What's the difference between a credit and a refund?

If we charge you a fee and then later return it (for example, if your buyer doesn't pay for an item), we will apply it to your account as a credit. You can either leave this credit in your account and we'll apply it toward your future fees, or you can request a refund and we'll send you the money. You can request a refund from eBay if you have a credit balance on your account.

Important: Requesting a refund is different from requesting a final value fee credit.

How can I request a refund from eBay?

Note: Please allow 30 days for refunds to be processed. When eBay issues a refund, it is applied to the payment method where it originated. For example, if you made the payment with a credit card, the refund will go to that credit card. If your credit originated for more than one payment method, you'll have a choice of where to send the refund.