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Accepting Returns No Longer Required for Top Rated Status?
Hello, I am a bit confused, has Ebay changed their policy on Top Rated Seller status requirements?
I thought accepting 30-day returns was required, but after searching, now I'm seeing that it isn't.
Lately I've had a slew of buyers initiating returns for the reason given, "Changed My Mind".
I have offered returns on all of my listings in good faith, in the event a part is defective, with the added goal of achieving Top Rated status, but this isn't going too well. Inexplicably, I've had record numbers of returns lately, and it seems people are just changing their mind, leaving me with the bill for the return shipping. Has this been happening to anyone else lately? It's rather frustrating.
12 comments
kh-stanley1
·2 years agoHi everyone,
Due to the age of this thread, it has been closed to further replies. Please feel free to start a new thread HERE if you wish to continue to discuss this topic.
Thank you for understanding.
continentalcollectibles
·2 years agoOMG it's an Epidemic, Ever Since Amazon allowed Kohls, Staples, Whole Foods ,UPS Centers and Other Non- Amazona Retail Locations to be drop off points for their Free Return Policy the whole world assumes that eBay and the small vendors should do it also nothing better than getting a Swanky Jacket sent to you use it go out for the weekend and still have 24 days left to decide you just don't like it and have the seller pay for it both ways. Great idea. Everyone I've spoken to has had this happening to them, Ourselves almost every day we get returns now. and the Buyers know now through Media that all they have to mark is Not ass Described and Your stuck taking it back. If someone can please come up with an answer I'm all Ears
gurlcat
·2 years agoGet out of apparel; it is the most returned category of all. Same to you @tinytinkstreasures in fact shoes are even worse than garments.
I get a chill when I look back on my apparel days. NEVER AGAIN.
tinytinkstreasures
·2 years agoIt seems to be happening to me alot more in the past year. I'm a TRSP and and beginning to wonder if #1 the discount & PLUS rating is worth all the aggravaton I get. I do fear if I don't offer returns the unethical buyers will just do NAD. I literally just had a case where a buyer requested to return the item because she thought the item was black, although I had posted at least 3-4 times in ad item was BLUE in all caps. Well she files a return. The item I got back was not what I shipped her. It clearly had multiple visable variations from mine (shoes). I posted multiple pics to ebay clearly showing they were not the same item I sold her. She won the case based on my accepting returns even though th return was a switch a roo.
This was the 1st time ebay has never sided with me. I'm totally at an impasse on whether to not offer refunds in certain categories such as cosmetics or clothing. But I fear retribution of deception from buyers & them doing NAD. Or even if I offer returns they pay shipping. In all my years of selling (started when ebay did, took a break for a few years and back going on 10 years. I've had MORE than my share of unethical buyers (sadly many of them other sellers). I honestly don't know what to do I'm sick of this. I pride myself on a perfect record of 100%. But it seems I have to fight to keep it at times.
Uggggg
Oh ps Ebay has told me sellers can report buyers for misuse of their return policy, which I do. Not sure if that even helps. I'm told after so many they are banned. Banned to what just open another account as MANY do anyways 😞
gurlcat
·3 years agoThe previous replies are relevant to your question and I do NOT think the policy has changed, only that you slightly misinterpreted part of it (you don't have to offer no-excuse-needed Free Returns in order to achieve TRS status; that's only to get the fee discount -AKA "TRS Plus"- for each listing sold once you have already achieved TRS status).
That said, your post piqued my interest because I currently have my first 2 returns after many months of none, and they are 'Changed my mind' and 'Just didn't like it'. Incidentally the 'Changed my mind' one really surprises me because she wrote to me to inform me that a few of the jewelry pieces in her order arrived broken, so I apologized and informed her if she filed a return it would be automatically accepted (I am a TRS and this was a Free Returns item) so she totally could have chosen 'INAD ' or 'Arrived Damaged'. But her written note in the return details says "On further thought this item does not suit my needs".
So yeah, it almost does seem odd that you're asking that question and it has been my recent experience. I think it's just a coincidence though.
Incidentally, neither of these 2 buyers have shipped their item yet. One started their return on the 6th and the other on the 9th. They're probably just procrastinating, knowing they have plenty of time (which I find irritating considering my money is on 'hold'), but fingers crossed maybe one or both of them actually changed their minds about changing their minds, lol.
element2631
OP3 years agoOne of my buyers who initiated a return recently never bothered to send it back, so it was automatically closed. Another buyer procrastinated past the 30 day deadline, but I still offered him a return because I understand some people get busy, or at least that's what he claimed. However, it seems some people just don't take it too seriously one way or another.
Anyway, this thread has been helpful. Thanks to all who chimed in. I'm gonna go ahead and change my policies a bit, but in the spirit of good customer service, I will still offer returns on most items, but I'm gonna change it to "buyer pays" for return shipping. It just looks better than having no returns at all, and will hopefully discourage frivolous purchasing.
fern*wood
·3 years agoI looked at your listings and you aren't classified as a TRS on them at all on this ID. Free returns are only required to make a listing qualify for the discount and be TRSplus, but you have to be TRS before that comes into play. Just to be a TRS does not require allowing for remorse returns.
Oops--slow typist and thinker.
nobody*s_perfect
·3 years agoAccepting returns has never been required for TRS status, though it is required for getting the TR-Plus designation on a listing.
If you haven't reached TRS status, it's due to something else such as the number or dollar value of your sales in the past 12 months, or performance criteria.
https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/selling-policies/seller-standards-policy?id=4347#section3
mtgraves7984
·3 years agoInexplicably, I've had record numbers of returns lately, and it seems people are just changing their mind, leaving me with the bill for the return shipping.
@element2631
I think this problem is because you offered Free Returns (on the sold listings I looked at, anyway), so they'd all be approved. But to answer your question... No, TRS don't have to offer Returns.
You might consider using 30-Day (Buyer pays) Returns, as you could then deny remorse Returns. Good luck.
albertabrightalberta
·3 years agoA seller who offers 30 day returns can't deny remorse returns. When the seller has a return policy, buyers can return for any reason. Only a seller who has a no return policy can deny remorse returns, no?
But if the buyer doesn't want to pay return shipping, they can lie and claim NAD, in which case the seller must accept, return policy or not.
nobody*s_perfect
·3 years agoAccording to the Help page for buyers, "When the seller accepts your return request, you'll either receive a return shipping label from eBay or the seller, or you'll be asked to purchase a label directly from a carrier." I don't know how or why a seller would decline a return if their policy states that they accept returns but buyer pays.
https://www.ebay.com/help/buying/returns-items-not-received-refunds-buyers/returning-item/return-shipping?id=4066&st=3&pos=2&query=Return%20shipping%20for%20buyers&intent=return&lucenceai=lucenceai&docId=HELP1152
mtgraves7984
·3 years ago@albertabrightalberta
You know... I think you're right. I happen to use 30-Day (Buyer pays) Returns, and I accept remorse Returns. I thought that I had the option to deny them (but can't find policy that backs that up), so I suppose I don't have the option to deny them after all... only the benefit that the buyer pays return postage for remorse.
I'm one of those who finds that if an item sells once, it will again. I've only had a couple of remorse Returns in the past few years, and the items sold to the right buyers the second time they sold.
With all that being said, @element2631... I think you were wise to revisit your policy. Good luck... hope it helps!