Returns in listings

[aapvjdi]

Hello,

After getting burned by fraud buyer, is there any way how buyer can protect himself so this won't happen again?

I am editing my listings and in the Preferences there are some options such as Not accepting any returns and Accepting Returns within certain amount of time. Since I already got to know that Not accepting any returns actually lost its meaning, I am considering option Accepting returns within 14 days. How does it work? Can buyer ask for a refund after 15 days of using the item? Based on the policy, Ebay gives 30 days for return. If I choose that person can send me back the item on his/her own cost, does it always work this way or is there any other way how buyer could potentially scam?

Thank you!

Best Regards and happy holidays to everyone!

[aapvjdi]

My apologies, I meant  how SELLER can protect himself so this won't happen again?*

[fern*wood]

Your return policy or lack of one will only apply to remorse returns.  Ebay has the money back guarantee which covers not as described returns for 30 days.

Edit:  Unless the rules are different in your country.  I'm speaking of US sales.

[soh.maryl]

You can't just make your own rules.  Buyers have 30 days after delivery to open an item not as described case.  

You may want to re-read the information eBay offers about returns.  If/when a buyer claims an item is NAD, the seller pays the return shipping cost if he wants the item returned.  

[aapvjdi]

I wonder what do you mean by making your own rules. When you create a listing it gives you an option for 14 / 30 / 60 days return. Then you pick options for return (seller / buyer pays etc)

[dbfolks166mt · Accepted solution]

     There is literally no way for a seller to fully protect themselves on eBay other than to not sell anything.         There are more ways for a scammer to steal your items than you can count and eBay does little to curb the activity. You can read about several of the scamming methods in some of the posts on this forum. Accepting returns is always a good idea since basically not doing so is pretty much useless in the face of the eBay MBG and the CC chargeback policies. 

     I looked at several of your listings and you have some pretty pricey items and while they are probably not high targets for scammers always remember the #1 rule as a seller on eBay and that is to never list anything you are not prepared to take the financial loss on. 

     Also with regards to the perfume's you may want to check the shipping restrictions for your country. I am not sure about Finland's postal system but in the US you are only supposed to ship a lot of perfumes by ground transportation. 

[brightlightbookseller]

Ironically (if I'm using the word right, no idea), most find that they have fewer "fraudulent" returns (as in ones selecting the wrong reason) if they offer 30 day returns, seller paid preferably, but even buyer paid is helpful.  Some will select the wrong reason for a return because they have been conditioned to expect that returns will be allowed for any reason (by certain other sites), and they'll work the system until they can return an item, or in some cases get it for free without returning it.  By opening up returns for any reason, you reduce the likelihood of people lying about the reason.  We haven't had that issue in a long time because we offer 30 day free returns, so people who want to return it will, which isn't that common (we had three this week, but none for a long period before that), but they seem more willing to work out issues before opening a case, which would actually hurt us more than taking a remorse return.

[aapvjdi]

Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts! I started considering 14 days return based on the same idea..

Also, by any chance, do you know what happens if buyer doesn't respond on any messages in the Return case? I asked buyer if she wants a partial refund or a full refund with returning the case, but she never responded. Since I have only 1 week to resolve this issue, will this "no answering" have any impact on the result of the case? I have never been in this situation, so I am not really sure what happens after this week, if I won't choose any resolution (since again I am waiting for her answer)..

[brightlightbookseller]

Them not answering doesn't usually affect the case.  You'll still have the same options available to you.  Might improve your odds slightly if you escalate it to eBay, but never expect to win those.  They often side with the buyer.

[reallynicestamps]

You can have a No Returns policy and eBay will respect that.

You cannot have a No Refunds policy.

All a No Returns policy does is make you seem difficult to work with if there is a problem, and the buyer is very likely to go immediately to a Claim rather than try to communicate the problem directly with you.

And if they do file a Claim, if you do not provide return shipping, which you are allowed to do in spite of a No Returns policy, eBay will assume you prefer to abandon the product and the buyer gets their refund anyway.

Best is to have a Returns policy, send the return shipping label, and refund when the (hopefully as described and saleable) item is returned.

Then relist it and resell it.

If the scammer buyer does not return the disputed item, you win the case and eventually the value of the label is refunded to you.

[stainlessenginecovers]

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@aapvjdi wrote:

Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts! I started considering 14 days return based on the same idea..

Also, by any chance, do you know what happens if buyer doesn't respond on any messages in the Return case? I asked buyer if she wants a partial refund or a full refund with returning the case, but she never responded. Since I have only 1 week to resolve this issue, will this "no answering" have any impact on the result of the case? I have never been in this situation, so I am not really sure what happens after this week, if I won't choose any resolution (since again I am waiting for her answer)..

---

Don't 'wait' for an answer and don't 'ask a question' like that. 

When someone opens a return, if it is a NOT AS DESCRIBED you have no choice but to 'accept' and 'approve' the return with the return shipping label.

If the return case is one of 'remorse' (doesn't fit, changed mind, found better price etc.) and you have NO RETURNS, you can 'deny' this return.

In the future, if you have 14 day returns, what that means is on the 15th day, you can DENY a 'Remorse type' return but you can NOT deny a 'Not As Described' return. 

[stainlessenginecovers]

Here is what the 'reasons' are that 'buyers' see when returning

[aapvjdi]

Thank you for your answer.

Sadly I won't be able to resell the item, since buyers father used the phone case for 3 weeks, drilled a hole in it and eventually decided to ask for a refund. Even though she left a positive feedback for the item.

Another problem is that she also bought a second case, so I only asked her if she wants the refund for the damaged one or if refund for both will suit her better (assuming that the second one is still sealed), so she could return both to me. Postage costs 22e, so I would prefer to get both back, instead of closing this case with refund and dealing with another case after her father will brake the second item as well. Very sad situation, since she mentioned that this is a gift for her father, so I put a lot of small Christmas gifts into the package as well (Like a lot of chocolate bars for her with total sum of more than 4e). Never do anything good for people for free.. Good lesson.

[aapvjdi]

I have one more problem. Finland doesn't have any collabs with other shipping companies, so the shipping costs 22e. I can't print any label (I sell on UK website, since there is no website for Finland), because  this option is only for items from UK. I also contacted the shipping company if I can order shipping from buyers country to Finland and unfortunately they don't have this option.  I guess the only option is to refund money and forget about this case. Very good lesson for me to not trust people. Probably need to find another platform for selling items, where sellers opinion is also considered and is important.

[reallynicestamps]

drilled a hole in it

The buyer cannot return an item that is substantially not what was sent.

If the robots cannot understand this appeal to eBay on Chat/social media.

NOT THE PHONES.


https://www.facebook.com/eBayForBusiness/ — Message button in upper right on landing page.

https://www.instagram.com/ebayforsellers/


https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/How-do-I-contact-Customer-Support/m-p/32016431#M1783851 -> Automated Assistant, type AGENT -> enter. You will then get more options.


The social media Chat accounts are covered by trained eBay employees with some authority.
And you get a transcript so you can compare what you heard with what you were told.
 

since she mentioned that this is a gift for her father, so I put a lot of small Christmas gifts into the package as well

Thus advertising that you are a sucker for a story.

One long ago poster told us that she stopped adding chocolates in her packages when a customer complained that the candy had melted. Nothing harmed, just melted.