eBay

_spud_ · ‎01-31-2019

**bleep** is with all these returns lately??? I've been selling on eBay for almost 2 decades, and I have never seen bull**bleep** returns to the extent I have now. All this 'money back guarantee' promotion ebay is doing is making the marketplace ripe for free rentals.

I'm having people buying stuff, expensive stuff, using it for a week or two, then returning it saying 'changed my mind' or 'it doesn't fit'. Then I get it back and have to go through it with a fine tooth comb to make sure, it's the same item, no parts have been swapped out, that its in the identical condition, etc. Then I have to refund in full - eating the shipping if I offered 'free shipping' in the first place, which for expensive insured items, is pretty pricy.

I'm calling horse**bleep** on all this. I'm not a volume anchor store that can swallow hits like this as they are amortized over thousands of sales - no it's happening to me on roughly 30% of all my sales over $200.

Something has to be done to change this as obviously this forced 30 day return policy is getting severely abused.

slati_2013 · ‎01-31-2019

As I wrote here a couple of days ago, I have been on eBay for twenty years. I had more returns in all of January than I have have in all the twenty years I have been here.

I have no problem with the return policy. I have a problem with eBay promoting it more than they even promote the site. Buyers now don't bother to make sure they sure buying the right thing. They know they can always return it.

sweetpieces4you · ‎02-01-2019

Personally I would never offer FREE ANYTHING on the site. It definitely sets you up for returns. And depending on the item or items they can and will be used by the BUYER and then returned. It's a NO BRAINER !!! By using the SELLER DOESN'T ACCEPT RETURNS it can help deter problems !! We all know that's not true but at least it's a TOOL that may help in some cases!! My suggestion to YOU is to change your settings to NOT ACCEPT RETURNS and not worry so much about TOP RATED SELLER !! I personally believe that TOP RATED SELLER MARKING means absolutely nothing anymore !! When I buy that STATUS actually at times turns me away as many have overpriced items !! New buyers may see that and go YOUR way but OLDER buyers KNOW what's going on !!

wheredidiputthatremote · ‎02-01-2019

@_spud_ wrote:
**bleep** is with all these returns lately??? I've been selling on eBay for almost 2 decades, and I have never seen bull**bleep** returns to the extent I have now. All this 'money back guarantee' promotion ebay is doing is making the marketplace ripe for free rentals.

I'm having people buying stuff, expensive stuff, using it for a week or two, then returning it saying 'changed my mind' or 'it doesn't fit'. Then I get it back and have to go through it with a fine tooth comb to make sure, it's the same item, no parts have been swapped out, that its in the identical condition, etc. Then I have to refund in full - eating the shipping if I offered 'free shipping' in the first place, which for expensive insured items, is pretty pricy.

I'm calling horse**bleep** on all this. I'm not a volume anchor store that can swallow hits like this as they are amortized over thousands of sales - no it's happening to me on roughly 30% of all my sales over $200.

Something has to be done to change this as obviously this forced 30 day return policy is getting severely abused.

I'm very sorry you are experiencing this. I had a wave of fraudulent INADs in November and the CS support was (sad to say) lousy. I'm hoping eBay dedicates some fruitful thought into not only the returns process but more importantly the metrics process - both are unfair to sellers to the point of being spiteful. It's already a kick in the pants to have a return in process.

amp_global · ‎02-01-2019

I'm sorry for what you're experiencing, it is a problem for sure, just wait until you receive the inevitable email from ebay informing you that you have a high or very high return rate and that your selling fees are going to increase.

ebay are fully aware that many returns are remorse returns, it makes no difference, they will hit the sellers for those too and eventually increase our fees should the retun rate continue.

fern*wood · ‎02-01-2019

@_spud_ wrote:
You’re obviously not a top rated seller, otherwise you’d know you must take returns and offer at least a 30 day window.

You are not required to offer a return policy to be a TRS. Of course, the MBG is always there if your item is not as described.

If many of your returns are for remorse, then having a no return policy might help---unless they then wonder over and take the not as described route.

brestradingpost · ‎02-01-2019

I have a high rate...but it is because I began full time selling in July 2018. My averages only reflect 6 months...not the whole 12 months. Per law of averages, if I had the whole 12 months...my rates would be lower. Also, I was on the learning curve of packaging and shipping of highly fragile glass and ceramics. Ebay has nothing to assist new sellers...Ebay says they do....but they don't. I had to find out the hard way to only use large bubbles-bubble wrap on fragile glass and porcelain. I ran out of bubble wrap 2 weeks ago...picked some up from Home Depot and had 3 items broken in one week. I have people helping me and sometimes they are not as careful as I would like them to be. Since I have switched to the 1/2" thickness...my life is awesome! Also, I get it here on Ebay more reasonable....and it is such a relief! However, doesn't do anything to decrease my high rate....and with the additional 4% penalty...plus promotional fees plus sales...I don't have hardly any profit left. And I cannot be upset with customers...they are hit now with higher shipping rates....Something has to give for us to continue to sell.....and eat!

fern*wood · ‎02-01-2019

Yikes, beautiful things and absolutely none of which I'd want to attempt to ship. I might sell one piece at a time, but those groupings made me nervous just to look at them.

It looks like you are using a flat rate shipping price. Are those prices coming anywhere near your actual cost? I'd use calculated to cover distant zip codes and make sure the box dimensions are correct.

goldrushfinds · ‎02-01-2019

I have to agree. I have had more than a typical number of returns lately as well. People saying an item doesn't work, when I thoroughly checked the item out prior to selling it. Things that couldn't possibly be wrong with an item or a list of deficiencies that did not exist when I had the item. Between increased shipping costs, rising Ebay fees, excessive competition and returns, there are few niches any longer where a reasonable profit can be made.

castlemagicmemories · ‎02-01-2019

ebay are fully aware that many returns are remorse returns, it makes no difference, they will hit the sellers for those too and eventually increase our fees should the retun rate continue.

They have said they made allowance for those.

wickedwolfauto · ‎02-02-2019

I happily accept returns, IF/when the buyer is honest, pays return shipping and they return it the same way they received it.

Had a return yesterday that the buyer didn't package properly and didn't tape enough. Box came up during shipping and parts were missing. I called eBay and they game me a "courtesy" to refund the buyer with no defect to me. If sellers don't package properly, items get damaged or are missing parts, we are expected to send a replacement, refund or both!!

Why are buyers not set on the same standard that sellers are? ?