General reply:
We can only compare ebay's return policy to other sites with 3P sellers.
We can discuss return policies in ecommerce overall as pertains to buyer perceptions and wants.
A retailer knows what was shipped to a buyer; ebay doesn't know.
Ebay is trying to gain an advantage over other sites that by some policies restrict returns. Ebay has no skin in the game so it's a win-win for ebay.
In other words, it's not going to change here unless trying to maintain the infrastructural support for free returns becomes too expensive for ebay.
As ebay slashes expenses, I expect to see less and less seller support and a focus on offering more and easier ways for a buyer to get a free return. I would hope, if ebay does head to free returns for all, that ebay shares some of its USPS discount with sellers and some flat rates are used for returns. $3 for First Class, $6 for Priority up to certain weights, etc. <----Numbers off the top of my head but it can be done.
I would also hope that a system is implemented for buyers being "kicked out" of the free-returns-for-all-pool after too many claims. I've called/messaged different retailers/etailers about packages missing items from orders I placed or receiving the wrong items and was offered immediate no-questions-asked satisfaction. But I'll bet I couldn't do that more than a very few times before being told don't let the door hit you on the way out.
Sherry
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