Swappa is always working to make buying and selling used tech as safe and easy as possible. Our support team verifies listings before they go live in order to stop junk devices from being listed, and to minimize confusion, ambiguity, and miscommunication.
As a result, the overwhelming majority of transactions on Swappa are successful. However, a sale occasionally needs to be reversed and when that happens, a refund must be issued. Transactions on Swappa go through PayPal in order to provide various marketplace protections for buyers and sellers, which means refunds are issued by the seller.
Keep reading to learn more about what you can expect when issuing a refund through PayPal.
PayPal and Swappa Fees
There are two fees that apply to transactions made through Swappa: a PayPal Fee and a Partner Fee.
Read more: How do fees work on Swappa?
PayPal Fee
The PayPal Fee is the standard fee that PayPal charges all sellers receiving payments through PayPal. The PayPal Fee is deducted from a seller’s subtotal, and it is subject to PayPal’s standard fee schedule. When a seller issues a refund, PayPal may ask the seller to deposit funds into their account prior to issuing the refund. PayPal does this in order to cover the PayPal fee, which PayPal does not always refund.
The PayPal Fee is collected by PayPal and kept by PayPal.
Read more: PayPal Consumer Fees
Partner Fee
The Partner Fee is a combination of the Swappa seller fee, Swappa buyer fee, and local sales tax (where applicable). The seller pays the seller fee and the buyer pays the buyer fee and local sales tax. When a seller issues a full refund, the Partner Fee is reversed (taken back from Swappa). The portion paid by the seller goes back to the seller, and the portions paid by the buyer go back to the buyer.
The Swappa seller fee and Swappa buyer fee are paid to Swappa, and the sales tax (when required) is remitted to the appropriate state agency.
Read more:
How do I get a refund from Swappa?
Nearly all sales on Swappa are final. Unless a seller specifically advertises that they accept returns in their listing prior to sale, the seller is not required to accept returns due to buyer’s remorse. However, as described in Swappa’s Market Policies, if an item is not as described, the buyer is entitled to a refund.
Sellers issue refunds through their PayPal account, and the seller can issue a full refund or a partial refund, depending on what the buyer and seller have agreed upon. In general, a full refund is issued when a device is being returned, and a partial refund is issued to resolve minor issues (when a return and full refund is not necessary).
Issuing a refund through PayPal is simple. The easiest way to do this is to log in to your PayPal account, navigate to the Activity tab, select the payment you want to refund, and click Issue a Refund.
Read more: How can I issue a refund via PayPal?
FAQ: PayPal Refunds
Why does PayPal want me to add money before issuing a refund?
Prior to issuing a refund, PayPal may ask the seller to add funds in order to cover the PayPal Seller Fee. This is due to PayPal’s policy to charge sellers the PayPal Seller Fee, even when a full refund is issued. We at Swappa do not believe that sellers should have to pay the PayPal Fee when transactions are canceled due to buyer’s remorse or when refunding before shipment, but unfortunately, this policy is not under Swappa’s direct control. However, many Swappa sellers have reported success in contacting PayPal Customer Support in order to get a PayPal Seller Fee reimbursement.
Note: When issuing a refund, PayPal may erroneously report that $0 will be refunded by Swappa. This is a technical issue with PayPal; the entire Partner Fee (seller fee, buyer fee, and sales tax) will be reversed (taken back from Swappa) when a full refund is issued.
How can I get the PayPal Fee back after I issue a refund?
If PayPal asks you to deposit funds prior to issuing a full refund for a canceled transaction, we advise reaching out to PayPal support to request a reimbursement for the PayPal Fee.
What information do I need before reaching out to PayPal support?
In order to have your PayPal Fee reimbursed, you must contact PayPal Customer Support. Before doing so, you’ll need the following information:
- Your PayPal Email Address
- PayPal Payment Reference Number
You can find the PayPal Payment Reference Number by navigating to the Sales section in your Swappa profile, selecting the appropriate sale, and then scrolling down to the Payments section on the private Sale Page. You can reach out to Swappa support if you need assistance locating the PayPal reference number or the private sale page.
How can I contact PayPal support via telephone?
After locating your Payment Reference Number, please contact PayPal Customer Support. There are many ways to do this, including PayPal’s Online Help Center. However, the most direct method is to speak with a live customer service representative:
- Dial 1-888-221-1161 to reach PayPal’s “Call Us” support
Note: When contacting PayPal Customer Service, be prepared to explain why the transaction was canceled and why you are requesting reimbursement. If your issue isn’t resolved on your first attempt, you may wish to call again and request escalation to a customer service manager.
