I'm a top rated seller but to get the "Top Rated Plus" badge and the discount on final value fees, I have to offer free returns and one day handling time. I'm happy to do one day shipping; I usually ship same day. But I worry that offering free returns will just encourage people to buy things they are only marginally interested in knowing they can return them without obligation. On the other hand, at least people won't be tempted to damage items or claim defects just to get a free return label. Are there other drawbacks to offering free returns? Does it increase sales? Do the advantages outweigh the drawbacks? Are there some types of listings where you would not offer the "Top Rated Seller" terms?
Maybe it depends on what you sell. In my case I mostly sell brand new beauty products. I have free returns and they are extremely rare because most people who are buying an item actually want it and my items are exactly as described. I stopped selling junk drawer lots on another eBay account I run with my friends, once somebody took out the pokemon cards and returned the rest of it. So it may just depend on the category you're in.
Thanks everyone! I appreciate your sharing your experiences. I was leaning towards keeping buyer-paid returns (as I have now) but your experiences are making me think I might be missing some sales by now upgrading the listings. I'll continue to noodle over it.
