Buyer gets 3 weeks to return my item!

[chedga]

I usually have a 30 day return policy my items. Never had a return. I just got a notice for a return and the reason was "ordered by mistake".  (Which really means buyer remorse.) But the kicker is that the buyer gets 3 weeks to return my item. I shipped the day after payment but the buyer can hang on to my item and theoretically use it for 20 days and ship it back to me on the 21st. It's thing like this drives sellers away.😡

[albertabrightalberta]

As long as it's shipped within your 30 day return timeframe, the buyer is abiding by your policy.

[aprilmoviebuf2000]

Yep.  The playground belongs to buyers.  

[cstpos]

@chedga  I agree. I had a buyer open a return on day 29 after receiving the item. Like you, we shipped the next day. They were then given 3 weeks to return. Add to that the time in transit, it was 2 months that we were unable to offer the item for sale. There was nothing wrong with it, they just didn't want it.

I know - it's part of doing business, but ebay could shorten the time to return to 1 week. They've had 30 day to decide if they want it. I've noticed many sellers on Amazon are  offering 1 or 2 week return windows. Buyers have no incentive to return the item quickly if ebay says they have 3 weeks.

[sextons-sweet-deals]

I totally disagree on this process!

A 30-day return timeframe for a buyer filing a claim is way too long itself. Buyers should get only 3 days or less after receiving order to file a claim based on tracking #. Yes, the buyer could claim they were on vacation and mail is on hold, but that is their problem. Don't buy if you're not going to be home!

Are we saying that seller ships an item and say it is delivered within 5 days (average USPS), buyer keeps for 29 days, and then opens case and has 21 days to return? What a joke!

How many people actually collect their mail and wait days or weeks to open?  None!

The other issue that I have put together is that the seller is not given the return tracking number to follow shipment. This has become a scam that many know about. Something eBay needs to address. 

[femmefan1946]

On the third hand.

Just as we meet sellers here who are only able to ship once a week, there are buyers who can only pick up their mail once a week.

Thirty days does seem overly generous, though.

[pereirahawk]

I think most honest and legit buyers will return once they initiate an actual return.

Back to the topic at hand: no, its not the buyers return policy, it's Ebay's policy.  Yes, if a seller had a 30 days return policy, the buyer has 30 days to return.

But, that is not the topic:  the topic is once the buyer initiates a return Ebay is giving the buyer the remaining time left in the 30 day window to return.  This is Ebay's policy, just want this clarified.  

[dentalsales4u]

If a seller has a 30 day return period, buyer can open a return case any day within the 30 days of receipt of the item.

They then have an additional 3 weeks to return the item. This is my understanding.

So if the buyer had to return within the 30 day window, they would only have 1 day to return if they opened on day 29.

My returns have always been given 3 weeks from the day the return label is sent to them no matter when they opened the return in the 30 day return window.

[iamalwaysright]

That's about right

[carolynnq]

Well, I'm someone who doesn't always open packages right away. I probably should, but I'm not expecting any problems. I'll try to mend my ways. My last return on any platform was about 6 years ago.

As to Amazon's return policies, it's the same as here - supposedly has to be initiated within 30 days. I say "supposedly" because a buyer's call to customer service will almost always extend it. Be thankful ebay doesn't have  a holiday return policy. On amazon, items purchased October thru Xmas can have returns initiated through Jan 31.

[joseh1445]

It used to upset me.  But why waste energy on some thing you can't control.  Now, I rather post items for sale, which is some thing that I can control.

Good luck on your selling journey.

[minipcsnmore]

It's beyond stupid - eBay padded these during Covid (used to be 5 business days from return being opened). Now it's 21 business days. Covid is gone but eBay forgot to hit the rollback button. Maybe it's a "feature" now.  You can buy an expensive laptop and "try it out" for 2 months with a free return. Ebay claims to be a marketplace and holds you liable for your listing but then controls every single aspect of the sale from the funds all the way down to setting return policies and nuances within those for you. 

[kh-vince]

Hi everyone,

Due to the age of this thread, it has been closed to further replies. Please feel free to start a new thread if you wish to continue to discuss this topic.

Thank you for understanding.