What is the deal with all of these returns?!

[xgoblazersx]

I've NEVER had this many return request in one month's time!  Not only that, there seems to be a rash of them on the boards.

Buyer 1: Sleeves were too long.  Opened a remorse return, and paid the return shipping.

Buyer 2: Claimed I said it was the wrong size.  Told her to return, 1 month later, never did after reminding her I posted a pic of the tag size.  Has a history of leaving negs.

Buyer 3: Claimed there was a hole.  Gave a label, took her dear sweet time sending it back.

Buyer 4: Said that even though it was labeled a S, it is much bigger and she, "should have been warned it was much bigger and mislabeled."  Open a SNAD case.  Didn't ask any questions.  I'm not a Small, and nowhere near it.  How am I supposed to know?  Eat a sandwhich!

Rant and semi-question over.  It seems like this month was the worst for returns, a barrage of dumb questions already answered in the listing, and rude buyers.

[sylvan_belle]

Rose, I wish I knew your secret for getting returns closed when the buyer prints the label and then takes their own sweet time returning. You are amazing! I've seen the advice so many times on this board to call Ebay and get the return closed, but every time I've tried, they won't do it. The CS always tells me the buyer actually has 30 days to return. I always point out that the wording in the return timeline says they have 3 days after printing label to mail, but the CS always says it's Ebay policy to allow them 30!
Even after 30 days, I've had to call and argue with them, and in THOSE cases, guess what happens? CS opens a CASE for Ebay to STEP IN, and THEN they reclassify the return as an INAD!!! (even though it was opened as a remorse/did not fit return.) It about gave me a heart attack the first time, even though it was closed in my favor within an hour. So, now I just let them time out in about 45 days. Ugh. It is so frustrating. I hate having my items held ransom, sometimes past the window of opportunity to resell seasonal items. Okay, rant over! Sigh.

[d-k_treasures]

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@retrose1 wrote:

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@d-k_treasures wrote:

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@retrose1 wrote:

By the way, I never follow up after I have given the buyer the option of return.  I never ask when they are sending it back and ebay allows the seller to close the case if the buyer takes their sweet time to return the item.  I give them a week and if there is no movement on the ebay label, I call and close the case. 

In my experience, the buyers filing snads are just hoping that the seller will give them a freebie rather than waste the return ship money and I rarely get anything back.  I report them and get the case closed and move on.

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Just out of curiosity, what would happen if a seller issues a return label, the buyer never uses it, calls ebay to get the case closed in their favor, then turns around a few days later and files with PP and uses the sellers prepaid label to return the item?

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I would assume that once the case is closed the label would be voided.  But I would call ebay and point out the buyers shifty actions.  AND I would be raising all kinds of heck if ebay closed the case early and auto refunded the buyer - at that point, I would be expecting my money back.

I would also be calling my pal and having a chat with them - since once the refund has been made the transaction is empty and they had better be fixing that glitch they have going there.

AND if the label was voided and the buyer got it through anyway - I would be down at my PO to file a postal fraud report against the buyer.

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Since they are return service labels, I'm not sure of the expiration date, if any, or if they can be voided(assuming, of course, ebay would even do that). I'll have to look thru my docs to check on that. Some clients who I deal with in RL have a return label in the package being shipped. Others don't - about half/half as to who pays returns.

I generate the labels for the warehouses, so I should  be able to find this out.

[chrysylys]

I have four identical items. Same item, brand, style and cut. All four are tagged with the same size. One fits considerably different than the other three.

I also know of a situation where 3 items from different brands, one a size 4, one a size 8, one a size 12 that all fit the same person.

[penguins_dont_fly]

Just sayin' "Eat a sandwich" is as bad as "lose some weight" ... some of us struggle the other way, you know ... finding pants that don't fall off of your hips when you walk can be difficult ... no I'm not "lucky" ... I can't keep weight on, my wrist and ankle bones stick out, I have NO rear .. everything looks like a sack 😞

But back to your problem ... as everyone else has said, "measurements, measurements, measurements" when dealing with clothing.

These hang on my wall ... They are seamstress' custom charts ... they shows you what different measurements are ... I'm not saying you have to use every measurement on the charts, but some basics are necessary when selling clothes.

[imakesugar]

retrose1 

Rockstar wrote:

2017-05-19 05:28:41 AM

By the way, I never follow up after I have given the buyer the option of return.  I never ask when they are sending it back and eBay allows the seller to close the case if the buyer takes their sweet time to return the item.  I give them a week and if there is no movement on the eBay label, I call and close the case. 

I think that is a good thing to do. Only one time did I get a label from a Seller on another site. I received in the mail a fancy cell phone holder for Vehicles. I asked My husband about it and he said that he was looking at the item but didn't order it. I asked the Seller for a return label. I Thought about it and realized there is two windows to go through top get it purchased...So, really My husband did order it...

I decided Not to return the item. It was not the Sellers fault he bought it. I did not use the return label. 

[castlemagicmemories]

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@victorjunkman55 wrote:

When buyer bids, I check 'em out. When buyer buys BIN, I check 'em out, In either case, When i see something like this (Buyer history of leaving all red donuts) This buyer would never receive my Item. Bid / Sale would be cancelled with buyers history  (Donut King) as reason, Never had problems doing this, and have done it 3 or 4 times. eBay does not believe this, but there is such a thing as a bad buyer. Good Luck.

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I didn't know that was an acceptable reason, or even there, and that you would not get a defect.  Thanks for the info, @victorjunkman55

[kathieskorner]

Online clothing retailers have a return rate of 30-40% - why would consumers expect any less on ebay??    Most of the increase in ebay returns can be linked to the policies of the big box stores that have been increasing their online presence. 

[victorjunkman55]

There is little box to explain cancel / end sale and my response is always "Bad Feedback Buyer". I have No defects on my account from doing this. eBay will Not Protect me as a seller, ( I have Never received bad feedback in the 6 years I've been here)  I'm protecting myself. Good Luck to you.

[mistwomandancing]

I'm always sorry to hear sellers having to deal with returns, and I know it is far more likely to happen in certain categories... of course, clothing being one of them.

Over all the years I've sold here, I can count the returns I've faced on the fingers of one hand, probably with a couple of fingers left standing.  Most of what I sell is purchased because the buyer specifically wanted that particular item, so.. they don't return it. 

I know eBay's return policy has to keep us competitive overall with all the other e-commerce sites, so completely understand what is behind the policy, but I'll bet there are sellers who dream of having their own website so they could set tighter return requirements.

[penguins_dont_fly]

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@victorjunkman55 wrote:

There is little box to explain cancel / end sale and my response is always "Bad Feedback Buyer". I have No defects on my account from doing this. eBay will Not Protect me as a seller, ( I have Never received bad feedback in the 6 years I've been here)  I'm protecting myself. Good Luck to you.

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It's one thing to cancel BIDS or end a LISTING before a sale ... but you can't cancel SALES without a defect.  Please stop telling people that they can.

[xgoblazersx]

I do list measurements on high dollar brands, or for formal wear, I do specify if it is a Junior's brand in the title, description, and in the drop down menus.

[xgoblazersx]

Yes, if you follow my many responses to the no returns vs. returns debate, I know that doesn't mean no returns if INAD/SNAD is yelled.  I've been selling for 5 years with a no returns policy succussfully until this month.  I addressed that in my first post when I mentioned her all negs and they were all about her displeasure in paying return shipping.  She knows how to get around any policy.  It's not anything complicated.

[xgoblazersx]

I already stated I don't do international.  I have a few buyers flat out using freight forwarding services and I've never had any issue with them.  When I used to ship internationally, it cost too much.  I've also read too many threads on the hassles of the practice.

[castlemagicmemories]

Thanks @penguins_dont_fly

Possibly just semantics, but I had never heard of that.  The right procedure is important to know.  Thanks for the clarification.  Defects are serious!  No one wants them!  

[tweetystwades]

Hi,
I don't understand how you're doing the cancellation, there are only 3 options. Can you please share?
Thanks!