,I think I’ve been far to quick to refund money in the past just to “protect my precious feedback”
My advice was coming less from the angle of protecting your feedback, more like it is inevitable…regardless of your actions…that eBay will side with the buyer and at some point they will take the money from you to refund the buyer. So it’s easier just to take the top back, and refund once this has happened.
Of course the buyer could send you back an old dish cloth in the post, but as long as they provide proof of posting something to eBay, then they will refund them.
eBay is a not good for sellers these days.
http://www.theguardian.com/money/2013/dec/09/seller-beware-listing-ebay
http://www.theguardian.com/money/2013/oct/27/ebay-wont-help-seller