eBay

bmp_auto_salvage · ‎07-11-2018

I know eBay Motors has some of the highest return rates, what do you guys do to ensure that the buyer is buying the proper item for their vehicle I.E. Match a part # on their item prior to purchase?

city_racer · ‎07-11-2018

Be aware that sellers have virtually no rights on eBay. If a buyer chooses to return an auto part for any reason, eBay will force the seller to cover return shipping. Such policy is bullsh**, and should in fact be illegal. Often times a buyer buys the part in error, or just to try out. In these cases they should be liable for the shipping cost, which can easily overwhelm the seller's margin in such a competitive business. At a minimum, the return policy should be configurable by the seller. It is outrageous that eBay can force the seller to pay for return.

city_racer · ‎07-11-2018

By the way, when I raised this issue with eBay support, the answers I got were: You have the freedom to not do business on eBay, or to sue us.

dinpavent0 · ‎07-11-2018

I personally make sure I have a part number for every item, also put what cars it fits. I have several times in my listings NO refunds, and please make sure this is right part before buying. That is also said about 3 times in my ad. I make sure I put every single detail about item as I possibly can, especially on used items. I have only had 2 returns this year and I gave money back to one and said keep item (it was only like $12) too much hassle to return it and the other one I sent a replacement of the item that they actually needed. They mailed item back to me at their cost since it was their fault. Basically, just try to make sure you have correct information on fit and correct part number for your item and any defects if item has any at all. I strongly encourage my buyers to contact me with any questions to make sure that item is what they actually need. Guess I been lucky, I have hear many saying that have had a lot of returns. All my new listings say no returns and my old ones that i relisted have 30 day returns and buyer pays shipping, they are listings i made before the change on june 1.

mikeystoyz · ‎07-11-2018

I buy lots of car parts on eBay. Most of you guys do a great job describing your items and most places even have the make sure you have the right part. This is for a 2005 widget and will not fit a 2004 or a 2006. It will only fit the 2.5 liter turbo. There isnt to much more you can do and you all have my best sales at heart.

Wherever you go, there you are. Please remember, when you are asked if you are a god, you say yes.

Anonymous · ‎07-12-2018

First off...I don't sell here presently because of this very issue.

Bottom line....

You're going to have to estimate what these returns are going to actually cost you.

Add a small amount to everything you sell to cover the expense.

Just like "free shipping" isn't really free, it's costs are added into everything.

Add a dollar or two to each of your listings now until you figure out the actual expenses....

The seller having to eat the return shipping costs is just plain wrong. It is bad for business and completely opposite of an industry standard that has been around forever.

I'm not 100% opposed to returns but the buyer should pay the return shipping.

Try purchasing anything from a "real" website on the net. When it comes to returns...buyer pays return shipping....duh.

This is how it has been forever even back in the mail order days.

Really sad thing is this....

It's nothing more than a marketing tool to ebay. I'm not seeing any concern on their part what it costs or who it affects.

Anonymous · ‎07-12-2018

@bmp_auto_salvage

Keep this in mind as well...

Talk in these forums is no more restocking fees.

I'm not selling right now so I'm not 100% up all the changes.

But if it's free returns, free shipping, and no restocking fees,...

Consider this too...your brand new part isn't exactly brand new anymore is it?

You lose some coin there as well....

You need to add all of these new "ebay" costs into everything you do....

grayirongolf · ‎07-12-2018

At one time I sold auto parts. This was before the eBay's hole sellers pays for buyer mistakes return policy.

I suggest you sell small light weight items only. Just be prepared give the item away & eat the shipping.

It sucks, but it is what it is.

dinpavent0 · ‎07-12-2018

Thanks, I do my best to describe items and I am always extremely helpful to anyone asking questions, whether they buy from me or not. I rather that the customer get the correct part even if I don't have what they need. I have given buyer the correct part number and referred them to other sellers. Just makes buying and selling experience better for everyone that way. Still get returns, but it happens. I just resolve the issue right away and move on. All you can do.

bmp_auto_salvage · ‎07-12-2018

Yup, justn woke up to a nice return. Sold the buyer a fuel pump and they are attempting to swap my unit with theirs. I first received a message stating it had a crack in the "same exact place as their pre-existing unit" I then stated that is impossible due to the fact that I personally package and ship all my items and remember this item. So I told the buyer to take a picture of BOTH UNITS IN THE SAME IMAGE WITH THE CRACKS PRESENT. Instead, the buyer opens a SNAD claim and uploads the image of their defective unit. I'm sad to say this but I am going to begin an exit strategy for eBay, its disheartening but after 6 years of building my business I can no longer deal with this excessive fraud and complete disregard for the sellers. View attached images.

city_racer · ‎07-12-2018

@bmp_auto_salvage wrote:
Yup, justn woke up to a nice return. Sold the buyer a fuel pump and they are attempting to swap my unit with theirs. I first received a message stating it had a crack in the "same exact place as their pre-existing unit" I then stated that is impossible due to the fact that I personally package and ship all my items and remember this item. So I told the buyer to take a picture of BOTH UNITS IN THE SAME IMAGE WITH THE CRACKS PRESENT. Instead, the buyer opens a SNAD claim and uploads the image of their defective unit. I'm sad to say this but I am going to begin an exit strategy for eBay, its disheartening but after 6 years of building my business I can no longer deal with this excessive fraud and complete disregard for the sellers. View attached images.

Honestly, eBay should be liable for such losses. It is unacceptable. The Guardian covered this type of issue with eBay last year. It definitely needs more media attention in the U.S.. In general I find eBay to be low on business ethics. They are overwhelmingly profit driven. To give another example, I had an issue with counterfeiters selling my trademarked items. Getting eBay to take action was like pulling teeth. Their primary focus is to get listings and generate sales, despite some **bleep** language around commitment to providing a safe environment to trade.

bmp_auto_salvage · ‎07-13-2018

Sorry to hear about your issue with that, and I agree 100% with you as well. eBay is totally profit driven, greedy, and will hang their sellers out to dry. They are doing anything and everything to attract more and more buyers which is resulting in more and more sellers closing up shop due to their blatant disregard for the seller. They will never compete with the river, the rivers stock is over $1800 per share and theirs is $37. They have to come to grip that they will never be able to compete with that, instead focus on what the river doesn't have, used items and other thrifty goods that are seldom bought through the river and made eBay what it used to be.

rockmafia5 · ‎07-13-2018

Ebay's email to me claimed the average return rate on ebay motors is less than 2%...what a load of **bleep**.

There are a percentage of buyers who either don't read, don't look at the pictures, don't have a clue what part they need, don't have a clue how to install it, think they know what the problem is but don't, know they can try your part to see if that fixes it then claim there's something wrong with it for a free return, or just claim something is wrong and send you their old part or an empty box for a free return.

There is nothing you can do. Ebay is happy to enable this behavior. I just had a return today for "received wrong item". Buyer bought a left side vent. I sent left side vent. He says he needed the right side. Ebay says nothing they can do to change it till I pay for a return and get it back...then I might get a refund on return shipping . The bonus is, that it will count towards my "above average" return rate.

dinpavent0 · ‎07-13-2018

I absolutely agree!! It has happened to my husband several times with headlights. He ended up just refunding and blocking the last couple that did it. He didn't want back their broken part which is useless to us. Alot of people have ordered from me and then cancelled or just didn't pay after I accepted offer because they ordered wrong part. But i rather cancel than do a return. It is extremely annoying. I actually had some one order a right passenger side headlight from me in april. In the description it said right passenger side and it was in the title with part number in 3 different sections. All of this was in item description. Well 34 days later i get a return request stating that he wanted to return because he needed the left side and got wrong part. You figured out you needed the other one over month later??!!!! Seriously, luckily I just refused it since my listing said 30 day returns and it was after 30 days. I said in return, I had in title and description and item specifics it was the right side. Sorry not accepting return and you are not getting a refund. That was the end of that, never heard back from guy. I can't believe what people do to try and scam sellers. But I do know there are some scamming sellers as well. I been a buyer on that side of it.