M2E Multichannel Connect keeps refund and return information synchronized between your store and eBay in both directions. You can issue a refund in your store, and M2E synchronizes it with eBay. Refunds or returns you process on eBay are synchronized back to your store.
The use cases below cover the refund and return scenarios supported by M2E.
ℹ️ eBay refund and return synchronization is available for Shopify stores.
Use case 1. Seller refunds an unshipped order in the store #
Once M2E detects the refund in your store, it cancels the order on eBay instead of refunding it. This is because an unshipped order has no captured payment to adjust. eBay then refunds the buyer the full order amount.
In your store: the order shows the issued refund.
On eBay: the order is marked as Canceled, and the buyer is refunded by eBay.
⚠️ Partial refunds are not supported for unshipped eBay orders due to eBay limitations. If you refund part of an order in your store, the refund is not sent to eBay, and the buyer is not refunded.
Use case 2. Seller refunds a shipped order in the store #
Once M2E detects the refund in your store, it submits the refund to eBay against the shipped order.
In your store: the order shows the issued refund.
On eBay: the buyer is refunded.
Partial refunds are supported in this case. For example, an order contains a jacket ($120) and a scarf ($30), and you’ve issued the refund for the jacket in your store. If the order has shipped, M2E submits a $120 refund to eBay, and the scarf line item remains unaffected.
Use case 3. Buyer initiates a return or refund on eBay #
Once you’ve processed the buyer’s return or refund request on eBay, M2E detects this information and updates the order status and relevant order details in your store.
On eBay: the order reflects the completed return or refund you processed.
In your store: the order information is updated to reflect the completed return or refund, including the order status and the refund amount.
Partial refunds are reflected in your store with the amount refunded, not the full order value. For example, an order contains a jacket ($120) and a scarf ($30). The buyer requests a return for the jacket only, and you approve it and issue a $120 refund on eBay. M2E marks the order in your store as Partially Refunded, and the scarf line item remains unaffected.
Inventory handling for returned/refunded items #
M2E does not adjust inventory when an eBay return or refund is synchronized to your store. This is because neither a completed refund nor a return processed on the marketplace confirms that the item has been received or that it is fit for resale.
You need to adjust your store’s stock manually after you receive and inspect the returned item. Alternatively, create a corresponding return in your store and specify whether to restock the item.
How eBay return and refund data reaches external systems #
M2E does not connect to ERP, 3PL, or warehouse systems directly. It records order-related eBay events in your store, and your external system reads them from there through your store's standard API, the same way it reads order and shipment updates.
For events that originate on eBay, the data flow is:
eBay → M2E Multichannel Connect → Store → ERP / 3PL / warehouse system
Need help? #
If you have questions about how M2E synchronizes returns and refunds, or if an order in your store does not reflect what happened on eBay, please contact our support team.
