Unenforcable 'terms' in listings

[jonathankirkland]

I had a thought, wondering if anyone has any opinion on it. It probably really doesn't matter but if it does I may consider adding them..

I've seen some thoughtfully worded, almost legalize sounding terms in listings and just wondering if they are a possible scammer deterrent?

Even though you, me and probably the scammers know none of it is enforceable, if they see that I just wonder if they'd rather go for a softer target and not mess with someone who puts such things in? Or does it have the opposite effect and make the scammer think the seller doesn't know what they're doing so they target them harder?

I'm probably being overly paranoid for nothing, but the fear of being scammed is preventing me from getting back to selling.

99% of what I sell is electronics, gaming related by the way. Nothing crazy expensive or popular like PS5s or Nintendo Switches, mostly older stuff, which I think may also tamp down on the scammers but it seems the scammers have been ramping up recently and just targeting everything and everyone and pulling switcheroos and all kinds of **bleep**. Just gives me nightmares and makes me sad every time someone comes here with the story of how they've recently been robbed. The dollar amount doesn't matter, I still feel horrible for each person whether its $50 or $5,000.

[2013grotz]

I figure anything I would write as "sales terms" into my listings would be moot as the ebay buyer MBG and their penchant to always side with the buyer would trump it all anyway.  Usually the only thing I put in item listings as terms of "notices" is if there's a plan to pull the item, which is the case with several of mine right now.

[jonathankirkland]

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@2013grotz wrote:

I figure anything I would write as "sales terms" into my listings would be moot as the ebay buyer MBG and their penchant to always side with the buyer would trump it all anyway.  Usually the only thing I put in item listings as terms of "notices" is if there's a plan to pull the item, which is the case with several of mine right now.

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I understand, but it was more of a question if it would be a SCAMMER DETERRENT, or if it would actually be a scammer magnet, or have no effect whatsoever.

Sorry for not making it more clear what my actual question was in the original post.

[vintagecraze50]

Jonathan, I think that if you have the free shipping and free returns and are able to utilize the up to 50 percent off the price if you get a scam return would help more than anything. It’s been so long that we have had it that I cannot remember the criteria you have to meet to get that benefit here. Scammers who know about this will be deterred from scamming if they know there is a possibility of loosing half their scam money.

[jonathankirkland]

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@vintagecraze50 wrote:

Jonathan, I think that if you have the free shipping and free returns and are able to utilize the up to 50 percent off the price if you get a scam return would help more than anything. It’s been so long that we have had it that I cannot remember the criteria you have to meet to get that benefit here.

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You have to offer free shipping AND free returns both? I thought it was just free returns... doh... I can't really do the free shipping thing. 😞 I tried that before and I got murdered every time someone on the west coast bought from me (I'm in the Midwest).

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@vintagecraze50 wrote:

Scammers who know about this will be deterred from scamming if they know there is a possibility of loosing half their scam money.

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Yeah this was exactly my thinking. A scammer won't want to pay a dime let alone half their money to try to steal from me. I am not saying I have 'the hottest stuff' by any means, but some of the petty scams I've seen on here and seemingly on the rise, it just makes me sick thinking about it happening to me not once but possibly multiple times and that would just be gut wrenching for me.

[katzrul15]

Many people in your category state As Is and state somewhere that it is "tested".

Sounds great, means nada.

Your best defense is to use all 12 pix, over-describe the item, condition, flaws, etc and signature confirmation when financially feasible.  On higher price items, we state in the listing it will require SC and we use Fedex, adult signature required.

I would restrict where you sell (no high end international), no PO Boxes, etc.

Unfortunately, build in some theft/shrinkage dollar amount, just in case. 

Good luck as you ease back into selling!!  Most buyers are honest.  

[2013grotz]

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@jonathankirkland wrote:

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I understand, but it was more of a question if it would be a SCAMMER DETERRENT, or if it would actually be a scammer magnet, or have no effect whatsoever.

Sorry for not making it more clear what my actual question was in the original post.

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Not a problem.  I figure a lot of scammers are going to study whatever it is enough to know how to scam, so they might read something like that and just laugh at it.  It may even attract them more since they figure anyone that's enough of a rube to think they can actually enforce their own sales terms on the site in the face of ebay would probably be easy pickings.  Just my initial thought on the matter.

[vintagecraze50]

Yes, I know. I hate to see those posts come up here. My hope always is that this is not getting more frequent in the whole scope of selling here but just the rarer posts that come up when this stuff happens. We all want to feel safe here.

[vintagecraze50]

Oh yes, signature tracking to prevent those, I did not get it folks, and pictures of every angle.

[katzrul15]

You just have to offer 30 day returns, Buyer pays to return to qualify for TRS protections.

To get the additional discount for TRS+, it is 1 day handling, Free returns.

To qualify for TRS, you have to meet the selling qualifications in the past 12 months.

[2013grotz]

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@jonathankirkland wrote:

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You have to offer free shipping AND free returns both? I thought it was just free returns... doh... I can't really do the free shipping thing. 😞 I tried that before and I got murdered every time someone on the west coast bought from me (I'm in the Midwest).

I recognize I have a limited amount of data to go after in terms of my sales compared to most, but for what I notice it seems "free shipping" actually attracts buyers from the coasts compared to "Calculated Shipping" (got bit on the coastal thing recently, but thankfully I found out before the sale could go through).  I'll have to look into it closely and figure out what region is the most expensive to ship to so I can use that as a basis (usually just use Seattle when I figure my "free shipping" bumps).

Anyway, what I said makes sense as a lot of the exorbitant shipping cost gets hidden in "Free Shipping".  When they really see it costs $15-$20 to ship a simple item, it seems to turn people off.  Psychology more than reality I guess if you bump an item by that instead.   Of course in pricing, someone's always going to get the short-end when it comes to a cost bump to add for "Free Shipping".  It just what it is.

[katzrul15]

https://pages.ebay.com/seller-center/service-and-payments/top-rated-program.html#benefits

[jonathankirkland]

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@katzrul15 wrote:

https://pages.ebay.com/seller-center/service-and-payments/top-rated-program.html#benefits

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Thanks!

Last time I was on here I remember I reached Top Rated very easily, without even much effort.

Pretty sure I can do it again. Just want to get to that point where those protections can be in place for me then I think I'll be pretty comfortable again. 🙂

[moondogblues]

I just want to point out that people on the West Coast have money....most of us anyway.  (That is the perception, isn't it?)  And yes it costs a bit more to ship things to us, but add a buck to the listing and then if you sell to Alabama or Georgia put a dollar in the package.  Fair is fair.

Tired of being a West Coast scape goat...

[2013grotz]

That's definitely the advantage of "Calculated Shipping".  Definitely feel it's much more fair overall.   But I definitely am trying to wrap my mind around the psychology behind "Free Shipping" and why that seems to draw buyers more (well at least ebay says that...).  So the question is how to do "Free Shipping" without it turning out to not be fair to someone along the line.