First Return

[davidblasseter]

I don't accept returns but have read that buyers merely have to say "not as described" to return an item anyway.  I recently sold a zoom lens and in the listing I said I was no expert and was selling "as is" but felt it would make a great lens because it seemed to be ok.  So, how do you handle this?  I accepted the return and I'm paying 9.50 for the return but wanted advice on what to do next time.  It was a $40 sale so not insignificant for me as a small first year seller.  Thanks for any advice.  

[krazzykats]

You’re handling things just right.

If a buyer wants to return an item, they have that option.

If you can’t test the item, list it as “for parts” or “not working.”

Remember, “no returns” doesn’t mean “no refunds.”

Keep doing what you’re doing—you’ve got this!

ᓚᘏᗢ

[bdmh-enterprises]

There is NO benefit to having a 'no returns' policy on the items you sell. In fact, as a top rated seller, you are missing out on the 10% fee discount by not offering 30 day free returns. Offering returns is highly unlikely to affect rate of returns as well, since any buyer can claim NAD to get one.

[jdbelt1960]

You did right and it won't hurt you. Make sure though you take thorough pictures in your listings and describe as to best of your knowledge. That is all we can do. I have a rare item and discovered it is slightly missing a part. The only other example by chance was in England.

[christworks]

@davidblasseter I agree with the others. You are handling the return correctly. Bravo! I looked at your listings. You have a good sell through rate.  Your prices seem reasonable. You also have a good attitude about it, unlike a lot of "no return" sellers. I like what I see. A lot. 

I would reconsider your return policy. You are missing on reduced fees and likely some sales as well. You seem to be a one-off everything seller, which is a large swath of what I do. It isn't going to hurt you to do 30-day returns, though I would advocate to offer free 30-day returns. We are about to enter the busiest 4-weeks of the year for many sellers. I would give it a test. This way you bring in buyers who are buying gifts. A decent portion of your inventory are new items and Christmas is the time of year many people are looking for new. You can always try it out on some things, rather than your whole inventory if you'd like. 

When in doubt list things you are uncertain about as parts - and on those even I have a no return policy on. That doesn't mean a buyer can't open up an INAD. The key is you have to know how to handle buyers who message about issues but don't open the return. You have a lot who will want to squeeze back $5 or $10. You handle that by saying no partial returned and tell them the item has to be returned.

I tend to get returns in clusters, normally 2 or 3 in a short span than go months without any. Out of the last cluster of 3, none of them sent the item back, so I was not out anything. For the whole year I think I've had 3 or 4 buyers actually send stuff back? Definitely more have decided to keep it. I even had a guy who had an item damaged by the carrier. I sent the label and had already gotten the claim going for FedEx. A week later the guy messaged me and told me he decided to keep it so he could use the item for parts.

The reality is just like you don't want to deal with returns, buyers also do not want to deal with them. When you freely put the ball in their court, a lot of them just keep it. They don't want to have to pack it up. They don't want to have to go to the post office. There is a time cost there and when you offer free returns, you bank that most people do not want to give up the time to return something. Some do, and that's fine. your savings on fees will likely cover the returns you get and then some. 

One final note, if you have not already, I'd ask the buyer what was wrong with it. This way if you decide to relist it, you can disclose that information. 

[kibble-net]

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@davidblasseter wrote:

I don't accept returns but have read that buyers merely have to say "not as described" to return an item anyway.  I recently sold a zoom lens and in the listing I said I was no expert and was selling "as is" but felt it would make a great lens because it seemed to be ok.  So, how do you handle this?  I accepted the return and I'm paying 9.50 for the return but wanted advice on what to do next time.  It was a $40 sale so not insignificant for me as a small first year seller.  Thanks for any advice.  

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The best way to understand why selling an item "as-is" is a bad idea, is to put yourself in the buyer's shoes.

How often do you spend $40 plus shipping for an item that may or may not work?

[bonanza125]

Everything you did was correct. Make sure that you receive the item in your hands before you issue a refund. Do not just issue a refund without the item. If you do then the buyer will be allowed to keep the item. So make sure of that. We have many people who come in and complain that "Ebay stole" from them when in fact the seller mistakenly refunded a buyer without item in hand.

[chapeau-noir]

I would not relist the zoom lens unless you can test it. A busted zoom lens is of no use to anyone. 

[slippinjimmy]

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@davidblasseter wrote:

I don't accept returns but have read that buyers merely have to say "not as described" to return an item anyway.  

Of course buyers can return items that are Not As Described, if they couldn't then sellers could send a package filled with (literally) garbage.

I recently sold a zoom lens and in the listing I said I was no expert and was selling "as is" but felt it would make a great lens because "it seemed to be ok"  

Your listings says "Used" which means it IS fully functional not that it "appears to to be in good condition" (from someone who admits they don't really know).

Definition of Used

So, how do you handle this?  I accepted the return and I'm paying 9.50 for the return but wanted advice on what to do next time.  It was a $40 sale so not insignificant for me as a small first year seller.  Thanks for any advice.  

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You handled the return part correctly and if it happens again you should do the exact same thing.

In future don't list things that you don't know if they actually work as advertised or this situation WILL happen again.

[mam98031]

@davidblasseter 

The No Return policy on Ebay doesn't mean what you think it does.  Here are the choices we all have within policy.

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.  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 use options 4 or 5 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: Jewelry & Watches, Collectibles & Art, Cameras & Photo and Medical, Mobility & Disability Equipment.

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.

[reallynicestamps]

You can have a No Returns policy, this allows, for example, a glass seller to refuse the return of a box of shards.

But you cannot have a No Refunds policy. 

When you get it back, and as mentioned not before, refund promptly.

Rewrite the description using your unhappy customer's complaint to help you correct it.

Relist and resell. 

Not ever sale will go perfectly. 

[bashort]

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@davidblasseter wrote:

I don't accept returns but have read that buyers merely have to say "not as described" to return an item anyway.  I recently sold a zoom lens and in the listing I said I was no expert and was selling "as is" but felt it would make a great lens because it seemed to be ok.  So, how do you handle this?  I accepted the return and I'm paying 9.50 for the return but wanted advice on what to do next time.  It was a $40 sale so not insignificant for me as a small first year seller.  Thanks for any advice.  

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Accepting the return was the correct thing to do.

Was it the " Minolta MD Zoom 70-210mm f/4 Lens for Minolta MD"  if so you sold it as used, item condition used has to be fully functional.

Putting " It will be sold as is" in the description is totally irrelevant. 

If you want to sell something "as is" use item condition "for parts or not working" and that is no guarantee you will not get a return. 

[soh.maryl]

Before  you go further in your selling career, you need to read the Money Back Guarantee for buyers.

Short version:  Your "No Returns" stance doesn't mean No Refunds if a buyer opens an item not as described case.

[zeerover]

I had this happen on my first return. The eBay return forms offer that they handle everything for you, so I just clicked ok on  everything. Well one of the the clicks was apparently to issue the refund, but that was not clear to me. I contacted eBay support, who sent an email to the buyer, and the item eventually got back to me.  But I did spend a few days ticked off that I missed the part about waiting for the item to return.

[davidblasseter]

Thanks for this.  I will read it again and keep it filled away to try and completely understand it :). 

David