No to free returns
Summary: cyclebitz expressed frustration with eBay's enforcement of free returns, stating they are shutting down listings as a protest. They emphasized the need for free returns to be optional rather than mandatory, especially when margins are tight. caldreamer agreed, noting eBay should cover the cost if they want free returns. Others, like tenoem, shared their challenges with increased returns and financial losses due to the policy, while mam98031 elaborated on the various return policy options. The discussion highlighted differing perspectives on eBay's policies and the impact on sellers.
After more than 25 years selling on eBay, one by one I am shutting down listings each time eBay messes with it.
I do not agree and will NOT ever comply with this ridiculous free returns policy, even if ebay pays half.
Promoting free returns is one thing. Forcing sellers to comply is another.
Require me to change my returns policy on any listing and that listing gets ended. Simple as that.
bolensparts-360
·3 weeks agoIt just gets worse by the day here ! A buyer just got me with a bogus "not as described" tactic. If ebay is going to basically allow corruption they need to be willing to pay for both the return postage and the original shipping expense of the seller. So tired of losing money my website is finally starting to get just about as much sales as ebay so I think I will be selling less and less here as time goes on.
cyclebitz
OP3 weeks agoTo clarify, there is nothing wrong with eBay to create policies and guidelines. In the case of Free Returns, there are many sellers that can benefit from it. But only when sufficient volume and margin are in place. If your widget cost $1 and you sell for $20, you can absorb all shipping cost easily.
This not the case however for most sellers. In over 25 years, eBay has never delivered volume for us and margins have always been ultra tight.
The intent of our post is the (extremely) small chance that some of these seller discussion points eventually make it to someone at eBay.
Free Returns should be an option, not mandatory.
nancy7042
·3 weeks agoHi, If they are forcing you to accept free returns then just ad a restocking fee of 10 percent of the sale price.
jonathanbrightlight
·3 weeks agoeBay has not allowed restocking fees for many years now.
powell-collectibles
·3 weeks ago100% agreed. And yes, there is an eBay compliant way to do this.
mam98031
·3 weeks agoWhat might that be?
mam98031
·3 weeks ago@cyclebitz You have choices, you have always had choices, except in Auto Parts. Personally I use 30 day return w/ buyer pays shipping. But each option is described below.
The return policies options are as follows.
1. No Returns
2. 30 day returns w/ buyer pays shipping
3. 60 day returns w/ buyer pays shipping
4. 30 day returns w/ seller pays shipping, AKA Free Returns
5. 60 day returns w/ seller pays shipping. AKA Free Returns
6. 14 Day returns in certain categories
With option number 1, No Returns the seller can completely deny taking a return for a Buyer's Remorse Return Request, if the buyer properly filed the claim. Or if they want to they can accept the return and have the buyer pay the return shipping. If the seller so chooses they can withhold the original shipping if it was separately stated on the listing [not free shipping] when it is time to refund the buyer.
On options 2 & 3 the buyer is responsible for the return shipping on a Buyer's Remorse Return. Plus if the seller so chooses they can withhold the original shipping if it was separately stated on the listing [not free shipping] when it is time to refund the buyer. As of October 1st 2019, sellers that are TRS have some additional protections as well as they can issue partial refunds if they options 2 or 3 as their return policy.
On options 4 & 5 above, they are also known as Free Returns. If a seller that has either of those policies they will pay the return shipping even on a buyer's remorse return. A seller can withhold the original shipping value from the refund if the shipping was separately stated in the listing [not free shipping]. Also Seller’s offering options 4 or 5 have the ability to do partial refunds in certain cases if the item arrives back damaged, missing something or in a condition less than what it was sent to the buyer in, see the policy for more details, the link is below. In the cases where a deduction in the refund is taken due to damage or other authorized reasons for a partial refund, Ebay will protect the seller from negative or neutral feedback.
ALL OPTIONS [1, 2, 3, 4 and 5] are required to process SNAD claims without exception. Even if they are improperly filed and should have been a Buyer’s Remorse claim.
All return policies by sellers must meet or exceed what is stated in the Money Back Guarantee Policy!
14 day return policies are allowed in certain categories: Camera Drones, Camera lenses, Collectibles & Art, Digital Cameras, Jewelry and Medical & Mobility.
For those with Free Return and/or TRS members with 30 day return policies, there are some added protection benefits, one of which is the ability to do a discounted refund under certain conditions.
cyclebitz
OP3 weeks agoIf you sell motorcycle related gear, it has to be in motors.
This is where ebay forces you to list with free returns but they covers 50% off the return label cost. It's a ridiculous policy copied from Amazon, that other platform playing nice with customers at the expense of sellers.
mam98031
·3 weeks agoI am not expert in this area, but as far as I know it is for Parts & accessories only. It would stand to reason that motorcycle gear would fall into that category.
https://www.ebay.com/sellercenter/news/2025-june/parts-accessories-return-policy
But you sell in lots of other categories too that do not fall under this requirement.
gurlcat
·3 weeks agoAre you talking about auto parts? That's the only category I'm aware of that requires free returns.
cyclebitz
OP3 weeks agoMotorcycle related gear.
Had to adjust price, ebay would not let me unless I changed our standard 30 day return to "required" Free returns. I ended the listing instead.
in eBay Motors > Parts & Accessories > Apparel, Protective Gear & Merchandise > Motorcycle & Powersports Gear
shado-x
·3 weeks agoWhen did eBay pay half?
gurlcat
·3 weeks ago · EditedOP was referring to the seller protection where if you have free returns and the item arrives back in worse condition than when you shipped it, you can withhold up to 50% of the refund. If that angers the buyer they can do an appeal, which usually results in eBay giving them the withheld portion from their own revenue.
Also when you utilize this protection, the buyer automatically gets reported for abusive buyer behavior, and you don't get an INAD strike in your Service Metrics like you normally would. And you are protected from negative feedback from that buyer.
It's a pretty sweet deal to me, but of course the best way to handle returns is to avoid as many as possible, by making crystal clear listings.
cyclebitz
OP3 weeks agoThat is not what I was talking about.
https://www.ebay.com/sellercenter/news/2025-june/parts-accessories-return-policy
gurlcat
·3 weeks agoThank you for the correction, but I wonder if the thing I talked about also applies to those items. Whenver you've had returns, did you notice if the refund amount was editable for items returned in lesser condition?
cyclebitz
OP3 weeks agoThe refund amount is only editable when you claim the item is not returned in the required condition. This is not something we would lie about. So we are on the hook for shipping & packaging paid (if we sold with free shipping) and then again for the return shipping.
Bottom line, throughout our business we do not provide pre-paid return labels unless we made a mistake or shipped something defective. Buyer remorse return costs are and will always be at the expense of the customer. It's called "take responsibility for your own actions".
Because of our own policy, we do not have excessive returns. Once you start enticing people to buy with free returns, the abuse floodgates open.
gurlcat
·3 weeks agoWith all due respect, you can't tell any random seller "Once you start enticing people to buy with free returns, the abuse floodgates open" -and know that it will be true in all cases.
What I and many others experienced was actually the opposite, a reduction in returns by enabling free ones for any reason, counterintuitive as that sounds. I can only guess it's a psychology thing, where if they know they have nothing to worry about, they relax and don't look for issues with the item.
And the sum total of my (pretty rare) returns is less expensive than before I did 'free' due to one (indisputable) fact: A buyer with mere remorse can simply lie to claim INAD, just to get past the block with sellers who have 'No returns' and to avoid paying for the return label with sellers who have 'Buyer pays'. I even had a buyer purposely destroy an item to claim INAD, just to avoid paying for the return label when I was doing 'Buyer pays.'
That was when I changed all my listings to 'Free returns,' and now remorse buyers don't have to lie to get a return. And yes I pay for the return label, but I get to withhold the original shipping. And I don't get an INAD strike in my Service Metrics.
gurlcat
·3 weeks agoJust to add: Your 'floodgates' statement is probably more often true for some categories than others. And here's where I feel extra sorry for you automotive sellers for this forced Free thing -I suspect careless buying happens more often for you than it would for, say, collectible items. If someone is trying DIY auto repairs and doesn't know for certain which part they need, with Free returns they could theoretically just buy multiple different parts from various sellers, just to find out which one they need, and return the others. No deep research needed to make sure they buy what they need.
That is very unfortunate and I do empathize. There's no way in heII I would sell those items here.
inhawaii
·3 weeks agoWhat are you talking about?
Ebay doesn't "force" sellers to accept returns.
cyclebitz
OP3 weeks agoMaybe you should brush up on ebay seller policies
inhawaii
·3 weeks agoOk, it's a policy.
Shouldn't ebay be enforcing policy?
Ebay is not "messing" with anything.
The op has a choice:
Sell here and follow policy
Don't sell here and not have to follow policy
mr_lincoln
·3 weeks ago@inhawaii
Just and FYI for eBay Motors Parts & Accessories: As of July 15, 2025, most U.S. eBay Motors Parts & Accessories listings must offer free 30‑day returns, with eBay covering 50% of the return shipping label cost.
inhawaii
·3 weeks agoGot it. Thank you.
The way the op made it sound like ebay was "messing" with his listings and forcing him to accept free returns. What the op is talking about is a policy, a policy that the op doesn't like.
mr_lincoln
·3 weeks ago · Edited@inhawaii
Correct. You are very welcome. If memory serves, part of that feature's rollout eBay gave Sellers of Auto P&As a timeframe to change their return policy, after that eBay would do it.
Unavailable member
·3 weeks agoAs of July of 2025 they required motors parts and sellers to accept free returns. As a result my return rate doubled, and I lose an extra $3000-$5000 a month from ebay buyers who now use me as their personal parts testing service, where they can order any $500 module or sensor, install it to see if it fixes their problem, and then return it when it doesn't, forcing me to pay for shipping both ways.
This policy was made by someone at ebay who couldn't even tell you the tire size of the car they drive.
christworks
·3 weeks agoYou should be reducing the refund by 50% on every return that comes back to you with a part that has been used, tried on, etc. That deduction should make up for your loss on return shipping.
gurlcat
·3 weeks agoAND it would automatically put those "tester" buyers on eBay's naughty list.
Unavailable member
·3 weeks agoI've heard through the grapevine that it takes 5 reports from 5 unique sellers before ebay will flag the account for an investigation.
Unavailable member
·3 weeks ago · EditedThis is a good idea honestly, but with how much fraud and abuse there are on ebay motors, especially when you're selling OEM parts (genuine ford or general motors for example), if you did this every time someone destroyed an item, or destroyed the box it came in, ebay would remove your ability to deduct from returns.
This is partially caused due to ebay testing their myfitmentplus garbage out, where even if you have the feature turned off, ebay will still come in and enter incorrect part fitment on your parts listings for ford and gm OEM parts which generates more returns.
Just had ebay do this on a window regulator, which actually generated a chargeback, despite me having the correct listing information, due to an ebay issue, i'll be out the $70 it cost to ship to them, and the $150 for the part that i'll lose to the chargeback.
Another thing you lose a lot of money on, is when a buyer returns something via fedex and instead of putting it in a box they just throw a poly bag over it, the seller is always on the hook for it regardless if the buyer incorrectly ships an item back.
Now I take this usually as the cost of doing business right? You win some you lose some, you make enough profit that these hiccups don't matter, that is until you drive to pickup more inventory, and realize a gallon of diesel is now $7.19. Between fees, taxes (ESPECIALLY taxes), shipping costs, and now transportation costs, selling online is becoming "Death by a thousand cuts"
It won't get any better, as no significant economic policy will be passed in the next 2 years to fix this mess. You'll have the presidency controlled by one side, and congress controlled by another. This will present a gridlock politically, meaning we didn't make this bed, but we are forced to sleep in it for 2+ years now. I believe many sellers will not survive the next 2 years.
caldreamer
·3 weeks agoI don't blame you. If EBAY wants "free returns" they should pay for it.