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Free Shipping - why you should not offer it

As a long time seller on ebay I can tell you I have seen the table tilted against the seller time and time again.   Here is another example:

 

Recently a couple of buyers have bought items, realized they bought it by mistake after receiving the itme, and I had free shipping offered.   Now as you know as sellers we are pressured or 'urged' by ebay to offer free shipping not only 'for the better buyer experience' but because ebay also gouges you on shipping fees.

 

For ebay these shipping fees are a great profit center to up the bottom line because unlike the seller, who has to supply packing materials and time, ebay puts in nothing and no doubt also gets a discount on shipping or a referral fee from the carriers.   And/or they take it out of our pockets as a 'fee on shipping purchase'.   It costs them nothing to offer shipping, its a total pass through and the carriers love the business.  Everyone wins except those making the market place in the first place.

 

So what happens when you get a return for free shipping?  Ebay has titled the table on returns.  You can 1) refuse  2)refund and let buyer keep item  3) offer the buyer a partial refund and keep the item  or 4) pay for the return shipping and refund the total.    the minute a case is opened, your paypal count is deducted the selling amount (and I sell deducted because ebay will find against you)    There is no - offer a partial refund and buyer returns item.    Ebay removes that option and you can't offer a partial return and pay yourself for the return shipping.  Why?  Because ebay doesn't offer it, even though it is an obvious choice.  They don't care, they don't have to.   They are polite on calls, but behind the politeness is an FU.

 

So unlike anyone who shops locally and wants to return an item - whether its our mistake or a broken product, we pay for our gas and time both ways.   On ebay, that is not the case. 

 

I have had two returns, one admitted that he bought the item and no longer wanted it, I sent him a message saying send it back and I'll refund the purchase price minus shipping to you ($2 for 1st class shipping0, and another buyer who was smarter - claimed the item was 'not as described'.  In this case - he bought the wrong part, the item (brinkman igniter - in my ebay store).  In my discussions with buyer I asked him about the gas to the store and back if bought locally - no reply.  I asked him how he would describe the igniter - the item is fully described in title, part number, UPC,and includes pictures.  He buys a universal starter instead of the specific part for his grill because its cheaper.    now on a $10 item, how much margin is there when you ship for free and get gouged for shipping for the buyer's admitted mistake? 

 

Both times, buyer admits mistake, both file cases, both times ebay says - sellers fault.   I called ebay to discuss this issue and they agreed with me on every point, but found in the buyer's favor and just said (remarkably honestly) - 'thats the cost of doing business on ebay'.   And I am sure you can supply your own story of buyers buying something, using it, then saying 'not as described' and returning it whent they are done with it - and why not - when it costs them nothing.   Even better when the item comes back used.

 

So, what to do?   You could start with no returns - but the buyers will just claim 'not as described' and you are back in the same boat.

 

You could just cut your selling price to exclude shipping but keep a competitive price, and then you can at least contest it, but 'not as described' will get you in the same boat. Once its not as described, its to bad for you.  In my discussion with ebay on the igntier example, I said the description is complete, the pictures show what it is, part, upc, and the description on the package is in the title.   How could I have described it better?   There was no response from the 'helpful' ebay associate.

 

Finally, start charging restocking fees equal to your intial postage, or some recoverable portion thereof to cushion the blow. 

 

Bottom line - ebay doesn't care - they don't have to.

 

In aother post I used global shipping and had to jump through about 20 email responses and finally got seller protection before that case resolved in my favor on an item pitney bowes or their agents damaged.   But if you read the forums, pitney bowes gouges international sellers so most items I have in global shipping no longer sell.   You maybe protected in case of loss, but with the cost, you probably will be priced outof the market.  

 

So free shipping - maybe you get a sale, but maybe your magins are so low (and let's not forget the paypal fees) that its no longer worth doing business. 

Message 1 of 43
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Free Shipping - why you should not offer it

I offer Free Shipping on all except my media ID. 

 

I do not get many returns but those I do get are well covered by my self insurance (3-5% added to each listing for this). I get maybe 2 or 3 a year.

 

My listings are well described and photos show everything. My items are well packed. Been here since 2004 without a single damage claim.

 

I think your problem is not ebay's Free Shipping. It's that you are not giving much on your pictures and descriptions. Like your tux listing only 4 bad pictures and this for a description 

 

This is just the jacket, the pants are gone. 100% wool.  3 button cuffs, 1 button jacket.  very nice wool material and nice lining too.  nice to have a spare jacket or in this case, a bit of a different look. 

Very little information on the item and No measurements AT ALL!  YOU HAVE TO HAVE DETAILED MEASUREMENTS.

Also you have this listed for $14.95 or make a offer. I never list with make a offer. 

I list with me making at the very least 30% above what I have in the item and all listing and shipping costs. Then bump this up 30% for a BIN.  

If market trends does not allow for these prices then the item gets included in a lot to reduce shipping costs and increase potential bidders. 

My sell through is around 80%

Message 2 of 43
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Free Shipping - why you should not offer it

By the way. I hate the word nice in a description. It's like saying your item has "A nice personality".

 

My items are 

Stylish 

Classic

Fabulous

but never "nice"

Message 3 of 43
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Free Shipping - why you should not offer it

I have never had a return on a clothing item.   When people need more than the basics on measurements, then they message me.   On the items I am talking about, the pictures and part numbers leave no doubts as to what was being sold.   I could bump the price as you do, but I try to be as competitive as possible on the items I offer, its just items at the bottom have little room for price padding.   Clothing items I sell at such a rate, and note in many of them, that you buy the basic item, and then spend on having it tailored.   In the item description boxes above, the general size such as 44L is noted.   I have all my clothes fitted.  Those buying clothing for under 20 in my experience are not so demanding.   Nice in my listings generally means that it needs nothing and looks good.   Good means it is adequate but like off labels is not 'cut' as nice and has a more 'relaxed' fitment.   I did get someone claiming that a coat was not 44L when I included a piicture of the label in the jacket.  In that case, ebay found in my favor.   In that case, it was more like, wear it, and then return it to get their money back now that they were done with it.   When they found they couldn't get away with that behavior, they kept the outfit.  But the use as NAD when an item was exactly described, will probably only increase, and that is what those cases were about.   If I make a mistake, and with my feedback numers, you can see that it happens, I have no problem with a complete refund such that they end up with the item for free.  You'll see that in comments like 'honest ebayer' 'works well with buyer' in my feedback comments.  

Message 4 of 43
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Free Shipping - why you should not offer it

You get all your clothing fitted. Well that's nice but consider that all of your clothing is now no longer at the manufactures measurements for that size. Therefore you when reselling now leave yourself open for a SNAD. Not only do you have to refund but now also have to pay return shipping.

 

Second point. If you do not have the measurements in the listing the potential buyer has to leave your page to find a manufacturers size chart and measurements.You want all the information right in front of the buyer and sometimes you can't even find the measurements you need. Take me I have 50 years of horseback riding and farm work. This has made for some muscles on my thighs and calves. I need a measurement at these areas because jeans can be too tight in this area for me. Just last week I was looking for jeans I pulled 7 pair all the same size to try on. Came out with 3 the other 4 I didn't get past my knees as the calves were too tight. These were all marked relaxed fit.

 

You say you will win on a SNAD, but remember all the unhappy buyer needs to do is inflict or just claim some damage and that will flip on you.

Message 5 of 43
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Free Shipping - why you should not offer it

I ship everything for free and make tons of money.

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Free Shipping - why you should not offer it

 

 

I hardly ever offer free shipping.  Once in a blue moon I'll give it a try, but I've found (for whatever reason) I sell more when I have lower prices and reasonable shipping.  

 

I really wouldn't care about losing original shipping on buyer's remorse returns if it boosted my sales, but it just doesn't seem to for my items.  If it did, I would. 

 

Message 7 of 43
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Free Shipping - why you should not offer it

I wish posts, such as this one, would stop popping up. Maybe you feel like ranting, but you aren't doing anyone any favors.

Message 8 of 43
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Free Shipping - why you should not offer it

 

 

I wish posts, such as this one, would stop popping up. Maybe you feel like ranting, but you aren't doing anyone any favors.

 

 

Seriously?   

 

Message 9 of 43
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Free Shipping - why you should not offer it

Everything? You have 11 feedbacks, how much business can you be doing?
Message 10 of 43
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Free Shipping - why you should not offer it

You hardly ever offer free shipping because you hardly ever do any business on eBay.
Message 11 of 43
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Free Shipping - why you should not offer it

When you offer "Free Shipping" and you get a return, you have no way to collect your original shipping fee ( even if your terms say return for refund minuis original shipping) as it was "free". I found this out the hard way, that is why I no longer offer free shipping in most cases. In SNAD, it really doesn't matter as you (the seller) has to pay shipping both ways anyways. Once again, it's the honest buyers the get the short end of the stick.

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Free Shipping - why you should not offer it


@iarnstein wrote:

 

... So, what to do?   You could start with no returns - but the buyers will just claim 'not as described' and you are back in the same boat..... 

Not all buyers end up with that. In fact most buyers don't even know that's an option. I switched to "No Returns" about 3 months ago and it was the best thing I even did. I had a VERY lenient return before that.

Message 13 of 43
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Free Shipping - why you should not offer it


@iarnstein wrote:

 

... Finally, start charging restocking fees equal to your intial postage, or some recoverable portion thereof to cushion the blow....

Once again, that's why I started charging for shipping and having no return. You can't collect restocking fees on a SNAD item. It's not 100%, but it's the best you can do with the current situation on eBay. Yes, it's the honest buyers that are paying for this (same as in a retail store) , but sadly, that is life on the new EBAY.

 

Really, after that, you only have 2 choices.

 

1. Raise your prices to cover such things (that's what retail stores do to cover shoplifting and shrinkage)

 

or

 

2. Sell somewhere where eBay doesn't make the rules (I hear that Craig has a list that works fairly well)

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Free Shipping - why you should not offer it


@iarnstein wrote:

...  I did get someone claiming that a coat was not 44L when I included a piicture of the label in the jacket.  In that case, ebay found in my favor....



 I don't believe it (sorry). The buyer could just as easily submit a different picture. There is no proof in pictures of what you sent and what was received. If you Won, It was by pure luck (ignorance) by the eBay CS rep.

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