eBay

bbingo · ‎02-14-2017

Sellers- HELP! Recently, I have had a few issues with refunds going to Buyers that don't follow my return standards stated in auctions. (Buyers pay return shipping and items must be returned in the same condition as purchased.) I refunded a buyer the amount less shipping and Ebay said she should have received a full refund?!?! An item broken in shipping is being refunded becasue the postal insurance didn't pay all of it. It seems like there is now VERY LITTLE, ALMOST NO support for sellers. I'm just wondering if anyone else is experiencing pressure to refund items. If a Buyer escalated a claim now, it goes against your seller status. After doing the math, I realized that if 3 people out of 1000 are unsatisfied, then reaching Top Seller status is unattainable. I've been an Ebayer for over 10 years, and have consistent positive feedback. Is anyone else out there grappling to undersand all of the new changes and how they affect us as sellers?!?! Please don't use this as a "rant" board, jsut help me get a handle on these changes and the best way to naviagate them. thanks!

emerald40 · ‎02-14-2017

@bbingo wrote:
Sellers- HELP! Recently, I have had a few issues with refunds going to Buyers that don't follow my return standards stated in auctions. (Buyers pay return shipping and items must be returned in the same condition as purchased.) I refunded a buyer the amount less shipping and Ebay said she should have received a full refund?!?! An item broken in shipping is being refunded becasue the postal insurance didn't pay all of it. It seems like there is now VERY LITTLE, ALMOST NO support for sellers. I'm just wondering if anyone else is experiencing pressure to refund items. If a Buyer escalated a claim now, it goes against your seller status. After doing the math, I realized that if 3 people out of 1000 are unsatisfied, then reaching Top Seller status is unattainable. I've been an Ebayer for over 10 years, and have consistent positive feedback. Is anyone else out there grappling to undersand all of the new changes and how they affect us as sellers?!?! Please don't use this as a "rant" board, jsut help me get a handle on these changes and the best way to naviagate them. thanks!

Ebay's return policy will trump yours.

If a buyer files SNAD, a seller pays for return shipping.

Ebay does not see what is returned. As long as a buyer sends you something back, you will have to refund him.

If ebay has to step in and refund the buyer for you, yes it will count as a defect.

All sellers have to abide by this in order to sell on this platform.

kennya1992 · ‎02-14-2017

There's no such thing as having your own return policy. All you can really do is hope that you won't have to deal with buyer's remorse or scammers too often (not a matter of if, but when) and that when you do, you'll be able to outwit them, and if not, that you will be able to compensate for the loss and work around it.

bbingo · ‎02-14-2017

Agreed and do abide by these - but what if item is broken in transit fully insured?!? Ugh! Just had Ebay issue a $70+ refund without having a chance to respond to the buyer - so now it counts against me as a seller. Or - what if the item is returned because it "didn't fit." Issuing refunds through Ebay, now it seems you are only allowed to send a full refund - including what was paid for shipping.

annadryl · ‎02-14-2017

@bbingo An item broken in shipping is always a SNAD. They'll get a refund despite the listing conditions. Could you elaborate on the insurance details?

luckythewinner · ‎02-14-2017

OP,

I would say the overwhelming sentiment on this board is that

a) there is no effective seller protection from fraud;

b) that returns and SNADs are a serious issue for some sellers; and

c) that eBay does not seem inclined to change their policies regarding (a) or (b).

bbingo · ‎02-14-2017

fully insured for $103 with USPS. USPS only paid $50, so My account refunded the rest of the selling amount + $20 original shipping cost. Part of my concern is because over the past few months I have had more returns than I've ever had in the previous years selling on here.

kennya1992 · ‎02-14-2017

I had an item broken in transit recently. Luckily, the buyer contacted me before opening a case to eBay. Even when they do open a case, there are several days that must pass before they can escalate it to eBay. You should always go out of your way to compensate and reimburse your buyer in some form, so that they won't escalate it to eBay and make it worse.

If a buyer is upset, you're going to most likely lose somehow, so you have to figure out how to make your losses minimal rather than try to avoid them, because that most likely won't work.

But, in general, you're right. Seems like the only option most of the time is to give a full refund, and "hope" that the buyer will return your item. Luckily my returns so far have worked out that way.

kennya1992 · ‎02-14-2017

Unfortunately it seems like clothes seem to have a lot of problems with buyers complaining that it doesn't fit. The only way I can see around that is to change the descriptions of the items somehow, but I wouldn't know.

bbingo · ‎02-14-2017

Why does a seller state a return policy in the auction if it isn't something we are to do? If we have requirements as sellers, aren't there any requirements for buyers?

kennya1992 · ‎02-14-2017

Requirements for buyers?.... No, not really sure there are any... Just hope that eBay feels like being nice to you. Better to call them on the phone than to let it work out through the site alone, although it won't raise your chances that much.

victorjunkman55 · ‎02-14-2017

Buyers rule here. eBay's Money back guarantee (MBG) trumps any return policy seller can come up with. SNAD (Item not as Described) case not only gets buyer complete refund, You pay return shipping should you want your Item back. (Many buyers wind up with your Item and your money) In almost 6 years here, No 2 eBay employees have told me the same answer. As American Sellers get fed up and just Leave here, China Sellers are flooding in with their Low, pennies on the dollar cost shipping. Welcome to the New eBay. Good Luck to you.

cargo11 · ‎02-14-2017

"Fully insured for $103 with USPS. USPS only paid $50" - Why did they only pay $50 if you insured the package for $103? Did you insure for $103. or the price of the item only. $50 is the refund that USPS automatically refunds for any priority mail package. I would call them up if you paid extra for insurance and did not get the money for the total item. Plus why would ebay issue a return without you knowing about it - anyone that requests a return normally a message is sent to you to acknowledge that return and YOU press a "button that tells ebay to Refund with out returning (same as NO RETURNS), or refund upon receipt of the item. Something is missing from your issue.

bbingo · ‎02-14-2017

Wow! Much of the sentiment here is exactly what I've been sensing. This has been a hard learning experience! I have spent much time on the phone with Ebay - but it has been fruitless. As a seller, virtually no assistance. Normally, I would just move on, but this was a high dollar item that was fully insured. It was a set of vintage dishes, but many were broken in shipping. Now the Buyer has the full refund and all of the dishes that were not broken. And. I. Have.........A. Lesson. Learned. The. Hard. Way.

The other return was a $40 pair of new boots. Didn't fit.

Question - Are other sellers seeing a rise in their return rates?

bbingo · ‎02-14-2017

The buyer closed the case - then reopened it when the refund was not for the full amount from the USPS. Yes, reopened the case. Ebay immediately issued the refund before I could respond to the Buyer. There was NOT the normal 4 day response time.