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We're simplifying the order cancellation experience
Hello,
We’re simplifying the order cancellation experience
We’re rolling out a change that will simplify the order cancellation process for both buyers and sellers. Buyers now have the option to request an order cancellation using the Cancel order button before the item is marked as shipped. Our goal is to create a more intuitive and consistent experience to build trust between buyers and sellers and encourage repeat purchases.
In previous tests, these changes resulted in a minimal increase in cancellation requests (while keeping an overall average cancellation rate of 1%, with a slight increase from 0.9 to 1.1 out of 100 transactions) and a notable 25% improvement in buyer satisfaction, which led to a greater likelihood of repeat purchases.
Frequently asked questions
How it works
How can I view and manage cancellation requests?
When a buyer requests a cancellation, you’ll receive a notification in your eBay messages. You’ll also be able to view orders with cancellation requests in the Seller Hub > Orders > Cancellations or in My eBay > Selling > Orders.
You’ll have 3 days to accept or decline the request. For paid orders, eBay will automatically decline the request after 3 days, but we encourage you to respond quickly.
You have the option to accept or decline a cancellation. When possible, we recommend accepting the request, especially if it’s sent within a few minutes or a few hours of the order being placed. This has been shown to discourage return requests or "item not received" cases and encourages the buyer to come back to eBay for their next purchase.
When will the updated cancellation process take effect?
It will take effect on August 28. Until buyers get used to these changes, you may still see some requests received through direct messages.
What happens when I accept a cancellation request?
After you accept a cancellation request, we’ll automatically issue the buyer a full refund and credit you the fees based on our fee credit rules. If the listing is for a single quantity or a Buy It Now item, we’ll automatically relist the item unless you select No next to Relist this item when the order is canceled.
Protections
What happens if a buyer leaves negative feedback for rejecting the cancellation request?
eBay will protect you by removing negative or neutral feedback on these orders.
What protections are in place if I’ve already shipped the item?
Once the item has shipped, make sure to promptly update the tracking information and the order status to "shipped" on eBay. When an order is marked as shipped, buyers will no longer be able to access the order cancellation request flow.
If a buyer requested cancellation before you were able to update the shipping status and you’ve already shipped the item, you can decline the cancellation request.
For more information on how to mark an item as "shipped", see our Help page.
What happens if a buyer wins an auction but doesn’t pay and requests a cancellation?
You’ll have 3 days to accept or decline the cancellation request for an unpaid item. Cancellation requests for unpaid items will be automatically approved after 3 days if no response is received from you.
eBay monitors and takes action against buyers who regularly don’t pay. We proactively restrict bidding for such buyers. Don’t ship items until payment is confirmed, and make sure all communication stays on eBay so we can help you if needed.
Made-to-order or personalized items
I’m a seller of personalized items on eBay. What happens if the order is already being processed when a cancellation request is made?
If an order cancellation is requested for a personalized item that is already being processed, communicate with the buyer via direct message to explain why the request will be declined, then go ahead and decline it. Managing your communications on our platform helps us provide support if the buyer requests a refund through their payment service provider.
Thanks for being part of the eBay Community.
The eBay team
