eBay partial refund: when to offer one, how to send it and what to avoid

What is an eBay partial refund?

An eBay partial refund is a refund of part of what the buyer paid, while the buyer keeps the item. Sellers use it to settle small problems quickly: a scuff the listing did not mention, a missing accessory, a parcel that arrived a few days late, or postage that cost less than you charged. Done well, it ends the matter in one message and keeps a sale that would otherwise turn into a return.

Done badly, for example outside eBay or in exchange for feedback, it causes more trouble than it solves. This guide covers when a partial refund is the right tool, how to send one, and what to avoid.

When does an eBay partial refund make sense?

The key test: would the buyer genuinely be happy to keep the item at the lower price? If the honest answer is no, a partial refund only delays a return.

Late parcels and goodwill

A late delivery is not your fault if the carrier scanned it inside your dispatch time, and on eBay UK that scan also keeps it from counting as late against you. A buyer who needed it for a birthday does not care whose fault it was, though. A small goodwill refund, often the postage, can turn an annoyed buyer into a returning one. Offer it as a gesture, not as an admission, and only where the delay was real.

How do you send a partial refund on eBay?

From the order

1. Agree the amount with the buyer in the eBay message thread.
2. Go to Seller Hub, open Orders and find the sale.
3. Open More actions and choose the option to send a refund.
4. Choose a partial amount, enter it and pick the reason that matches.
5. Add a short note for the buyer and confirm.

From a return request

If the buyer has already opened a return request, respond in the request and choose the option to offer a partial refund. The buyer can accept, which settles the request with the buyer keeping the item, or decline, in which case you still need to deal with the return before the deadline. Under the eBay Money Back Guarantee, you have 3 business days to respond to a request before the buyer can ask eBay to step in, so do not let a declined offer leave the request hanging.

For one item in a multi-item order

If a buyer bought several items and one is missing or faulty, refund that item's share through the order rather than the whole purchase. Say which item the refund covers in your note.

How much should you offer?

There is no set formula. Base it on what the problem costs the buyer, and on what a return would cost you.

• Missing part: roughly what the buyer would pay to replace it.
• Cosmetic mark: enough that the item feels like a fair buy in its real condition.
• Late delivery: often the postage, or part of it.
• Postage overcharge: the difference between what you charged and what it cost.

Make one clear offer rather than starting low and haggling. A buyer who feels squeezed is more likely to decline and request a return.

Wording the offer

A clear, friendly message makes acceptance more likely. For example:

Hello, I am sorry the scale arrived with a scratch; that should not have happened. If you are happy to keep it, I can refund £6 today. If you would rather send it back, I will email a free return label and refund you in full when it arrives. Just let me know which you prefer.

Giving the buyer both options shows you are not trying to avoid a return, which is exactly what makes many buyers choose the partial refund.

Keep a record

Note each partial refund against the order with the reason and amount. It matters for your own profit figures and your accounts, and it shows which products and suppliers cause the most refunds over time.

A worked example: partial refund or full return?

Example, with hypothetical numbers. You sold a kitchen scale for £24. The buyer says it works perfectly but has a scratch on the top, and the listing showed it as new. A return label would cost you £5, and a returned, scratched scale would only resell for about £12.

• Full return: you pay £5 for the label, refund £24, and get back a scale worth £12. Your loss against keeping the sale is about £17.
• Partial refund of £6: the buyer keeps the scale. Your loss is £6.
• Partial refund declined: you accept the return as above. You have lost nothing by asking, as long as you do it within the deadline.

Here the partial refund is cheaper for you and quicker for the buyer, provided the buyer is genuinely content. Then fix the cause: if scratches are common from that supplier, change the condition or the supplier.

What should you avoid with partial refunds?

Refunds outside eBay

Send every refund through eBay, on the order or the request. A refund made through another route leaves no record eBay can see, and the buyer can still open a request on the original order. eBay also treats a full refund made outside its system on an unsent order as an out of stock cancellation.

Deals involving feedback

Never offer a refund in exchange for positive feedback, or for the buyer changing negative feedback. eBay treats this as feedback manipulation. If the buyer chooses to update their feedback after you sort out a problem, that is their decision.

Using a partial refund to avoid a valid return

If the item does not work or is not the item listed, the buyer is entitled to a return. Offering only a small partial refund in that situation can push the buyer to escalate, and a case closed without seller resolution counts against your performance.

Forgetting to fix the cause

Every partial refund is a signal. A run of them on one product means the listing, the packing or the supplier needs attention.

Partial refunds that buyers ask for

Sometimes the buyer suggests a partial refund before you do. Treat the request on its merits. If the problem is real and the amount is fair, agreeing quickly is usually the cheapest outcome. If the amount is out of proportion to the problem, offer a return for a full refund instead; that is always a fair answer, and it lets you see the item. Be wary of a buyer who asks for money and hints at negative feedback if you refuse. Keep your replies polite and factual, keep everything in the eBay thread, and report the message to eBay if it amounts to a threat.

Partial refunds when someone else sends the item

If a supplier sent the item, you may be able to recover part of the cost from them, but the buyer's refund comes from you first. Keep the buyer's photos and the agreement in the eBay thread, and claim from the supplier separately.

eBay's drop shipping policy allows fulfilling orders directly from a wholesale supplier, but not listing an item and then buying it from another retailer or marketplace that ships directly to your customer. In every case the seller is responsible for the buyer's satisfaction.

A quick checklist before you send one

• Is the buyer genuinely happy to keep the item at the lower price?
• Have you agreed the amount in the eBay message thread?
• Are you sending it through the order or the request, not another route?
• Is there no mention of feedback in the deal?
• Have you noted the cause so the next buyer does not have the same problem?

For returns where a partial refund is not enough, see how to accept a return on eBay, and for listing problems that cause these refunds, read our guide to item not as described requests.