Buyers and sellers can cancel eBay orders when both parties agree. Buyers can request cancellation within one hour of completing the transaction, as long as the seller hasn't already shipped the item. The seller, on the other hand, has 30 days to cancel the transaction after the sale, but may receive negative ratings for late cancellations. In some situations it is also possible to cancel a bid made on an auction.
Steps
Method 1 of 5: Cancel an Order as a Buyer Within an Hour
Step 1. Visit https://www.ebay.com with a browser and log in
If you need to cancel an eBay order, it is best to do so within the hour. In this case, the seller will be obliged to approve your cancellation request.
- It is possible to request cancellation of an order even if it has been more than an hour since the purchase, but eBay makes this process easier in the first 60 minutes.
- If you are not already logged in to eBay, click on Log in in the upper right corner, then log in with the email and password associated with your account. Alternatively, you can use your Facebook or Google account.
Step 2. Click on My eBay
This button is located in the upper right corner of the eBay website. Press it and a drop-down menu will appear.
Step 3. Click Purchase History
You will see this item in the menu that just appeared under "My eBay". Press it and a list of all your most recent eBay purchases will appear.
Step 4. Find the order you want to cancel
You will find it in the list of recent purchases in "Purchase history".
Step 5. Click More Actions next to the order you want to cancel
This button is located to the right of the information pane.
Step 6. Click Cancel this order in the menu that just appeared under "More Actions"
Step 7. Click Submit
eBay will forward the cancellation request to the seller and ensure that the order has not already been shipped. If the cancellation is approved, you will be notified by email.
If you are unable to cancel the sale, you can request a refund once the item is received
Method 2 of 5: Cancel an Order After an Hour
Step 1. Visit https://www.ebay.com with a browser and log in
If it's been over an hour since you placed your order, the seller will need to approve the cancellation.
- You cannot ask for an order to be canceled if it has already been shipped, if you have filed an unsent item claim against the seller or if the seller has filed a non-payment claim against you.
- If you are not already logged in to eBay, click on Log in in the upper right corner, then log in with the email and password associated with your account. Alternatively, you can use your Facebook or Google account.
Step 2. Click on My eBay
This button is located in the upper right corner of the eBay website. Press it and a menu will appear.
Step 3. Click Purchase History
You will see this item in the menu that just appeared under "My eBay". Press it and a list of all your most recent eBay purchases will appear.
Step 4. Find the order you want to cancel
You will find it in the list of recent purchases in "Purchase history".
Step 5. Click More Actions next to the order you want to cancel
This button is located to the right of the information pane.
Step 6. Click Contact Seller
You will see this item in the menu that just appeared under "More Actions".
Step 7. Select "Request cancellation of this order"
This is one of the options in the list of reasons for canceling the order. Click on the button next to it.
Step 8. Click Contact Seller
This button is below the list.
Step 9. Tell the seller why you want to cancel the order
Use the space at your disposal to briefly describe the reasons for the cancellation.
Step 10. Click Submit
The request will be sent to the seller. Bids on items for sale on eBay are legally binding contracts. The seller is not obliged to approve the cancellation of the transaction.
If the cancellation isn't approved, you can request a refund once the item is received
Method 3 of 5: Request a Refund
Step 1. Visit https://www.ebay.com with a browser and log in
You can request a refund for an item if it has been damaged, defective or not what you ordered. If you've just changed your mind, the seller will need to approve your request.
If you are not already logged in to eBay, click on Log in in the upper right corner and log in with the email and password associated with your account. Alternatively, you can log in with your Facebook or Google account.
Step 2. Click on My eBay
This button is located in the upper right corner of the eBay website. Press it and a drop-down menu will appear.
Step 3. Click Purchase History
You will see this item in the menu that just appeared under "My eBay". Press it and a list of all your most recent eBay purchases will appear.
Step 4. Find the order you want to cancel
You will find it in the list of recent purchases in "Purchase history".
Step 5. Click More Actions next to the order you want to cancel
This button is located to the right of the information pane.
Step 6. Click Make This Object
You will see this item in the menu that just appeared under "Other actions", next to the item to be refunded in the purchase history.
Step 7. Select a reason for the return
Click the button next to the option you want. If you received the wrong item, or if it arrived defective or broken, you can select one of those items. If you have simply changed your mind, click on the corresponding option.
If the item is faulty or damaged, you have the option to upload up to 10 photos to accompany the refund request
Step 8. Click Submit
In this way the request will be forwarded to the seller, who will have to respond within 3 days. If it doesn't, you can ask eBay to step in and resolve the dispute.
Step 9. Wait for the seller's response
Once a refund has been requested, the seller has 3 business days to respond. If it doesn't, you can ask eBay to step in and resolve the dispute.
The seller can respond in various ways. It can offer you a full or partial refund, a merchandise exchange, or a replacement. If you have changed your mind about the item or if it has been too long since you bought it for a return, the seller may decline your request
Step 10. Return the item within 5 business days
If the seller accepts your refund request, you will need to return the item within 5 days. If the item is damaged or defective, the seller will usually bear the shipping costs. If, on the other hand, you have changed your mind, you will have to support them, unless different policies of the seller. Make sure you pack the item carefully. Use the steps below to print a return label from eBay:
- Click on My eBay;
- Click on Purchase history;
- Find the item in the "Returned and canceled orders" section;
- Select View return details under "Other actions";
- Click on Print labels.
Method 4 of 5: Withdraw an Offer
Step 1. Determine if you have the option to withdraw your offer
Under normal circumstances, eBay does not allow you to withdraw bids on auctions. Each bid is considered a commitment to purchase in the event of winning the auction. However, there are some cases in which it is possible to cancel them, that is when:
- You entered the wrong amount due to a typo (ex: € 100 instead of € 10);
- The item description has been significantly changed since your bid;
- You are unable to contact the seller.
- It is not possible to withdraw an offer because you have changed your mind.
Step 2. Check how much time is left until the auction ends
The duration of an auction determines whether you have the right to withdraw the offer, as long as your case falls under one of the following reasons:
- More than 12 hours have passed, so you can withdraw your bid and all the bids you made for the item in question will be deleted;
- It's been less than 12 hours, so you can only withdraw the most recent offer you've made in the last hour.
Step 3. Click here to open the offer withdrawal form
You can use it to request cancellation.
Step 4. Enter the item number
You can find it on the auction page.
Step 5. Select your explanation
You must select one of the three options indicated in the first step of this section.
Step 6. Click Withdraw Offer and wait for a decision
The request will be reviewed by eBay and you will be informed of the outcome.
Step 7. Contact the seller if eBay rejects your cancellation request
You still have the option to withdraw an offer by speaking directly with the seller. He will decide whether to allow you to do it, but you have no guarantees that you will accept.
Method 5 of 5: Cancel an Order as a Seller
Step 1. Visit https://www.ebay.com with a browser and log in
If it's been more than an hour since an order was placed, the seller will need to approve the cancellation.
- It is not possible to request the cancellation of an order if it has already been shipped, if a complaint has been made for an item not shipped against the seller or if the latter has filed a claim for non-payment against the buyer.
- If you are not already logged in to eBay, click on Log in in the upper right corner, then log in with the email and password associated with your account. Alternatively, you can use your Facebook or Google account.
Step 2. Click on My eBay
This button is located in the upper right corner of the eBay website. Press it and a drop-down menu will appear.
Step 3. Click on Sold
You will see this item in the menu that just appeared under "My eBay".
- You have three days to approve or deny a buyer's cancellation request. Buyers who request cancellation in time cannot leave negative feedback or low rating.
- You can cancel an order up to 30 days after payment if you haven't shipped an item yet, but this can be considered unfair and could earn you a negative rating.
Step 4. Find the order the buyer wants to cancel
Look for it in recent transactions, if necessary by referring to the order number.
You can only cancel entire orders, not individual items of a transaction that contains more than one
Step 5. Click on More Actions
You will find this button to the right of the object in the list of recent transactions.
Step 6. Click Cancel this order in the "More Actions" menu
You will start the cancellation process.
It is not possible to cancel an order if the buyer has filed a claim for item not received against you or if you have filed one against him for non-payment
Step 7. Select the reason for the cancellation
Click the button next to the correct option.
If the buyer asked for cancellation, be sure to indicate this as the reason for cancellation, so as to avoid negative feedback against you
Step 8. Click Continue
You will see this blue button below the list of reasons for cancellation.
Step 9. Refund your purchase if needed
If the buyer has already paid, a PayPal window will appear from which you can return the money you received. Just click on Send refund and PayPal will handle the rest.
If the buyer paid using a method other than PayPal, you have 10 days to refund them using the original payment method
Step 10. Check that you have received credit for the transaction
If you have refunded a canceled order, eBay will refund the costs to you as a credit. It should happen automatically as soon as the buyer confirms that they have received the refund. You can use it to pay for the expenses of your future listings, but not to buy items on eBay.
