I never enabled automatic returns! This is why I don't listen to ebay staff!!!

[gwzcomps]

So I have had my first return since enabling 30-day returns on eBay.  The thing is I never enabled automatic returns and I don't even know where that setting is!  Now granted after calling this particular buyer and talking to them there is no way I could have fixed the problem unfortunately.

Here is the thing I have to ask since you were one of the people who told me I should accept returns brian@ebay   How does it drive a positive experience when a buyer has to return an item they wanted when the issue could have been fixable?  Also there was the disappointing statement my buyer made to me while on the phone about the return process (Roughly as I remember)

I was really disappointed when it just accepted the return and told me to send it back.  I felt like the seller didn't want to deal with me or something.  I would have been fine with a partial refund since I put a lot of time into getting this laptop going and I liked it.

[city*satins]

If a buyer opens a Return Request, it's understood that the buyer wants to return the item.

If another option is wanted, it's customary for the buyer to simply contact the seller and state the problem/request and then the two parties can go from there.

[gwzcomps]

Buyers don't understand how the system works though. I explained things to him and he was surprised and said he would do things differently in the future. He would have rather worked something out and kept the item...

[city*satins]

Your buyer's reaction is really atypical, in my experience.

But a question for you as a seller - do you want to spend a lot of time fiddling with replacements/repairs/partial refunds or would you rather spend your time selling stuff?   The dark side of accommodating a buyer outside of a return request is that after you've exhausted yourself and your funds trying to make the buyer happy, the buyer can sometimes still end up opening a Return Request anyway and  putting you deeper in the red and sorry that you wasted all that time.

I would think that most buyers who see the term REQUEST RETURN would know that they're requesting a RETURN.  It's not like they don't see that there is a perfectly good CONTACT SELLER button they could push instead to voice their concern or complaint.

[city*satins]

He would have rather worked something out and kept the item...

Well that can still happen.  The buyer doesn't actually have to return the item despite having opened a Return Request.  You can work things out and then let the request time-out and/or ask Customer service to close it for you once the deadline for return has past.

[gwzcomps]

My stuff is used electronics. Most of the returns are related to technical issues I can walk my buyers through and resolve. My average return costs me $40 so I would rather spend an hour on the phone fixing the issue than eat the loss.

[city*satins]

My stuff is used electronics. Most of the returns are related to technical issues I can walk my buyers through and resolve. My average return costs me $40 so I would rather spend an hour on the phone fixing the issue than eat the loss.

And as I said, you can still do that.

Just because a buyer opens a RETURN REQUEST and it's automatically accepted doesn't mean that the buyer has to actually return the item.   Nothing bad happens to a buyer who doesn't actually return the item he asked to return.  No return = no refund through eBay's Return system - the request is simply closed.  No negative consequences for either buyer or seller.

About 10-15% of my buyers who open Return Requests never send the item back.  At the end of the deadline that eBay gives them to put it in the mail, I call customer service and get the request closed.

[fern*wood]

You can set a requirement for a RMA ? number to be issued before the return is authorized.  I'm not sure that works on SNADs, though, but it does on remorse returns for sure.  

[bigdeals.etc]

Yea much like the "guaranteed delivery" opt in, eBay might set auto-accept returns on default. Have you found out from eBay where that setting is so you can disable it? I forget exactly where it lies at the moment.

[gwzcomps]

The very nice CS agent I talked to said that should fix my problem. Only time will tell.

[this*old*attic]

@gwzcomps 

The system allows the buyer to cancel the request - you two could have worked it out.

The process isn’t clear on either side.

[gwzcomps]

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@bigdeals.etc wrote:

Yea much like the "guaranteed delivery" opt in, eBay might set auto-accept returns on default. Have you found out from eBay where that setting is so you can disable it? I forget exactly where it lies at the moment.

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Looks like Site preferences --> Return Preferences (Click Edit) --> Then click "Action" button select turn off.  Also click the box to turn "RMA number" On

Luckily after 2 calls I got a really nice CS agent that helped me figure it out.  Still not pleased this happened, but hoping this will solve my problem in the future. In my field I have had better buyer experiences if there are messages before things go to an actual return.

[buyselljack2016]

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@gwzcomps wrote:

So I have had my first return since enabling 30-day returns on eBay.  The thing is I never enabled automatic returns and I don't even know where that setting is!  Now granted after calling this particular buyer and talking to them there is no way I could have fixed the problem unfortunately.

Here is the thing I have to ask since you were one of the people who told me I should accept returns brian@ebay   How does it drive a positive experience when a buyer has to return an item they wanted when the issue could have been fixable?  Also there was the disappointing statement my buyer made to me while on the phone about the return process (Roughly as I remember)

I was really disappointed when it just accepted the return and told me to send it back.  I felt like the seller didn't want to deal with me or something.  I would have been fine with a partial refund since I put a lot of time into getting this laptop going and I liked it.

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Seems that is how it works. It is automatic, and there is nothing more to "enable/opt into".

Seems you have the solution with the RMA requirement.

[gwzcomps]

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@this*old*attic wrote:

@gwzcomps 

The system allows the buyer to cancel the request - you two could have worked it out.

The process isn’t clear on either side.

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I never realized buyers could cancel requests after they are accepted.  Sadly in the two hours between 7:30 and 9:30AM they had enough time to repack and send back while I was sleeping.

[city*satins]

The buyer doesn't even need to cancel the request.  Just letting it time out is good enough.