SELLERS??? Are your stated return policies being supported by Ebay?

[bbingo]

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!

[annadryl]

This isn't making sense yet. USPS issued the buyer a refund and not you, the sender? And it was a partial refund? I think it was only insured for the minimum $50. It does look like USPS took responsibility for the damage this time.

And ebay knew about that and issued a partial refund from you to them? Is all that documented in the SNAD case?

Sorry I'm not much help here but something is missing. And yes, sellers are dealing with a lot more returns now that sport buyers can return (or even not actually return) for no loss. Buyers used to pay their own returns most of the time to prevent fraud (that's not the case here, stuff got broken). Ebay changed their return policies to compete with the big A and others where sellers lose all. Sorry this happened.

[bbingo]

Yes - insurance was purchased for full coverage. Buyer filed the claim because that was what I understood. (I called Ebay for help on this.) Everyone on the USPS site said that the item would need to be inspected, so the buyer filed the claim. If the Buyer shipped the item back to me, it would negate the insurance. Believe me, I am asking all of the same questions!?!?! The Buyer reopened the closed case, escalated it, and Ebay issued the refund for the difference. There was not the normal 4 day response time. The case was reopened and the refund issued yesterday.

[officiallorigashley]

The BEST way to stop the **scamming** is to use your smart phone and take video and pictures of the products you are selling just before you ship it, proving the condition of the item(s). Take pictures and/or video of the packing to show it is packed well and not going to break or get scratched in shipment.  Further, If the product is new and even if it is a clearly stated used item, SEAL it in plastic. Plastic sealing machines can be purchased at walmarts, office supply stores and eBay. Get invisible ink and stamp the inside of the plastic before you seal it. Clearly state your refund and return policy too. See my products (click on the Lori G Ashley airbrush makeup ("see details") clearly written for my return policy to get a clear idea what your return policy should be. Restocking fee should be an automatic 20% if they send it back, no matter what! And you can set it to force the buyer has to pay for the return shipping too in your settings! Buyers remorse is NOT a return reason too! So, if the customer says, "I just don't like it". that is buyers remorse and not grounds for a return! Eventually, the scammers will stop and you will have a 99.9%.  If eBay doesn't get a hold of the scam buyers issue, soon there will be few eBay sellers!  Many have left and are still leaving due to this issue.  Until there is an alternative to eBay with high buyer traffic and less costly seller fees, eBay has the monopoly.

[couldabeenworse]

insurance was purchased for full coverage. Buyer filed the claim because that was what I understood

It sounds like you didn't supply buyer with the original mailing receipt that showed amount of insurance, so USPS paid the $50 default value for priority mail.  You might be able to claim the balance by contacting usps.

In the future, it is wise for the seller to control the claim and refund the buyer directly.  It is rarely wise to ask eBay what to do.

[bbingo]

The insurance was purchased on Paypal when I purchased the shipping label.  Lotsa lessons learned here......  Ugh!!!

[forestthrutrees]

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@kennya1992 wrote:
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.

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How do you outwit them? I have only had 2 returns. First one was my fault, but she paid shipping. The second was, it was broken (only 1 of 2) The buyer was very nice and took all the pictures I asked him to. He also went to the PO to check on insurance. Low and Behold to me, if it isn't sent priority there isn't any unless you buy it. I wanted him to keep the one and get a partial but that didn't happen. And it cost me 18.00 to ship. I told him to keep it. The box was destroyed enough to where an "unbreakable" container broke and parts were missing. 

[forestthrutrees]

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@kennya1992 wrote:
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.

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Most clothes I sell I measure. I also write "please measure yourself before purchase"

I have only sold 2 blouses 1 sweater and 2 scrub pants (not delivered yet) and will ship out a mans shirt tomorrow. 

[*eponymous*]

No pics, secret marks, invisible ink, or arguments from sellers serve any purpose other than wasting time.  Item condition is not enforced on eBay, and eBay needs to be blunt about that!

Restocking fee can only be charged when buyer opens a case to return for a buyer's remorse reason - no longer wants, changed mind, etc.  Buyers who see that in return policies simply bypass it by filing SNAD.

When a buyer files SNAD, seller's only option is to arrange for a label and refund on return of "something" - including a different item, a ruined item, or an empty box.  That's a seller's risk of mail-order retail. Seller's exchange that risk for the privilege of selling on this venue, in anticipation of making profit, which is earned in the aggregate on not on individual sales.

Unresolved cases are very limited. Follow the return rules or eBay will withdraw selling privileges by using that particular metric.

OP, a full refund is the entire payment; and the only way to get an fvf credit is to issue that full refund when you cancel and refund through eBay at the same time.

The problem is that sellers fail to read and understand the return policies...because they don't like them and are stuck on complaining about the "unfairness" of selling.  That "unfairness" is compensated by businesses (who make enough profit to offset losses) who write off business espenses on their taxes.

Undercapitalization of any business ensures its failure...that includes failing to anticipate losses from returns by pricing items to pay for those losses.

The eBay boards only tell about the problem transactions.  Somewhere over 99% (pick your own % if you don't like mine) of eBay transactions are completed without a hitch; and sellers of low-dollar items have many more problems - and complaints - than sellers of higher-dollar items.

Sellers of low-dollar items are selling to buyers who have few dollars to spend...and therein lies the rub...and the source of most complaints by eBay sellers.

[chrysylys]

Put yourself in the buyer's shoes.  If you received a broken widget, what would you think was fair?

[chrysylys]

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@officiallorigashley wrote:

The BEST way to stop the **scamming** is to use your smart phone and take video and pictures of the products you are selling just before you ship it, proving the condition of the item(s). Take pictures and/or video of the packing to show it is packed well and not going to break or get scratched in shipment.

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None of that means anything and people really should not be recommending it.

[keithharrierenterprises]

if u only paid 50, that is cause thats all prioity insture standard now. one has to pay extra for above that. it used to be 100 but they changed that, unfortunatley

[d-k_treasures]

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@officiallorigashley wrote:

The BEST way to stop the **scamming** is to use your smart phone and take video and pictures of the products you are selling just before you ship it, proving the condition of the item(s). Take pictures and/or video of the packing to show it is packed well and not going to break or get scratched in shipment.  Further, If the product is new and even if it is a clearly stated used item, SEAL it in plastic. Plastic sealing machines can be purchased at walmarts, office supply stores and eBay. Get invisible ink and stamp the inside of the plastic before you seal it. Clearly state your refund and return policy too. See my products (click on the Lori G Ashley airbrush makeup ("see details") clearly written for my return policy to get a clear idea what your return policy should be. Restocking fee should be an automatic 20% if they send it back, no matter what! And you can set it to force the buyer has to pay for the return shipping too in your settings! Buyers remorse is NOT a return reason too! So, if the customer says, "I just don't like it". that is buyers remorse and not grounds for a return! Eventually, the scammers will stop and you will have a 99.9%.  If eBay doesn't get a hold of the scam buyers issue, soon there will be few eBay sellers!  Many have left and are still leaving due to this issue.  Until there is an alternative to eBay with high buyer traffic and less costly seller fees, eBay has the monopoly.

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Where to start ...

As stated before, videos, photos are useless, as are marks(and why would you put one on the inside of plastic if you seal it?).

You have a 30 day return policy - which means you take returns for any reason - including buyers remorse. The only way you can force the buyer psys return shipping and your restocking fee IS for buyers remorse.

On a SNAD, you WILL pay for return shipping and also give a FULL refund, including shipping. You will NOT get to charge a 20% restocking fee.

[d-k_treasures]

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@kennya1992 wrote:

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.

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You don't give a full refund before you get your item(or something) back. You don't refund and them hope the buyer is going to send it back.

[fern*wood]

A return policy only applies to buyer's remorse/fit issues and thus your return policy terms can require the buyer to pay the return shipping.  If you do not wish to accept remorse returns then a "no return" policy needs to be stated.

Any other issue, such as breakage or not as described, falls under ebay's money back guarantee and those require the seller to pay the return shipping if you want the item back.

@bbingo @keithharrierenterprises

[fern*wood]

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@fern*wood wrote:

A return policy only applies to buyer's remorse/fit issues and thus your return policy terms can require the buyer to pay the return shipping.  If you do not wish to accept remorse returns then a "no return" policy needs to be stated.

Any other issue, such as breakage or not as described, falls under ebay's money back guarantee and those require the seller to pay the return shipping if you want the item back.

@bbingo @keithharrierenterprises

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Sorry---tagged the wrong person

@officiallorigashley