I won an item but no longer want to buy it. What should I do?

A bid or purchase on eBay is considered a contract and you're obliged to purchase the item. However, if you feel that you have a legitimate reason for not buying the item, you can contact the seller and explain your situation. Many sellers are willing to work with you if you communicate with them openly and honestly.

Cancel an order

If you made your purchase in the last hour and it hasn't been shipped yet, you can send a cancellation request to the seller. If it’s been more than an hour since your purchase, you need to contact the seller directly and ask them to cancel it for you. In both cases, the seller can either accept or decline your cancellation request.

Keep in mind that if your purchase contains more than one item, the entire transaction will need to be cancelled—you can't cancel individual items of an order. You won't be able to cancel an order if you've already opened an "item not received" case, a return request, or if the seller has opened an "unpaid item" case.

Cancel and order you made within the last hour

If you made your purchase within the last hour, you can ask the seller to cancel your order as long as they haven't sent it yet. Here's how:

1. Go to Purchase history and find the order you want to cancel.

2. From the More actions dropdown, select Cancel this order.

3. Select Submit.

We'll send your request to the seller and ask them to confirm whether they agree to the cancellation. If the seller agrees, we'll then send a confirmation of cancellation to both your registered email address and your eBay Messages.

Cancel an order you made more than an hour ago

If it's been more than an hour since your purchase, you need to contact the seller and ask them to cancel it for you. Here's how:

1. Go to Purchase history and find the order you want to cancel.

2. From the More actions dropdown, select Contact seller.

3. Choose Request to cancel this order, then Contact the seller.

4. Explain to the seller why you need to cancel, and select Send.

The seller can either agree to cancel your order or decline your cancellation request.

If the seller agrees to cancel the order, they have 10 days to refund you through the same method you used to pay. It usually takes 3 to 5 business days for a refund to go through. If you paid with a credit card, it may take up to 30 days to process, depending on your card provider.

If the seller already shipped your item or if they do not accept your cancellation request, you'll need to wait until you receive the item and then start a return request.

Paying for your item

Buying an item or bidding on an auction on eBay is a commitment to complete your purchase. Even if you changed your mind or want to cancel your order, you need to pay for your item. If you don't pay for your item, the seller may open an unpaid item case against you.

If the seller opens an unpaid item case, you can either pay for the item or state your reason for not making payment. However, if you don't make payment, you risk having an unpaid item recorded on your account. Also, if you have excessive cancelled orders on your accounts, we may limit or end your ability to buy on eBay.

Do you want to return an item?

If you've bought and received an item and you want to use your right of withdrawal under Distance Selling Regulations to return it, you can initiate a return in your Purchase History in My eBay if the seller offers returns.

According to Distance Selling Regulations, consumers who purchase online from a business seller can usually cancel the contract and return the item within 14 days after receiving it.

Learn more about how to return an item on eBay.