I won something on eBay and a week later receive a package from the seller with the wrong item inside. It was clear the seller had simply mixed up address labels and packages, hence posting items to the wrong people. I raised a dispute, contacted th seller, offered to post the item on to the correct address so long as seller refunded me for that. He agreed so a few days later I sent the item off, costing £4.10. A few more days and I received the correct item. Yay. Only problem now is the £4.10. Seller says he can’t access his PayPal funds so can’t refund me until I close the dispute. I think I trust him, original mistake was genuine, but can someone confirm what he says? Ta.

He should be able to refund you the £4.10 from his PP account. I wouldnt close the dispute once you’ve done that there is no more you can do.

Has all correspondence been done through eBay? I’d contact them if not.

I’ve never had a dispute raised against me but can’t believe that having one would somehow lock out your paypal account. So the request to close the dispute seems odd, unless they don’t trust you 😉

Fairly sure in the dispute he can click partial refund.

Yep all been done through eBay. Hmm.you confirm what I thought. Tbh I’m not sure I want a hassle for a measly 4.10. I guess if I close the dispute and he stirs me then all I can do is leave negative feedback? At 4.10 it might just be best to forget it, just dont like being stiffed.

You should be able to change your dispute to asking only for £4.10 which he can agree on and I think PayPal/eBay refund it if you both agree.

I’d trust him, since your item turned up have you any reason not to? Could be he’s just trying to protect his rating or whatever by asking you to close the dispute, could be something more sinister, but it doesn’t sound like he’d bother trying to rip you off for £4.10.

can’t believe that having one [a dispute] would somehow lock out your paypal account

It did to me.
As far as I know, you should only raise a dispute if the seller doesn’t co-operate in the first place.
Your best bet now is to phone EBay and ask them.

I had something similar. An item wasn’t as described – the seller was great and agreed an instant refund and return. She also offered to pay my return postage.

I got the item refund straight away, but she contacted me to say that she couldn’t send the postage refund as the dispute had locked her account. I was away at the time, and before I had time to reply or close the dispute I got another email from her saying ‘she had sorted it out’ and the postage refund came through as well.

So – not much help – but yes it does appear that a dispute makes refunding postage difficult, it sounds as though your seller is genuine – but there is obviously a way around it somehow.

As far as I know, you should only raise a dispute if the seller doesn’t co-operate in the first place

This. From your OP, I can’t figure out why you raised a dispute in the first place, as there doesn’t seem to have been one?

Thinking about it – it’s a bit too easy to raise a dispute “accidentally”. You follow the eBay links to ask the seller why they’ve sent you the wrong thing and a dispute is raised by following this. I think this is what happened to me when I tried to contact a seller about some forks he’d sent me as “new” that weren’t.
I didn’t intend to raise a dispute, just wanted to tell him to describe things properly, but it happened anyway!

Ah I didn’t know I was hasty in raising a dispute, I thought it was the appropriate way to go. I’ll close it then and give him the benefit of any doubt.
If he does stiff me….. Is there someone in Weston super mare available for shoe wee-ing? 😀

Okay, case closed. ebay warnings clearly said I should keep it open until the issue was total resolved, which it isn’t just yet, but for karma I’ve closed it.
fingers crossed there will be no need for weeing in shoes.