Spring Update Changes to handling return requests that appear abandoned?

[blacktopautoparts]

"Changes to handling return requests that appear abandoned

Starting April 1, 2020, we will no longer close returns early at the request of a seller when the buyer has not shipped the item back. Instead, we will wait to ensure buyers have sufficient time to provide proof items they requested to return were shipped back. If we do not receive proof of shipment from your buyers while the return requests are active, we will protect you by removing any negative or neutral feedback left on that transaction."

So is eBay telling us that buyers no longer have a date for when they must return an item by if they open a return/request? This is getting crazy if this is how I am reading this. This is sad if true, they already get 7 days to upload tracking on top of when they must return it. You get some of the sly buyers that know how to work the system to even get an extension. My returns the last 2 months have been out of control, with people incorrectly opening them up and me having to take the time to get them reported so the service metrics don't mess our account up.

[sodelight]

So sellers are supposed to ship immediately by rocket, but buyers are allowed to take their sweet time!

2 weeks to get a return package shipped, when your provided the label, is unreasonable.

[sodelight]

What happens with the shipping label fee when the buyer fails to return the item? USPS doesn't allow 14 days to cancel a label. eBay surely can't expect to charge a seller for an unused label.

[nuclearomen]

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@sodelight wrote:
What happens with the shipping label fee when the buyer fails to return the item? USPS doesn't allow 14 days to cancel a label. eBay surely can't expect to charge a seller for an unused label.

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idk how it will be now, just another good question in the long line of good questions but before return label wasn't charged to sellers until the package was scanned as accepted by USPS. 

[dede394]

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@lasantino wrote:

I'm sorry, this must be some mistake, so basically ebay is taking away one of the few protections they gave sellers.

If a buyer opened a return request, they had 5 business days. but ebay's goofy way of counting meant if a buyer opened  a request on friday,, ebay doesn't count that as a day, and they don't count saturday or sunday. so monday would be day 1. so basically they buyer had 8 days(including the day the request was open).  

well.. unfreakingbelievable..  we better ask for clear details.. what does 10 days mean to ebay,,is that including the day the return request is open ? does that include all calendar days?? because if not.. basically ebay is giving 3 full weeks for a buyer to return an item after they open a return request..

so ebay.. do weekend days count? they should.. if the 10th day happened to fall on a sunday, then you extend til monday.. 

and wthell ,, ebay give sellers 2 days to refund,,counting weekends.  and day one is the day you receive it..but they don't count days the same way for buyers..

once again,, a seemingly benign change ,, actually hurts sellers.  and ebay leaves out important details.

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This level of misunderstanding is unfortunate.

1. The day an action starts is excluded; it's not a full day.

2. Saturdays, Sundays, and all holidays are not business days.

3. A seller has 3 business days to issue a return label (or just refund).

4. A buyer has 15 business days to get an eBay label scanned, not delivered.

5. A seller has 2 business days to refund after a return is delivered, not 2 days.

[lasantino]

IM SORRY,,  saturday and sunday are not holidays.. it's not the 1950's.

I didn't misunderstand anything. 

ebay changed the return rules.  

ebay basically forced sellers to accept returns.   Then they make sellers accept falsely opened MPG returns.

Then they change the one tiny requirement they had for buyers.  If you want to return something, you have 5 days from the day the return was accepted . with either a seller provided return label or a buyer purchased return label. 

Ebay has now basically tripled that time frame.  15 days before they will close a return the buyer initiated but never bothered returning the item. 15 days.  so basically with a 30 day return policy.. a buyer could open a return on day 29 and still qualify for a legit return.(ebay forced everyone to 30 from 14) then they get 15 more days to get that return in the mail.   so 45 days a buyer can legitimately have an item in their possession and still qualify as buyers remorse.. so technically they aren't abusing the system.      I The only thing I can see that is a small positive.  Prior to this change , if a buyer opened up a snad claim. but never returned the item. the return would be closed. but the seller would still get dinged on their metric.  WHICH IS TOTALLY RIDICULOUS. 

I probably shouldn't have said anything.. just wait and see.  Someone tag this post.  Next thing you know. ebay is actually going to remove the ding from our metric, but actually still keep it included in the calculation of how we compare to our peers.   I'm telling you. Ebay is giving new definition to the word gaslighting.  Ebay is trying to help sellers.. we are partners, they value us.  All the while taking a little bite out of ever possible corner of our businesses.

[lasantino]

I forgot to add at the end of the explanation of how ebay used to count a non completed return as a ding in our seller metric if the buyer opened it up as snad .. whether they returned it or not.    now ebay has said that if after 15 days, the buyer still doesn't return the item, they will remove  the ding from our seller metric.  But now that I think about it. I'm not so sure .  Did they did say they would remove a seller metric ding for an uncompleted return that was opened as an snad  but eventually was closed by ebay for non return.??

[fern*wood]

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@lasantino wrote:

well.. unfreakingbelievable..  we better ask for clear details.. what does 10 days mean to ebay,,is that including the day the return request is open ? does that include all calendar days?? because if not.. basically ebay is giving 3 full weeks for a buyer to return an item after they open a return request..

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I can tell you how ebay will count 10 days.  I issued a partial refund on the 10th using the TRS protection for a faulty return.  I was told the buyer has 10 days to dispute this (can call them any day they wished) but ebay gave them until yesterday (26th) to do this before they closed the return.   So even when the mail wasn't involved they only count business days too.

[lasantino]

what?!?!..  fernwood  are you saying that even the protection that ebay claims is some breakthrough... that it provides only trs sellers for faulty returns.. which is..

1.ebay will credit you up to 6 dollars for the shipping label you were forced to pay for on the faulty return.. even if the shipping label cost 15 dollars. or 20 dollars.. 6 dollars is all they will offer...

2.you can deduct up to 50% of the price of the item from the return if it's returned in a condition different than you sent it..

are you sayin that the buyer returned an item and then even after you proceeded to follow the instructions for trs sellers...  reporting the buyer,, refunding a reduced amount.   ebay didn't close the return  out for another 16 days?? 

I was told that if the buyer contests it,, ebay would make up the difference from what the trs deducted.  .. you shouldn't have had to wait for anything. you did your part.

[threshold.sales.group]

The vague language should have been clipped prior to the announcement. 

The new policy actually is that if the buyer files an SNAD claim anytime 30 business days after receipt, the buyer now has at least 15 business days for the item to show an acceptance scan. 

[bargainbigly]

Amazon can handle returns. They pay 80% less for shipping than everyone else, and they have such a massive infrastructure that the return never travels more than 20 miles.

eBay's management somehow think little mom and pop sellers, and individuals selling a few household items and unwanted gifts are going to be able to provide the same return policy as a 1 trillion dollar company. 

So if someone sells an unwanted Christmas gift say a pair of sneakers on eBay they are expected to pay for return shipping cuz another individual decides that they don't want it?

It makes no sense whatsoever. Joe has to pay Steve $20 for what? When Joe is not a business, just some guy trying to sell an unwanted Christmas gift.

[bigdeals.etc]

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@threshold.sales.group wrote:

The vague language should have been clipped prior to the announcement. 

The new policy actually is that if the buyer files an SNAD claim anytime 30 business days after receipt, the buyer now has at least 15 business days for the item to show an acceptance scan. 

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To my understanding, this policy is also for remorse returns. Can someone else confirm this?

[lasantino]

YES.  Is this just for snad claims or remorse returns also..?

[city*satins]

The long and short of this change is that some bean counter has done the math and presented the $$$ interest earned when eBay sits on the Final Fee for up to 35 business days.

[threshold.sales.group]

Good question. Would love to know if it also applies to remorse returns?  

I also forgot to note earlier that the new policy for sellers providing their own shipping label is that the return window is now full 30 working days from the start of the claim to have any carrier scan show up. 

[bigdeals.etc]

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@threshold.sales.group wrote:

Good question. Would love to know if it also applies to remorse returns?  

I also forgot to note earlier that the new policy for sellers providing their own shipping label is that the return window is now full 30 working days from the start of the claim to have any carrier scan show up. 

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If you look at the verbiage of the update, it doesn't give any mention of SNAD or remorse... it just says "return". And as we all know, returns include both SNADs and remorse. That's how I read it.

I agree that it would be helpful if one of the blues can come in and just confirm this to erase any doubt.