Stop Selling on eBay. Return Policy. Double Listing Fees.

[kyuzo42]

I've been selling items on eBay stochastically for 10 years now. Recent selling experience has caused me to pull all of my listings.

eBay's new Buying system encourages customers to return items. Instead of having buyers simply push the "Leave Feedback" button, eBay has made it super easy for customers to return items - without paying for the return shipping. The "Leave Feedback" button has changed to "Return Item." An obvious way eBay can help sellers is by making it a little harder for Buying Customers to go through the process of returning an item. Instead, returning an item is clear as day for Buying Customers and the first button available after a sale.

Additionally as many Sellers know, eBay takes a transaction sum immediately after the sale AND a final value sum after the end of the month. This is ridiculous.

[sanderella90]

i would hope that i could spend my money 100% worry free! if there was a chance of being taken do you think that there would be as many sales? so im not understanding why its a bad thing to entice buyes to spend thier money as they now know they are protected against bad things happening and not being able to get their $ back

[castlemagicmemories]

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@coolections wrote:

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@jonathankirkland wrote:

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@m60driver wrote:

 I just refund and tell the customer to donate the item to charity.

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Sorry but IMHO you are part of the problem here then. I would never refund someone and let them keep the item. EVER. You are harboring and encouraging the seedy types that I think most sellers here despise.

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Depending on the price of the item sellers should do that. To make a buyer waste their time returning something that should be in the garbage is one of the problems with Ebay sellers. The best way to avoid situations like that is don't list garbage in the first place.

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Absolutely!  It may not be worth paying the price of shipping for the return, and have to refund item price and original shipping, too.

[the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth]

Having separate shipping allows sellers to combine on multiples and encourages buyers to buy more. Those sellers are being strategic and encouraging buyers who think free shipping is a gimmick that often costs them more money.

[percgrabbe-0]

Well here is the thing ebay makes money selling return labels. They make fees. So what they did was make it easier to sell return labels to buyers if they want one. That way ebay makes money even if you are selling inadequate items. Ebay is just another seller here in that respect. They want to sell postage. 

[Anonymous]

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@kyuzo42 wrote:

I've been selling items on eBay stochastically for 10 years now. Recent selling experience has caused me to pull all of my listings.

eBay's new Buying system encourages customers to return items. Instead of having buyers simply push the "Leave Feedback" button, eBay has made it super easy for customers to return items - without paying for the return shipping. The "Leave Feedback" button has changed to "Return Item." An obvious way eBay can help sellers is by making it a little harder for Buying Customers to go through the process of returning an item. Instead, returning an item is clear as day for Buying Customers and the first button available after a sale.

Additionally as many Sellers know, eBay takes a transaction sum immediately after the sale AND a final value sum after the end of the month. This is ridiculous.

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Hi @kyuzo42, I definitely want to clear up any misconceptions here. Streamlining the return process for buyer's actually does serve to benefit the seller as it improves an already poor experience for one of your customers and strengthens their confidence in buying on eBay in the future. Buyer's are not going to return an item simply because they see the option to do so, but instead will seek out a return when they are not satisfied with their purchase. 

Hiding this option or making it difficult to find in some way will only frustrate buyers who are seeking a resolution, which may lead to them choosing to shop elsewhere. Returns are a part of every business model and while they can be stressful for any seller, it isn't our goal to prevent them but instead to support our Community through the process.

Lastly, we do not assess a fee at the time of the sale and then again later - the Final Value Fee for your sold item is only charged once via your invoice. There may or may not be an insertion fee when you list the item on the site depending on your current promotions (as all members received 50 free insertion fee credits a month, and more with store subscriptions). You can review more details on fees via this link and are welcome to let me know if you have any other questions!

[kyuzo42]

Thanks for the reply. I remember the listing fee and final value fee from way back in 2008, but when items get returned so frequently now the double fee is extra annoying.

[buyselljack2016]

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@kyuzo42 wrote:

Thanks for the reply. I remember the listing fee and final value fee from way back in 2008, but when items get returned so frequently now the double fee is extra annoying.

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If you have frequent returns, it would seem part of the problem s on the seller end.

My retrurns are infequent. The last 2 were flat out "buyer errors".  Nice thing was they both admitted it.

[memphiskansasgirl123]

when a buyer returns an item and the seller buys their return label from eBay, the price the seller pays is more than what the post office charged eBay, so eBay does make money off return shipping.

[kyuzo42]

Let's say I sell an item for $110. Once the item is shipped (let's forget the shipping cost), my paypal account is credited $106.51 for the $110 sale. At the end of the month eBay then charges me $11.90 for "Preapproved Payment." I may have sold one other small cheap item on eBay this month.

For the $110 item eBay charges $3.49. $110 - $106.51 = $3.49. On top of that eBay charges me $11.90 for the two things I sold. Let's say the $1.90 was for the other item of two sold in the month.

For the item I sold eBay charged me $3.49 + $10.00 = $13.49.

I am not exceeding the 50 item insertion free fee. I am not subscribing.

[fern*wood]

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@kyuzo42 wrote:
Let's say I sell an item for $110. Once the item is shipped (let's forget the shipping cost), my paypal account is credited $106.51 for the $110 sale. At the end of the month eBay then charges me $11.90 for "Preapproved Payment." I may have sold one other small cheap item on eBay this month.

For the $110 item eBay charges $3.49. $110 - $106.51 = $3.49. On top of that eBay charges me $11.90 for the two things I sold. Let's say the $1.90 was for the other item of two sold in the month.

For the item I sold eBay charged me $3.49 + $10.00 = $13.49.

I am not exceeding the 50 item insertion free fee. I am not subscribing.

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The first fee taken out of your payment was paypal's fee.  The other fee at the end of the month is the ebay final value fee.   Each company has a separate fee.

[whatmorefabric]

Dear Trinton  I sell fabric.     I take returns for any reason because when you get the fabric in hand,  it might not be what you  are looking for.      Most  fabric sellers do not take returns on cut goods,  but I do so that no one is stuck with another fabric for the stash.

Most of my returns are that the customer does not know what  they are buying.   This week I had three.   One return is because a customer did not realize that  a Liverpool knit is  a bulky sweater knit and not  like a slinky ITY.   The description was missed on their mobile phone.    They did not check item specifics that said Heavy.     She was so grateful after he mistake that she could return it.

Another return is because of her  poor monitor that did not show the linear lines of the fill in of a flower.

My third return this week is because she got it in person and just did not like it.

In EACH case I took the return and paid the return shipping so that my customers know that if the fabric is not going to work for them,   they can return it.    Now I am going to be penalized.   

There are also those savvy buyers that know that if they claim a SNAD,   they can get their original postage back.     I have one return of a bright neon orange safety corduroy from LL Bean that was returned because she said it was Pink.    Really...

[kyuzo42]

I heard people on these forums complaining about how the shipping fees are too high. I agree. This may be how eBay profits off of returns. I do not know the actual versus charged shipping fees though so I cannot bark up that tree.

Returns are ridiculous on eBay now for SNAD returns. If a customer REALLY doesn't like what they bought on any website or store, the expectation is they drive BACK to the store and ship BACK the item they do not want. Sticking sellers with return shipping is ridiculous.

[purple-rain-store]

Hi @kyuzo42, I definitely want to clear up any misconceptions here. Streamlining the return process for buyer's actually does serve to benefit the seller as it improves an """already poor experience for one of your customers"""" and strengthens their confidence in buying on eBay in the future.

So it is conceived that any buyer that needs to return an item has experienced a "poor experience" from a seller? I don't understand this thinking it's like a black or white thinking. I've had many returns were buyers didn't read meaurements and returned due to fit. So how is that a "poor experience ."  I've had buyer's rent my item and make up a excuse to stick me with shipping both ways, think Halloween costume. I've had buyers return things because they changed their mind.   

[Anonymous]

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@coolections wrote:

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@jonathankirkland wrote:

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@m60driver wrote:

 I just refund and tell the customer to donate the item to charity.

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Sorry but IMHO you are part of the problem here then. I would never refund someone and let them keep the item. EVER. You are harboring and encouraging the seedy types that I think most sellers here despise.

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Depending on the price of the item sellers should do that. To make a buyer waste their time returning something that should be in the garbage is one of the problems with Ebay sellers. The best way to avoid situations like that is don't list garbage in the first place.

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So why buy the garbage?

[kyuzo42]

I agree consolejb.