automatic returns items over $10 on ebay automotive

[buytodayshipnextday]

did i hear this correctly?

any new or like new item sold for $10.00 or more  in ebays automotive "parts & accessories category" & only  that category will be mid July have a free return guarantee policy. the seller cannot fight it. it must be 10 or more dollars. it must be new/like new. buyer doesn't want it. you eat shipping or let them keep it for free & if it's just a $10.00 item & you shipped it FREE are you going to pay for return shipping?

If this is true it will force sellers to offer 9.99 or lesser priced items just to avoid the automatic return.

[siamjane8]

@movieman630 if we work for ebay now.... i want paid time off, sick days, health insurance, a pension, and profit sharing. Also a typical 9-5 5 days a week instead of the 24/7 it takes to run a small business.   

  It is a pain to constantly have to change and adjust to preditory policies when we all know they will not bring in more sales...just cost money.

   We will be getting out ahead of it - but the larger issue is that its obvious that in doing so we will be shooting ourselves in the foot by screwing up the search even more for buyers and making it harder to see what you type in the search box as it were.    I also predict that more abuse of item specifics and keyword spamming will be an even bigger issue as sellers fight for visibility against a confused AI search Algorithm

[simba6]

Not a big deal. Buyers win most return cases already.

[movieman630]

I'm saying don't try to beat the system by listing things in the wrong categories or saying they're used when they're NOS.  Just list honestly and change your return policy to reflect their changes.  

That's what I did.  I'm going to give it a shot, roll the dice and see what happens.  I don't like these changes, I don't agree with them at all.  I think eBay needs to stop trying to run our business' for us and go back to just being a platform.  I think if they actually had less interaction between sellers and buyers we would all benefit.  

I believe we need to train buyers not sellers.  Train the buyers to not be so needy.  Train the buyers to not expect to just be able to return something because they "change their mind".  That's wrong.  It's childish behavior and totally irresponsible.  When I buy something and it's wrong because I didn't do my own DD, I own that.  I don't try to return it.  

Just make the changes, and see how it goes.  I'm hoping it will at the very least stop eBay from throttling my listings in the automotive categories.  At least for a little while.

[ittybitnot]

Train the buyers to not expect to just be able to return something because they "change their mind". 

@movieman630 

At least, as the new policy appears and Devon confirmed upthread,  buyer that uses "changed my mind" is to your advantage since it is the ONLY reason that will allow eBay to pay for 50% of the return shipping.  I figure it must be the LEAST used return reason on the site.  Apparently, "found one cheaper" the seller pays 100% of the return.  

[loose_goose_garage]

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@movieman630 wrote:I believe we need to train buyers not sellers.  Train the buyers to not be so needy.  Train the buyers to not expect to just be able to return something because they "change their mind".  That's wrong.  It's childish behavior and totally irresponsible.

I completely agree. The problem is Amazon has it so ingrained in everyone that "Don't like it? Don't need it? Changed your mind? Return it, at no expense to you."
Buyers have become so used to Free Returns for any reason, I don't think there is any going back on that. Sure there are honest buyers out there that won't abuse it, but there are plenty that will.

[siamjane8]

@loose_goose_garage   non of this is to anyone's advantage.... just less costly than the other return reasons.....

Dont forget- this is the gift that keeps on taking- USP just raised its rates and Fedex and UPS also generally raise rate 2x year.  

   Here is an idea EBAY- lower your fees to 5% across the board and get rid or promoted listings and watch how fast sellers flock to ebay to list- the GMV will skyrocket taking market share away from other platforms and the buyers will follow the product. Sellers will be able to lower prices making ebay more competitive and buyers love lower prices.   Ebay will grow and sales will double- offsetting the lower fees so everyone wins

[carlmarxx]

The sooner eBay drops  the new policy the better  ,before  P&A   Category  goes under  do to buyer  fraud   return abuse   , and eBay bailing out  covering part  of  return shipping label .

[carlmarxx]

Once  the   buyer  fraud return abuse   numbers get out  of  hand  ,eBay will bail out  of  pay for 50%  of return  shipping .  Then there is  seller 's  having to keep 50%  of buyer's funds over damaged trashed parts  that can't ever be resold .  this policy will end up being the kiss of death  for the P&A   category. 

[siamjane8]

im all for keeping up with the times and trying new things... but this is not new- Amazon drove the world to this BUT- even amazon has backed off of the free returns policy for thing like parts and accessories - the fraud and wasted money spent on shipping was too much even  for them. As far as the rest of the industry- free returns is not industry standard

[carlmarxx]

The folks running  eBay   knew that  Amazon made changes on their return  policy ,to cut down  on  buyer  return abuse  , and  buyer fraud  loss's and money  which  had to in the millions  of dollars . The interesting  thing is Amazon has never  reported  their  money loss's to fraud  to the retail loss/Prevention.com  , while  the other name  brand retailers reported  their numbers.  eBay has never reported  sellers loss 's to  the loss/Prevention  site.    You are correct   that free Returns/Free shipping   has never been industry Standard!   But  a gimmick  used by Amazon  when they started up Prime  service  program  .  So here we are ,Folks  can't seemed to stop  pushing  the free shipping and returns gimmick.    

[ihave2manycars]

So based on what Devon said, I could order a NEW part that offers free shipping, get the part, and then say "I changed my mind", and ebay and the seller have to eat the shipping, and I get my full money back, as it was free shipping?  Is this correct?! I do understand that the free shipping is not the trigger, but in theory, this could be a potential nightmare for anyone offering free shipping on a new part, or am I missing something?

[untod]

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@ihave2manycars wrote:

...Is this correct?! 

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Yep. But it's not a "potential" nightmare. 😉

[siamjane8]

4 days and counting until the returns start piling in - maybe this was ebays plan to get more people to borrow with their business capital plans lol----to cover return shipping labels!

[siamjane8]

      Just looked at our return history on one of our accounts. 35 returns in the last 90 days- litterally 98% of them all buyer remorse or they did not look at pics or read desciption (or even the whole title in some cases), and they were happy to pay the return shipping with no issue- most leaving good feedback and or purchasing another part once they reached out to confirm fitment.

    These items ranged from $13-$65.   I cant imagine paying $7 to get a $13 item back and losing the original shipping cost too!  It just horrible business.  So i am now going to have to subsidize the losses with other itms that are worth more?  It a downward spiral of wasted money and less profit