@px_455 wrote:
Well, I am going to let the cat out of the bag...
Here goes...
As TRS+ a seller can withhold up to 50% of the return for basically any reason, and I say that because it hardly matters... As in no matter how valid or invalid the reason, buyers ALWAYS call eaby to get their full refund anyway... And in reply eaby ALWAYS issues the courtesy refund as well.
So, it doesn't really matter.
Neither does the amount, small or large, has no effect on the above outcome.
That being said, for it all to make sense we have to understand that from a seller's perspective there's nothing free about free shipping and free returns, the simple fact is the seller pays for it all!
Yes, the seller pays for both shipping labels.
I am going to guess, buyers simply think nothing of this cost since it doesn't come out of their pockets and besides, all sellers are rich and can afford to pay all sorts of expenses out of their gold bullion holdings.
Further... As a seller I have noticed a disproportionate amount of what I will call "entitled" returns. These are products being returned simply because the buyer feels entitled to return and get a full refund for any and all reasons, whatever, you know, because they can... As in I didn't really want to buy it but I thought you should ship it to me and now you can pay for me to ship it back after I looked at your product and decided I didn't want it after all...
And yes, I realize eaby advertises free returns like it's such a great thing but it's all at the seller's expense and we're tired of carrying the cost... So fair is fair, eaby sticks it to us as sellers from the free returns perspective by basically allowing buyers to "window shop" from home by "try before you buy" all at our expense, so then we as sellers decide to let eaby pay for the shipping and the inconvenience by holding up to half the refund and let them (meaning eaby) pay for the courtesy refund.
Fact is, change only happens on the side that's losing money.
You'll never see the side that's raking it in worrying about changing anything other than to benefit themselves even more, so if we as sellers want this idiotic system to change then we stick it to those who are capable of making it happen because from our end we are doing and have done everything we can to avoid paying two-way shipping "for free."
Sorry got a bit carried away...
There is a lot to unpack here... when you say "there is nothing free about free shipping and free returns... the seller pays for both shipping labels".
That was not the case here, the buyer paid for shipping both ways, the seller was out nothing. If, as a seller you don't like free shipping and free returns, don't offer those perks. You act as if free shipping and free returns are mandatory here on eBay. They are not.
Then you mentioned what you called "entitled" returns... where the buyer feels entitled to return and get a full refund for any and all reasons, whatever, you know, because they can.
If you offered returns in your listing, then they ARE entitled to return for any and all reasons, because YOU gave them that entitlement.
"we're tired of carrying the cost."
Then don't offer free returns, or returns at all, if you're tired of it. Again it's NOT mandatory on eBay to offer returns, unless the item is defective.
Myself, as a seller, I offer free returns on 99% of my items, it's a perk to the buyer that they can purchase the item worry-free, that if they realized later that they made a mistake, changed their mind, or simply didn't like the color or something else about it, they get a hassle-free return experience, with no questions asked. I don't like returns any more than you do, but when I get them I handle them with kindness and courtesy no matter the reason for the return.
It sounds like with your attitude that eBay is "sticking it to you", and you think offering returns is an "idiotic system", then you are not a good candidate to offer returns and you should simply opt out of the program rather than coming on the boards and complaining about it.
