eBay Standard Envelope - returns shipping is overcharging by 700%

[patchparlor]

When I ship an item using eBay Standard Envelope, currently the cost is 69 cents with USPS First Class Mail. I offer free returns for these items because the cost is very low, supposedly. 

When a buyer opens a return and I approve it, it shows a return cost of 69 cents for shipping. However, every time I am charge for a Ground Advantage label which costs around $5. 

I have contacted eBay more than once about this issue with no resolve. It is not fair to sellers to quote one price and change another.

[wastingtime101]

I agree it's not a great system, but this is more of a USPS thing than an eBay thing. eBay Standard Envelope (ESE) is a metered mail service - essentially letter mail with a tracking barcode. Because it's not a package service, there is no return service option from USPS.

As a result, any return label is going to be package service. Ground Adv is the least expensive package service so that's what's used. Free returns may not be a great option for your category.

[pcmwire]

You should probably turn off automatic returns. Then manually send a label on returns. You can choose the service (although I don't know that you can get the ESE rate you should be able to do something cheaper than GA).

Don't always go by a pre-return cost shown by eBay. All returns are variable postage, especially with the automatic label flow. The buyer could return the contents of the envelope in an old Amazon box. If you want a certain service you have to do it manually and encourage the buyer to return in the same packaging it was sent in.

[wastingtime101]

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@pcmwire wrote:

You should probably turn off automatic returns. Then manually send a label on returns. You can choose the service (although I don't know that you can get the ESE rate you should be able to do something cheaper than GA).

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It has to have tracking so the buyer can prove they shipped it back. What tracked service do you think is less expensive than Ground Adv for returns of patches?

[pcmwire]

I don't think the return label "has" to have tracking although that would probably be a best practice.

[wastingtime101]

If there's no tracking the seller could claim they never got the item and the buyer would have no way to prove they shipped anything. Buyers would be smart to request labels with tracking if not provided upfront, and they could escalate to eBay if a tracked label isn't provided and eBay may grant them a refund from the seller's account without requiring a return.

While technically tracking is not required, it is recommended. Here's eBay's text on it:

We recommend using a tracked service for return shipping. Tracking lets you know the item is on its way, and eBay can see the progress of the return in case we’re asked to step in. When you use an eBay label, tracking is automatically included.

[patchparlor]

Thank you all for replying. 

I have a workaround that I will continue to use in case this isn't addressed.

The problem is that it quotes 69 cents for a First Class Mail return, but it always prints a Ground Advantage label. Thus, the buyer was never given the opportunity to use an envelope. As one response mentioned, I don't think USPS return service is necessary, since eBay has access to the metered service to create a label to return the item the same way it creates them for order, only using opposite addresses for the return.

That being said, free returns is one of the requirement for Top Rated Sellers.

[wastingtime101]

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@patchparlor wrote:

That being said, free returns is one of the requirement for Top Rated Sellers.

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No, it's not @patchparlor . You can be TRS with a no returns policy if you want.

Free returns is required for TRS Plus listing status which you can have on any, all , or no listings and still be TRS.

TRS+ gives you a 10% discount on the variable final value fee. If your fee is 40 cents, it will be discounted by 4 cents. Do the math and see if the annual fee savings is worth it compared to the cost of offering free return labels.

[patchparlor]

Thank you for the clarification. I will run the numbers on the cost/benefit. Another consideration is the increase in sales from offering free returns. I wonder if customers even consider that before buying. When you have "buyer paid" returns, the instances of "item not as described" increases.