New return policy

[bobbyhonda]

The recent policy change for returns is not favorable to sellers. I have followed the rules to earn a top sellers badge on my listings in order to stand out. I am willing to take an item back after 30 days vs returns not accepted. I felt protected because eBay allowed me to charge a 20% restocking fee and buyer pays the return shipping. Now the new rules state free returns, I pay the return shipping and no restocking fee. I sell iPods. Many are refurbished with a new battery. If a buyer uses it for 30 days and returns it I eat the cost of the battery plus return shipping. I cannot list this again as having a new battery.  I was told I could issue a partial refund because it was returned in not the same condition. When the seller complains I was told to tell them to call eBay. What will this do to my feedback score?  What is to stop someone who lives in a warm climate and needs a winter coat for a trip north from buying it from eBay and returning it when they come home. Basically they borrowed the coat and the seller is out the return shipping costs. The policy of charging a restocking was clearly stated in the listing before this policy change so there was no surprise to the seller.  I feel it prevented misuse of buyers remorse. I feel this new policy will cause more problems for sellers and eBay. The policies are stacked in favor of the buyers. I hope eBay is listening, without sellers there are no buyers and no eBay. 

[evil*kitty*designs]

I am a seller for about 5 years and each year, Ebay makes it more and more difficult for me to sell.

This latest stunt of allowing a 30 day or 60 day or even a 90 day return is outrageous

Why would it take a buyer this long to decide?

I sell handcrafted items and have not once had a return.

Does it rally take this long for a buyer to find out if the item is broken or in any way not as described?

I offer free shipping but this new policy is making me change my mind.

Maybe I should start charging a restocking fee to recoup the fees (shipping and packaging) when a buyer uses my item for 30 days then returns it.

I know for one thing, as a big buyer on Ebay, I avoid auctions that have a restocking fee.

I am torn what to do.

I just do not understand these long return times allowed.

I did get the email form Ebay laying out this new policy saying they want to keep in line with other online retailers.

Well guess what, not all online retailers offer such outrageous policies.

Not all online retailers offer 30, 60, or 90 day return policy or even free return shipping. You cannot even buy an item at walmart brick and mortar and return it after 90 days.

Go check out QVC and Amazon as 2 examples where they offer no such thing.

[lewisburggold]

We agree with you 100%.    There is nothing that can be done though.  Best regards

[eurydicesjewels]

Since I'm seeing very little action, I'm going to change my settings for 1 day to return free shipping and 60 day returns. If I'm still not seeing any difference, it certainly is getting changed back.

[castlemagicmemories]

Many buyers don't think the TRS badge means anything due to bad experiences they have had with such sellers.  In fact, some actually avoid TRS sellers for just that reason.

They may have inaccurate descriptions, poor pictures, and if you ask about possible damage seen in pics, they tell you it is fine.  When it comes with that damage, they fight tooth and nail, with strings of abusive, hostile, accusatory, profanity laced messages to intimidate the buyer into going away.

You know, every buyer is a scammer and there is no such thing as a legitimate SNAD.

This thread is by well known Board regulars, sellers and buyers, who detail their recent purchases and the high percentage of SNAD items and horrendous customer service.  

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/I-m-beginning-to-see-what-buyers-contend-with/m-p/27854770

Possibly TRS sellers are more focused on sales volume than anything.

You don't have to be TRS; quite possibly it won't make a difference to your sales at all.

With apologies to all those great sellers, including TRS, who do act responsibly.

[castlemagicmemories]

Per the new update, if you offer free returns, you are allowed to issue partial refunds.

Also, without buyers, there won't be anyone for sellers to sell TO.

Both are needed for the equation to work.  Not one excluding the other.

Ebay would collapse if just sellers were here.  Sellers would leave if there was no one to sell to.  

[luckythewinner]

Now the new rules state free returns

There is no rule requiring you to offer free returns. You just don't get the TRS+ badge unless you do.

What will this do to my feedback score?

The answer to this question depends entirely upon what kind of feedback your buyer leaves.

Without sellers there are no buyers and no eBay

Without all sellers there are no buyers and no eBay. But losing a few sellers does not seem to have bothered eBay all that much.

The policy of charging a restocking was clearly stated in the listing before this policy change so there was no surprise to the seller.  I feel it prevented misuse of buyers remorse.

Based on reading this board regularly, I feel that restocking fees tended to push buyers to file a false SNAD to avoid paying the restocking fee.

[evil*kitty*designs]

Does this only affect top rated sellers or  small hobby sellers like myself too

[bobbyhonda]

I understand there is no rule to offer free returns and yes I do it to get the TRS badge. Competing for a sale against so many similar items I feel the TRS badge is my way of standing out. To me it represents a seller as going the extra mile to give good service and offer to take an item back if not satisfied. No returns meens nothing if the item is not as described anyhow so if that is the case a seller will be getting the item returned anyway.

I have a 100% positive feedback score and want to keep it that way. I put it in my description as a way of telling a potential buyer I can be trusted and sell good items, not junk. Believe me getting a 100% positive feedback score is not easy when selling electronic items.

What do I meen by asking how will a partial refund affect my feedback? How happy will a buyer be getting a partial refund? It will cause hard feelings and they will vent their frustration by leaving negative feedback. I had a case where I took a return and charged a 20% restocking fee. When the buyer complained I explained to the buyer to look at the listing where it was clearly stated he would pay a 20% restocking fee. I immediately got negitive feedback. Fortunatlly eBay removed it for me. Before the new policy the restocking fee was clearly stated in the listing, no surprises. Now without this being written it is going to create more issues between buyers and sellers when they don't get the full fefund they are expecting. 

I have to agree on your last point about false SNAD. I have been down that road too but have won once I proved to eBay the claim the buyer made was false. This isn't alway easy but scammers will be scammers no matter what policy there is.

[castlemagicmemories]

I have to agree on your last point about false SNAD. I have been down that road too but have won once I proved to eBay the claim the buyer made was false. This isn't alway easy but scammers will be scammers no matter what policy there is.

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Ebay recently stopped mediating these situations.