New returns policy & restocking fees

[oem_part_haus]

Not sure if you all saw this, but eBay is now taking away the ability to charge restocking fees for auto parts and accessories if you have a "very high" INAD returns rate. For us, this typically means that a customer didn't read the compatibility chart we have on ALL of our listings and then they decide to claim we sent them the wrong item.

Even after confirming this with customer, eBay refuses to remove this defect.

Interesting that they keep finding new ways to penalize sellers.

By the way, we're a very high-volume seller here, so things like this can significantly affect the bottom line since many of the items we ship are expensive and heavy. We end up eating the shipping cost twice and then fully refunding customers.

Seems as though they're headed the way of their rival.....

[orangehound]

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@oem_part_haus wrote:

Not sure if you all saw this, but eBay is now taking away the ability to charge restocking fees for auto parts and accessories if you have a "very high" INAD returns rate. For us, this typically means that a customer didn't read the compatibility chart we have on ALL of our listings and then they decide to claim we sent them the wrong item.

Even after confirming this with customer, eBay refuses to remove this defect.

Interesting that they keep finding new ways to penalize sellers.

By the way, we're a very high-volume seller here, so things like this can significantly affect the bottom line since many of the items we ship are expensive and heavy. We end up eating the shipping cost twice and then fully refunding customers.

Seems as though they're headed the way of their rival.....

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@oem_part_haus

As a TRS, beginning Oct 1 you have the authority to object to those false INAD claim such as you are experiencing.  This will give you a return shipping credit up to $6, AND it will remove those INAD dings from your service metrics.  I know it is not totally fair, but at least the pendulum is swinging a little back to us sellers.

It may take some time for you to get down from that "very high" rate, but hopefully it will get corrected for you in the future.

2019 Fall Seller Update Link

[oem_part_haus]

Thanks for the reply. I had not seen that part.

[scga912]

Restocking fees were removed June 2018.

You were only allowed to take up to 50% if the item wasn't returned in the same condition if you had Free Returns. 

Free Returns are no longer required to withhold a part of the refund for items received back in non-original condition.

[oem_part_haus]

Thanks for the response, but that isn't true. We're in Motors, which is an entirely different animal.

[mr_lincoln]

@oem_part_haus  Personally I think the Motors and Auto Parts categories should have their own set of rules.  While I don't sell in them I certainly understand a Buyer "thinking" they purchased the right thing only to find out when they receive it that its the wrong part.

I had a unique experience with a 2001 Ford 150 Lariat Super Cab ... I busted the passenger side mirror in the woods pulling tree trunks around for firewood, I got it caught on a vine and it broke at the base.  Anyway, I did a number of searches and had the right part number but when I got the part it did not fit, the base was a different size ... in the meantime I did some jury rigging and got the original one back on but did not have the power function.  It took over a week after that and some very extensive research to learn that Ford made a special series of that cab design and used a slightly larger powered mirror with a larger mounting base.  That standard truck design would work with all after market mirrors but not this particular one.  A local Ford dealer was helpful in my search but I was never able to get the right mirror to replace the broken one because nobody made one that size and I could not find one in local junk yards. So duct tape was my friend for a long time (black of course to match LOL!)