Are eBay buyers bots?
Summary: germanaudiotech expressed frustration over eBay's "Free 30-Day Seller Paid Returns" policy, citing an increase in buyer's remorse returns, which incurs high costs for shipping and packaging. They are unable to modify listings to remove free returns without starting over, and this policy has led to a negative selling experience. luckythewinner clarified that eBay buyers are not bots. stainlessenginecovers suggested financial strategies to mitigate losses from returns, while others debated the impact of free shipping policies on sellers. Some participants proposed that buyers should be more responsible, and questioned eBay's policies favoring buyer convenience over seller concerns.
Ever since eBay implemented their "Free 30-Day Seller Paid Returns" I have had a massive influx of Buyer's Remorse returns, costing me shipping x2 and eBay wont even allow me to deduct restocking fees. So, people are buying products just to send them back to us. My packaging is expensive, my shipping costs are expensive, and it's all just being wasted!! Every day now, 2-5 returns / day all Buyer Error, Buyer's Remorse. Why can't people READ?? Why cant they check fitment and compatibility before buying. Why are they buying products they never intended to keep? Why are people doing this? What is wrong with them? When I buy something I check 5x before I send my hard earned money for anything - these people dont care, they know eBay will back up their stupidity and negligence.
eBay! Please this is not Amazon! I do not have the luxury of time and money to eat all these costs of buyer's remorse returns.
You wont allow me to edit my listings to Not Allow Returns, I am forced into this stupid policy.
My blocked bidder list is growing by the day.
This is making for a Terrible selling experience.
Please make buyer's pay for their own returns!! I hate this!
mypostingid15
·1 week agoNo, but the bots present them to buyers.
happyrcflyer
·1 week agoCompetition can and does send bogus buyers to their competition for the purpose of returns and negative feedback. It's too easy to exploit.
buyselljack2016
·1 week agoFor a buyer......................... a seller with free shipping/free returns is the way to go.
Buy it, try it, send it back. Easy-peasy. No reading required. No effort other than taping the package back up and waiting a bit for the refund.
gurlcat
·1 week agoSorry but I can't muster much empathy for anyone who complains about remorse returns when they had free shipping on the items. Are you just not aware that if you priced the shipping separately, you could withhold the refund for the original shipping?
ciccue_0
·1 week agoI believe the buyers myself included should do more research. When you try to make money with shipping, buyers do not want your item. Too expensive!
ciccue_0
·1 week agoI agreed. Buyers should start paying their returns!
fern*wood
·1 week agoFree Priority shipping -- hell no. Why?
germanaudiotech
OP1 week agoBecause eBay keeps making new policies squeezing sellers. Years ago, we had flat rate shipping costs, then eBay decided they would prioritize sellers offering "free shipping" and that anyone charging for shipping would also be billed a percentage of the shipping cost. Ebay progressively since the beginning began hating their sellers. I've been on here for over 26 years and Never got a "CONGRATULATIONS ON 25 YEARS OF SELLING PLAQUE" They simply dont care anymore. It's all about corporate profit
gurlcat
·1 week agoHow do you not get that if you include the shipping cost into the item price eBay charges fees on that too? The same percentage is applied to your TOTAL sale, whether you have free or separate shipping. There is zero advantage to having free. With separate, you can withhold that part of the refund when the buyer gives a remorse reason.
And if you're getting lots of those, then you are throwing away lots of money for no reason.
shire123
·1 week ago@germanaudiotech Ebay does not prioritize free shipping listings. I do daily searches for some items and sort by newly listed. There is a complete mix with most being for people who charge for shipping.
Also, note that I have (and continue) to use flat rate shipping with good success.
stainlessenginecovers
·1 week agoDo some math as you are just doing it wrong.
428 items sold 90 days (13 weeks) so 33 avg per week.
How many returns in those same 428 items? (70 if 5 week for 13 weeks)
What is the cost of shipping?
Also, stop shipping Priority.
Stop the 'Free Shipping'
If you added $10 shipping instead of 'Free' shipping, for each of those 428 items sold for shipping that would make you
$4,280.
If 5 returns a week (70 for the 90 days) that $4280 would cover it and probably STILL Make you some $$.
Shipping GA vs. Priority for those 428 items would AT LEAST save you $5 each on average;
another $2100.
I just easily made you $5000+ even AFTER those returns.
My bill will be forthcoming.
germanaudiotech
OP1 week agoWe are no longer shipping priority mail since USPS spiked their Priority rates. Everything is now going GROUND
stainlessenginecovers
·1 week ago@germanaudiotech We are no longer shipping priority mail since USPS spiked their Priority rates. Everything is now going GROUND
Well, that is NOT what your listing state; and if you do NOT ship Priority and just do the 'lesser' than shipping...you are only going to give yourself MORE problems.
gurlcat
·1 week ago · EditedSeriously @germanaudiotech if I buy from someone with 'X' shipping in the listing but they use 'Y' instead, I am reporting them to eBay (because it is a policy violation) and giving them negative feedback (to warn other buyers). If you're switching to Ground Advantage, fix you listings to reflect that.
kensgiftshop
·1 week agoI think the only items that require free returns is some auto parts.
You have some listings with free returns that don't need it.
germanaudiotech
OP1 week agoI cannot edit my listing to remove the free returns. The system blocks my edit. The only way this is possible is to end all my listings and relist them with NO RETURNS policies. But that would require me to start all over again.
gurlcat
·1 week ago · EditedThe only reason you might not be able to edit an (individual) listing that is not an auto part, and change the return policy, is if it's an auction with at least 1 bid, or a Buy It Now with offers sent.
Otherwise there should be absolutely nothing stopping you from editing those listings. If you want to prove it's blocking your attempts for no reason, show screenshots.
luckythewinner
·1 week agoNo, they are not bots.