Return Policy: do you take returns? Free returns? What works for you?

[love2beselling]

I recently saw a post from a new seller getting slammed with returns in clothing as the seller was doing free returns.  Sellers jumped in and advised the seller- to swiftly switch to PAID returns. Seller did. Return problem solved.
So question, do you take returns? Are your returns typically buyer pays or do you offer free returns on some items?
For the record, I take returns on everything. On clothing buyer pays. On categories with little to no returns I do free returns as I am a Top Rated Seller and free returns along with one day or same day handling and 30 day or better return policy earns me a 10% FVF rebate. I like getting some $ back from eBay.

What works for you?

[kandf_vintage_finds]

30 day returns.  Buyer pays return shipping.  Works for me

Of course I pay the return shipping if not as described etc.....

[gator08041971]

For me it depends on the item I'm selling.

Some items I offer free returns. Other items I charge for returns.  But I rarely have items with no returns anymore.  Only on AS-IS type listings, or similar.

[tarotfindsandmore]

I offer free 30-day returns on everything.  I keep the original shipping fee on remorse returns.  I don't sell clothing, however, so it's not a big deal.

[inhawaii]

I do not take free returns/remorse returns.

I only take INAD (item not as described) returns.

Works for me.

[heckofagame]

The number of returns that a seller may receive is very category dependent. We have been offering free 30-day returns for about 4 years now and we have had 3, 2 of which turned out to be buyers wanting to trade their old stuff for new stuff at our expense. 

[simply-the-best-for-you]

Other than experimenting a few times (most recently a couple of years ago with horrific results) I've been happily No Returns for my 29 years.  After every experiment I've always gone back no returns.  

Most recent test for 2 months a couple of years ago showed an extremely disturbing trend.  Normally I get 1-2 return requests a year, maybe 1 a year is a fake SNAD request.  Suddenly when I allowed returns (30 days buyer pays), I had 6+ fake SNAD requests in 2 months.  Enough that I was concerned about my seller rating, which I've never been concerned about in all these years!   I went back to no returns & in the almost 3 years since, am back to maybe 1 a year.   Apparently buyer entitlement has REALLY grown!  In all my prior past tests, there was only a slight increase in requests & none of them were SNADs.  However I never saw any reason to continue to allow returns b/c there was no big increase in sales.   

You still have to accept SNAD's, fake or not, but No Returns is where it's at for me.  

[onlinecentral]

I mostly sell in Consumer Electronics, Business & Industrial Electronics and eBay Motors.
1% are honest returns, the buyer pays for return shipping on a remorse return.
0.4% are dishonest returns. The buyer is incompetent or a liar. I pay the return shipping.

I can relist 95% of the returned merchandise. I don't worry about the loss on original shipping at $4 to $6 dollars each.

[ebooksdiva]

I sell audiobooks on CD, returned CDs can’t be resold due to finger prints and scratches, plus I’m not running a library.

 When I offered free returns, the returns were out of control. I switched to no returns a little over a year ago I am pleased to say I haven't had any returns. I will never go back to free returns.. I do understand that if a buyer decided to go the NAD route I will  be paying for the return or issue a refund without requiring the item back, I’m good with that. 

[inhawaii]

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@ebooksdiva wrote:

I sell audiobooks on CD, returned CDs can’t be resold due to finger prints and scratches, plus I’m not running a library.

 When I offered free returns, the returns were out of control. I switched to no returns a little over a year ago I am pleased to say I haven't had any returns. I will never go back to free returns.. I do understand that if a buyer decided to go the NAD route I will  be paying for the return or issue a refund without requiring the item back, I’m good with that. 

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I'm like you, also a "no returns" seller.

I see so many sellers here on the boards saying if you don't offer free returns, that buyers will make up fake INAD returns. 

I just don't see that happening with me.

[onefootflipper1]

My honest opinion on this after talking to many sellers about it for my youtube channel is that "no returns" is the correct choice for MOST sellers. If you don't know what to pick, then pick no returns.

Both free and paid returns come with obvious financial downsides that may or may not pay for themselves with increased sales from placement in the algorithm.

I am firmly of the belief that you don't want ANY customer who makes choices based on return policies. The ones who care are the exact ones who return a lot of things. If your items are good and your prices are right then you don't want or need those customers. You simply are not the local brick and mortar who is going to offend Mr. Jones by refusing his return and causing him to permanently shift his business to your competitor. Instead you are in the situation where the customer would have likely never shopped from you again anyway, and certainly won't if they return something since you will block them.

You also are not a mega-website in which the same customer is likely to return so often that you even make money off the people who return things. Most of your customers are single time purchasers.

[12345jamesstamps]

I do '14 day returns where buyer pays for return shipping'...I think that can scare a number of buyers not knowing about how to do a return with tracking and such and having a limited time to return it.

Buyers are not good shippers like us sellers...LOL

And with the shipping charge coming out of buyer's refund if using an eBay shipping label that might even scare more buyers from returning something.

30 days seems to long on a return.

For me, I never had a return and never returned something(I am the lazy type...I just eat the lose rather than waster my time returning something.).

[mcdougle4248]

I offer 30-day free returns. I believe I switched from the 30-day buyer pays return policy about 4 years ago.

Returns are not an issue for me. 43,000+ items sold and only 1 return over 10 years ago. That return was not even a case opened. The buyer simply sent the item back to me on their dime because they ordered the wrong one.

[ebooksdiva]

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@inhawaii wrote:

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@ebooksdiva wrote:

I sell audiobooks on CD, returned CDs can’t be resold due to finger prints and scratches, plus I’m not running a library.

 When I offered free returns, the returns were out of control. I switched to no returns a little over a year ago I am pleased to say I haven't had any returns. I will never go back to free returns.. I do understand that if a buyer decided to go the NAD route I will  be paying for the return or issue a refund without requiring the item back, I’m good with that. 

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I'm like you, also a "no returns" seller.

I see so many sellers here on the boards saying if you don't offer free returns, that buyers will make up fake INAD returns. 

I just don't see that happening with me.

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Hasn't happened with me either. 

[mam98031]

@love2beselling 

Learn the facts of what each return policy actually means as there is likely some surprises for you.  

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.