@abfabvintage wrote:
@vrykalak
I have been beating this dead horse about that Return Button since midsummer when they instituted it...I don't buy here, but as a test bought something in May just to see what buyer's see once they buy. Through the whole buying process (day I bought it, while it was in transit to me, and after it reached me), eBay kept sending me cheaper items, not even close to what I purchased. Then the seller and I left mutual positive feedback. All done EXCEPT that big ole return button stayed on my purchase history for over 60 days when, in fact, the seller only had a 30 day buyer pays return. I have said it before...that Button only is a subliminal push to get the buyer to rescind on the sale, not to mention the 5 days of ebay showing me cheaper items which to me is enticing me to maybe cancel the order since eBay showed me something cheaper. Rant is done.
Granted, yes, other ecomm sites have a return block, but not a glaring huge Return button that sits there all alone for like 60 days. I like how the Big A does it: you purchase it, then it puts a comment under your item "Return eligible up to XX date." Then to the side in a small blocks: track, return or replace, Share gift receipt, Leave FB, write a review. Now that verbage is when your item is still under their Return warranty. Once you pass that return date, it says: Return window closed on xxx, then blocks: track, Leave FB, write review, archive order. No where is there anything blaring like the eBay Return Button. Second rant done.
As I recall, eBay used to work similarly to this but its been changed at some point.
I wasn't aware the button is showing for longer than the return window, although it can be argued that if they bought with PayPal the button can probably be there for 180 days.
After your return window you are not obligated to accept the return so regardless of whether the button is there or not you can still decline.
This is a touchy topic because realistically, a customer can buy something 10 years ago and still walk into a B&M and still try to return it today. Its up to the store as to how they decide to handle it at that point.
I think eBay is trying to make the potential customer feel comfortable about purchasing. I can't really blame them for that.
I propose the following for though:
Say seller has a 30 day return policy and item legitimately breaks on day 31. Then, they go to the site, and can't find any way to return the item. How will the customer perceive this? My guess is, not well.
And, I would venture to say that in most B&Ms if you had a fault on day 31 w/ a 30 day return policy and it was legit, the management would probably do *something* for you. Maybe accept the return... maybe a gift card... maybe a steep discount on a new item. I dunno... depends on the situation.
Removing the button kinda "cuts off" the line of communication, or at least sets up a roadblock. The customer is unlikely to be happy with this.
I have had eBay contact me about customers requesting return outside the return window before and I have also had the same thing happen on Amazon. So, if the button is not there to contact you directly, the customer is just going to call and complain about you to the advertising agency(eBay).
In the end, it probably serves the seller well to at least acknowledge and communicate with the customer, even if the answer is that you won't accept the return because its outside the window.
I'm not sure that eBay can do this (as far as I know, they can't) but it would be great if eBay offered a feature to let sellers offer a previous buyer some kind of discount code(gift card) on a future purchase.
