May I propose a New Policy for Sellers? The ability to Block a buyer who abuses Return policy

[johnson.girls]

Attention Sellers,

When was the last time you looked at the "Block Buyers Who..." requirements on your Site Preferences page? I don't think they've changed in many years. (I included the options at the end of this post and some of them are not even relevant anymore.)

I want ebay to add a new one: Block Buyers Who...  "Have returned [X] or more items in the past 60 days" (where X is the quantity of returns that each Seller thinks crosses the line of reasonableness.)

What do you think? Does this sound like a reasonable option? Can you think of a way to improve that language?

Like many sellers, I provided (mostly) Free Shipping and a 14-day return policy in the past and it was rare that I had to take back a return. In September I had to take back a pair of sandals from someone who returned them after she'd had them for about 28 days. She claimed they "didn't fit." I can't re-sell them in September. My business partner has had a couple of similar returns. I'm changing to a "No Returns" policy and no more Free Shipping which will hurt my already less-than-stellar sales.

I don't want to punish responsible buyers for returning something that doesn't work for them. But I don't want to clothe fashion bloggers and I don't want to sell to buyers who are too lazy to read a simple description or check the measurements I provide.

Retailers reserve the right to refuse service to people for various reasons. Ebay sellers deserve that same right.

Your constructive feedback please?

**************

Current Block Buyer Preferences:

1. Have received 2 Unpaid Item strike(s) within 12 Month(s)
2. Have a primary shipping address in a location I don't ship to
3. Have a feedback score of -1 or lower
4. 4. Are currently winning or have bought 4 of my items in the last 10 days and have a feedback score of 3 or lower

[marlen977]

Absolutely, I agree with you 100%. There should be some sort of protection for sellers from buyers like that. Too much of return abuse.

[vintagecraze50]

That's a very good addition to a block buyer list, especially for sellers using the free ship and ship back paid by the seller. I hope Ebay considers this. I recently sold an item to a buyer who retured it and after the fact went back to their feedback left for others section and this buyer clearly bought and returned at least 20 to 30 percent of what they bought. Who needs that kind of buyer here.

[crystalmc]

Fabulous idea!!! It would really discourage buyers from abusing returns for fear of not being able to buy on eBay at all!! I hope eBay is listening!!

[orangehound]

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@johnson.girls wrote:

Attention Sellers,

When was the last time you looked at the "Block Buyers Who..." requirements on your Site Preferences page? I don't think they've changed in many years.

They've not changed in many years because, I believe, they are obselete (or placebos at best).  You might want to read this thread about buyer requirements.

Now, I don't think the information in that thread has been verified, but it is consistent with everything that I've been seeing from eBay - and you have to admit that having a filtering criteria for buyers with negative feedback is years out of date.

Anyway, the text in that thread is consistent with my impression that eBay (not the seller) wants to take responsibility for the buyers on the site, and they want to control the criteria as to who can or cannot buy on the site.

Although I would love to have a power such as what you suggest, and I applaud your idea, I just don't think this is eBay's direction.  This is why it is probably very important for sellers to report any buyer who is causing trouble, violating policies, returning items in poor condition, etc.

[robot-hands]

X number of returns in x time

and 

X number of neutral & negative feedback given in x time

[missjen831]

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@orangehound wrote:

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@johnson.girls wrote:

Attention Sellers,

When was the last time you looked at the "Block Buyers Who..." requirements on your Site Preferences page? I don't think they've changed in many years.

They've not changed in many years because, I believe, they are obselete (or placebos at best).  You might want to read this thread about buyer requirements.

Now, I don't think the information in that thread has been verified, but it is consistent with everything that I've been seeing from eBay - and you have to admit that having a filtering criteria for buyers with negative feedback is years out of date.

Anyway, the text in that thread is consistent with my impression that eBay (not the seller) wants to take responsibility for the buyers on the site, and they want to control the criteria as to who can or cannot buy on the site.

Although I would love to have a power such as what you suggest, and I applaud your idea, I just don't think this is eBay's direction.  This is why it is probably very important for sellers to report any buyer who is causing trouble, violating policies, returning items in poor condition, etc.

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Actually the buyer requirements have changed recently. And those changes lead me to believe that.....eBay will not add the requirement the OP is suggesting. Instead of adding new requirements, eBay has removed 2 of them-the PayPal account requirement (which is no longer necessary) and the one to block buyers with policy violations. 

[victorias_gifts_n_treasures]

I do agree with you. I don't get many returns because of the kinds of items I sell. But it would be nice if sellers did have a little bit more control over certain buyers that do abuse some of these policies. I know we can block them when they have purchased from us, (which I always do). But it would be a much better benefit to keep from ending up with them in the 1st place. It won't keep all of them away, since some are 1st offenders. But the ones that have a history would be blocked automatically if sellers choose to do so. I also agree with the poster about blocking the notorious buyers for leaving negs & nuets all the time. Almost all negs I've ever had was from buyers that have a history of leaving negs. Many of them would never have had the chance to buy from me if I could have blocked them before they had the chance to purchase. And reporting the buyers never do any good. But hopefully Ebay does put some of this in place.

[annasunicorns]

That would be awesome for high end sellers! Id probably turn it on anytime I had an expensive item to sell and off the rest of the time, my items are mostly low risk.

However, the app is a hot ever changing mess, the SNAD cases still cannot be changed back unon even buyer request, my listings keep being zombie attacked with random changes, it takes forever to list stuff, and the stupid login page is STILL advertising for ebays competition, facebook. Soooo... can I vote we work on this after the platform I love to sell on has gone back to BEING a platform to sell instead of a game of whackamole listing invaders? Sorry had to vent.

[plumbingspecials]

If you have a problem with buyers who abuse the returns system (MBG), always report from the transaction's "Report Buyer" button. Too many of those and ebay will restrict or suspend them. Always, always report buyers who lie or scam. Fair business is a two way street.

[johnson.girls]

Exactly. Sometimes I have time to look at the FB a buyer has left for Sellers but not always. What I've noticed is that no one leaves fb anymore! Mine has been stuck at 2,002 for a month at least, despite a number of sales and emailed thank-you's. My husband and I were talking about it this morning and he said, "Feedback  is too annoying. You fill out the stars and then they MAKE you write something. I don't have time for that." 

I've started ALWAYS leaving the following fb on returned items:

"I'm sorry the item didn't work for you and you had to return it." Since we can't leave negs this at least tells other sellers that the buyer returned one item.

[johnson.girls]

Thank you. All I want is an informed choice. I don't think I'm asking too much. I don't want to block a good buyer, just the abusers. I don't want to enter into a transaction with them because I don't have time or money to deal with Cases. I'd rather spend my time Listing and Selling;)

[johnson.girls]

I've never figured out why ebay allows their (MY) competition on their platform.

[johnson.girls]

How do I know if a buyer is abusing the returns system?

[monster-deals]

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@johnson.girls wrote:
Thank you. All I want is an informed choice. I don't think I'm asking too much. I don't want to block a good buyer, just the abusers. I don't want to enter into a transaction with them because I don't have time or money to deal with Cases. I'd rather spend my time Listing and Selling;)

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You never know really. It's all secret, secret the "protections" we get from reporting buyers. Sometimes it is just best to fire and forget even if it means getting a few good buyers in the collateral damage....there are a few hundred million more buyers that can fill in.