Returns?

[baydealz]

Can anyone provide a pragmatic clarification of returns?  I see 'free returns' in listings and cannot imagine having someone buy just to inspect, then me paying for them to return it.  I contacted one once and was actually told 'you still gotta pay for the return label.'  I've called ebay and they said that seller must provide.  When I don't offer a return at all, I still need to accept AND still get charged for the return label?  This inconsistency is ridiculous.  I also just saw an item with 'AS IS' in the title, and return policy as 'no returns allowed' yet we know ebay will accept that return if requested, right?  I'm quickly seeing that there is now zero upside to current ebay as a seller.  This amount of risk is insane. 

[brightlightbookseller]

There's no such thing as No Returns on eBay.  There's simply No Remorse Returns, which means you'll probably get people falsely claiming damage or other problems just to return it.  It's definitely best to simply offer returns, and accept the small percentage of items that get returned, hopefully in their original condition.  That's how it is for almost all online marketplaces now.

[stainlessenginecovers]

There is NO inconsistency. 

If a sellers listing states 'free returns' then they provide a return label for ANY reason of return. 

You do NOT email seller, you simply 'open a return' in your 'my purchases' (on the right of any item bought)

Why sellers do it? Simple percentages. VERY popular with Amazon (was) and ALL Clothing sites (Macy's Target Walmart, Sears etc.) 

If I sell $1500 a month, and make $750 and 5 items are 'returned' which cost me $50.. I STILL make $700 and can 'relist/resell' the item. 

NO DIFFERENT than buying in a store in person (99.9% allow returns)

The Percentages tell me (as a 'free return' listing/business) is that this is 

a.) acceptable

b.) gives buyers CONFIDENCE in purchasing my items. 

As far as an item being listed 'as is' with seller showing 'no returns' ebay WILL NOT just 'authorize' a return OR just 'refund' you- you basically have to LIE and say the item is NOT AS DESCRIBED to 'force' a refund upon return. 

[luckythewinner]

---

---

Can anyone provide a pragmatic clarification of returns? 

Most sellers would say that since any buyer can force a return at the seller's expense by filing a fraudulent dispute, a pragmatic approach would be to just offer a return policy to ward off disputes. 

I see 'free returns' in listings and cannot imagine having someone buy just to inspect, then me paying for them to return it

If you can't see it, then don't offer free returns. 

When I don't offer a return at all, I still need to accept AND still get charged for the return label? This inconsistency is ridiculous.  

I think you are confusing a remorse return with a "not as described" dispute. 

When a buyer asks for a return because they changed their mind, the seller's return policy is in effect. If the seller offers free returns, the seller pays for the return label. If the seller does not offer free returns, the buyer pays for the return label. If the seller does not offer returns, he can declined it. 

But when the buyer claims an item is not as described, the seller's return policy means nothing. A seller always pays for the return label in a dispute. 

I also just saw an item with 'AS IS' in the title, and return policy as 'no returns allowed' yet we know ebay will accept that return if requested, right?

If the buyer files a "Not As Described" dispute, "AS-IS" and "no returns" means nothing because an "AS-IS" item can still be misrepresented. 

I'm quickly seeing that there is now zero upside to current ebay as a seller.  This amount of risk is insane. 

I have been selling here for 20 years and sold 10,000+ items  and have had perhaps a handful of disputes. 

[chapeau-noir]

Why sellers do it? Simple percentages. VERY popular with Amazon (was) and ALL Clothing sites (Macy's Target Walmart, Sears etc.)

Just a note on this - it has never been all clothing sites, perhaps large catalogers, but many major clothing catalogers are rethinking the 'free' returns gambit - the shrinkage is crazy and it's not sustainable. 

[ittybitnot]

 When I don't offer a return at all, I still need to accept AND still get charged for the return label?  

@baydealz 

Only for returns that are for a "not as described" reason, and if you want to take a chance that the item sent back to you is actually the product you shipped.  

OR

You can simply refund the buyer and let them keep the item for free. 

[chapeau-noir]

The returns flow is one of the few consistencies around here, even if settling some of the cases is a hot mess.

Just remember - on eBay buyer is king and queen - there are always more sellers, but buyers are slowly drifting away - mostly because there is just so much more competition for buyers and it seems so many people have jumped into the selling game.

[stainlessenginecovers]

---

@ittybitnot wrote:

 When I don't offer a return at all, I still need to accept AND still get charged for the return label?  

@baydealz 

Only for returns that are for a "not as described" reason, and if you want to take a chance that the item sent back to you is actually the product you shipped.  

OR

You can simply refund the buyer and let them keep the item for free. 

---

yes, that's why I said (was) because I know many are now NOT doing 'free' etc; and Amazon was just an example of a NON 'just clothing' store. 

I was just trying to state it started with clothing and got very popular with that type of 'store' over the 'other type' of stores (ie, Auto Parts, Hardware etc. NOT so popular to do it)

[adkhighker]

When it comes to selling something on eBay, the "free" in free returns" is the same thing as the "free" in free shipping.  In either case, neither one is ever "free," not for sellers anyway.

[chapeau-noir]

I'm not sure if you're talking to Ittybitty but I was just updating on what was supposedly 'table stakes' for online clothing sales (or many sales) - there have been recent changes in thinking in the clothing industry due to shrinkage and so-called 'bracket buying', particularly after the 2023 season, though I've been reading talk about it in the trade press for the last year or so. I knew the free returns thing wouldn't last - it's not a sustainable business model and IMHO was only started to try to make people comfortable with buying clothing online.

Amazon is its own creature - I've had to pay for clothing returns there, though.

[richard1rst]

---

@baydealz wrote:

Can anyone provide a pragmatic clarification of returns?  I see 'free returns' in listings and cannot imagine having someone buy just to inspect, then me paying for them to return it.  I contacted one once and was actually told 'you still gotta pay for the return label.'  I've called ebay and they said that seller must provide.  When I don't offer a return at all, I still need to accept AND still get charged for the return label?  This inconsistency is ridiculous.  I also just saw an item with 'AS IS' in the title, and return policy as 'no returns allowed' yet we know ebay will accept that return if requested, right?  I'm quickly seeing that there is now zero upside to current ebay as a seller.  This amount of risk is insane. 

---

My return rate is typically around 1/2 of 1%. In other words 1 return out of 200 sales. As fr as I am concerned everything you expressed is a non-issue - to me at least. There are certain categories that seem to have high return rates. If returns bother you then don't sell anything in those categories. Problem solved.

[mtgraves7984]

I've never offered Free Returns for no other reason than the sound of it scares me to death. 💸

I offer 30-Day (Buyer pays) Returns and can tell you that I had only two last year... both honest remorse returns. In both instances, I refunded those buyers for their items, relisted them and have since sold both items to the right buyers.

Personally, I think that 'No Returns' is worth less than the time it just took me to type it. Good luck with your decision.

[richard1rst]

HOWEVER if returns bother you then you need to do a better job in your listings..

I looked at one of your completed sales

Shop Vac Wet/Dry Vacuum Cleaners 9010700 Includes A Foam Filter And Elastic

EXCEPT you are not actually selling the vacuum cleaner - you are only selling filter covers (or filter bags - not entirely sure). In the item description you describe them as “filter bags” but in the written description you describer them as “filter covers”. Then you show a picture with 3 covers but down in the description you say but it only comes with 2.

I don’t know what the outcome of this sale was but to me this just screams out for an Item not as Described return.

[soh.maryl]

If you will very carefully read eBay's Money Back Guarantee for buyers, you will clearly see that all a buyer has to do to get a refund from a seller is to open an item not as described case.  

In other words, any statement of yours like "As Is" or "No Returns Accepted" has no standing in face of the MBG.  

Any seller who doesn't realize that or tries not to accept it probably should sell somewhere else.  

[baydealz]

Ya ya ya, that's why you have no current listing and all your feedback is as a buyer.  Go troll someone else.