eBay

fern*wood · ‎09-09-2018

In doing some research I looked at an item listed by a TRS with over 18,000 feedbacks and over 7000 items listed whose only description was to state a 15% restock fee on returns for new items, or 30% on new items returned used. I checked several more listings and all were the same. They also didn't offer free returns nor free initial shipping.

I have to wonder how they pull that off---just a threat or deterrent I assume. It also shows me why ebay keeps coming up with rules for the rest of us.

Anonymous · ‎09-09-2018

@fern*wood wrote:

I have to wonder how they pull that off---just a threat or deterrent I assume. It also shows me why ebay keeps coming up with rules for the rest of us.

It can't be enforced unless a buyer's uninformed and believes them instead of learning eBay's policies or following the return item prompts. I wonder what their % success rate is for pulling this on buyers.

I've seen a lot of posts from sellers who say they put similar terms in their listings and "get away with it" and I completely agree that it's these sellers making things harder for the rest of us.

ittybitnot · ‎09-09-2018

only description was to state .....

One of my "favorites" has always been a description that says basically nothing and says to look at the pictures.

On the other hand, be advised thst sometimes eBay will "hide" the descripton under another tab. I have also run across the issue where the actual description is missing when using one browser and visible when another is used.

emerald40 · ‎09-09-2018

Those with the most listings have the least discriptions.

And especially with the shippers, they use one or two stock photos for all of them.

And yes, underhanded sellers make us all look bad.

fuzzface50 · ‎09-09-2018

I know a seller that just recopies his title in the description and adds nothing more. his reason for this is he only wants buyers that know exactly what the item already is. This way he doesn't misdescribe the item either. This also allows him to get many more listings up per day instead of trying to describe everything to a t in a long description that a well educated buyer already knows and end up with very few new listings. More listings up = more sales to him even if they are not decsribed at all. He also has excellant feedback so it didn't hurt him there either by his lack of description.

Been working for him so why should he change? Might not work for others but it does for him. Might depend on what you sell too.

ed8108 · ‎09-09-2018

@Anonymous wrote:

It can't be enforced unless a buyer's uninformed and believes them instead of learning eBay's policies or following the return item prompts. I wonder what their % success rate is for pulling this on buyers.
I've seen a lot of posts from sellers who say they put similar terms in their listings and "get away with it" and I completely agree that it's these sellers making things harder for the rest of us.

I would guess that manny buyers do not spend much time to study up on eBay policies, and would expect that terms that conflict with policies & are unenforceable, would not be permitted to appear within seller listings by ebay.

Buyers view terms that appear in a listing as being contract terms to which they have agreed.

Inappropriate seller practices are sometimes done, simply because they are being allowed & not

discouraged by ebay.

Unfortunately, helping to foster a perception of buyer beware and mistrust of all ebay sellers.

softersilk · ‎09-09-2018

@fuzzface50 wrote:
I know a seller that just recopies his title in the description and adds nothing more. his reason for this is he only wants buyers that know exactly what the item already is. This way he doesn't misdescribe the item either. This also allows him to get many more listings up per day instead of trying to describe everything to a t in a long description that a well educated buyer already knows and end up with very few new listings. More listings up = more sales to him even if they are not decsribed at all. He also has excellant feedback so it didn't hurt him there either by his lack of description.

Been working for him so why should he change? Might not work for others but it does for him. Might depend on what you sell too.

Bet he complains about his low sales. The purpose of WORDS in a listing:

search engines finding the listing and showing it outside of eBay
meeting all possible expected terms that buyers use so you thing can be found
helping buyer make the decision to part with money, by projecting professionalism and confidence
help your name get remembered so buyers come back.

eBay really needs to standardize listings. The trash-talk that people write is ridiculous.

fashunu4eeuh · ‎09-09-2018

@fuzzface50 wrote:
I know a seller that just recopies his title in the description and adds nothing more. his reason for this is he only wants buyers that know exactly what the item already is. This way he doesn't misdescribe the item either. This also allows him to get many more listings up per day instead of trying to describe everything to a t in a long description that a well educated buyer already knows and end up with very few new listings. More listings up = more sales to him even if they are not decsribed at all. He also has excellant feedback so it didn't hurt him there either by his lack of description.

Been working for him so why should he change? Might not work for others but it does for him. Might depend on what you sell too.

Oh, I disagree. It may not be apparent on the surface, but it does hurt him to fail to include details. How much more could he have sold if he had proper info? Descriptions do not have to be long, but failure to disclose flaws, for instance, can be a SNAD waiting to happen. It does not benefit a seller to list without descriptors. He would undoubtably sell more with them than without. As a buyer, if a seller cannot be bothered to list pertinent details, then i cannot be bothered to buy his widget. I pass such sellers by.

gracieallen01 · ‎09-09-2018

@ed8108 wrote:
I would guess that manny buyers do not spend much time to study up on eBay policies, and would expect that terms that conflict with policies & are unenforceable, would not be permitted to appear within seller listings by ebay.

Buyers view terms that appear in a listing as being contract terms to which they have agreed.

Inappropriate seller practices are sometimes done, simply because they are being allowed & not
discouraged by ebay.

Unfortunately, helping to foster a perception of buyer beware and mistrust of all ebay sellers.

Ahahahahahahahahahaha! Thank you, a good laugh is what I needed this morning.

I'm fairly sure you must have meant 'when it suits them', but it was still good for a laugh.

Not saying 'NO' doesn't mean 'YES'.

The foolishness of one's actions or words is determined by the number of witnesses.

Perhaps if Brains were described as an APP, many people would use them more often.

Respect, like money, is only of 'worth' when it is earned - with all due respect, it can not be ordained, legislated or coerced. Anonymous

lex-talon · ‎09-09-2018

@fern*wood wrote:
In doing some research I looked at an item listed by a TRS with over 18,000 feedbacks and over 7000 items listed whose only description was to state a 15% restock fee on returns for new items, or 30% on new items returned used. I checked several more listings and all were the same. They also didn't offer free returns nor free initial shipping.

I have to wonder how they pull that off---just a threat or deterrent I assume. It also shows me why ebay keeps coming up with rules for the rest of us.

Those are the kind of sellers I avoid. The rules aren't the same for every seller on ebay.

robot-hands · ‎09-09-2018

it takes a long time to edit 7000 listings.

I still have some that state there are re-stocking fees

annasunicorns · ‎09-09-2018

I click away from items without a description, as a buyer. Maybe thats why I try to add lots of detail in my listings. No need to write a novel but a few added key words are easy to get in with just a paragraph or two.

fern*wood · ‎09-09-2018

@robot-hands wrote:
it takes a long time to edit 7000 listings.

I still have some that state there are re-stocking fees

Nope, newly listed items all have the same verbiage about restocking fees as their description.

kitschy*loot · ‎09-09-2018

I find myself bypassing a large number of sellers these days. I will see sellers with the most ridiculous terms of sale, yet they have over a thousand positive feedback and no negatives or neutrals.

It is clear that either some sellers are trying to scare people who have not brushed up on the polices, or they actually believe what they are saying is allowed because they haven't brushed up on them.

Many times there will be five paragraphs rambling on and on about not expecting refunds if you don't buy insurance, or once the item is out of their hands you will have to deal with the shipping company, and then you have some saying if you bid or buy you agree with everything they wrote.

The folks with no description whatsoever on clothing items really need to rethink things. There are many items I would have bought, but unless it is something incredibly special to me, I am no longer asking for measurements or condition.

How does someone think it makes sense to list pants with no inseam length and nothing about condition?

I had one seller get mad because I asked for the length and she said those pants had been locked up in a storage bin inside a storage locker for two years, did I expect her to go digging through bins to answer my question? Ermm, how was I supposed to know all that? Is it really a good idea to list things you haven't even seen in years anyway?

luckythewinner · ‎09-09-2018

@ittybitnot wrote:
only description was to state .....
One of my "favorites" has always been a description that says basically nothing and says to look at the pictures.

Those are often my favorites, too. I buy from sellers with poorly described listings all the time. Then I list them with proper descriptions and make a healthy multiple of my investment.