eBay

the.archive · ‎03-26-2018

I sell clothing, and people return clothing items constantly. I don't have a problem with it--they're mostly fit issues (even though I provide measurements). I accept returns automatically and count it as the cost of doing business. However, since buyers have realized that if they click 'not as described' they don't have to pay return shipping I'm starting to get quite a few of these now.....I.E. "color is a little darker than the pic" or "since this item was from the 80's, I thought it would have shoulder pads". It's annoying, but ONCE AGAIN I just move on, and consider it the cost of doing business.

Well, I got a message from eBay today that my returns are too high (5%), and that can affect the visibility in search rankings. Which is obviously a HUGE bummer, since I feel eBay's policy already rewards buyers for misusing the return system. If I fight the return, they always side in the buyer's favor anyway...and I've lost half a day. It's just not worth it to fight a buyer for a $25 item.

Anybody else having this issue or resolved this issue for themselves? I'm just looking for some advice or perhaps to be made aware of something I'm failing at miserably.

emerald1830 · ‎03-26-2018

It seems just about every seller got that email...look at the boards, flooded with the same post as yours..even one seller had a return rate of 1 percent! lol!

the.archive · ‎03-26-2018

Ha! Well, that makes me feel better, so THANKS 😄

byrd69er · ‎03-26-2018

I got the email, and it stated a 0.29% rate of returns. Ha! It's wrong, it's .672....I just got one the other day.....now 2 out of 323. Oooooo....gee, I'm sorry, eBay. **bleep** happens. I've been questioning when the first one is going to disappear. It seems like a never ending clock. I no longer give a **bleep**. Their "reward" for jumping through the hoops to be a Top Rated Seller, or beyond, just isn't worth the effort. I see three-day handling on my horizon. I dropped one business day about a year ago and went to two-day.

Getting tired of the you know what.

a_c_green · ‎03-26-2018

@byrd69er wrote:
I got the email, and it stated a 0.29% rate of returns. Ha! It's wrong, it's .672....

Ha! I was informed today that I have an outrageous return rate of... um... 0.3%. Apparently I had one SNAD claim last year. Funny, I don't remember any at all. An elaborate pie chart is presented to me, showing me that of the total of 1 returns I got last last year, a full one hundred percent, all one of them, was for "Doesn't work or is defective." ("Much like eBay programming," I think to myelf.) A big light blue donut stares at me from the screen. But wait! It gets better...

I first received the message while reading on my smartphone in Mobile mode. I thought it was odd, but there was a link to click on to view the returned item in question, so I did. It took me to my Watched Items page for no apparent reason. There was no further explanation. I decided to wait until I got home to view it in Desktop mode instead.
Now at home, I bring up the message again, I click on the same link to view the one (1) item that was supposedly returned in the past year, and...

"You do not have returned items for the time period you selected.

Your returned items will display here for up to 18 months."

Yes, I did set the lookup period to 12 months, and No, it made no difference. There was nothing to retrieve. eBay programming continues to amaze me. I think I'm just going to carry on doing whatever it is I'm doing around here.

natalie*rose*designs · ‎03-26-2018

@a_c_green
If you look at the top of the box where the line is:
All open returns and replacements (0)Open returns (0)Open replacements (0)Started returns (0)Shipped returns (0)Delivered returns (0)Closed returns and replacements (7)
There are arrows and you can click on the one on the right and it will take you to your closed returns for the past year.

As you can see, I have 7. Yes I also got the email, my return rate is very high 3.82%. Ugh.

vintagecraze50 · ‎03-26-2018

Everyone seems to have gotten this metric today. It's just one of those--LOOK at what went wrong and try to improve--the email also has the best practices to avoid returns for NAD . Just Ebay keeping everyone on their toes as usually, and maybe some people NEED to keep on their toes.

byrd69er · ‎03-26-2018

I've had a returned item strike on my acount for at least a year, without any way of viewing it. The links say what your does. So...now that I got a return a few days ago , it still says there's no returns, no matter what time frame I select.

vintagecraze50 · ‎03-26-2018

Your return rate is not astronomically high. Return rates for items sold sight unseen on the internet, especially clothing and fit type items are notorious for higher return rates.

tweetystwades · ‎03-26-2018

They sent one to everyone, mine is 0.56%. It's just a head up. I sell clothing as well.

vintagecraze50 · ‎03-26-2018

I have a brilliant solution. Make it harder not easier for people to return something. Yeah Right. LOL. Just make the listings super accurate, and follow all the advice given to avoid a NAD. That of course does NOT take into consideration, all the returns that were falsely reported by buyers as NADS to get their return shipping charges paid. Another brilliant solution--PAY FOR ALL RETURN SHIPPING to avoid that one.

shopdisneyparks50 · ‎03-27-2018

Thank you everyone! I have been flipping out all night! I also have a return rate of just 1% and was told my returns were too high! I have been EXREMELY - to a fault generous - when it comes to acepting returns. After getting that email last night I was considering changing my policy to ZERO returns unless I was at fault and the buyer was going to have to PROVE it. I really hope Ebay considers sending a correction/apology email to everyone who received that notice. There are going to be a lot of unhappy sellers today!

shopdisneyparks50 · ‎03-27-2018

If you go to the top of the page where the time period is and click on the arrow at the far right it will show you more options. Keep clicking and you will finally get to the page where the item they are talking about shows up.

auctionpop · ‎03-27-2018

I believe ebay is already lowering the visibility of ALL sellers who have return rates above their matrix. Someone let the cat out of the bag with these messages

Ebay's message claims that returns for clothing and shoes catagory average is .7% anyone believe that? Industry statistics show returns for shoes and clothes north of 20% it makes no sense so my 2.12% return rate is too high?

I think ebay is trying to increase sales with with free returns to move stock prices up and show FAKE growth in sales while returns will increase significantly and fees they earn from sales will be refunded. Maybe they will add a return processing fee on the back of sellers once the take control of the payment system to cover those loses.