Very High Item not as Described - Buyers choosing wrong return reason

[bubbles1234567]

I am being charged an additional 4% final value fee because several buyers are claiming that the item is not as described. I sell multiple items in one variation listing, and I had 2-3 buyers who imagined they were getting all the items for the price of one, even though I stated clearly in the item description that items are sold separately.

This happened prior to October 1st, when eBay instituted this new service metrics policy that charges 4% additional final value fee. My rate is 4.02%. I called eBay to demand correction, since the reasons that the buyers are selecting is wrong. Customer service agreed but declined there was any way to correct the metrics. 

This seems very unfair. I have to pay additional fees for reasons buyers may select that is not in my control. I offer free 60 day returns and give a refund, whatever the reason, as long as I get my item back (even if the item is damaged). Has anyone had this encounter? What can I do?

[iaintdoingit]

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@bubbles1234567 wrote:

I am being charged an additional 4% final value fee because several buyers are claiming that the item is not as described. I sell multiple items in one variation listing, and I had 2-3 buyers who imagined they were getting all the items for the price of one, even though I stated clearly in the item description that items are sold separately.

This happened prior to October 1st, when eBay instituted this new service metrics policy that charges 4% additional final value fee. My rate is 4.02%. I called eBay to demand correction, since the reasons that the buyers are selecting is wrong. Customer service agreed but declined there was any way to correct the metrics. 

This seems very unfair. I have to pay additional fees for reasons buyers may select that is not in my control. I offer free 60 day returns and give a refund, whatever the reason, as long as I get my item back (even if the item is damaged). Has anyone had this encounter? What can I do?

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You might want to look at this discussion:  Variable Options Listings

It seems that multiple listings are a problem.

[gracieallen01]

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@rpalma wrote:

As you sell more items, your return rate for SNAD will drop, right?

You can also be proactive going forward and ask the buyer to contact you directly if there are any problems with the order. Of course, if they couldn't read the listing, it's unlikely they will read or understand this either.

While you are probably correct, if you are having significant returns because people didn't understand the listing, then it is time to rewrite the listings so they are clearer or stop selling items that people are returning at an excessive rate.

I have a couple of categories where I won't list anymore because payment was slow and return requests were too high.

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Not necessarily.  If your 'peer group' has a change in their return rate, you could sell 10x what you did and still be in the top percentage for the added rate.  Of course, you would have to know what and who your 'peer group' is to be able to contest it. 

[toyshnip]

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@coolections wrote:

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@emerald40 wrote:

We would have to see your actual title and listing under your selling account to see how it is worded. Did you show all of them together in your photos.  Since this has happened 3 times with 3 different sellers, there is apparently some confusion as to what buyers will receive.

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I hate those listings with different items and different prices. To me it is a scam and I wish Ebay will stop allowing it to happen. With that said, my guess is what you wrote is the exact reason for the buyer confusion. OP needs to make changes and make them fast. Something is confusing the buyers over the OP's listing.

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We sell action figures that are part of a series. It makes sense to group them into 1 listing, as people want sometimes to buy a few items in the series to complete a set. If it was in different listings, customers may not know that we hold the full set.

Now, I do know that it could be confusing for customers. So in the title we always put "choose your favorite figure". Customer often just read the title and look and the photo and skip the description and we need to dumb it down for them.

[myjunqueyourtreasure]

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@lightlily_arts wrote:

what I find completely stupid is that eBay penalizes sellers for returns at all.  eBay wants you to take returns to make buyers happy and then they turn around and penalize you for it as well.

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But isn't that just the "ebay way" nowadays?

[myjunqueyourtreasure]

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@toyshnip wrote:

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@coolections wrote:

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@emerald40 wrote:

We would have to see your actual title and listing under your selling account to see how it is worded. Did you show all of them together in your photos.  Since this has happened 3 times with 3 different sellers, there is apparently some confusion as to what buyers will receive.

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I hate those listings with different items and different prices. To me it is a scam and I wish Ebay will stop allowing it to happen. With that said, my guess is what you wrote is the exact reason for the buyer confusion. OP needs to make changes and make them fast. Something is confusing the buyers over the OP's listing.

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We sell action figures that are part of a series. It makes sense to group them into 1 listing, as people want sometimes to buy a few items in the series to complete a set. If it was in different listings, customers may not know that we hold the full set.

Now, I do know that it could be confusing for customers. So in the title we always put "choose your favorite figure". Customer often just read the title and look and the photo and skip the description and we need to dumb it down for them.

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Any variation listing I do I always put either choose from menu, pick from menu in the title for this very reason.

[divwido]

Do you how many web pages there are with a title along the lines of-Is ebay about to go out of business.

[divwido]

Buyers

[divwido]

Why did you not separate the listings after the first time?

I also hate seeing something I like at one price, but there are others for much more money.  That's not a smart thing to do.  Separate them out so no one thinks you are lying to them.

The other rule from fifteen or so years ago is NEVER SHOW SOMETHING IN THE PICTURE THAT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE LISTING.   4% would kill eBay for me.  If you come back to sell, please learn to make sure everyone knows what they are getting.

[myjunqueyourtreasure]

But that rule doesn't hold for the gallery pic in a multi variation listing.

You're allowed to show ALL the variations available in the gallery photo.

[ifyouloveit]

Oh they know what a bell curve is. This is a money grab, nothing more, nothing less.

Buyers will chose the reason that suits THEM the best, not the honest reason for the return. eBay is fully aware that buyers are doing this to all of us, they hope it continues in spades because they can squeeze more money out of you.

I think it's awful. Sellers are getting angrier and angrier and it's no stretch to imagine that some sellers are ripping into buyers, never a good thing.

eBay is a huge money grab now by eBay, sell here at your own risk. I've moved most of my selling to a different platform where they do not allow buyers to steal.

[kh-gary]

Hi everyone,

Due to the length of time that has passed since this thread began, we have locked it from future replies. If this is still an issue that warrants discussion, don't hesitate to begin a new thread here: https://community.ebay.com/t5/forums/postpage/board-id/selling-db.

Thanks.