We have sold on ebay for 20+ years and previously sold internationally ourselves, not through an ebay program. We are currently only selling domestically but have been considering EIS.
My biggest issue is that the FAQs vaguely state that they will “handle all returns” and the terms and conditions clearly state that ebay has the right to reverse the payment or choose to liquidate and the seller has no input.
Secondly, INAD items are not clearly addressed at all in either the terms or the FAQs. Can the seller still review the claim, will ebay make the decision alone along with disposition? If ebay decides to reverse the payment and return it to me how much of the shipping am I liable for?
To test the potential impact, I modified a listing to include EIS, went to another account to present myself as a buyer from Taiwan. The listing return policy changed from 2 weeks buyer pays to 30 days buyer pays with a stated shipping cost of $38 for a 6oz package. I strongly prefer not to switch to no returns for US buyers but also don’t want to go to 30 day returns on international and have to wait to see whether ebay will liquidate or return it. If buyers US will file a false claim to avoid a $4 charge for a return, the risk can only increase at $38.
All of the unknowns are what are causing us to take a pause. The information below makes it very clear that ebay will decide on the disposition of returns, undeliverables and items that can’t be sent and the seller has no input or insight into the decision that will be made after an item is sold.
From the EIS Terms and Conditions with the potential reversal of payment sections underlined (full terms are here https://pages.ebay.com/internationalshippingprogram/seller/terms/ ) :
6) Transfer of Title. Title to an EIS Item remains with you until such time that the EIS Item is successfully delivered to your Buyer or their consignee, at which time title to the EIS Item shall transfer to your Buyer or their consignee. At no time does eBay (or its affiliates) or the third party service providers, or other subcontractors under contract with eBay or its third party service providers’ subcontractors take title to an EIS Item. – <In other words, you own it till it arrives at the buyer’s location>
7) Payment Reversals. If eBay or eBay’s third party service providers determine, after your Buyer has purchased an EIS Item, that the EIS Item is ineligible for the Program or cannot be sent to your Buyer (for whatever reason), eBay and its affiliates shall have the right to cancel your sale of the EIS Item in lieu of proceeding with the processing and/or shipment of the EIS Item and, upon exercising this right, shall have the right to reverse the payment that your Buyer made to you for the EIS Item and will process the EIS Item as an undeliverable item and may elect to return the EIS Item to you as described below. If the item is undeliverable and cannot be shipped back to you for whatever reason, eBay reserves the right to liquidate or destroy the item. In those instances, the payment will not be reversed.
8B) Undeliverable Items. eBay shall have no liability and shall have, in their discretion and in any manner that they prefer, the right to dispose of or liquidate EIS Items that eBay or its third party service providers conclude are undeliverable, for whatever reason.
If eBay or its third party service providers concludes that an EIS Item is undeliverable and elects to dispose of it or sell it, title to the EIS Item shall transfer automatically from you to a third party that eBay may designate and you will keep your Buyer’s payment.
Alternatively, eBay or its third party service providers may elect to return to you at any US address that you have on file with eBay any EIS Item that eBay or its third party service providers concludes is undeliverable and require reversal of the payment that your Buyer made to you. If an item is returned to you, you may be responsible for a return shipping fee.
9) International Returns. To the extent permitted by applicable law, eBay may choose not to display the returns policy field of your listings to Buyers. eBay may choose to manage any international returns on your behalf. For the avoidance of doubt, if a buyer chooses to return an item that eBay approved for international shipping, eBay may in its sole discretion, choose to intermediate the return to you if your returns policy indicates that you accept returns and will reverse the sale. Alternatively, eBay may choose to liquidate the item rather than returning the item to you and you will keep the proceeds from the sale consistent with Section 7 of these Terms and Conditions.
You acknowledge that eBay’s or its third party service providers’ election to dispose of or sell the EIS Item and to allow you to retain your Buyer’s payment for the EIS Item is sufficient consideration for the transfer of title to any third party that eBay may designate.
