Very high not as described metric

[laststoptrainshop]

I sell hobby items such as model trains, cars and airplanes. In the model train area which is my main business, I have 15 returns and my metric is at 1.6% (very high). Of those 15 returns all but 2 of them were in working order as described and most are even re-sold. Does anyone know how to get those removed so I don't have to pay the 5% penalty. Not only am I out the shipping cost there and back plus the time invested but now I'm paying hundreds of dollars in penalty fees from eBay.

Carl

Last Stop Train Shop

[inhawaii]

Why do you think YOU are experiencing such high nad returns?

[fashunu4eeuh]

I see you are offering free returns. Is this something new you are trying in response to the high NAD percentage? Or has it been all along?

What do most of the NAD cases claim? Damage in transit? Something else?

[fashunu4eeuh]

A defect is given for Money Back Guarantee cases that are not resolved by the seller, according to the policy regarding performance levels. Are you not approving the refunds once the case is opened, and then ebay steps in to refund? Are you disputing the claims?

While of course you want to try to lower your fees, the most pressing issue is to stop these cases from happening to begin with. Your selling privileges are riding on it.

[forward-motion]

I was in the same boat 2 years ago. I decided to do something about it. Yes, I agree not all returns are legitimate. However, I have found that better and more communication with the buyer was essential.

The first thing I did was, make sure my listings were accurate and exactly what was described.

Secondly, packing and shipping is another important thing, make sure you are packing with extra care so that the item arrives safely. Pack it as if it were eggs being shipped. Tape, tape and triple tape. 

Third, I changed my feedback to the buyer to asking them to contact me first if there are any issues. Then I added a note with the packing slip to contact me first if there are any issues. This is on the outside of the package in a clear packing slip envelope and highlighted. I also send the buyer a message after the sale thanking them for the purchase, and again asking them to contact me first if any problems. 

Some buyers do contact me first, and I try to work with them by offering a partial discount or whole discount and keeping the item. These returns never get counted because they were never returned. 

The ones that do want to return it for a refund I ask them not to mark it "not as described " 

Then there are the ones that are just flat out wrong, and I have fought with eBay and gotten them removed. 

Since I took control of my returns, I went from being in the very high not as described category. To below my peers now. 

I can't stress enough how important it is to make sure you are sending exactly what you are describing in your listing. It starts there first.  

[forward-motion]

I forgot to add, during the time I was being charged 5% extra for very high not as described. I raised my prices in bulk by 5%. My sales did not go down. 

[johnrj1226]

@laststoptrainshop 

@forward-motion 

To Answer your specific question - "Does anyone know how to get those removed so I don't have to pay the 5% penalty."

Answer:  Sorry but NO - the time to resolve the return issue is at the time the sends a you a question about the items or opens a return case. 

1.  Don't  get into a exchange of words debate of "Yes it was, no it wasn't". Remain professional

2. When the buyer clearly indicates they ain't  happy - just simply reply "Return for Refund" if they open a "Item Not As Described" case - send them a return  shipping label. 

3. Buyers are not required to contact the seller before opening the case - just accept that fact.. 

4. Once eBay gets involved in resolving the matter - you (the seller) have lost the case and you stand a real good chance of supplying a full refunds, shipping label and the buyer keeps the item.

5. forward motion  - provided some nice suggestions for the future

[mandisattictoyz]

So, here is the lowdown on this very subject:  the same thing happens to me every month.  I sell toys.  Someone returns something not as described or blah blah **bleep** and then it’s sold the next day and I get a 5 star review.  Even if you offer free returns and take 50% for them using it or abusing it.  But even after they open a case to get their 50% back, ebay will always pay the 50% back to the customer without taking it from you.  And the message also say, this will not count against your seller performance.  Well guess where service metrics is located?   Oh, under seller performance tab.  No way.  But here’s even the bigger catch:  if you go to your service metrics, at the bottom left there is a . Csv file you can download for excel that gives you a spreadsheet of the orders and a yes or no on each one stating whether they count against you or not.  In a 3 month rolling period, the same returns that counted against you for month 1, will start saying no for month 2 and 3.  Which, of course, is not by any means legal.  Anti-trust, yes and my lawyers are not only on this but this may actually be a bigger thing then it is.  Because if you take a return, count it against someone for the first month but not the second or third how is this even conceivable?  If it counts against you for month 1 it should very well count for months 2 & 3 as well.  But they change them to no.  But if they were no to begin with I wouldn’t have very high not as described metrics.  How many people are affected by this?  How many millions of dollars are they unjustly taking?  That’s why this is the golden key perhaps, I may have discovered something they don’t want people to know.  I feel like they have somebody in a foreign country throw darts at a list of returns and which ones hit are a yes, they count against you.  It is completely ridiculous and I’m already in the middle of arbitration for this very same thing.  But it may sound like more of a judicial thing than arbitration.  We’re just waiting for the outcome of arbitration and when I win, we’re going to take this further my lawyers say and pursue anti-trust issues with this policy as it is not at all accurate.

the metric also says compared to your piers in this category that sell the same stuff and what not.  But here is the catch, I am number 2 on eBay USA for contemporary board games sales, so I have only 1 pier, and I’d love to know what exactly they sell and how they sell it.  Because I sell mostly used, and I have a feeling that they compare to sellers that sell new or whatever.  So who are they really comparing me to?  I’m waiting on the subpoenaed data to come to investigate what actual numbers they compare you to.  I’m looking forward to busting eBay open and holding them accountable for their greedy actions trying to do whatever they can to raise profits.  If they would stop taking from sellers and come up with something else to make more profits, then this obviously wouldn’t be an issue.  But I feel pretty good as I’ve got them by the kahunas.

[dhbookds]

I don't think the peer comparison is by seller size (I am number 2 on eBay USA for contemporary board games sales, so I have only 1 pier), rather it is by all sellers in the category........

[bashort]

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@fashunu4eeuh wrote:

A defect is given for Money Back Guarantee cases that are not resolved by the seller, according to the policy regarding performance levels. Are you not approving the refunds once the case is opened, and then ebay steps in to refund? Are you disputing the claims?

While of course you want to try to lower your fees, the most pressing issue is to stop these cases from happening to begin with. Your selling privileges are riding on it.

---

This has nothing to do with not accepting returns but rather to many not as described returns triggers the 5% penalty. 

[johnrj1226]

While you do a very nice job in photgraphing your items - lotas of pic from diff angles, your need to complete the other  half of  the equation. and describe your used items as if there were no pictures - word like excellent  have different means - describe the little dings, scratches, squeaks, etc - short and sweet work well for me - write them in the conditions box and repeat them in the descriptions.  eBay likes that very much - might help you.- I did it when I was selling had only one items that the buyer claimed  not as described out of 1665 items sold.

Your call

[laststoptrainshop]

Lack of buyer knowledge how to operate. I try to give them advice but electric trains can be a bit tricky.

[laststoptrainshop]

Top Rated and have been for over a year. I try to give the buyer advice on how to operate it then approve the returns and send refunds every time. The defect doesn't affect my selling privileges but does hurt my metrics with a penalty charging 5% of every penny collected. As I stated in the op all but 2 of them worked when getting back to me.

[laststoptrainshop]

Thank you for the very informative reply. I do most of that beside the packing slip, after sale message and feedback. Any flaws are pointed out in the condition, description and pics. Items are in working order when they get back as stated in the op. I show that even partial refunds still get counted. Fighting with eBay cost me too much time and time is money. I do like the idea of raising prices 5% and am going to look into the packing slip idea. You ask the buyer to contact you in your feedback left?

[laststoptrainshop]

If it has rust, something missing or damaged I put it in the condition and description. Below is an example of one. My issue is with them stating is doesn't work and when I get back it does. Then I resale it and get excellent feedback.

Condition:

Used

“Very good condition with a small chip on one corner of the roof”