Return money not being put on Hold?

[mr_lincoln]

A few days ago a customer filed a return and normally the money is put on Hold in Seller Hub - Payments-Financial Summary ... this time it was not put on hold.  The item "should" get delivered back to me today but I just thought this was strange and of course it's different from what I have seen in the past.

Anyone else have this happen?

[laststopgeneralstore]

I have noticed this as well. At first I thought something was wrong but then I have had 3 more returns and still nothing on hold. On my other account though, I had a return and they put the money on hold but the difference with that account is that it's essentially brand new to selling. I have had the account for about a year but just started using it for selling as of recent. Honestly I think this is how it should be in my opinion. No money should be taken, help or refunded until that item that is being returned is back in your hands.

[mr_lincoln]

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@laststopgeneralstore wrote:

I have noticed this as well. At first I thought something was wrong but then I have had 3 more returns and still nothing on hold. On my other account though, I had a return and they put the money on hold but the difference with that account is that it's essentially brand new to selling. I have had the account for about a year but just started using it for selling as of recent. Honestly I think this is how it should be in my opinion. No money should be taken, help or refunded until that item that is being returned is back in your hands.

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I tend to agree with you @laststopgeneralstore , after all, in Managed Payments Sellers have a back up payment source in the event Available funds do not cover a refund ... mine is a credit card.  I will wait to process the Refund once the item is delivered.

Oh, are you on Weekly Payouts or Daily?  I am on Weekly, not sure if that matters ...

[nuclearomen]

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@mr_lincoln wrote:

A few days ago a customer filed a return and normally the money is put on Hold in Seller Hub - Payments-Financial Summary ... this time it was not put on hold.  The item "should" get delivered back to me today but I just thought this was strange and of course it's different from what I have seen in the past.

Anyone else have this happen?

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@mr_lincoln idk... first i have heard, haven't had any holds so I can't say, but please keep us informed on anything you may find out, maybe ebay isn't holding funds anymore? 

[valueaddedresource]

@mr_lincoln  - a few sellers noticed this way back in April, but couldn't get any information out of eBay about what had changed.

Then just a few weeks ago, more sellers started experiencing no holds on returns....and again couldn't get any information out of eBay about what changed. 🤣

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/No-more-return-funds-on-holds/m-p/32444087/highlight/true#M187... 

I had asked if this was maybe a test, like the test they are running requiring images to be uploaded for some returns, but was told there was a not a test "that they were aware of" and as far as any criteria for when/how it is decided that funds should be placed on hold for returns - that is proprietary information.

My guess is eBay is easing up on holding funds, but doesn't want to have anything specific in writing or on record so they can remain "flexible" on this issue in the future.

As it stands now, some sellers who used to see holds aren't seeing them any more, but some still are and we have no idea why.  We also have no way to know if those who are now not seeing holds will continue to see that or if at some point they may have funds held again for unspecified reasons.

If you are one of the lucky ones, I'd say enjoy it but don't depend on it.

[fern*wood]

Someone posted about this just a couple weeks ago.  I remember thinking I guess I'm not a trusted member, since my money still gets held on returns.

[southern*sweet*tea]

I just had a return a week and a half ago, first in a long, long time. There was no hold put on the money, but it was less than $25, not sure if that made a difference or not.

[b86fiero]

I had a return opened on 11/18.  No hold placed on my funds at that time.  On 11/19 I contacted eBay through eBay Chat and eBay closed the case in my favor. 

11/20 I received official notice from eBay that the case was found in my favor.  A second notice, received after cased closed notice, told me my  funds were placed on hold for that return.  A third notice told me my funds had been released.

Weird. 

[valueaddedresource]

@b86fiero it sounds like they may still need to work out some of the finer points of the process, especially regarding notification emails.

What I've seen is that funds are no longer being held at the time the return is requested or an INR claim is opened like they used to be.  However, if the return or claim is escalated to eBay by either the buyer or seller, the funds *do* go on hold at that point.

I had an INR that I responded to with tracking showing delivery to the buyer, then when the time came to ask eBay to "step in" to close it, the funds were put on hold immediately as soon as the case was escalated and then the hold was released about 15 minutes later when the case was found in my favor. So even though there was still a hold, because it was done at the time of escalation rather than the time of the claim being opened, the funds were at least still back in my available balance in time for the next scheduled payout.

Cases that stay open for eBay to review longer than that will of course have funds held longer, but I think this is a decent middle ground - it doesn't keep the seller's money tied up on a return that may not ever be sent back, but it also gives eBay the ability to make sure there are funds secured to cover the cost if an escalated case is found in the buyer's favor.

[mr_lincoln]

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@valueaddedresource wrote:

@mr_lincoln  - a few sellers noticed this way back in April, but couldn't get any information out of eBay about what had changed.

Then just a few weeks ago, more sellers started experiencing no holds on returns....and again couldn't get any information out of eBay about what changed. 🤣

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/No-more-return-funds-on-holds/m-p/32444087/highlight/true#M187... 

I had asked if this was maybe a test, like the test they are running requiring images to be uploaded for some returns, but was told there was a not a test "that they were aware of" and as far as any criteria for when/how it is decided that funds should be placed on hold for returns - that is proprietary information.

My guess is eBay is easing up on holding funds, but doesn't want to have anything specific in writing or on record so they can remain "flexible" on this issue in the future.

As it stands now, some sellers who used to see holds aren't seeing them any more, but some still are and we have no idea why.  We also have no way to know if those who are now not seeing holds will continue to see that or if at some point they may have funds held again for unspecified reasons.

If you are one of the lucky ones, I'd say enjoy it but don't depend on it.

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@valueaddedresource  Thank you for that ... I just processed the Refund and the money came out of my Available funds.  This transaction was just under $ 52.00. 

I am on Weekly Payouts so typically there is money in the account between the Tuesday Payout from one week to the Tuesday payout the following week.  I am sure eBay follows cash flow on selling accounts as well as the return rate ... since Sellers have a back up Payment source its not like eBay will not get the money from somewhere ...

The reason to put return money on "Hold" status may be a combination of things such as (but not limited to):

1.  Account return rate

2. Payout schedule - weekly or daily

3. Average balance in MP over the course of one month (or some other time period)

4. Typical Refund time frame on a return case

5. Account average monthly cash flow OR the "last 31 days"

6.  Returns up to $ 100 NOT put on Hold status (or some other dollar amount)

[fern*wood]

7.  They just don't like me.

[mr_lincoln]

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@fern*wood wrote:

7.  They just don't like me.

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Oh @fern*wood  you know that's not true!!!  I'm sure its some kind of a test to see how the cash flow is by not putting $$ on Hold ...

[partfinds]

Ebay always places hold form me no matter the reason. I accept returns. You must be special.

[mr_lincoln]

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@partfinds wrote:

Ebay always places hold form me no matter the reason. I accept returns. You must be special.

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No  @partfinds  I doubt very much that I am special with regard to this.  I don't think its a glitch either ... I think it is some type of test based on certain factors in a matrix that eBay has set up for Selling accounts.  They may be testing and laying the groundwork for some new Managed Payments features that they will roll out as part of the 2022 Spring Seller Update.  But I sincerely appreciate the sentiment.

[mr_lincoln]

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@nuclearomen wrote:

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@mr_lincoln wrote:

A few days ago a customer filed a return and normally the money is put on Hold in Seller Hub - Payments-Financial Summary ... this time it was not put on hold.  The item "should" get delivered back to me today but I just thought this was strange and of course it's different from what I have seen in the past.

Anyone else have this happen?

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@mr_lincoln idk... first i have heard, haven't had any holds so I can't say, but please keep us informed on anything you may find out, maybe ebay isn't holding funds anymore? 

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Okay @nuclearomen here's an update ... had another return and the money was NOT put on Hold again but came out of Available funds when I processed the refund Monday this week ... I am on Weekly Payouts (Tuesday) so there was plenty of $$ to cover the refund.

I am wondering if my account isn't on some kind of a beta test ... maybe this is some lead in testing for the Wallet function whereby Sellers can leave their $$ in MP until they want to transfer it ... I know some members have talked about this but I am not aware of any kind of schedule for it in MP ...