Okay. How long do buyers have to return item after they file a return?

[bill.purvis2012]

I thought they had 14 days. I have one that received their item 9/1 and filed a return that day. A new watch, Said it wasn't running. It was new so it shouldn't have been running. Still in box. But, I accept returns for any reason and pay for return.  So, no problem. Ebay sent me the notice and it says they gave the buyer until 9/16 to mail it.  Well, it hasn't been mailed. But, now it looks like Ebay changed the notice and gave them until 10/15. What? Another month after they filed the return? When did Ebay change this? 

[coffeebean832]

When the buyer prints the eBay-generated label it extends the window they have to return. If the buyer doesn't ship within 21 business days (about a month)- the return should close out due to inactivity. I think this change was from the 2019 Spring update- but I'd have to go look to see if that timing is right.

If you provided your own return label and didn't use eBay labels- then the buyer's return window is much longer.

[bigdeals.etc]

Basically forever... lol.

I think ebay purposely tried to confuse sellers as to give buyers more and more time to return the item. After all the covid allowances of time windows jumping back and forth, I believe the consensus is that they give 21 business days.

But your story that gives until 9/16 sounds like it's closer to 35 business days (which is another popular answer among CS reps). One rep told me that although they TELL the buyer they have until ____ to ship the item, they really give them a longer time than that and can't close the case out for you yet. Their reasoning "better to under promise and over deliver, because buyers who will let the first date expire will get upset." And god forbid we can't have that right??? Buyers upset because they were expected to follow policy?? For shame.

[friskya]

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/managing-returns-refunds/handle-return-request-seller?id=4115

[coffeebean832]

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@bigdeals.etc wrote:

One rep told me that although they TELL the buyer they have until ____ to ship the item, they really give them a longer time than that and can't close the case out for you yet. Their reasoning "better to under promise and over deliver, because buyers who will let the first date expire will get upset." And god forbid we can't have that right??? Buyers upset because they were expected to follow policy?? For shame.

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@bigdeals.etc- If only we could get them to apply that kind of logic to delivery estimates where sellers face real financial and account performance consequences when the postal system experiences a delay.

[bigdeals.etc]

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@coffeebean832 wrote:

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@bigdeals.etc wrote:

One rep told me that although they TELL the buyer they have until ____ to ship the item, they really give them a longer time than that and can't close the case out for you yet. Their reasoning "better to under promise and over deliver, because buyers who will let the first date expire will get upset." And god forbid we can't have that right??? Buyers upset because they were expected to follow policy?? For shame.

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@bigdeals.etc- If only we could get them to apply that kind of logic to delivery estimates where sellers face real financial and account performance consequences when the postal system experiences a delay.

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[68barbie]

I had a buyer open a case on Friday so I immediately accepted the return and the system generated a return label. When I looked at the case today it said the buyer had until October 25 to return the item so in my case this buyer has 45 days to get it in the mail. It's been forever and a day since I've had a return so I was shocked to see this hyper extended return time. There's been no movement on the tracking as of yet (it's only been 4 days) so we'll see if the dates change after 15 days or so.

-C

[coffeebean832]

@68barbie- October 25th with a return opened on Friday- that's 30 business days. If it gets pushed another 5 business days, that's November 1st. Let us know what happens.

[68barbie]

@coffeebean832 The return was opened this past Friday, the 10th, so that makes it 45 days. 🙂

-C

[ittybitnot]

 it said the buyer had until October 25 to return the item so in my case this buyer has 45 days to get it in the mail

@68barbie 

Just so you know, the same issue has been reported in a few off eBay ecommerce forums as well.  No official word yet if it is a glitch, or a foreshadowing of a new "policy" as sometimes is the case.  I couldn't help thinking of the old "extended holiday returns" thing eBay did a couple of years back.  It was equally as stupid, but I don't think that one was "forced".  I can say that the "date" does not seem to be a function of an international sale. 

[68barbie]

I remember that time. A lot of folks were up in arms because it in effect changed a seller's 30 day return policy to a 60 day return policy. If the 45 day return period sticks, this potentially extends a seller's return policy to 75+ days if the buyer mails it on the last day and you wait out the mailing time afterwards!

-C

[coffeebean832]

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@68barbie wrote:

@coffeebean832 The return was opened this past Friday, the 10th, so that makes it 45 days. 🙂

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@68barbie- The 45 calendar days work out to 30 business days as I said above. 😉

The policy is based on business days, not calendar days- I thought it would be helpful to post the difference as a reference point.

[coffeebean832]

@ittybitnot- Don't forget that they recently extended the INR process without telling us.

[68barbie]

@coffeebean832  Your distinction between business and calendar days is duly noted- thank you for the clarification! 🙂

[bill.purvis2012]

68barbie.  Yes. I was surprised as well.  I provided label 9/1.  But, just today showing buyer hasn't shipped, it gave them additional time from 9/16 to 10/16.