For Parts Or Non Working Condition Category Means Nothing Now. Sellers Beware, You Are NOT Protected

[albany_sellers]

This is news to me since I have always been supported in the past, but according to eBay for business, and the return specialists over the phone, if you list something as "For Parts or Not Working" you now have to describe exactly what is wrong with it, down to the minute details what works, what does not work.

I just spent an hour on the phone with eBay reps telling me platitudes like "it's the cost of doing business" and saying that while my listing was correct and I did everything right in describing this parts item, they can't be sure if the buyer is wrong and don't know if it's a remorse return disguised as an INAD, even though they said my listing was clear.

I was also lied to repeatedly about the rep leaving a note on my account that he never left. Business as usual I guess.

This was an item sold for parts in the correct condition category with no returns, just as we are instructed when selling parts or broken items. Put the same in the title, condition description and item description, but it seems eBay has switched their policy and decided anything and everything can be returned, regardless. 

It used to be that if you sold something under the parts category, you were protected, but the returns specialist told me that is not the case now. They told me that if the buyer lies, you instantly lose your seller protection, and could not articulate any situation where you would be protected. 

If you are thinking you can safely sell something as non working, forget it. It's open season on all sellers.

[coolections]

@earlyant-77 

Possibly if you think about it. It would have never brought out all the junk some sellers bring here and making Ebay look like a trash site.

[z13erickn]

ebay has a pretty weird stance toward sellers as it is...no possibility to leave neg feedback, you can list an item with the words "seller does not accept returns" yet buyers can, in fact, always ask to return/refund/etc at the drop of a hat...

[luckythewinner]

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@albany_sellers wrote:

If you are thinking you can safely sell something as non working, forget it. It's open season on all sellers.

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No offense, but this has nothing to do with "for parts or non-working". 

It has been open season on every seller of every item for a decade now.

Any buyer can return or steal any item from any seller at any time by filing a fraudulent dispute. 

[earlyant-77]

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@coolections wrote:

@earlyant-77 

Possibly if you think about it. It would have never brought out all the junk some sellers bring here and making Ebay look like a trash site.

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Depends on your definition of 'trash'.

My definition of it is all of the new chinese junk sold here.

Another definition of 'trash' is ebay's search engine that puts up the 'product pages' on commodities(which I don't even look for here) - where unless someone actually goes into the listing that is showing, they have no clue if they are buying new, used, broken, or whatever.

[rpalma]

Most people are honest.

Some aren't very bright and don't read the listing before purchasing, but most people are honest.

The returns for scam reasons or stupidity are a cost of doing business.

If it's profitable given the percentage of returns, then continue selling that item.

If it's not, then stop.

For me, I have avoided selling items in non-working condition unless the sales price is significantly higher than the shipping cost. I want 5x to 10x to even consider it.

[mesodude]

"The returns for scam reasons or stupidity are a cost of doing business."

I agree but I think it's possible the "cost of doing business" can be lowered if someone who routinely sells items for parts or not working can get a potential buyer to confirm if they are looking for a part or for functionality or both.  At the very least, you can filter out people who just don't read carefully.

[albany_sellers]

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@mesodude wrote:

selling an item "as is" doesn't offer you any kind of immunity. Encouraging potential buyers to ask about specific functionality or parts they might be interested in (as well soliciting such information from someone who has already hit the buy it now button) could help you avoid some returns.

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I have never listed an item as is. If i sell something that does not work or is broken, it is under the correct condition category "For parts or Non Working". The listing titles has FOR PARTS AND NOT WORKING in the actual title, in the condition description, in the item description and so on.

I make it VERY clear, multiple times that the item is broken, and follow policy to the exact letter. Somehow i still get reps who "Can't be sure the buyer opened a false INAD" while at the same time telling me that i described my item perfectly.

They like to use that excuse of "oh man, the system just wont let us fix it, it's impossible" knowing full well they CAN fix it. If they truly can't fix it, then what does that say about eBay's competence? That would mean that they purposefully removed any tools they have to resolve a common problem that they KNOW is a huge problem on eBay, and that they did it for the sole purpose of being able to say that it's impossible to help us.

This is not a case of them not being able to help us, this is a case of them not WANTING to help us, and creating obstacles to deliberately hurt us. They just want it to look like they would like to help us, but their hands are tied, nothing more.   

[albany_sellers]

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@mesodude wrote:

"The returns for scam reasons or stupidity are a cost of doing business."

I agree but I think it's possible the "cost of doing business" can be lowered if someone who routinely sells items for parts or not working can get a potential buyer to confirm if they are looking for a part or for functionality or both.  At the very least, you can filter out people who just don't read carefully.

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If i am selling something broken for parts, it's because I do not know what is wrong with it. A seller can not be expected to examine every microchip, every circuit, and to describe every little minuscule component.

In so many words, eBay claims that all a buyer has to do is say "the buyer did not state that transistor A4 part number B65738dh67 is burned out, therefore it's not as described"  If you sell a broken phone, or anything else, you have to know the condition of every chip, circuit, resistor, and every other tiny little component, otherwise  you can be hit with an INAD that eBay will do nothing to protect you from.

[corvettestainless]

I think you need to decide if even spending time calling CS is worth the effort. Show all your items as returnable, as anyone that wants to return something, will find a way and you will accept it. 

You had $2450 (roughly) in sales past 30 days. Sold 4 items 'Parts not working' for $188 of that- or 7% of sales. If they all came back- 7% is not terrible, but guessing the truth is closer to half the items, 2 of them for $90, or 3%. That is the 'cost of doing business'. Plus, you get the item back and resell a broken item again- so after 2 months, you are almost whole again. 

This 3% is an industry (retail in general) low number- internet sales are somewhere between 5% and 20% depending on what you sell. 

So, it's time to treat this like a business, nothing personal, be transparent and show customers you are honest and have nothing to hide, return if they don't like it because you will simply resell it again etc. 

[mesodude]

I’m not defending eBay’s policy or dismissing your POV. I’m merely suggesting an approach I believe could  help minimize returns. It doesn’t matter how thoroughly you describe an item if the buyer is a careless reader or a scam artist.  All I’m suggesting is that you try to encourage potential buyers to ask specific questions. That way, you can either say “no, there is no battery” or “I don’t know, so you probably shouldn’t buy this item.”

[albany_sellers]

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@corvettestainless wrote:

I think you need to decide if even spending time calling CS is worth the effort. Show all your items as returnable, as anyone that wants to return something, will find a way and you will accept it. 

You had $2450 (roughly) in sales past 30 days. Sold 4 items 'Parts not working' for $188 of that- or 7% of sales. If they all came back- 7% is not terrible, but guessing the truth is closer to half the items, 2 of them for $90, or 3%. That is the 'cost of doing business'. Plus, you get the item back and resell a broken item again- so after 2 months, you are almost whole again. 

This 3% is an industry (retail in general) low number- internet sales are somewhere between 5% and 20% depending on what you sell. 

So, it's time to treat this like a business, nothing personal, be transparent and show customers you are honest and have nothing to hide, return if they don't like it because you will simply resell it again etc. 

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This has nothing to do with the cost of business, and everything to do with eBay passing the buck. Why should I come out of pocket on something because eBay can't be bothered to even honer their own policies?

Let someone cheat you, have every policy on your side, and when eBay decides that they would rather YOU lose money than them tell a lousy buyer or scammer that they are not allowed to steal from you or violate the rules, tell me again how it's nothing personal.

If this was a gray area, I would write it off. This is black and white, and eBay is IN THE WRONG 100% I will not just lose money and chuckle about it because they refuse to honor their responsibilities.  Other people might be fine with being abused, but I will not stand for it.

[silverkidd46036ryan]

I feel your frustrations. We have also experienced the same issues with no help from eBay. Items listed as is no returns parts or repair with detailed description and visible photos showing all issues and still made to refund buyer after return. Buyers just have to chose not as described and we are screwed. However I have learned you can post a feedback under their feed back to dispute any negativity. eBay doesn't realize that without the sellers they wouldn't have any buyers so we should have the first protections. We have been looking into our own website for selling our items. eBay has not protected us as sellers for quite awhile and after the crazy fees they should learn by now. There should be a way to contact the people in charge of the rules and guidelines and have a ton of us send our concerns or issues.