How many sellers are going to offer free returns?

[tweetystwades]

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?

[my-cottage-books-and-antiques]

thanks, that would be good to know.

[drinkwine1204]

QVC also offers free returns--send a return label in your package when it arrives

[tunicaslot]

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@bubbleman2010 wrote:

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

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Not sure I understand your response here bubble - do you think people with posting IDs aren't telling the truth when they say it works for them - I can think of honesville and a couple here on the boards that have free returns and it works fine for them.

It's an individual decision and people have to decide whether it's right for them. Can they afford to raise prices a couple of % to cover the costs of any free returns and still maintain a profit, will it improve their visibility and draw buyers to them, will it cost more as their items tend to weigh more.

[southern*sweet*tea]

**general reply**

You have to know what you're selling, and who you're selling it to. I sell in a low/no scam area.  I sell (for the most part) old cookbooks and paper.  People who  buy these things don't want to read it and return it, they want to own it.  I don't expect to have returns, but if I do, then I accept and move on. I cover myself for loss. If my free returns policy gives me an edge over another seller, then I'm all for it.

If I sold clothing, or electronics, or ANYTHING new, hot, trendy, or remotely rentable, then I may not do it, because I'm not an idiot, a rent-a-center, or an ATM.  I would have to have a low enough acquisition cost and be able to cover for loss without pricing myself out of the market. If I couldn't do that, then no way would I offer free returns.

It all depends on what you sell and your own set margin for loss.  If you sell online ANYWHERE you WILL eventually have a loss, be it from transit damage or fraud. A return is a loss, and IT WILL HAPPEN, and you better cover yourself for it, because no one else will.

If you sell in an area that generally lends itself to returns, then it's not wise to offer free returns unless you model your business plan to include those returns.  If you can do so comfortably without pricing yourself out of the market, then offering free returns MAY give you an edge over your competition. 

[cb-boards]

I think most people view eBay as essentially the online platform where they can get the lowest price for the item they are looking for.   We sell mainly apparel; the average return rate for online retailers of apparrel is around 10% or so...ours is about 4.5%.  However, our margins are much lower then what you would find in a typical store so even tho we do not have a big return "problem" free returns would be a big issue for us.  AND, I think we would see our return rate go noticeably higher.

eBay needs to quit trying to become something they are not and embrace what they are known for and not what they wish they could be.  

[castlemagicmemories]

I don't think you are alone; many sellers won't be able to offer free return shipping.

[mistwomandancing]

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violet*owl wrote:

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mistwomandancing wrote:

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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. 

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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. 

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Of course.  We advise folks here to include the cost of the Free Shipping INTO the overall price you are charging for your item.

There are a lot of people today who HAVE the income to pay the price... what they don't have is the time to do the comparison shopping, or they don't want to take their time to comparison shop.  They are more than willing to just pay the price and get their item delivered in a couple of days.  And they don't really care if they aren't getting the lowest price out there... they got what they liked, and they're DONE.

I'm like you.. LOVE Zappos, but usually need to shop around before making up my mind. 

[castlemagicmemories]

Buyers love free returns but you can't always get what you want!

[castlemagicmemories]

I can see free shipping being rolled into the item cost, but if  you roll free return shipping into it, too, the item price could become impossibly high.

[banana*shoe*boutique]

Agreed!  And when the item comes back and you refund, you are out original shipping and return shipping.

In my case, that will often be about $20 or more I'd be out so someone can try on my shoes...what a nice way to try on a brand of shoes you've never worn and now that you know what size you are, you can buy them cheaper from someone who didn't have to raise their price to include free returns!  sigh

[Anonymous]

Personally I'm not going to offer free returns.   Although with only a 0.86% return rate, one would think I could afford to offer free returns since I don't get many returns in the first place.   About 99% of my items are BINs with free shipping, so when I do get a return I have to return the full amount, and I don't charge a restocking fee.   The return shipping cost for 99% of my items is less than $3, so I don't think it's that big of a deal for buyers.  

I'll remain hopeful that because I ship fast (same-day handling time), my listings won't necessarily be buried compared to a competitor who may offer free returns but can only ship at "economy" speed.   If I offered both fast shipping AND free returns, I'd be a bit crazy.  Because at least 1% of the items I ship are NOT lightweight, and I don't want to be paying return shipping on those items, because there's already a slim profit on those heavier items to begin with.  

[nowthatsjustducky]

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@hawgryders wrote:

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@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?

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Amazon & Wal-Mart are the two largest retailers on the planet --- both offer free no-fault returns

Any correlation ???

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Amazon and Wal-Mart sell stuff.  eBay does not sell anything.  This site can not be accurately compared to them.

[nowthatsjustducky]

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@ittybitnot wrote:

if I offer free returns is that just encouraging negligence? 

Actually, you are offering free returns anyway due to the MBG program.  Buyer complains via SNAD, and you don't fork over the postage in advance for the return, ebay is going to do it anyway, even if the buyer is a lying thief. 

They lying thief will no longer need to lie.  Streamlined process. Buyer gets to use the goods and return them,  buyer gets to buy your gold bracelet and return a rubber band.  Same old program, different day. 

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Having my No Returns policy was a life saver for me recently on a For Parts/Not Working item to the tune of $500 plus shipping.  Buyer still filed SNAD, but CS carefully looked over the listing, saw there was nothing in the listing to warrant a SNAD return, and closed it in my favor.  Been about a month since that incident, and no further word from the buyer.

That right there is reason enough for me not to change my policies.

[bubbleman2010]

ducky just think if ebay would back out of a sellers bidness the deals we could pass along to the buyers,but nooopers they have to meddle and I have to impose a 40% bidness meddling tax on them....

[castlemagicmemories]

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@nowthatsjustducky wrote:

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@ittybitnot wrote:

if I offer free returns is that just encouraging negligence? 

Actually, you are offering free returns anyway due to the MBG program.  Buyer complains via SNAD, and you don't fork over the postage in advance for the return, ebay is going to do it anyway, even if the buyer is a lying thief. 

They lying thief will no longer need to lie.  Streamlined process. Buyer gets to use the goods and return them,  buyer gets to buy your gold bracelet and return a rubber band.  Same old program, different day. 

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Having my No Returns policy was a life saver for me recently on a For Parts/Not Working item to the tune of $500 plus shipping.  Buyer still filed SNAD, but CS carefully looked over the listing, saw there was nothing in the listing to warrant a SNAD return, and closed it in my favor.  Been about a month since that incident, and no further word from the buyer.

That right there is reason enough for me not to change my policies.

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Ducky, that is GREAT!!!!!