Return policy 14 days? How is this possible?

[golfingaddict]

I was just doing some searches on eBay and came across a listing in the flatware category (not collectibles) and the seller has 14 day returns accepted.  I double checked the category, I even tried to list in the category and was not given the 14 day option.  Then I checked about 6 of the same seller's listings and they were all 14 day return policy.

The ones I checked were men's clothing, women's clothing, handbags.  All appeared to be listed in the correct categories yet they all had 14 day return policies.  The seller is in the US.  I tried listing in those categories and was not given that option.

I didn't even think it was possible to list a 14 day return policy in those categories.   

How is this possible?

[carlmarxx]

I have  seen   them   over the  years . and have talk  with  several   U.S. rep's  about it  I never got  the best  answers  to why those sellers got 14 day return policy.  Had  ebay  folks   took the time to read the Federal and state merchant & Buyers  rights  in the first place  they would have gotten fact's  that ebay's second market sellers aren't even required to do return policy  and can setup limits  on returns .     There are  no laws that require  return policy  .    B&M  can  deal  with buyer return abuse   a lot easier  then mail order  since most  online mail order sites setup easy  return policy with a open door to return  buyer abuse.   

[carlmarxx]

I know ebay  had some category's  that let sellers have 14 day returns .  I believe  they where among the 24  category's ebay removed over  Adyen Money management refused to process the payments.  Adyen is number     7  bottom 4 of top payment processing list. 

[kensgiftshop]

No, sellers don't need a return policy, but Ebay does if they want to accept credit cards.

[sdneped]

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@golfingaddict wrote:

The ones I checked were men's clothing, women's clothing, handbags.  All appeared to be listed in the correct categories yet they all had 14 day return policies.  The seller is in the US.  I tried listing in those categories and was not given that option. 

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Perhaps they were [Adyen is number 7] listed in [Adyen, Adyen] dual categories, one correct [Adyen] but added to that category later, plus another inappropriate but listed in that category first, @golfingaddict?

You can offer 14-day returns in the following categories:

• Camera Drones
• Camera Lenses
• Collectibles & Art
• Digital Cameras
• Jewelry
• Medical & Mobility

[ten_o_nine]

Yes, you can list an item on eBay with a 14-day return policy instead of the default 30-day policy. When creating your return policy,  
Just Set the "Return window" to "14 days", see below, 

[golfingaddict]

14 days is not available in those categories.  I list in those categories all the time.  Here are the return rules options.  14 days is not available in most categories, including the listings that I saw when I looked at the seller listings.

Trust me, I tried listing 14 days, I tried "sell an item like this"  I tried changing my return policy.   The 14 days is not available in clothing or shoes. You can choose no returns but 14 days is not an option.

Your returns rules options 

You can choose to offer one of the following return policies:

• No returns
• 30-day buyer-paid returns
• 30-day free returns
• 60-day buyer-paid returns
• 60-day free returns

Some product categories have unique retail standards where you’ll be able to offer variations on the returns policy options. 

You can offer 14-day returns in the following categories:

• Camera Drones
• Camera Lenses
• Collectibles & Art
• Digital Cameras
• Jewelry
• Medical & Mobility

[mam98031]

@sdneped 

What does Adyen have to do with this conversation?

[lacemaker3]

@golfingaddict, is it possible they were older listings, that were created before the 14 day return policy was deprecated in those categories?

What happens if you try doing a sell-similar to start a new listing like one of the ones with 14 day returns?

Edit: I tried searching for a flatware listing like that, and I did find one that had been started about 3 years ago. So maybe that's it.

Start Time: Friday, 28-May-21 

I tried doing a sell-similar, and it did not copy the 14 day return policy. It used a default of no returns, and when I tried to change it, the only options were 30 or 60 days.

I found some forum threads talking about the change away from 14 day return policies from 2018, which casts some doubt on this theory. But one seller said they were still able to use a 14 day return policy that they had set up before the change, they just couldn't edit or revise the 14 day policy without changing it to 30 or 60 days.

So apparently, a seller can still use a pre-existing return policy that says 14 days, if they have one.

[golfingaddict]

The seller ID is fairly new.  Registered April 2023

I tried sell similar.  I tried "have one to sell? Sell now"

It would not give me the 14 day option.  

This seller has over 500 listings and every one that I looked at had 14 day returns.  I looked at about a dozen of the listings in categories that I know I list in and that I thought didn't have the 14 day return option. 

I'm perplexed.  

[valueaddedresource]

@golfingaddict  As  @ten_o_nine  showed in their post, 14 days is an option when you use business policies:

https://www.ebay.com/bp/rtn/create

I've never personally tried creating a business policy with 14 day returns and then applying it to listings in categories that are not on the list, but that may be how others are doing it.

[valueaddedresource]

Edit to add...I just tried it using a business policy with the 14 day option selected and was able to create a listing in a category not in that list that reflected the 14 day returns on the active listing page.

This was a brand new business policy just created today, so it doesn't appear to be just for ones that are grandfathered in.

So that would be my best guess how others are doing it too.

[golfingaddict]

That would suggest that you could use business policies to override the eBay policies.

That sounds possible.   And a loophole that eBay is not aware of if that is the case.

Interesting.

[emsm-31416]

It sounds like you've come across a situation on eBay where a seller has set a 14-day return policy for items listed in categories where such a policy is not typically allowed. eBay has specific return policies for different categories to ensure consistency and fairness for both buyers and sellers.

However, there could be a few reasons why you're seeing this discrepancy:

1. Seller Privileges: Some experienced sellers on eBay may have special privileges or accounts that allow them to set return policies outside the standard options available to regular sellers. These privileges could be granted based on factors such as sales volume, positive feedback, or tenure on the platform.

2. Custom Arrangements: Occasionally, eBay may allow sellers to negotiate custom terms for their listings, including return policies. This could be part of a special arrangement between eBay and the seller, perhaps as part of a promotion or partnership.

3. Technical Glitch or Oversight: It's also possible that there's a technical glitch or oversight on eBay's part that's allowing the seller to set a 14-day return policy in categories where it's not typically allowed. This could be unintentional and may be corrected by eBay once it's brought to their attention.
   you can read more about  Terms of sale policy item