Sellers need to stand strong and stick to their principles. This idea of free returns is utterly ridiculous--it will break most of us. And even if it doesn't break us, it will cause a serious cut in our income. We have already lost 10% of our TRS discount, the cost of shipping is out of control, and we are constantly undercut by foreign sellers who can sell cheaper AND really do get close to "free" shipping.
I have tons of great buyers who do return items (on their own dime) when the items don't fit or they just don't like them. I just had someone return some tile to me that wouldn't work in their house. The tile was 40.00, the shipping was 20 each way. So a 40 dollar sale, that I made only 30 dollars on after fees, cost, etc. would have put me in the hole for 50 dollars! I would have had to refund 80 dollars at a single pop--for a 30 dollar profit--had this person been able to use free returns. That is just insane--so guess what happens if I am forced into "free" returns, I won't sell my awesome vintage tile here anymore--less items on eBay, less income for me. Sad.
One way to protest is to not participate. For example, I have seen some of the countries where McDonald's has its feed lots for beef--without going into detail, it is disgusting and heartbreaking--so I don't eat at McDonald's--haven't eaten there for over 20 years. Does that make a difference to them? You might be thinking who cares about one person--but it isn't just one person, because no one in my family eats there either, I won't go there with friends, won't take my kids or other people's kids there--and in 20 years I would say that I have cost them quite a bit of business--in any case, at least I can live with myself. Not participating, or boycotting something is effective, and never underestimate how much one person can do--your singular voice does mean something. And collectively--we can make it clear to eBay how we feel about their latest and greatest plan. The little sellers who made this company deserve better than this--this is a slap in the face, and an abuse of power, that I still, honestly, just cannot wrap my head around. I am shocked that eBay would be so callous, and so ungrateful for all the help they were given in the beginning from the "small" sellers.
I am just as scared as the next person--terrified, if you want to know the truth. I have about 30 grand in inventory right now, and eBay is all I've ever known. However, their latest moves and utter disregard for the sellers here, has made me reconsider how/where to sell things. I recently invested in a shed and I am going to start listing things (my tile for one thing) on local sites--the shed is so that they don't have to come up close to my house. I can't believe I am doing it, but I forsee many others like me doing the same thing--there is only so much we can take. It has become so incredibly stressful here, both to sell AND to buy that it almost seems absolutely necessary to preserve my mental health at this point. But no matter what--I will NOT give people the green light to steal from me--and by people, I mean eBay.
You do whatever feels right for you--but I am truly hoping that the smaller sellers here stick to their guns, and send a collective message to eBay that they have finally gone too far. And again--we deserve better.
