Questions about New eBay Returns and Refunds

by: Marie

@hopeforthebest

I'm not sure if most posting on this thread actually read the announcement or the Seller Update regarding this specific subject at all.  It appears they are assuming stuff that is not the facts of the new policy.

@buffalochick

Sellers have asked for YEARS for a way to be able to do a partial refund.  FINALLY Ebay has come through with one so that sellers can get their FVFs back on a partial refund.  Before if we wanted the FVF back we would have to call Ebay to get it.  And as we all know, most of the time that just isn't cost effective because of the amount of time we would have to spend on the phone.

This feature is not to increase buyers that want to scam the seller.  The seller can still refuse to do a partial and state return for refund.  That is the seller's choice to make, not the buyer's.  

by: eBay Shill Buster

''No return requests are automatically accepted''

You can read this two ways, sounds like some dummy like KuBust wrote it, but it does say that they will not automatically process returns on sellers who use NO RETURNS.

So all sellers should simply change their policies to NO RETURNS, CLOSE ALL STORES, ONLY LIST ON EBAY USING FREE LISTINGS, OPEN UP ON OTHER VENUES.

by: Marie

@ebay shill buster

Your interpretation is incorrect.

by: eBay Shill Buster

No, you are wrong, ask one of the highly moronic eBay executives and have them fill you in, sellers that sell with NO RETURNS ARE NOT SUBJECT TO THIS LATEST EBAY WRECKING POLICY.

by: Marie

@ebay shill buster

That is simply incorrect.  The policy reads that if a seller gets a Request for a return and the seller does not respond to the Request within 3 business days, Ebay will step in and process the return to include a return label for the buyer.  This is NOT predicated on having a return policy or not having a return policy.  It is also not predicated on the seller accepting returns or not accepting returns.

Having a No Return policy on Ebay has never protected sellers against returns.  Every seller has to comply with the Money Back Guarantee and therefore we all have a 30 day return policy as outlined in the MBG.

by: Rexford

Volvo351 says "What makes my day is going onto feeBay and cancelling a listing with reason "Item is no longer available for sale." They should add another reason: Sold on Seller-friendly ecommerce platform!"

Yes, that is fun.  I always mutter to myself--"your loss eBay--keep hiding my listings"

by: pace306

Marie - quick question ... I dont understand ... "Before if we wanted the FVF back we would have to call Ebay to get it.  And as we all know, most of the time that just isn't cost effective because of the amount of time we would have to spend on the phone."

If eBay can automate everything ELSE - why was nay of this needed? Why should we have to call AT ALL? All the info would be/is in the resolution center.

Once a return is created (either by the seller OR eBay) and the item shows SHIPPED (back) the FVFs should automatically be refunded along with any other monies a seller is owed.

No?

by: eXtinctBay

@ Marie

''Having a No Return policy on eBay has never protected sellers against returns.  Every seller has to comply with the Money Back Guarantee and therefore we all have a 30 day return policy as outlined in the MBG.''

Absolutely correct. But by not offering returns, buyers with less-than-honest intentions will know they have to jump through at least a couple of hoops to obtain a refund. And they will go to a seller with a more liberal return policy to do their ''business''.

As with every eBay change, of course a seller will have to decide what is best for their particular business and situation. In my opinion, many more sellers will go to a no returns policy, since there is no huge incentive to do otherwise.

by: Marie

@pace

Dang, I wasn't defending them.  Ebay could have long ago come up with a vehicle for us to apply for a partial credit on FVFs for transactions that were partially refunded.  Ebay just chose not to do that until now.  There is no defending something that defies logic.

FVF's on a return are different.  FVF's for them have always been refunded.  There is no issue, nor has there ever been an issue with getting them refunded when a seller fully refunds a buyer for returning an item.  So I'm unsure of your concern or question over this.  If I didn't answer it for you or I misunderstood something, don't get frustrated with me, just ask again and I'll try to do a better job for you.

@extintctebay

Yes, having a No Return policy may deter some buyers from purchasing from a given seller.  But that reason isn't solely because their motives may be to scam a seller.  Sellers have to weigh out if the loss of buyers that won't deal with a seller with a No Return policy, good buyers, is worth having this type of policy.  It is a decision for each seller to make for themselves and what is best for them.  There are certainly pros and cons to having a No Return Policy.

As for this new change this article is about.  Going to a No Return Policy does NOTHING change what this policy is about.  It has nothing at all to do with it.  Your preferences however have everything to do with it.

by: eBay Shill Buster

Fact is you don't understand that the policy does not apply in any way to sellers selling with NO RETURNS Marie, the wording has you confused, so you need to quit acting like you know what the real policy is, you just keep digging a deeper hole.

by: dander

Its not perfect, however its better than Amazon where the customer is always right and you get screwed.

by: Volvo351

Funny, every couple of months I'd call and get connected to the so-called "Trust and Safety" people in the Philipines regarding a scumbag seller who spammed the category [eight or ten ads for same item, with price varying by 1c!] and plastered web address and phone numbers all over the listing. His web address was in the pic, but phone number in big, bold, plain text that any bot could have dealt with very effectively. I couldn't sell my item b/c this clown was promising his POS at a discount price. Quality was crap but the lure of a cheap price was all he needed. You think the Bowl-of-Rice'rs ever did anything about it? They claim the calls are recorded. I'd ask: "Do you see the web address and the phone number?" Yes, we see the violations; we will refer this for further action." They did bupkis.

by: cash4clothesbozeman

I offer returns with a 20% restocking fee.  I would say 25% of the returns are from buyers who did not read the listing and have remorse and are trying to get all their money back.  I sell used clothes and have a 99.9% feedback rating.  the negative is a guy that made an offer on an item that had no best offer, and I rejected the offer only to have them buy the item and then complain about the way I rejected the offer....  Oh what a world

Back to the returns,  I am getting a 4% return rate.

Thank you,  Bruce Wendt
cash4clothesbozeman

by: Marie

@cash4clothes

You could have gotten that FB removed.  It violates policy.

by: ySirTinLee

As long as you sell on Ebay, you're going to accept the BS.  Stop crying or find another market place to do your business.  Check out webstore.com; sellers made Ebay and sellers can do it again with Webstore if you put your mind to it.

by: Rexford

ySirTinLee, aka newly minted ID, we did. We found several.  LOL

by: Rexford

Marie says "Sellers have to weigh out if the loss of buyers that won't deal with a seller with a No Return policy, good buyers, is worth having this type of policy. "

Thought provoking comment.  I'll add something additionally.  The type of buyer on eBay is a completely different breed of buyer than the buyers on my other sites.  One must take this into consideration and decide if it is worth selling on eBay.  I get virtually no returns (EVER) on the other sites I sell on.  On eBay?  These days its like an avalanche.

by: moonmyst

I think I'm willing to lose my 'coveted' (LOL) Top Seller status and stop offering returns. Sales are down anyway so I just may go that route and see what happens.

by: Truk

The label only included $50.00 of insurance on and item that was almost $600.00 we sell industrial parts this was a brand new item with new warranty destroyed by USPS
eBay refunded the buyer from our funds and called it a "Faulty Return"
They offer virtually no insurance on these return labels the seller is always on the hook at eBay

by: pace306

Marie - no DANG! needed

I didnt say you were defending them or that you needed to defend them ... just it SOUNDS like eBay is being all magnanimous by giving sellers %50 back ... no DANG needed.