RETURNS, RETURNS, RETURNS, RETURNS, RETURNS, RETURNS, RETURNS, RETURNS, RETURNS!

[sherrodsurplus]

We used to get one or two returns a month. The past few weeks, however, we hardly go a DAY without some idiot wanting to return SOMETHING. We spend a lot of time on listings and pictures to make sure everything is right, and it used to pay off. Today we had three returns in the mailbox and another one started in My eBay. Most of them create some excuse - not-as-described, defective, etc. - to avoid paying return shipping. And we usually throw them in the trash because we don't want to resell an item somebody has messed with. Is anyone else seeing a crazy spike in returns lately?

A buddy of mine said he believes people are returning stuff to raise quick cash to pay rent and buy groceries. Are people just going down their credit card statements and returning everything because of the pandemic? I've never seen anything like it!

[ed8108]

I suspect EBay will tell you that returns are part of the costs in doing business.

No surprise here

[simba6]

Yes. That's the reason some stores only give store credits. However, us sellers can't do that in this venue.    

[orangehound]

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@sherrodsurplus wrote:

Most of them create some excuse - not-as-described, defective, etc. - to avoid paying return shipping.

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As a Top Rated Seller offering 30-day returns, you can report abusive buyers who are falsely using the Money Back Guarantee and eBay will credit your invoice for up to $6.00 of return shipping.   You must do this reporting during the refund process for it to register.  I also withhold original shipping charges, if they were charged.   Make sure you thoroughly document with eBay why this is a false Money Back Guarantee claim.

This step by you will cost eBay $6, which they don't obviously like ... but that's good because eBay now has incentive to note which of these buyers are having multiple sellers reporting abusive behavior, and eBay is removing them from the platform or removing their ability to file MBG claims.

[sherrodsurplus]

What they do not mention is that return-happy buyers generate higher eBay fees. Sellers raise their prices to deal with returns, so an item that used to cost $12.99 before eBay's return craze will now cost you $16.99. Chronic returners don't care what something costs because they aren't going to keep it anyway. In the end, it is good decent buyers who make thoughtful purchases who are getting soaked.

[sherrodsurplus]

I appreciate your observations, and especially the heads up on the reporting process. We have reported buyers, but we have usually done so after the refund was given. However, I don't expect eBay to remove very many abusive buyers. Wish there was some way for sellers to filter potential buyers according to their return percentage. IE, certain buyers could only see listings from sellers who are desperate enough to deal with them. EBay could create a system like that in an afternoon with a few lines of code, but they never will.