Ya know what I think (as if it matters..lol)

[redlinear]

I think if ya offer free returns you should be exempt from negative feedback (IF the item is returned).
Or have I not thought this through enough?

[tobaccocardyahoo]

I don't think its Christmas so I do not expect Ebay is going to provide a gift to sellers with unhappy buyers.

As good an addition to a wish list as most suggestions sellers make for Ebay changes.

[my-cottage-books-and-antiques]

@redlinear  If memory serves, ebay's response to this suggestion in the past has been: Just because the seller eventually makes it right, does not mean a buyer was happy that he had to go through the return process to get to that point. 

[wastingtime101]

Sellers offering free returns that don't have other issues (like very high service metrics or a below standard rating), have any neg/neut auto-scrubbed if the buyer follows through with a return and is refunded.

Revising my post to add info provided by Kyle at eBay in Sept here.

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strictly speaking about Free Returns feedback protection, here are the requirements for feedback to be removed:

A return was filed on eBay and closed
The seller accepted the return and issued a full or partial refund
The return must not have been escalated

However, there are other things that would also allow a feedback to be removed too, so it's important to remember that there are overlapping protections in some cases, and it may be tricky to pin down exactly which protection kicked in on a given removal.  

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P.S. None of this is new. It's been this way since Free Returns protections went into effect about a year or two before TRS protections launched.

[chevymontecarlo88]

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@redlinear wrote:

I think if ya offer free returns you should be exempt from negative feedback (IF the item is returned).
Or have I not thought this through enough?

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It should be that easy. Throw the sellers a bone.

[inhawaii]

Even with free returns a buyer can have a negative experience and may want to leave a negative feedback.

[gurlcat]

Say you needed to order something to use for some time-sensitive thing, so you chose a listing based on EDD above any other factor.  But then the seller stalled to ship the item.  Then when it arrived it was the wrong  one (size, type, color, whatever).  Luckily the seller has free returns, but now you're back to where you started, with X number of days having already passed. 

I'm not saying I would neg the seller, but if I was the seller and the buyer negged me I couldn't blame them, just because the return was free and easy; that's the least they should expect from such a botched transaction.

[chapeau-noir]

Wait! A seller can be just rubbish but have that get out of jail free card just because they offer free returns?

[redlinear]

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@chapeau-noir wrote:

Wait! A seller can be just rubbish but have that get out of jail free card just because they offer free returns?

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Heck Yeah!  

[redlinear]

Searching (pricing) some 1968 Chevelle Door Latch Rods. 
Trying to see what they sell for (SOLD)... 2,200 results (those latch rods must be $$$$$!!!)
I was going to suggest a search that actually worked also, but I've since learned my lesson.

[meme6253]

I think you make a Great point, If the item is returned & refunded the customer should not have the right to leave any negative feedback, There are also other issues about feedback but it's been stated many times here that ebay will not get rid of feedback

[chevymontecarlo88]

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@redlinear wrote:

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@chapeau-noir wrote:

Wait! A seller can be just rubbish but have that get out of jail free card just because they offer free returns?

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Heck Yeah!  

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Why not make everything free returns with the option to leave feedback if the purchase is not returned? Buyers already can return anything they want (right or wrong) and if they get their money back, who cares?  Buyers won't be in business for long if they are bad (cost of returns) and most sellers that post on these boards already offer free returns. Also limit feedback to transactions that sell more than $20.

or just abolish feedback completely and rely on seller stats. 

It would be an easy fix that could be added to the next APP update. 

[wastingtime101]

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@chapeau-noir wrote:

Wait! A seller can be just rubbish but have that get out of jail free card just because they offer free returns?

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Yes, if the buyer follows through with the return. If the buyer just negs and doesn't file a return the neg isn't eligible for removal unless it violates one of the feedback policies.

There was a poster on this forum that made a big deal out of it several years back. Can't remember the ID ... castlerainbowmagichearteyes or something. If you know who I'm talking about I'm sure you can find the discussion.

[gurlcat]

Maybe sellers shouldn't be so fearful of negative feedback.  It's not the end of the world, in fact it makes no difference unless you have a pile of it.  Heck even having a pile won't matter to some buyers because they don't check it. 

[luckythewinner]

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@redlinear wrote:

I think if ya offer free returns you should be exempt from negative feedback (IF the item is returned).
Or have I not thought this through enough?

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You have not thought this through enough. Being jerked around by slow shipping, counterfeit items, undisclosed damage, and rude treatment is not a "positive experience". Neither having your time wasted and your money tied up and having to make a trip to the post office.