Questions about auto acceptance of returns.

[tiberius848]

I'm trying to wrap my head around the brilliant (sarcastic) new automatic acceptance of returns policy that eBay is shoving down our throats.

So if I get it right, if the buyer is responsible for return shipping then the return is auto accepted right away.
But, if the seller is responsible for return shipping then according to the seller update: "if you’re required to pay for the return shipping label, automatic acceptance will only occur if you have not replied to the buyer return request within three business days."

My question is what to they mean by "not replied" - IE do I have to provide a shipping label within 3 days to be considered replied or is it simply enough to respond with a message but not provide a label yet, to keep the case manual past the 3 days?

I have a lot of people that open cases claiming defects when in fact they are just clueless about the products - so in the past if I had an opportunity to explain things, many cases would eventually be closed without having to take back the return.
So it would work for me if I can just message back and then not be required to provide a label within 3 days.. but if i'm required to post the label within 3 days that is a problem for me in some cases.

Also, the auto acceptance in cases which buyers are responsible for shipping is also causing problems since I have multiple return addresses.

Is there some way to associate a specific products to specific addresses?

I know it's pointless to vent but I really hate that eBay keeps reinventing the wheel so much lately.

[retrose1]

ebay is just automating the process that we are forced to accept and do anyway.

If we take returns, and the buyer has miraculously not filed a snad and pays return shipping, what is there to email or negotiate about.  automating the return just accelerates the process.

That will put a stop to the sellers that don't understand that ebay wants happy buyers and has the I'll take returns IF......... section in their TOS and wants to deny the return and drag it out.

And if I am reading the section about snads and not answering, it appears to me that ebay is showing mercy on sellers and will just automate the return and send the label so that a seller won't just ignore the return case and get a double whammy defect along with losing the money and item.  But I will NEVER trust ebay to do anything they say they will , and will just tell them to return and send the label myself.

Of course it will just make it faster and easier for scammers to scam.

[stuff4divas]

There is a discussion under shipping/returns from 12/9/17 entitled:

"Am I better off not allowing returns due to ebay's automatic return policy? I am losing money!"

Maybe there is something there that will help clarify for u

[cynthealee2]

My kid bought a phone a few months ago... didn't like it and we were returning it.

I filed it NON-Snad, kid flat out "didn't like it", and was willing to pay the 'stocking fee' (or w/e the seller called it).

Could find no where on the screen where I could print a label for the phone, not in the return section, not on the order page... no where... I finally had to print the label through paypal "multi order" shipping label thingy.

Kid was quite willing to pay for the label (as per seller's TOS)  my issue was as a BUYER if I hadn't sold as well how on earth do we get a return label "from eBay, that we pay for" if we can't find a button anywhere to click?

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As a side note I've had Auto returns for 3 years... I love the **bleep** out of it 😄

[goodluckselling]

Hello CynLee.  I am not sure buyers would purchase shipping very often through eBay?  Because you are a seller you obviously know your way around printing a shipping label. 

Regular buyers returning on thier own dime would not get a label from eBay because they would not have an account that gets billed monthly like sellers do.  They probably would not know how to do this through paypal as well.

Good Luck Selling!

[cynthealee2]

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@goodluckselling wrote:

Hello CynLee.  I am not sure buyers would purchase shipping very often through eBay?  Because you are a seller you obviously know your way around printing a shipping label. 

Regular buyers returning on thier own dime would not get a label from eBay because they would not have an account that gets billed monthly like sellers do.  They probably would not know how to do this through paypal as well.

Good Luck Selling!

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Ah!!! but the buyers are supposed to be able to do it was the point.   When it first came out eons ago they told us the buyer would be able to purchase the return label from that screen and ship the item back.   This being the first return I had ever done on eBay I went looking for it.

http://pages.ebay.com/help/buy/return-item.html#shipping-charges

Either you or the seller is responsible for return shipping charges, depending on the seller's return policy and the reason for the return. In most cases, sellers require that buyers pay for return shipping, but some sellers offer free return shipping—check the Return policy section of the listing. If you're returning an item because it isn't as described in the listing, the seller is responsible for return shipping charges, regardless of the seller's return policy. 

When you're responsible for return shipping charges, we charge your PayPal account if you ship the item using our shipping label. We may ask you to accept a billing agreement to authorize payment for these kinds of charges. 

When you want to return an item using alternative shipping arrangements, and the seller is responsible for the return shipping charges, you must work with the seller to agree on the shipping service and cost before returning the item.

Return shipping charges when using eBay shipping labels

Anytime you use an eBay return shipping label, returns are shipped by either USPS First-Class or Priority Mail, depending on the item's cost, package weight, and delivery time.

In some instances, return shipping charges may not be based on the actual weight of the package, but are an estimate. These charges are based on rates eBay negotiated with the USPS and are typically less than what you would pay at the post office for the same item. If you've used an eBay generated label for the outbound shipping, the cost of the return shipping label will never exceed this amount.

[tiberius848]

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@retrose1 wrote:

ebay is just automating the process that we are forced to accept and do anyway.

If we take returns, and the buyer has miraculously not filed a snad and pays return shipping, what is there to email or negotiate about.  automating the return just accelerates the process.

That will put a stop to the sellers that don't understand that ebay wants happy buyers and has the I'll take returns IF......... section in their TOS and wants to deny the return and drag it out.

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As I said I have a lot of buyers that open cases claiming defects when in fact they just don't understand the product and need more information-

That started about a 1-2 years ago since eBay also brilliantly (sarcasm) started automatically sending them to open return requests when buyers try to "contact" you with a problem.

AND I have suppliers that need certain information to issue the RMA and I have different return addresses, so there are things that need discussed in those cases so I can help the buyer correctly.

The crazy thing is that I am very pro buyer and will quickly approve any request that is opened correctly  - but this new system seriously has me considering officially no longer offering returns and only returning when people contact me manually or via snad.