Ebay: Buyers Returns...Thoughts?

[clovis97]

I've had two buyers wanting to return items in the past two days.

All of my listings say that I will accept returns. Honestly, I don't mind accepting returns, and I don't mind refunding their money.

What bugs me is that, under eBay Top Rated status, and because I accepted ebay's return policy, I have to refund the money, plus the shipping cost.

If I send you an item that is defective, I don't mind giving a full refund including shipping. Last year, I refunded a guy's money and the shipping because the wrench that I sold him had been machined to fit a larger sized bolt. I also refunded shipping and purchase price of a record that I improperly packed about six months ago.

Maybe I'm venting a little:

I sold a pair of high end Justin boots, and at the very end of the 14 day period, the buyer wants to return them because they 'don't fit'. If you are buying used shoes on ebay, I would expect that the buyer has already worn out 6 other pair of this exact style and know that a 8 1/2 narrow is the size that you wear in that model.

I sold a bike part for one brand of bike, and the buyer wants a refund because it won't fit his Cannondale, even though the exact year and make was listed in the ad.

The boots will cost me $12.50 in original shipping.

The bike part will cost me $10.50 in original shipping.

Again, I signed up for it, and I don't mind accepting returns, but losing $23 for nothing...well, I'm not thrilled about losing money before I get out of bed.

BTW, no cases have been opened by the buyers.

Thoughts?

 

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[inspectorgadget]

NO WAY would I take a return for for either of those items for the reasons you stated. The boots were used by the buyer I almost guarantee ya & now they wanna return them, no go & same goes for any clothing type of item! The bike part was accurately described & someone took a chance that it would work for/on something else & now they wanna return it? Again no go! I'm not Walmart with an almost anything goes return policy. If the item I send you is either misrepresented in any way or has damaged then I absolutely take returns unless the item was listed as "as-is for parts or repair" then I don't. Buyer stupidity or remorse will not work with me!

 

[inspectorgadget]

BTW I would tell the person who bought the boots that you will exchange them for another size that will fit since those don't & see what she says. I have done this before & the buyer usually realizes their excuse isn't going to work & they are stuck with their purchase. If this person says OK then get the boots back & refund the money & just say the other pair turned out to have damaged or something. If this tactic gets you out of even just 50% of the BS returns it's well worth it!

 

[diggummup]

You do not have to pay for return shipping unless the item was not as described or you specifically say that you will pay return shipping charges in your return policy statement. Top rated, Top rated plus or a regular seller that accepts returns, it doesn't matter. Here- Hassle-free returns: Using the eBay returns process

PS- This is where free shipping is a big advantage for sellers. If you don't charge for shipping they can't be reimbursed for it.

 

[clovis97]

You do not have to pay for return shipping unless the item was not as described or you specifically say that you will pay return shipping charges in your return policy statement. Top rated, Top rated plus or a regular seller that accepts returns, it doesn't matter. Here- Hassle-free returns: Using the eBay returns process

PS- This is where free shipping is a big advantage for sellers. If you don't charge for shipping they can't be reimbursed for it.

Thank you, Dig.

What you gave a link to confirms that I am to refund the original shipping.

That sucks. Big time.

Again, if you aren't happy with the item, I don't mind giving refunds. But when my ad specifically says "a Trek part removed from a 2001 Trek", and you think it should fit your 2010 Cannondale, I think you should pay the shipping both ways.

About eight months ago, I had a return, and since I didn't completely know the return process, I only refunded the purchase price, and not the original shipping too. The buyer never said a word, except to thank me for the quick refund.

 

[inspectorgadget]

About eight months ago, I had a return, and since I didn't completely know the return process, I only refunded the purchase price, and not the original shipping too. The buyer never said a word, except to thank me for the quick refund.

That's the way it should work if you accept returns! No way do I refund shipping cost for buyer remorse or stupidity, NO WAY! I use to bend over backwards for everyone years ago & came to find out it's just not worth it as some people can't be pleased! My track record & feedback hasn't changed one bit since taking a firmer stance on my policies a few years ago! Tho I will admit I avoid buying & reselling things that could cause issues such as clothes & shoes that might not fit tho a purse is another story. Everything or every issue on eBay is a case by case thing for me, I sniff out the scam artists or the lairs cause I'm good at it & I don't ever make it easy for them but if you have a legitimate problem then I will go out of my way & do everything possible to resolve it & to make you the buyer happy to have dealt with me!

 

[diggummup]

Thank you, Dig.

What you gave a link to confirms that I am to refund the original shipping.

.

Show me. I must be missing something.

 

[clovis97]

Scroll down to "Refunds".

Just under that, it says "All other returns".

 

[Iron Patch]

I just lost my top rated status because of the numbers, and by the smallest of margins, but strangely I have had it for quite a while and have never offered returns. I'm not sure what else you have to do, but I have never made any effort and did not change anything even when ebay changed the guidelines. If my numbers get good again maybe it will change for next time, but I really don't know. I have no plans to offer refunds either way because I think it's BS for someone to return something just because they changed their mind, and I most definitely would not be covering the shipping for them to send it back.

 

[deserdog]

I have never had an item returned since I started in 1999, but I do offer returns. I try to describe in detail any defect in an item. If an anitem is not as described, I will take returns and pay original price and original shipping & handling fees. Buyer pays for return shipping.

 

[cheese]

If I made a mistake and didn't describe my item accurately or I didn't pack it well and it arrived broken, I will give a full refund and pay return shipping. There is no reason my buyer should lose money because of my mistake. Other than that, they pay shipping to return it and they can get a refund on the purchase price only.

I offer free shipping on a lot of small, light items. If the shipping is more than a few bucks, I usually don't offer it free so that if I have to make a refund, I can refund the purchase price but retain the shipping if I decide to. If you offer free shipping, you are refunding the shipping every time you accept a return. I offer no returns on most everything I list, but on some things like used parts or engines, I offer a warranty.

 

[diggummup]

Scroll down to "Refunds".

Just under that, it says "All other returns".

Read the part I highlighted in red.

All other returns:
If a buyer returns an item for any other reason, including deciding not to purchase the item after all, your refund to the buyer is:

In these situations, the buyer will pay for the return shipping charges, unless you specify in the Return policy section of the listing that you'll pay for return shipping charges.

 

[diggummup]

Scroll down to "Refunds".

Just under that, it says "All other returns".

Ok, I don't know what I was thinking. I got mixed up with the actual "return shipping" versus "original shipping" charges. Duh.

 

[NHBandit]

Ebay has become Walmart. I joined in 1999 back when it was based on mutual trust. If a seller sold you junk you could leave a negative. If a buyer flaked on a deal and didn't pay or returned something "just because" you could leave a negative against them. Not how they do business in 2013. Now it's over-run with POS buyers who simply bid on a bunch of stuff and then when the auctions are over they decide which ones they feel like paying for, they threaten sellers with negative feedback if we don't kiss their ass, etc. and there is basically NOTHING the seller can do. Sure, we can open a case.. and then when the deadbeat buyer simply refuses to respond you wait a couple weeks or more to get your seller fees reversed. Ebay does NOTHING to the guy who didn't pay. I still use it a little but if an alternative was to come onto the scene that's based on the old Ebay rules I would switch in a heartbeat.

 

[diggummup]

I've only had 1 item returned in over 2 years, and that was a comic book that someone darn near examined with a microscope, lol. Knock on wood. I think most buyers are honest.
But I do agree that... Ebay is set up now to where, if you were a dishonest person, you could basically upgrade your beat up fill in the blank for one in better condition, just swap it out, claim damage and return your beat up one and get your money back. Imagine that. Sad but true.

 

[Cojones]

Don't forget about the POS powersellers that move huge volume and really don't care about what they sell as long as they move it quick. I'm dealing with one right now. I messaged them about the item before buying and was basically lied to. And they won't even pay my return shipping. They got 25k in feedback.

Ebay doesn't care about deadbeat buyers because they are moving toward becoming another eshop and protecting these megasellers. All that will be left will be large amounts of cheap generic crap. Mostly from China.

 

[inspectorgadget]

Ebay doesn't care about deadbeat buyers because they are moving toward becoming another eshop and protecting these megasellers. All that will be left will be large amounts of cheap generic crap. Mostly from China.

You just summed up what indoor flea markets in my area have already become years ago, just cheap new crap. The outside summer ones are about 75% Mexican & Chinese $1 item crap & 25% is old stuff or like used tools. EBay is just following in that same trend! Should that be a surprise? A real eBay competition site should have popped up years ago when eBay started changing it's ways! Talk about monopoly & forget calling Amazon competition cause that's comparing apples to oranges. I wont even get into PayPal's BS here!

I can't believe a certain social network site hasn't more deeply invested in their own pay to sell sections. Sure there are free for sale or garage sale type pages for most areas but I'm talking about a way you could list items so that people could either bid on or just buy stuff & pay you from across the country without having to make a phone call or a text. TV internet & phone companies wanna (& have) combine everything into 1 package as do cellular phone companies thus I don't see why Facebook wouldn't want to do something similar. After all keeping you on their site is what makes them money! Hey Mark are you hearing me? If there is someone capable of this it's you!

 

[diggummup]

You just summed up what flea markets in my area have already become years ago. eBay is just following in that same trend! Should that be a surprise? A real eBay competition site should have popped up years ago when eBay started changing it's ways! Talk about monopoly & forget calling Amazon competition cause that's comparing apples to oranges.

I can't believe a certain social network site hasn't more deeply invested in their own pay to sell sections. Sure there are free for sale or garage sale type pages for most areas but I'm talking about a way you could list items so that people could either bid on or just buy stuff & pay you from across the country without having to make a phone call or a text. TV internet & phone companies wanna (& have) combine everything into 1 package as do cellular phone companies thus I don't see why Facebook wouldn't want to do something similar. After all keeping you on their site is what makes them money! Hey Mark are you hearing me? If there is someone capable of this it's you!

I couldn't agree more with everything you said.

 

[inspectorgadget]

Id love to make a new site & call it "Olde Bay" or "Ye Olde Bay"! Specifically for collector, garage sale or auction type items & not allow sellers of mass quantity Chinese newly made crap to peddle their junk there. The name would surely cause controversy & thus lots of free advertisement because of that. Maybe eBay would even sue ya & again it would just be more (maybe not so free) advertisement but advertisement none the less. I don't think eBay could win that case & block anyone from having a site named that even tho "eBay is sort of right in the title". The policies would be based on old eBay policies & payment would be thru whatever payment system YOU so CHOOSE to use. EBay wasn't an overnight success & Rome wasn't built in a day so almost anyone with time & money could pull this off! The market is begging for an eBay alternative & has been for quite a while now!

Only "problem" could be eBay making a buyout offer that you couldn't turn down like say 5 or 10 million dollars for your couple years of work & your hounded thousand dollar investment. Hum this is an idea all of its own there as then no one here would need to buy & sell again unless you just for some reason wanted too. I'd be lounging on the beach somewhere if I had even 5 million in the bank & the things I bought I would buy to keep cause I like it or cause it's valuable & I got it cheap to put up for my daughter when I'm gone!

Maybe I should register that domain name before one of you does

 

[clovis97]

NO WAY would I take a return for for either of those items for the reasons you stated. The boots were used by the buyer I almost guarantee ya & now they wanna return them, no go & same goes for any clothing type of item! The bike part was accurately described & someone took a chance that it would work for/on something else & now they wanna return it? Again no go! I'm not Walmart with an almost anything goes return policy. If the item I send you is either misrepresented in any way or has damaged then I absolutely take returns unless the item was listed as "as-is for parts or repair" then I don't. Buyer stupidity or remorse will not work with me!

Well, you called it IG.

I got the boots back today.

They look like they spent a hard week at a rodeo, and another week working on their line dancing steps at a fake cowboy bar somewhere in an abandoned strip mall.

The crazy thing is that I called ebay today. Get this: Because the boots were returned damaged, ebay says that "even if it is escalated to a claim, I won't be required to refund the money".

I think the ebay rep, who is still working on English as a second language, is yanking my chain, and just telling me what I want to hear.

I have the boots in hand, and no case has been opened yet.

What do you all think I should do?