How Do I Request a Refund from PayPal?

Everyday PayPal processes thousands of transactions from across the globe. However, not all transactions end up as successful. In some cases, you may need a refund. Read these helpful tips to get your refund.

Everyday PayPal processes thousands of transactions from across the globe. However, not all transactions end up as successful. In some cases, you will pay for a product that leaves you unsatisfied or perhaps send money to the wrong recipient. What do you do? Like every other legit business agreement, you would want a refund. Here's how you go about a refund request from PayPal.

Issue a complaint to the trader

Once you are decided about taking the refund road, consider raising a dispute with the trader. PayPal encourages traders and buyers to dispute issues before submitting claims for transactions gone awry. It must be done within one hundred and eighty days after the official PayPal payment.

To access dispute services, you will surf through your personal or business account to the Resolution Center. File your complaint to the trader providing the reason why you want a refund and wait for a response within twenty days. Should the trader fail to respond within twenty days, you may escalate the problem to a claim.

Escalate dispute

In some occasions, both parties will find neutral ground within twenty days of issuing the dispute. However, if you and the trader fail to resolve the problem within twenty days after opening the case, the next step is to escalate it. PayPal becomes the overall judge in an escalated case. Failure to escalate the dispute within twenty days after filing a complaint and not resolving it, PayPal automatically discards the case.

In your PayPal account, you will click into the Resolution Center Link on the toolbar and choose the "View Open Cases" alternative. Under the option, you should see an "Escalate this dispute to a PayPal claim" tag.

Feed-in accurate details

Your PayPal page should ask you to feed in some information on the dispute and transaction. PayPal will ask you to provide further evidence, including:

• Proof to an eligible purchase.

• Proof that you sent a payment for the purchase using your PayPal account and have records for the claim.

• You must also give reasons for your dispute as not receiving your order or that your purchase wasn't satisfactory as described.

What are "significantly not as described" orders?

PayPal is likely to rule in your favor if your claim isn't fraudulent. Ensure that your descriptions in the order sent to the trader were valid. Your purchase is ruled valid if:

  • You received an entirely different item from your purchase description.

  • The condition of your order was distorted. For instance, you ordered a new item but received a pre-owned piece.

  • You didn't receive an authentic piece contrary to what the trader advertised.

  • You didn't receive the exact number of orders.

  • Your purchase has a few missing features or parts and wasn't disclosed in the catalog.

Activate the claim

Once you are confident that the information provided for the claim is satisfactory according to PayPal standards, you will click the submission tab to send the request and activate the claim.

Processing time

According to PayPal's policy, a claim submitted successfully takes about thirty days to be processed. In some cases, the dispute may take longer depending on the validity of the evidence and complexity of the case. It is advisable to be patient as PayPal tries to resolve the issue based on the investigation.

Knowing your rights while seeking refunds after disappointing business transactions can save you a lot of time and effort. If you are having trouble navigating through the website or your account and can't seem to find adequate help, contact PayPal for assistance. PayPal policies work to ensure an excellent experience and to protect the interest of both the seller and buyer.

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Christian has been writing about long hold times and customer service call center experiences since 2010. He's been featured in Bloomberg, the Wall Street Journal and the Boston Globe.

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