A few years ago, many sellers on YouTube were strongly advocating for Free Returns, but around 2023-2024, I’ve noticed more and more sellers opting out and choosing the "Buyer pays for return shipping" option instead.
I've also switched to Buyer pays for return shipping over the past year, and it seems like the number of return requests has decreased. However, when buyers select return reasons like "Wrong item sent", "Item not as described", or "Defective item" (regardless of the actual situation), sellers are still required to provide a Return Shipping Label at their expense. So in the end, it doesn’t feel all that different from offering Free Returns.
That being said, since I list almost everything as SOLD AS-IS and don’t offer Free Returns, I believe it helps deter unnecessary returns. But it’s a tough decision to make.
One of the benefits of Free Returns, as I understand it, is that if the returned item is not in its original condition, the seller can issue a partial refund to account for the loss in value.
However, in Remorse Returns, I’ve had cases where eBay automatically issued a full refund, making this feature somewhat unpredictable. Also, as far as I know, sellers can still issue partial refunds even without offering Free Returns, depending on the situation.
So both approaches have their pros and cons, and I’m still debating what’s best.
What are your thoughts on return settings? What has worked well for you, and what hasn’t? I'd love to hear about your experiences and best practices!
