eBay

tweetystwades · ‎09-20-2017

Just curious how many sellers will do this, I can not afford to do it. I will have to pay the return shipping, and make no profit on the sale. That's a bad business plan for me. Also, how much business do you think we will lose for not offering it? Will we be so buried we won't see the light of day?

sharingtheland · ‎09-20-2017

I agree, not every buyer is out to scam a seller, they wouldn't need to with Free returns for any reasons, the seller is now scamming themselves. Even when the buyer makes an innocent mistake, and puts in a request for a return. it will cost them nothing. its the seller who will pay for the buyers' "innocent" error.

----

You've lost me on this one...no idea what you're trying to say.

Sherry

=^.^= =^.^=
( ) ( )
" " =^.^= " "

getitright1234 · ‎09-20-2017

And for every friend like yours and your (1) time "crime", there are others.

Lets address the elephant in the room:

SHIPPING IS NOT FREE TO ANYONE, NOT POSTAL , FEDEX, OR UPS EMPLOYEES.................NO ONE.

bubbleman2010 · ‎09-20-2017

Sometimes I do free shipping,but the buyer pays it they just aren't smart enough to figure it out. Free shipping is just another sales gimmick folks use in the smoke and mirrors ebay carnival.....

sandmansales · ‎09-20-2017

ebay's 'free returns' program works and works well.....

~Why be a second rate version of someone else when you can be a first rate version of yourself~

bubbleman2010 · ‎09-20-2017

Everything works correctly on ebay for posting IDs its just the nuts and bolts folks that the wheels tend to fall off the wagon....

mistwomandancing · ‎09-20-2017

missjen316 wrote:
Not the same thing but I have a friend who regularly orders multiples of the same item from retailers that offer free returns and she sends back the ones don't fit. I'll shame myself here too--when I needed a nice dress for a special occasion back in March and could not find an appropriate style in navy blue locally, I did order 4 dresses from Amazon and Bloomingdales because of the free return shipping and I kept the one that I liked best and wore it to the event. But my friend on the other hand, does it regularly and only orders from retailers that offer free returns.

I don't think the Free Returns policy these MegaStores have in place hurts them one bit!!, so don't shame yourself about shopping from them in this manner. Believe me, their prices more than take into consideration return shipping costs they cover, and you know darned well they pay at the very lowest minimum set out by USPS.

Those MegaStores that have a Free Returns policy KNOW it brings them the sales from the folks who turn away from other stores.. those that make the *correct fit* guesswork an expensive result if you guess wrong.

A couple of friends are unable to get out easily to shop for their clothing and order nearly everything online. AND, only from those nice stores with Free Returns policies. They get the return labels right in with their order paperwork in each order, make use of it for the times an article of clothing didn't fit right or look right after all, and give ALL their patronage to just those stores online.

This is just how so much of online shopping for clothing is going these days. Shoes too, certainly. Turning more and more to Free Returns, but OF COURSE the buyers are paying for it in the pricing of the merchandise overall. The stores aren't going to take this as a loss. It's already paid for in the slight increase in prices on every single item they handle.

banana*shoe*boutique · ‎09-20-2017

@hawgryders wrote:
@tweetystwades wrote:
@postingid2017 wrote:
I second your suggestion @victorjunkman55

In accordance with the update, it is what buyer's "expect" so let eBay pay for free return shipping.

I don't even think it's what buyers expect, I never expect free returns. Who does offer free returns?
Does Amazone?
Amazon Prime gives free 2 day shipping, free return shipping, no-fault returns, and a host of on-line access (books, movies, music) --- all for a yearly fee

This has also forced Wal-Mart to offer free shipping & returns --- which is why eBay offers incentives to those who do the same here ...

Amazon not only gets a yearly fee, they have planes and contracts with USPS and UPS with the lowest shipping prices and insurance.

Walmart is another powerhouse with trucks of their own moving around the country and low rates with shipping.

And BOTH of these know that if I return some shoes or a dress at their dime, I'll be back for shampoo, a vacuum cleaner, bedding, groceries etc etc etc I do not believe I have ever gone inside a Walmart and not bought something...even when there to only do a return.

*I* do not have any of these contracts in place and once someone returns my shoes, they're unlikely to be back. Shoes are pricey to ship. There is just no way I can compete with the big sellers who have contracts in place with the shippers. If my listings go to the bottom, I guess I'm looking for new work, but I hate that I'm being told "this is where the market is going" by eBay who has NOTHING to lose but requires us to risk everything.

I'm not an eBay hater at all...just this is not making me very happy.

my-cottage-books-and-antiques · ‎09-20-2017

One small factor to consider, a perk added by the new Update:
" If you offer free returns and you receive something back that is damaged or missing parts, you can deduct up to 50% of the item price for the refund. That is a protection we are offering you for doing free returns which would mean you wouldn't be responsible for any buyer appeal."

(This is confined to buyers remorse returns I think, but still, a nice little perk to have...)

mistwomandancing · ‎09-20-2017

my-cottage-books-and-antiques wrote:

" If you offer free returns and you receive something back that is damaged or missing parts, you can deduct up to 50% of the item price for the refund. That is a protection we are offering you for doing free returns which would mean you wouldn't be responsible for any buyer appeal."

And we all know this will turn into yet more "He said. She said" about the buyer returning the item in damaged condition and the buyer claiming the returned item was exactly as he received it.

I'm just sitting back with a Wait-and-See attitude about all of this.

my-cottage-books-and-antiques · ‎09-20-2017

Won't matter. Once you've issued the partial refund, you are out of the picture. I gather if ebay believes the buyer should have received 100% ebay will cover it.

d-k_treasures · ‎09-21-2017

@hawgryders wrote:
@castlemagicmemories wrote:
I used to work in a Call Center. This was many years ago, and we would get calls from people that said, they buy everything from L L Bean because THEY have free returns.

Truly happy they do, and sorry, but we don't.

How may I help you?
Amazon & Wal-Mart are the two largest retailers on the planet --- both offer free no-fault returns

Any correlation ???

Yes - they both own their own inventory.

_____________________________
"Nothing is obvious to the oblivious"

mistwomandancing · ‎09-21-2017

d-k_treasures wrote:
hawgryders wrote:..........Amazon & Wal-Mart are the two largest retailers on the planet --- both offer free no-fault returns..........Any correlation ???

Yes - they both own their own inventory.

I've always wondered WHY so many unhappy sellers here continue to compare eBay to Amazon, or to WalMart, for that matter. They aren't really remotely the same type of businesses, etc.

To me it would be like trying to compare Zappos strictly online sales to my little local Penny Saver newspaper, full of ads of things for sale. The one actually has inventory, which they sell. The other has no inventory but runs the listing ads for those who do have something they hope to sell.

Another quite odd thing I notice here is that when so many online stores/companies in sales continue to evolve with new ways of addressing issues, new policies to position themselves positively for continuation in this fast-growing and fast-paced e-commerce scene, if and when EBAY adopts that same policy or option choice.... suddenly it is proclaimed that they are trying to become Amazon, trying to BE Amazon, trying in vain to compete with Amazon! Ah.. where did THAT come from? Did it not occur to them that eBay is (thankfully) trying to continue relevance in this online retail world, trying to keep WE SELLERS who list here somewhat relevant in the mix, HUGE as it's becoming. And that includes Amazon, but is most certainly NOT exclusive to them, and includes the entire e-commerce world!

Anonymous · ‎09-21-2017

@mistwomandancing wrote:
@missjen316 wrote:
Not the same thing but I have a friend who regularly orders multiples of the same item from retailers that offer free returns and she sends back the ones don't fit. I'll shame myself here too--when I needed a nice dress for a special occasion back in March and could not find an appropriate style in navy blue locally, I did order 4 dresses from Amazon and Bloomingdales because of the free return shipping and I kept the one that I liked best and wore it to the event. But my friend on the other hand, does it regularly and only orders from retailers that offer free returns.

I don't think the Free Returns policy these MegaStores have in place hurts them one bit!!, so don't shame yourself about shopping from them in this manner. Believe me, their prices more than take into consideration return shipping costs they cover, and you know darned well they pay at the very lowest minimum set out by USPS.

This is just how so much of online shopping for clothing is going these days. Shoes too, certainly. Turning more and more to Free Returns, but OF COURSE the buyers are paying for it in the pricing of the merchandise overall. The stores aren't going to take this as a loss. It's already paid for in the slight increase in prices on every single item they handle.

The first time I placed an order from Zappos years ago, I was wowed with their "surprise" upgrade to Next Day Air. Then I was completely thrilled with the free returns. This was actually a nice shoe gift for a relative who has a hard time finding the right "fit". So the free returns part worked out great.

Happy with that first purchase transaction, I continued shopping with them from time to time. Then one day I happened to stumble upon the exact same item for significantly less at a different online retailer. Return shipping was not free, but the item was literally half the price of Zappos! I guess it finally dawned on me that their "free 365-day returns" exists only because the costs are built in to the product price!

So these days when I'm shopping online for a particular article of clothing or shoes, I'll compare at least three different stores and then make a decision.

margarenisa_0 · ‎09-21-2017

@tweetystwades wrote:
@mistwomandancing wrote:
First of all, you don't have to make a decision on this yet, so plenty of time to consider all the pros and cons.. and to see where there actually ARE many pros and cons.

So you'll be given better search placement? HOW much better? In front of all the other sellers who decide to try Free Returns?... or still down the page quite aways.

Do you offer 30-day returns right now? NO returns policy? How is your current return policy working for your?

AND, you do know that you will be able to pick and choose which listings you want to offer this Free Returns option on, and which listings you don't want this option given.. right? It's not 100% one or the other. So maybe it could be worth the gamble on items that are getting buried and that could use a boost in search placement. Not worth it at all on items that already place well in search.

Do you actually HAVE a lot of returns already? Is there any reason to think this will open the floodgates for you?

Just a lot to consider, and no rush at this time.

I don't hardly ever get return requests with the merchandise I sell here anyway, so doubt this would suddenly turn on me.
I currently have a 30 day return policy, and I'm at 4.9% right now. Which is not extreme, considering I sell clothing. I do get a lot of buyers that return because they say they ordered the wrong size, if I offer free returns is that just encouraging negligence?

That’s very good- I’m at about 9% on my clothes account.

It’s always the carrot and the stick with these announcements - you will be out more $ but if the higher search placement gets you more sales then you’ll actually make more $.

When EBay wanted us all to do free shipping I did it and made some good money, but then it seemed like it didn’t work to boost placement anymore. Same with my 30 day return policy. It works until it doesn’t work.

I’m a gambler so I’m going to try it- but in a limited time frame. Dunno- let me see what happens.

margarenisa_0 · ‎09-21-2017

@my-cottage-books-and-antiques wrote:
Can anyone show me where ebay has actually said that this will impact organic search placement? There is NO question if you offer free return shipping you will appear in the free return FILTER, and if you don't, you won't. eBay is correct that that fact provides better search placement, but it is not within regular search itself. I believe ebay has indicated that if you offer free returns that might be highlighted in some way on the search results page itself, but that does not in and of itself impact search placement in regular search.

In my opinion, no one should choose free return shipping because they believe it will improve their organic search placement, or because they believe if they don't have it they will be pushed to the bottom. They should decide whether they want to offer it by looking at real factors, not that stuff.

I think Brian Burke said it in the Weekly Chat- I’m checking that thread now