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.

[steven.cal]

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@mtgraves7984 wrote:

@steven.cal 

So, if a buyer prints the return label immediately but sits on mailing it for 7 days... eBay will automatically close it?

That's allowing for your 5-day scan period.

No additional work for the seller? No call to eBay to close the return?

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You are correct you won't need to contact eBay to close the return. 

By 'we allow the return to remain open an additional 5 business days to ensure shipping scans are captured"  we meant 5 days in addition to the 10 days we wait from the time the buyer was given the eBay label. So in total, from the time the buyer has access to the label, it may take up to 15 business days for the return to automatically close.  I'm sorry I didn't make that clear in my original response. 

[mtmonks]

Why wasn't that just explicitly stated in the spring update? LOL

The buyer printing the label does not require an additional five business days to ensure that the tracking scans are captured--this is a little overboard, but I'm sure this is just part of the continuous extension of return windows. With non-business days included, we essentially end up with a 50 day return policy, roughly speaking. 

These may be "retail standards," but this is eBay. Buyers come here for the lowest prices, first and foremost. Giving them additional service incentives obviously helps, but sellers are getting killed, as they largely consist of small businesses and individuals that do not have the means to keep up with many of these "requirements." It's a shame that eBay has lost its original identity by panicking and aspiring to create the facade of a big retailer, whilst also depending solely upon third party merchants and relenting to activist investors who apparently have no interest in doing what's best for the company. This aggressive transition towards "industry standards" has been ongoing for years now and has produced minimal results. At some point, I hope someone puts the breaks on all of these short-term, reactionary policies, and re-evaluates the identity of this marketplace. 

At the very least, get rid of service metrics. Promoted listings is fair game, but the former is and underhanded and disgusting way of depriving sellers of protections/churning out more unjust fees, period. 

[nuclearomen]

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@blacktopautoparts wrote:

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.

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Exactly what I was wondering! The way was is that buyer has 30 days to file return after purchase, once they file a return they had 5 days to have the item back to seller, if item wasn't returned within that time frame the case could be closed... and I had a few cases such as this, buyer requested a return, I waited and waited and waited, 5 -  I even waited once 10 days before I called ebay to have the return closed cause the buyers never sent the item back. Now I don't have problems with returns in general, I do believe that buyers deserve to return an item if they want and get a refund as long as the item is returned undamaged and/ or with all tags intact but they MUST return an item in reasonable and logical time period, why ebay can't see and understand this is beyond me! 

[fern*wood]

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@steven.cal wrote:

By 'we allow the return to remain open an additional 5 business days to ensure shipping scans are captured"  we meant 5 days in addition to the 10 days we wait from the time the buyer was given the eBay label. So in total, from the time the buyer has access to the label, it may take up to 15 business days for the return to automatically close.  I'm sorry I didn't make that clear in my original response. 

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Now how could we have possibly known that is what you meant?  Why is the information in the updates always so vague?  Then we have to pull information out of the answers to the inevitable questions?   We are usually intelligent enough to understand things if information is complete when given.   It's no wonder we feel constant frustration.

[mobley120]

"I feel like this is what they are pushing towards is 60 day returns being the standard policy for eBay. Yet another seller update a total lack of seller protections. This is why this company is on a total down slope, we can't be giving everything away for free or pennies on the dollar."

Looking at the below numbers, such can give some insight on why eBay is moving in the direction they're moving in... Last check "which was yesterday" eBay's growth is flat-lining. But I do not believe they are too much concerned about it, as they're banking on the market value of mid to large size businesses and the sales of NEW product rather than flea market type product. And it's quite obvious eBay is weeding-out the mom and pop stores, but they're also trying to skim every dime that they can skim off of mom and pop as they weed them out.

Percentage of NEW items sold on eBay: 80 plus percent

Active buyers on eBay: 183 million

Numbers of listings: roughly 1.2 billion

Average number of packages being shipped daily in the U.S. by eBay sellers:

1.5 million      

[mksports03]

60 day returns are a joke, we sell sports apparel, who/what takes 60 days to return an item, we have had items returned that we are sure were worn and then shipped back for refund, 60 days just gives dishonest buyers time to wear the item and then ship it back. Does ebay offer any protection for sellers these days?

[domin-tomas]

From what I took from yesterday is they will not give us sellers more protection.  Paraphrasing, They say that it is too much work to try to resolve and make the buyer prove for a return. No matter what happens we are now expected to return. That is my handle on it anyway.

[dentalsales4u]

In my industry, you have 10 business days to initiate a return. If product has been opened, no returns are accepted.....period!
But, in eBay's infinite wisdom, we can give them 60 + days if you don't pay eBay for the shipping labels.

[mtgraves7984]

@fern*wood 

"Now how could we have possibly known that is what you meant? Why is the information in the updates always so vague? Then we have to pull information out of the answers to the inevitable questions? We are usually intelligent enough to understand things if information is complete when given. It's no wonder we feel constant frustration."

And we can only wonder about the frustration to surely come...

This stinks.

[mobley120]

"In my industry, you have 10 business days to initiate a return. If product has been opened, no returns are accepted.....period!
But, in eBay's infinite wisdom, we can give them 60 + days if you don't pay eBay for the shipping labels."

I don't think eBay has much concern about the effects that their policies have on low impact businesses. And, I can only surmise: EBay seems to be looking at the percent of returns that are enacted through their system and what type of businesses have the majority of those returns.

I guess it kind of like this, if a business shows yearly revenues of "let's say" 10 million and or above, well, such a business can adsorb the losses and or cost of  X percent of returned items. And also, their selling volume will be high enough that they can even add some of those losses to the sales of future items, products, etc., so as to recover some of those losses. But smaller business and specialty type businesses will suffer due to eBay's new world. And if they lose those type of businesses, well, that's a very small percent in their projected picture of the future.

Bottom line, it's about the percentages and that's what eBay is looking at. They're putting their bets on mid to large size mainstream product type businesses. There's no other way to explain it.                       

[timzbiz]

So the buyer gets an extra 5 days to return a purchase yet the seller must refund payment within 2 days of receiving the return? This is another unfair policy change.

[nuclearomen]

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@mobley120 wrote:

"I feel like this is what they are pushing towards is 60 day returns being the standard policy for eBay. Yet another seller update a total lack of seller protections. This is why this company is on a total down slope, we can't be giving everything away for free or pennies on the dollar."

Looking at the below numbers, such can give some insight on why eBay is moving in the direction they're moving in... Last check "which was yesterday" eBay's growth is flat-lining. But I do not believe they are too much concerned about it, as they're banking on the market value of mid to large size businesses and the sales of NEW product rather than flea market type product. And it's quite obvious eBay is weeding-out the mom and pop stores, but they're also trying to skim every dime that they can skim off of mom and pop as they weed them out.

Percentage of NEW items sold on eBay: 80 plus percent

Active buyers on eBay: 183 million

Numbers of listings: roughly 1.2 billion

Average number of packages being shipped daily in the U.S. by eBay sellers:

1.5 million      

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if those numbers are correct it actually pretty scary... 183 million buyers compared to only 1.5 million daily packages...ouch... i wouldn't call that good! 

[lasantino]

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.

@steven.cal 

so what is ebay going to give back to sellers.  you basically are setting the lowest bar for buyer behavior but the highest bar for seller actions.  

[lasantino]

ebay has never been fair.. but I'm pretty sure this is very close to predatory behavior by a company that has sellers by the b*****. there just is no justification for changing this policy. other than buyers complained .
just like ebay took away the option to charge a restocking fee.. that was a great tool. All sellers had to state before the sale that they charged a restocking fee. Somehow.. buyers still didn't want to play fair.. so they complained to ebay and ebay takes that option away from sellers..

[mobley120]

the numbers are correct, and it seems you are possibly noting the flat line in eBay's growth. I guess eBay's marketing research is pointing towards and uplift by the enactment of their policies, Who knows? Marketing, 60 day guarantee plus: laymen terms, buy it, use it then get your money back : 0