When buyers return items w/ damaged (or missing) packaging

[bigdeals.etc]

So what's your take on this? I'm not exaggerating when I say about 80% of the returns I get back have either damaged retail packaging.

The items I sell aren't even sealed in the retail package, they are either in a re-sealable retail poly, or just in a retail cardboard box (unsealed but closed). But 4/5 times they come back with the boxes/polys all torn up or totally missing. Many times clothing tags are missing. These all make the returned items useless to me. If I fight these, the buyer will eventually win if they know how ebay works, right?

[deep-garnet-red]

Right.

[dhbookds]

Frankly, I've never understood how most/some items could be returned with undamaged covering/boxes etc.  I mean the buyer has to test/try on/inspect.....

Clothing tags certainly should be left on, but a t shirt in plastic bag?  How ARE they supposed to judge whether there's a hole in it/whatever without taking it out of the bag? 

I understand your problem.....but I wouldn't, as a buyer, think that a torn open poly bag was worth returning.......

[copper.boom]

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@bigdeals.etc wrote:

The items I sell aren't even sealed in the retail package, they are either in a re-sealable retail poly, or just in a retail cardboard box (unsealed but closed). But 4/5 times they come back with the boxes/polys all torn up or totally missing. Many times clothing tags are missing. These all make the returned items useless to me.

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You accept returns and this is unfortunately a part of that. Regarding packaging - I know it's an extra cost, but couldn't you replace the resealable poly bag or plain cardboard box? If the item still has the tag then you can repackage and resell it.

If it's missing the tag (which is really wrong of the buyer), then can you resell those items at a discount, perhaps in lots?

Trying to make some lemonade here.

[*eponymous*]

The problem is not that buyers don't know the system...obviously! Some sellers act like they don't go to stores and buy stuff and don't know these "systems" themselves..as though all of us aren't customers and don't know a single thing about getting money back for stuff...and of course every poster - and every sellers - is as honest as the day is new.  Yeah, that's statistically impossible. lol

What do you do when you get back unsellable merchandise?  Refund, and relist as used (or discard).

This is retail, and the seller is solely responsible for losses.

If your loss rate is more than 1-2/100 or much lower, you're not doing something right (selling high-risk items, high-return items such as clothing), or ???

[bigdeals.etc]

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@dhbookds wrote:

Frankly, I've never understood how most/some items could be returned with undamaged covering/boxes etc.  I mean the buyer has to test/try on/inspect.....

Clothing tags certainly should be left on, but a t shirt in plastic bag?  How ARE they supposed to judge whether there's a hole in it/whatever without taking it out of the bag? 

I understand your problem.....but I wouldn't, as a buyer, think that a torn open poly bag was worth returning.......

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I guess I'm the minority here when I say that if I buy an item that isn't sealed in it's retail box, I actually use the flaps and open the box to get the item out. Many of the returns I get the box is all ripped up. Sadly these retail boxes are not available individually which makes the item no longer new.

To clarify, I'm not saying buyers can't open, inspect, or try on items. But I'm not okay with me returning an item which I have ruined the retail package or lost the packaging altogether. It's a different story if the package was taped up and sealed, but mine aren't.

[dhbookds]

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@bigdeals.etc wrote:

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@dhbookds wrote:

Frankly, I've never understood how most/some items could be returned with undamaged covering/boxes etc.  I mean the buyer has to test/try on/inspect.....

Clothing tags certainly should be left on, but a t shirt in plastic bag?  How ARE they supposed to judge whether there's a hole in it/whatever without taking it out of the bag? 

I understand your problem.....but I wouldn't, as a buyer, think that a torn open poly bag was worth returning.......

---

I guess I'm the minority here when I say that if I buy an item that isn't sealed in it's retail box, I actually use the flaps and open the box to get the item out. Many of the returns I get the box is all ripped up. Sadly these retail boxes are not available individually which makes the item no longer new.

To clarify, I'm not saying buyers can't open, inspect, or try on items. But I'm not okay with me returning an item which I have ruined the retail package or lost the packaging altogether. It's a different story if the package was taped up and sealed, but mine aren't.

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And I do the same......but I doubt some buyers even consider the ramifications to the seller......Most probably don't conceive they may send it back before tearing into it.  They don't care about keeping the box or packing......so of what use is it?  At least in  a buyer's mind........

[copper.boom]

I also open things very carefully, and if I had to do a return I would include all original parts, pieces and packaging. But I have seen friends literally rip into packages before. People just don't think about it.

-At least the poly bags you can replace.

-For the boxed items, perhaps you can put them in plain unmarked cardboard boxes?

-For the no-tag items I would let them accumulate, then discount and sell in lots as preowned.

[bigdeals.etc]

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@dhbookds wrote:

And I do the same......but I doubt some buyers even consider the ramifications to the seller......Most probably don't conceive they may send it back before tearing into it.  They don't care about keeping the box or packing......so of what use is it?  At least in  a buyer's mind........

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Right. But isn't that the same mindset for buyers who remove clothing tags as well? They remove it because they probably don't conceive returning it at all. Yet I would think the masses agree returning clothing without the tags usually isn't honored.

[copper.boom]

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@bigdeals.etc wrote:

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@dhbookds wrote:

And I do the same......but I doubt some buyers even consider the ramifications to the seller......Most probably don't conceive they may send it back before tearing into it.  They don't care about keeping the box or packing......so of what use is it?  At least in  a buyer's mind........

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Right. But isn't that the same mindset for buyers who remove clothing tags as well? They remove it because they probably don't conceive returning it at all. Yet I would think the masses agree returning clothing without the tags usually isn't honored.

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You would think. But people don't care and, unfortunately, eBay doesn't enforce it. If a friend has something of which they removed the tag and can't return they usually give it to me and ask if I can sell it for them so they at least get a partial refund and if not they donate it. Not everyone has that kind of decency.

If you were listing on your own website you could enforce a no tag, no refund rule. But this is eBay's platform and, as we all know, their support of sellers is lacking to say the least. 😞

[ivorywire559]

This matter is simple to understand.  Even though it may seem like bad policy, eBay places a lot of value on tracking.  Tracking is everyting here.  I've seen packages shipped that don't show up until they are delivered, even though the carrier claims to provide tracking every step of the way.  A buyer who returns something need only provide tracking that it was delivered back to the address provided by the seller, at which point eBay will promptly refund if the seller does not.  Want proof?  Once you return something and have tracking confirmation that it has arrived at the seller's address, call eBay and see how quickly they process the refund.  Even though the buyer could send items back damaged, short of some of the original contents, even entirely different than what was received, etc., all eBay really cares about is that tracking number.  When you keep things simple like eBay does, life is so much easier.  Trust me, somewhere they have fine print to justify all of this and secure them from any liability.  In conclusion, there is nothing a seller can do about dishonest buyers who want to game the system.  It's one of the risks of doing business on eBay, and every seller who has been around a while has been cheated by this unfair, biased system.  As I've discussed on other threads, people will do what they can get away with.  They will lie and cheat and steal if they can get away with it free and clear.   eBay treats sellers like the bad guys and buyers like they are always innocent without exception.  I have bought and sold here, and I do not see why sellers are treated like second-class citizens compared to buyers, but that pretty much sums up eBay's attitude toward these two groups.  The interesting thing is that it's these very sellers who are the actual customers of eBay, not the buyers.  The buyers do not pay fees to eBay to buy; they pay the seller the value of the auction or fixed price listing.  They do not pay fees to pay, either.  The sellers pay all of the fees and are thus the actual customers of this site.  Sellers are also the ones who pay PayPal fees by having them deducted before ever getting their money.  Buyers only pay fees if they use a credit product or use the eBay debit card to withdraw a refund from an ATM.  As for the credit products, know that it's provided using funds held mainly from sellers for any reason PayPal can come up with.  Again, they have fine print to defend everything they do.   No, ordinary customer service doesn't know how to find every legal justification, but their lawyers know them by heart and will spit them out for hundreds of dollars an hour.  Just like bills in the US Congress, few actually ever read them. They are often a thousand pages long, and are voted on within a short time frame that does not allow for reading unless you are a super human.  Only the people who wrote the bills know what they say.  Everyone else gets Cliff's Notes.  Wonderful to know people are making decisions on laws without ever actually reading them.

[nc-daydreamer]

I refer to this link 

http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/return-item-condition.html 

and include it on all packing slips with this detail from that link...

"You must return an item in the same condition as it was received, not used or altered in any way. You must also include, in the same condition as it was received:

• All original packaging such as boxes, bags, tags, and UPCs

• Accessories such as cords and remote controls

• Certificates, manuals, warranty, and rebate cards 

• "Free gifts" or bonus items

• All items included in a bundle

Make sure you follow these guidelines. If you don't, you may be subject to a range of actions, including limits of your buying and selling privileges and suspension of your account."

So far, since I've been doing this - knock on wood... I've not had many issues, and when I do, I report it.

Good luck.