Very liberal return policy??

[tck210]

As a courtesy I accepted a return request on an item 3 weeks after the sale.  The buyer actually stated, "Changed my mind".   I am basically thinking, I could use the camera lens myself, or sell it for a better price locally.  Also, the buyer had a 100% positive rating.

Upon reading the details of the return I find that the buyer has another 2 weeks to return the item.  And, since I have already been paid for the item, eBay is holding any current payments to me until the situation is resolved.  This is another curiosity, considering eBay has my credit card information on file.

Comments appreciated

[monica-sells]

I may be wrong, but I think they will 'only' be holding enough funds to cover the return.

Let's say the return is $20.00 (Refund)

Right now your account (if there are no recent sales) should be -$20.00

Today you have a new sale for $50.00....

$20.00 will be on hold (the -$20.00 goes away) and $30.00 will be pending for your next payout...

The $20.00 will stay on hold until the refund is complete and any sales going forward will process as normal.

[tck210]

Fair point, but the amount is $180.  So not a trivial matter.  Also the original question remains as ebay could just charge my credit card

[soh.maryl]

1. Doesn't the buyer have 30 days after delivery to open a return case?

2. Since this would appear to be a remorse return, isn't  the buyer not supposed to pay return shipping?

3. ALL buyers will have a 100% positive FB rating.  Buyers can only be given positive feedback.

[penguins_dont_fly]

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@tck210 wrote:

Fair point, but the amount is $180.  So not a trivial matter.  Also the original question remains as ebay could just charge my credit card

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@tck210 

eBay would only do that if/when the item is returned to you and there were not enough funds available to give the buyer a refund.

They will not auto-refund the buyer until 3 days after the return is marked delivered back to you.  You can (and should) refund the buyer before eBay auto-refunds.

There is no refund without return on a remorse return (unless the seller decides that they don't want/need the return)

[kensgiftshop]

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@tck210 wrote:

Fair point, but the amount is $180.  So not a trivial matter.  Also the original question remains as ebay could just charge my credit card

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When it's time to refund, if you don't have enough avaliable funds, they will pull the rest from your funding source.

[buyselljack2016]

You would like it that way (from the card), but there are some sellers that would not want it that way. Don't want eBay digging into their credit card when funds are right there in the sellers account to handle what is going on.

No reason, from eBay's point of view financially to go to a CC where likely there would be fees charged when they (their processor) already has the $$ to cover.

[12345jamesstamps]

Only that amount will be on hold...any other sales coming in you will be able to get them.

Once tracking is confirmed the funds are released.

Here's the kicker...buyer may not return item. And those funds on hold will be yours.

Not everyone returns something when they ask if they could.

[tck210]

This would actually be more than 5 weeks waiting for the return to be completed.  It also assumes the item is returned in the same condition after one month of use?

I realize you are citing the rules, but the point being that the rules greatly favor the buyer.

[buyselljack2016 · Accepted solution]

point being that the rules greatly favor the buyer.

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And there you have it. Buyers spend the money. The buyer is king (queen).

eBay focus is on buyer happiness.

Sellers are a dime a dozen.  Way more sellers/product to be purchased than there are buyers to buy. 

[femmefan1946]

The buyer has 30 days from Delivery (not purchase) for a Claim.

This is a Buyer Remorse Claim.  Did the buyer open a formal claim yet?

In this case the Buyer should be paying return shipping. Have either of you purchased a shipping label?

[tck210]

Buyer is paying for return shipping.  But I have not seen shipping update yet.

Also, the 30 day return policy gets even worse when the buyer has another 10-14 days to ship the item ?

[stuff4divas]

@tck210  yes, i agree the return time line is super liberal. it's one of the reasons that so many scam buyers are attracted to eBay.

Posh ____ for example, gives 3 days from delivery to file a complaint. If this is not done, the seller gets paid and the buyer cannot file a complaint thru that online platform after those 3 days.

[soh.maryl]

Yes, most of us who have been here any length of time have figured out that eBay is heavily biased in favor of buyers.  

[farmalljr]

A 100% feedback doesn't mean anything. Sellers can't leave negative or neutral feedback.  Personally, I would not take back remorse returns. It's never good for a seller to take returns, because you are never whole. If they return you a rock or a broken lens, you are going to be issuing a refund anyway. Not everyone is dishonest, but lots of them are. 

Secondly, anytime I ever had a return, funds were held. But the refund came out of your AVAILIBLE funds. If they were short, they charged your card. You don't want eBay refunding the buyer, you need to do it or you will get smacked for not doing so. So if you don't have the money in your availible funds (not the funds they are holding), you need to plan on refunding from your credit card on file. This is yet another reason why I never accepted returns for remorse reasons, the musical chairs with your money when refunding.