Rated allows at most 2 such cases, and no more than 0.3% of transactions.
To ask eBay yourself, go to Seller Hub’s Orders, open Returns or Requests and disputes, select See details and then Report problem.
Think a buyer is abusing returns? Use Report buyer in the return. When eBay finds abuse, it removes the negative feedback and defects. For a Top Rated Seller, a false not-as-described claim can also earn a credit of up to $6 for the return label.
Solve it yourself before day 3 whenever you can. Once eBay steps in, you can no longer deduct, and a refund it orders gets no fee credit.
Result: Tracking that proves delivery, and every request solved before eBay has to decide.
Step 8 of 8: Check your fee credits
In shortA refund on eBay gives back part of your fees. Which part depends on the reason and on who closed the case.
When you refund on eBay, you may get a fee credit: part of your fees back. A partial refund gets the same share back as its share of the sale.
Which fees come back after a refund
From eBay’s fee credits page. A credit is the same share of the fee as the refund is of the sale.What happened What eBay gives back A full refund for a change-of-mind return, or a full Send refund with the original shipping The percentage part of the final value fee and the per-order fee. The per-order fee can take up to 10 days to show. A full refund for a damaged, wrong or not-as-described item, or for an item not received The percentage part of the final value fee only A partial refund you send on eBay, without asking for the item back The same share of the percentage part as your refund is of the sale eBay steps in and closes the case with a refund No credit You refund outside eBay, or deduct for a used or damaged return No credit eBay’s own example: a buyer gets $5.49 back on a $68.05 sale. That is 8.1%, so the seller gets 8.1% of the $9.25 fee back: $0.75. In step 6, the made-up $10 partial refund is 25% of the sale, so 25% of the fee comes back.
The credit usually lands in your Available funds, or on the card you paid the fee with. Each one shows on your financial statement. The eBay Seller Hub guide shows where.
Check the credit after each refund. If one is missing, compare the refund’s reason with the table above.
Result: Each refund matched to its fee credit on your financial statement.
Returns when a wholesale supplier ships for you
In shorteBay’s deadlines stay yours. Agree the supplier’s return terms before you list, and fit your eBay return policy to them.
To eBay, you are the seller. The 3 business days to answer and the 2 to refund apply to you, whatever your supplier does. Before you list, ask the supplier:
- How long it takes items backYour return window, and eBay’s 30 days after delivery for not-as-described items, should fit inside it. If it does not, those returns stay with you.
- Where returns goIts warehouse or your address. A return address rule can send items to the Original ship-from address. Use it only if the supplier agrees, and keep a US address for items shipped from the US.
- What it charges youA restocking fee or an RMA number is between you and the supplier. You cannot pass a restocking fee on to the eBay buyer.
- Who pays for its mistakesFor a damaged or wrong item, you pay the return label on eBay. Agree in writing that the supplier credits you.
Refund the buyer on time even if the supplier pays you back later. eBay takes a late refund from your funds anyway. The wholesale suppliers guide has more questions to ask before you sign.
eBay return policy mistakes and what each one costs
In shortUnder the eBay return policy for sellers, most costs come from a missed deadline or a refund made the wrong way.
Seven mistakes to avoid
| Mistake | What it costs you |
|---|---|
| Missing the 3-business-day answer | eBay may refund the buyer from your money, and the item may never come back. |
| Ignoring a not-as-described return | “No returns” does not cover it. If eBay steps in and finds you responsible, it counts as a case closed without seller resolution. |
| Refunding outside eBay | No fee credit and no seller protections. |
| Letting eBay decide a case you could solve | No fee credit, no deduction, and a case closed without seller resolution. |
| Deducting a “restocking fee” | Deductions are only for lost value. eBay can take away seller protections for unfair deductions. |
| An old return address | The item goes where the address pointed when the return opened. You cannot change it later. |
| An untracked return label | If the parcel goes missing, the case can be decided against whoever paid for return shipping. |
Prevent the next return
eBay’s own tips for avoiding problems come down to three habits:
- Describe it exactlyAn accurate title and description, every item specific you can fill, and photos that show each flaw. They set what the buyer expects.
- Pack it to surviveAn item that arrives damaged can come back, even if it left you perfect.
- Put a return label in the boxOnly if you offer free returns. It makes a return easier for you both.
Common questions about eBay returns for sellers
Do eBay sellers have to accept returns?
Not for a change of mind, if your listing says no returns. You must accept a return when the item arrives damaged, faulty, wrong or not as described, whatever your eBay return policy says. Step 3 lists your answers by reason.
Who pays for return shipping on eBay?
You do, when the item is damaged, wrong or not as described. For a change of mind, your policy decides: you with free returns, the buyer with buyer-paid returns. Step 4 shows the label options.
How long does a seller have to respond to an eBay return request?
3 business days. Otherwise eBay may refund the buyer from your money.
How long does an eBay seller have to refund after a return?
2 business days after the item arrives. After that, if return tracking shows delivery, eBay may refund for you.
Can I charge a restocking fee on eBay?
No, eBay’s return policies have no restocking fee. Some sellers may deduct up to 50% when an item comes back used or damaged, but only for the lost value. Step 5 shows who qualifies.
What if the buyer says “not as described”, but my listing was accurate?
Answer it like any not-as-described return: within 3 business days, and you pay the return label. Accept it, check the item and refund within 2 business days. Then use Report buyer in the return (step 7).
Do returns hurt my eBay seller rating?
Not-as-described returns can. Change-of-mind returns are left out. Each month, eBay compares your rate of not-as-described returns and missing items with similar sellers. It counts every request opened, even one you solved fast. A Very High rate can block deductions and raise your final value fees. Under 1%, or fewer than 10 requests from different buyers, it has no consequences. Check Seller Hub’s service metrics.
Is there an eBay return policy template?
Yes: a return business policy. You create it once in Business policies and pick it for each listing. Editing it updates every listing that uses it. Step 1 walks through it.
What happens if I don’t have enough money on eBay for a refund?
eBay takes the rest from your bank account or card on file. A refund comes first out of your Available and Processing funds. When those fall short, eBay charges your payment method on file within 14 days.
Do I get my eBay fees back when I refund a buyer?
Usually part of them. A full change-of-mind refund returns the percentage fee and the per-order fee. A not-as-described refund returns the percentage fee only. Nothing comes back when eBay closes the case. Step 8 has the table.
How Productivo helps with eBay returns
In shortProductivo shows each open return on its order and warns you before the deadline. You still answer it on eBay.
Every step above works with eBay’s own tools. This part is about Productivo, the app behind this guide.
Where Productivo fits in the steps
| Guide step | What Productivo does |
|---|---|
| Step 3 | Orders from your connected eBay stores show an open return on the order: eBay’s reason, the buyer’s comment and the date you must answer by. |
| Step 3 | A return due within 2 days, or overdue, sends you a Telegram message or email. The dashboard lists it under Needs attention as an eBay return due within 2 days. |
| Step 8 | eBay’s refund comes off the order’s profit. A cost eBay does not record, such as a reship, can be added to the order. Reports show what returns and cancellations cost you. |
An open return on the order, in Productivo
The return sits on its order, with what eBay expects from you, the deadline and the buyer’s words. Here, the buyer says the glass top arrived cracked, and the refund is due tomorrow.
What it does not do: Productivo does not accept, decline or refund a return, and it does not buy return labels. It reads returns from eBay only. Item-not-received reports do not appear on the order.
Written by the Productivo team. Source review: eBay’s handling a return request, setting up your return policy, return shipping for sellers, Seller Center returns, Money Back Guarantee policy, seller protections, refunding buyers, fee credits, Top Rated Seller program and business policies, service metrics and avoiding issues with buyers, checked 24 October 2026.