Buyer Returns
Why does eBay change the reason why a customer returns an item from the reason they provided, "bought by mistake," to "Just didn't like it"? I have screenshots from customers provided after I asked them what they didn't like about it, and they say that they didn't claim that. Even worse is that we offer automotive electronics, and 1 out of 3 eBay customers return them, stating that the item is defective, when the fact is not one of them are defective when we receive them back; they work perfectly when we QC test them and work perfectly for someone else. We need a way to remedy this issue to prevent unfair seller rating drops.
8 comments
xadexane
·9 months agoNo one washes a rental car @motorcityautobahn. Sometimes why a buyer is returning to eBay...
...is a conflartion of two or more issues. But at the end of the book, you'll either take the return or earn a defect, unfortunately.
motorcityautobahn
OP9 months agoI have to disagree with your opinion that both reasons mean the same thing. Yes, both can be considered "buyer's remorse" in a general consumer way, but I do not at all believe the consequences are the same. From a seller's point of view and eBay's monitoring sales algorithm, "Bought by Mistake" leans towards the buyer's responsibility/liability and not the seller's, but "just didn't like it" leans more towards a seller's responsibility of not providing quality products that satisfy the buyer's purchase. And you may have missed the part where I made personal QC inquiries with 2 customers, both of whom claimed they didn't claim "just didn't like it," with screenshots proving this, identical to mine except my claims showed "just didn't like it" and theirs "bought by mistake." I keep them on file. And for the record, I am more aware than most about how customers can **bleep** their way through issues. I have been selling automotive accessories online since 2002 and have been a technical support agent for the products that I provide for over 25 years.
tobaccocardyahoo
·9 months agoYou are assuming that the buyer is correctly representing what they chose in their return request.
The buyer may not remember or may be deliberately punishing you for their having to pay return shipping. Either is plausible.
The desire to use return data for quality control is admirable, but no one other than you really cares if you can. If you communicated with the buyer before they filed the return, or even after you should have used that contact to obtain the info you need. If you find you are unsuccessful, you may have serious product problems and should consider techniques like focus groups to identify them.
motorcityautobahn
OP9 months agoWow. You have no idea what you're talking about. Not even on the point of the issue. Does anyone understand what they read anymore? This will be my last post and discussion with eBay sellers. Get a website and an 800 number, and after about 10 years, then send me some advice you didn't get out of a book.
jonathanbrightlight
·9 months agoPride will only hurt you. You are being given good advice and you are choosing to ignore it and denigrate those voluntarily helping.
motorcityautobahn
OP9 months agoPS: The comment "There would be no point in eBay changing the reason your buyer picked to return an item"—I believe there is, or at the very least could be, but this is not the time or place for that discussion.
house*of*paws
·9 months agoHi @motorcityautobahn
There would be no point in eBay changing the reason your buyer picked to return an item. 'Bought by mistake' has the same consequences as 'Just didn't like it'. They are both considered Buyer's remorse reasons.
It's possible that a buyer might say one thing to you in a personal message ... and then choose a different reason when they file a return request ... but eBay makes no changes to whatever the buyer picks as a reason.
jonathanbrightlight
·9 months agoeBay doesn’t change the reason. It seems likely that your buyers are either mistaken or lying.