I'm sorry, but buyers should not have 21 days to send something back.
Summary: quadcitypickers expresses frustration with a policy allowing buyers up to three weeks to return items. adamcartwright mentions this timeframe might mimic Amazon's practice. gurlcat questions the rationale behind such long periods while lakefor94 shares their personal return habits and emphasizes the importance of receiving items back in good condition. mam98031 agrees the return period is lengthy. Some participants suggest that extended return periods might cater to customer convenience but also highlight differing views on how these policies affect sellers of different types of items. stainlessenginecovers insists sellers must accept current policies, prompting discussions about buyer convenience and potential changes in return policies.
I'm fine with the 30 days for MBG, but sometimes when a buyer ships something back that can be resold, why do they get three entire weeks to literally put a label on it and drop it off?
johnson_junk_company
·1 week agoIt should be 7 days max! That’s enough time to wear it, try it out, turn it on, etc.
roccotacodad54
·2 weeks agoI only buy and have a life besides the internet and eBay.
When a transaction goes sideways I don't want to be rushed. I already had to wait to get the item then they make me wait to "Have us step in".
If the order was correct in the first place the seller wouldn't have to wait at all............................
adamcartwright
·2 weeks agoPeople use "free returns" like the dressing room at a retail store.
It's exacerbated by sellers not including accurate measurements -- not just a "Size Chart" -- for their clothing, so buyers often can't make informed decisions.
dhbookds
·2 weeks agoInteresting article on returns:
https://www.shorr.com/resources/blog/consumer-report-return-habits/
gurlcat
·2 weeks agoThank you, that IS interesting!
ten_o_nine
·2 weeks ago · EditedI think the real answer is the inconvenience to the buyer, they bought an item and for one reason or another they were unhappy with what they received.
Now, are you going to force them to ship fast on top of the issues they had, would look like a non buyer friendly site, wouldn't it?
bonanza125
·2 weeks agoI agree with you unfortunately that's Ebay policy. Perhaps Ebay looks into reducing the return time down the road. I think 7-10 days is fair.
inhawaii
·2 weeks agoDuly noted.
stainlessenginecovers
·2 weeks agoI'm sorry- that's the way it is.
Get over it or quit selling here.
Thread over.
gurlcat
·2 weeks agoPeople are going to post about things you may not find interesting.
I'm sorry -that's the way it is.
Get over it or quit reading here.
Reply over.
stainlessenginecovers
·2 weeks agoand when whiners whine about things that are what they are, I'm going to continue to reply.
NOW the thread is over.
shado-x
·2 weeks agoIt was changed to 21 days because of the Covid debacle, but it wasn't reverted back when it went away.
yo0339
·2 weeks agoeBay changed the return timeframe back down to 10 business days (plus 5 business days after the buyer mailed the label) during COVID-19 -- while it was fully active.
gurlcat
·2 weeks agoActually it went up to 30 days for about a year mid-Covid, then went back down to 15 business days.
yo0339
·2 weeks agoActually it went up to 21 business days on March 25, 2020.
Then went back down to 15 business days on Jul 1, 2020.
Which is about 3 months, from April 2020 to Jun 2020.
lakefor94
·2 weeks agofwiw, I could care less how long they get to send it back as long as I receive it in the same condition. Not a big deal.
Same with the reason for returning. I don't care, just send it back in the same condition. That is all that matters aside from the 10% FVF kickback that pays every expense for returns and most if not all of my premium store fees.
I get alot more returns on AMZ and no kickback of FVF's.
gurlcat
·2 weeks agoHow long does Amazon give them to ship after they start the return? (I'm guessing you don't know if you don't care, but mayyybe you do know?).
yo0339
·2 weeks agoActually, it's still a ways down from "could care less" to "don't care" as Texas wrote:
But to answer the question, you have 30 days from delivery to return most items to Amazon. You must start the return process and mail or drop off the item by the "return by" date.
That's more than the 15 business days on eBay, even when you interject holidays and weekends.
gurlcat
·2 weeks agoTexas???
And sorry but that does not answer the question. 30 days from delivery to START a return is not what what we are talking about. -The number of days between starting the return and that 'return by' date is the topic.
yo0339
·2 weeks agoIf you request the return right before that 30-day window closes, Amazon often grants an extra 14 to 30 days to actually hand the package to the carrier. [from Amazon.com]
lakefor94
·2 weeks agoI had to google it, @gurlcat I think the timeframe for return carrier scan coincides with how long a buyer waits until they file the return.
Google says:
You typically have 14 to 30 days to mail or drop off your item after you open a return on Amazon.Return DeadlinesCheck the label: Amazon displays the exact expiration date and a scannable QR/return label in your Your Orders page and your return confirmation email.
General timeframe: Most return labels state you must drop off or ship the item back within 14 to 30 days of initiating the request. The 30-day limit: The drop-off deadline should ideally fall on or before the final day of your standard 30-day return window (counted from delivery), though some authorized requests give a short extension.
gurlcat
·2 weeks agoOkay that's clear as mud but thank you for trying. ♥️
lakefor94
·2 weeks ago · EditedPretty sure it is going to be about the same verbiage if you dig into the AMZ policies. The time to get the return in the mail will depend upon how long a buyer takes to initiate the return is the way I read it.
stainlessenginecovers
·2 weeks ago@lakefor94 Everything you just said is 100% wrong!
Google has NO clue how ebay works.
Buyer gets 30 days from 'delivery' to 'open a return'.
Buyers get 15 WORKING Days (21 Calendar Days) no matter WHEN they open a return.
Stop relying on Google or AI!
lakefor94
·2 weeks agoComing from one of the most corrected posters over the years on forum, lol.........
Was I talking about eBay or Amazon?
lakefor94
·2 weeks agoAnd Amazon handles most of the refunds when the return gets a carrier scan unless it is an expensive order. I don't know what the thresholds are for that, only that at times, I do have to hit the refund button upon receiving the return
simply-the-best-for-you
·2 weeks agoYou must not sell seasonal items. For people that sell seasonal items, waiting so long can be a pain point.
lakefor94
·2 weeks agoThat is true @simply-the-best-for-you . I do not sell any seasonal type items though if I did, my attitude would remain the same.
Time to get return items in the mail by perspective selling venues won't get any shorter.
The whole deal is about maintaining buyer base and not about what sellers think is fair or reasonable.
simply-the-best-for-you
·1 week agoTotally fair. You're allowed to have a different opinion than me :-) I DO understand why eBay does it & I get that for a lot of items, it doesn't matter, but in some categories it matters a lot. Thankfully, we are still allowed to not accept returns.
lakefor94
·1 week ago · EditedCopy that. ;)
mam98031
·2 weeks agoThey have 15 business days, that can be 21 days or longer when you count in Saturday and Sunday. But I agree, it is too long.
ten_o_nine
·2 weeks agoBut they give you another option so you don't have to wait, "If you choose to refund the buyer now, then the return will close and you shouldn't expect to receive the item." lol.
adamcartwright
·2 weeks agoAmazon gives a long time to return stuff -- probably trying to follow their lead.
gurlcat
·2 weeks ago^This is the answer I usually see. And it makes "sense" (or something like sense), but even if true, it doesn't explain why Amazon or any platform decided to allow that much time.
Even the ole standard of treating buyers like VIP's doesn't particularly satisfy me. I mean if that's the intent, then why only 3 weeks, why not 4 weeks, or 6 weeks, or 6 months?? 😆
lakefor94
·2 weeks ago · EditedI sometimes take a week or longer just to open packages after arrival. I just got back from a vacation and I had a delivery sitting here for close to 2 weeks that someone fetched in the house for me.
I typically get my stuff opened right away and then there are times it takes a week.......... I need a solid buffer for returns if I need to do one, which is rare. I will get it in the mail when I get time.
gurlcat
·2 weeks ago · EditedOkay but how long you take to check the item and decide IF you want to return it is a whole other matter.
lakefor94
·2 weeks agoI don't seek to get an OK or an approval from other members on what I might include in a comment or a reply.
gurlcat
·2 weeks agoLOL it's all "OK" in my book; I love tangents! But you replied directly to me and I couldn't see how what you said had anything to do with what I said.
adamcartwright
·2 weeks agoI think one reason Amazon may do it now is because giving people the extra time to drive the return over to one of their various return locations, like Whole Foods Markets, etc. saves them a lot on return shipping.