Won the auction, but changed your mind? How to cancel an eBay order

Orlando Mayorquin, USA TODAY
·3 min read

Judgment can become clouded in the heat of competition. That goes for intense bidding wars on eBay, too. Reality can quickly sober the joy of auction victory. Did I really just put up half a paycheck to secure a piece of replica memorabilia that will soon do little more than collect dust on a shelf?

Luckily, not all sales on eBay are final. And depending on when you change your mind, it won’t be too difficult to cancel your order. But, by and large, eBay says it is up to the seller whether you’ll get your money back.

How to cancel an order on eBay

Customers aren’t guaranteed a cancellation once they’ve placed their order, according to eBay.

“Buyers can request a cancellation, but generally only sellers can cancel an order,” eBay’s cancellation policy reads.

After you’ve placed your order, you only have one hour to request a cancellation, according to eBay. Otherwise, you have to contact the seller directly. But the processes are largely the same.

To cancel an order within an hour after purchase, log into your account on a desktop browser and click on “purchase history’ under the “My eBay” tab in the upper-right hand corner.

Select the order and there should be a “cancel order” option, according to eBay. Once you hit cancel, eBay says it contacts the seller asking them to accept or deny the cancellation request within three days.

If you ordered the item more than an hour ago, you have to contact the seller directly and ask that they cancel the order. The steps are the same as for canceling an order within an hour after purchase, except you will be asked to send the seller a note explaining why you want to cancel the order.

How to sell something on eBay: A quick step-by-step guide

Enter the wrong amount?: Here is how to cancel your eBay bid.

Can an eBay seller refuse to cancel an order?

Yes. If the seller denies your request, you have to wait until your item arrives to request returning the item for a refund.

EBay says it encourages sellers to grant cancellation requests if they have yet to ship the item.

Just curious? We got you covered.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How to cancel order on ebay and how to contact seller

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