Presale Item

[i.makoto]

Hello,

I often list items as presale and always make sure to comply with eBay's presale policy. However, we sometimes receive cancellation requests close to the release date, often due to price drops.

For presale listings, we secure the item for the buyer shortly after the order is placed, based on the market price at that time. Our presale pricing reflects the cost we incur when securing the item. By the time of release, the item is already secured and prepared for the buyer.

In such cases, is it within our rights as sellers to decline cancellation requests, especially when the item has already been secured? Would this be considered a valid reason under eBay policy?

We feel that accepting cancellations at this stage is unfair, as we’ve already committed to the purchase on the buyer’s behalf.

Thank you for your guidance.

[wastingtime101 · Accepted solution]

You can always decline a buyer's cancellation request, however it's generally not a good idea to try and force the sale on a buyer that no longer wants it.

Buyer will return the item - may even file a false damage claim just to get you to pay return shipping.

Actually, I just looked at a few of your listings and you offer free shipping from Japan plus 60 day free returns. International shipping is expensive.

What will happen is you decline the buyer's request. You ship the item. Buyer doesn't want it because they told you they found it cheaper. So buyer files a return. Now you're out original shipping plus return shipping and you risk receiving the item back damaged due to the buyer not properly packing it or because it was inspected by customs and they damaged it.

I understand why you want to decline the cancellation request, but you need to understand the potential financial impacts of declining.

[janet9988]

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@i.makoto wrote:

Hello,

I often list items as presale and always make sure to comply with eBay's presale policy. However, we sometimes receive cancellation requests close to the release date, often due to price drops.

For presale listings, we secure the item for the buyer shortly after the order is placed, based on the market price at that time. Our presale pricing reflects the cost we incur when securing the item. By the time of release, the item is already secured and prepared for the buyer.

In such cases, is it within our rights as sellers to decline cancellation requests, especially when the item has already been secured? Would this be considered a valid reason under eBay policy?

We feel that accepting cancellations at this stage is unfair, as we’ve already committed to the purchase on the buyer’s behalf.

Thank you for your guidance.

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Buying an item AFTER the buyer paid is not how ebay operates.

Presale means you have PREpaid for the item you are selling.

[smart-design-shop]

Insisting on shipping the final end may be the buyer after receiving the goods will still choose to return the goods for a refund, during the transportation of goods and the buyer to receive the goods before the return of this period of time there may be accidents that lead to unsaleable or damaged, therefore, although you can refuse to cancel the order, but I'm still not very recommendable.

[luckythewinner]

Our presale pricing reflects the cost we incur when securing the item.

Does it also reflect the cost of shipping both ways and the potential loss of the item if the buyer were to force a return by filing a fraudulent "Item not as described" dispute? 

[i.makoto]

Hello,

Thank you very much for your response.

I’m still a bit unclear on one point—how does eBay define a presale item? What kind of transaction is officially considered a presale under eBay’s policy?

Best regards,
Makoto

[wastingtime101]

I think the point Janet was making is it's best practice to have the inventory secured before you list the presale, otherwise you risk not being able to acquire the product and ending up with out of stock cancellation defects which can shut down your selling privileges (permanently) if you accumulate just a few of them.

Your method of waiting for the buyer to order before you acquire the inventory is risky.

You're preordering from a supplier in Japan and shipping the product yourself to the buyer, right? If the item is not in danger of selling out and you can secure the product, then you're not violating any policy here. 

[albertabrightalberta]

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@luckythewinner wrote:

Our presale pricing reflects the cost we incur when securing the item.

Does it also reflect the cost of shipping both ways and the potential loss of the item if the buyer were to force a return by filing a fraudulent "Item not as described" dispute? 

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In this case, the buyer doesn't have to file a fraudulent NAD dispute because the seller has free returns.