New (to me) Seller return guidelines?

[mvalent000]

So I have been selling a single product on Ebay for years.  I would have to update the post from time to time to add stock. 

My last product revision mentions that I have to update my return policy to include a 30 day return option and I have to pay for the return items shipping?!?!?!? 

I sell a product that in the first 10 minutes of receiving it your going to know whether it fits or not.  Why would I allow someone to use my product for up to 30 days and then decide to send it back?   Hell NO!

Ebay, you are not Amazon and should stay your course as you have for years and do not force the people who make you your money (us sellers) to bend to your dumb rules.

I will be finding another platform to sell my goods!

[mam98031]

@mvalent000 

Ebay has some specific return policies in which sellers can choose from.  Only certain categories can have a 14 day return policy.  This has nothing to do with Amazon.  Ebay's rules on this have been around as long as the Money Back Guarantee policy has been in effect.

The return policies options are as follows.

1. No Returns
2. 30 day returns w/ buyer pays shipping
3. 60 day returns w/ buyer pays shipping
4. 30 day returns w/ seller pays shipping, AKA Free Returns
5. 60 day returns w/ seller pays shipping. AKA Free Returns
6. 14 Day returns in certain categories

With option number 1, No Returns the seller can completely deny taking a return for a Buyer's Remorse Return Request.  Or if they want to, they can accept the return and have the buyer pay the return shipping.  If the seller so chooses, they can withhold the original shipping if it was separately stated on the listing [not free shipping] when it is time to refund the buyer.

On options 2 & 3 the buyer is responsible for the return shipping on a Buyer's Remorse Return.  Plus, if the seller so chooses, they can withhold the original shipping if it was separately stated on the listing [not free shipping] when it is time to refund the buyer. As of October 1st 2019, sellers that are TRS have some additional protections as well as they can issue partial refunds if they use options 4 or 5 as their return policy.

On options 4 & 5 above, they are also known as Free Returns.  If a seller that has either of those policies, they will pay the return shipping even on a buyer's remorse return.  A seller can withhold the original shipping value from the refund if the shipping was separately stated in the listing [not free shipping].  Also, Seller’s offering options 4 or 5 have the ability to do partial refunds in certain cases if the item arrives back damaged, missing something or in a condition less than what it was sent to the buyer in, see the policy for more details, the link is below.  In the cases where a deduction in the refund is taken due to damage or other authorized reasons for a partial refund, Ebay will protect the seller from negative or neutral feedback.

ALL OPTIONS [1, 2, 3, 4 and 5] are required to process SNAD claims without exception.  Even if they are improperly filed and should have been a Buyer’s Remorse claim.

All return policies by sellers must meet or exceed what is stated in the Money Back Guarantee Policy!

14 day return policies are allowed in certain categories: Jewelry & Watches, Collectibles & Art, Cameras & Photo and Medical, Mobility & Disability Equipment.

For those with Free Return and/or TRS members with 30 day return policies, there are some added protection benefits, one of which is the ability to do a discounted refund under certain conditions.

[wastingtime101 · Accepted solution]

Hi @mvalent000 . eBay made some changes this summer for Motors Parts & Accessories. This returns change was announced the first week of June and went into effect July 15th.

Sellers are required to offer 30 day free returns for P&A. eBay subsidizes 50% of the return ship cost. Read the details of what's required and how it works in the June Seller Update here:

https://www.ebay.com/sellercenter/news/2025-june/parts-accessories-return-policy

Even though you're an infrequent seller, I suggest keeping up with the emails eBay sends with Seller News updates the first week of each month, plus the Announcements board here on Community. This is the Announcement for the June Seller Update.

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Hi kyle@ebay elizabeth@ebay devon@ebay - I noticed the P&A returns info is not included on the eBay help page #4368 about setting return policies. Can you get this in front of the right team(s) for an update? Thanks!

[devon@ebay]

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@wastingtime101 wrote:

Hi @mvalent000 . eBay made some changes this summer for Motors Parts & Accessories. This returns change was announced the first week of June and went into effect July 15th.

Sellers are required to offer 30 day free returns for P&A. eBay subsidizes 50% of the return ship cost. Read the details of what's required and how it works in the June Seller Update here:

https://www.ebay.com/sellercenter/news/2025-june/parts-accessories-return-policy

Even though you're an infrequent seller, I suggest keeping up with the emails eBay sends with Seller News updates the first week of each month, plus the Announcements board here on Community. This is the Announcement for the June Seller Update.

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Hi kyle@ebay elizabeth@ebay devon@ebay - I noticed the P&A returns info is not included on the eBay help page #4368 about setting return policies. Can you get this in front of the right team(s) for an update? Thanks!

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Hey @wastingtime101! We will be sure to get this over to the correct team for review!   

[bonanza125]

If you do not agree with the return policies set by Ebay then do not click submit listing. Ebay isn't forcing you to list. You choose to agree to or not to agree to terms. You should have known by now the return options. It's all spelled out in the shipping terms.

[carre8866]

Assuming your 2 parts there are OEM, just mark them as used. If they're set as used you can offer buyer-paid-for returns still. Shouldn't hurt your sales or anything you can explain in the description that they're oem.

[mvalent000]

No really? Is that how it works?  Don't be that guy.

Completely untrue.  As stated, I have been selling for years on Ebay and now with the new return policy, (as stated by another members response) just went into affect 3 months ago.  I haven't had to update my listing in 3 months time, so I wasn't aware of the change.

I do have the option to go somewhere else, I do have the option to complain about it and you have the option to write this response!

[mvalent000]

Thank you mam.  Unfortunately I am in a category that received an overhaul on the return policies!  So I am stuck with the new terms.

[mam98031]

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@mvalent000 wrote:

Thank you mam.  Unfortunately I am in a category that received an overhaul on the return policies!  So I am stuck with the new terms.

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Yes you are.  Sorry I didn't catch that before I posted.

[annadryl]

You are only selling two items and only one of them is part-specific. Which other online platform has more not- "dumb" rules?

Yes, you need to be utilizing that space, otherwise you are only complaining here in this space. No one here gives much thought to snow plow harness sales.

It's a big world, yes, stretch out a bit I guess.

[wastingtime101]

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devon@ebay wrote:

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@wastingtime101 wrote:

eBay made some changes this summer for Motors Parts & Accessories.

https://www.ebay.com/sellercenter/news/2025-june/parts-accessories-return-policy

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Hi kyle@ebay elizabeth@ebay devon@ebay - I noticed the P&A returns info is not included on the eBay help page #4368 about setting return policies. Can you get this in front of the right team(s) for an update? Thanks!

---

Hey @wastingtime101! We will be sure to get this over to the correct team for review!   

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Hi devon@ebay - It's been a month since you first reported this, and it's been 5 months since eBay announced the change.

Can you please nudge the team that this help page still isn't updated?

I see sellers asking about P&A returns on a regular basis and we should be able to point them to the help page, not just the announcement.