Question
New Return Policy Feature in SYI Form
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We've heard from buyers that having an "easy, no-hassle" return policy was one of the most important changes an eBay seller could make to encourage buyers to shop more.
Uh-huh. Just like Marshalls or any other mega-outlet retailer.
One big diff, eBay: We sellers don't operate on those kinds of margins! And you're undermining your sellers when you encourage buyers to demand the moon plus a hot fudge sundae with a cherry on top. Maybe we sellers should send along a Krugerrand as a free gift with every sale of $1.99 or above. Bet the buyers would love that.
So what else is new. eBay's War on Sellers moves into its ninth year.
Thanks for nuttin', eBay!
fLufF
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Answer
It's now live on the SYI form.
I understand what you mean fluffy. Personally, I've set mine to read that I'll refund purchase price only. That may sound harsh to some, but considering that I sell used books, there's too much potential for some buyers to try and use me as a lending library. An avid reader can easily read a novel in a few days and then try to claim they weren't satisfied because of some inane reason.
Of course, if I make a mistake, I'll gladly refund 100%. But I'm not advertising that in my return policy because it's too easy for someone to deliberately create a problem with a book. For example:
I once refunded - including return shipping - on a graphic novel that had a page missing. When I got it back, the page had been torn out near the spine. Something like that could easily have been overlooked when I flipped through the pages. Or the buyer could have had remorse, or read the thing in a couple of days, ripped the page out himself, and claimed I'd shipped it that way. Either way, he got a full refund, including return shipping, and I had a book that had to go in the garbage.
I had a buyer claim that a book had a large stain and pages were smashed. Same story, send it back and I'll refund. Got the book back and the "large stain" was a so-faint-you-could-barely-see-it-the-size-of-the-head-of-a-pin on the top page tips, and the "smashed pages" were a barely noticable crumpling of a couple of page tips. I do sell used books and describe all flaws to the best of my ability, but some people still expect a book that looks like it had never been touched by human hands. Sigh...
Those two only stand out in my mind because they happened this year and they were the only two instances where I had to refund for supposed "not-as-described" books.
My husband got a defective DVD with his first eBay purchase. It was new, factory sealed. It stuck at a spot in the movie wouldn't play past it. To skip it to the point where it would play again cut out a section of the movie. He contacted the seller and was told to return it. He got a refund of his purchase price and original shipping & handling. But not a refund for the postage we spent to send it back. I thought that was wrong and told my husband so at the time. He said that if he'd bought the DVD at the store, the store wouldn't have refunded him the gas money he used to drive up there to return it, so he figured this was about the same theory and he was OK with it.
I can understand his viewpoint on that. I guess it's just because the return postage is so quantifiable, whereas you don't have a receipt for the amount of gas you use to drive back up to the stupid store, that I never thought of it that way.
Answer
When I first started selling on eBay, I offered a return policy.
My merchandise price points were $7.99, $9.99, $14.99 and $17.99 with $3 to ship.
I wasn't doing very well. Maybe 30% sellthrough. Then a lady in Hawaii started buying up my stuff. Fantastic, I thought. That lasted until she wanted to return most of it.
One bracelet, which had dozens of charms on it, she claimed simply "fell off" her wrist the first time she wore it. (Obviously she got it caught on something.) Other items were "just not what I wanted."
I took back three items, then said, "You've abused the privilege. No more returns." I could hear the scream all the way across the Pacific.
I still let other people return things, though. That ended for good when another customer did the mass-return thing as well. She'd do a once-a-month flea market and anything of mine she didn't sell she returned.
I didn't know people were like this. I was pretty naive.
Magazines and newspapers may be partly to blame. I was reading a profile of the CEO of some human resources consulting outfit, and it talked about how he was so cash-poor when he started his company that they would buy a dozen scanners at CompUSA, use them for a month, then return them. My partner has a gift subscription to Reader's Digest and every couple of months there's a feature on how to save money. Invariably there's a suggestion like, "Get a digital camera before you leave on vacation, and return it when you get back!" (Yeah, like electronics stores aren't hip to that now.)
No one ever seems to suggest this is dishonest or sleazy.
fLufF
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It's scary.
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Damn good idea. I do not buy from sellers without a return policy.
Mine states you must notify me within 10 days of receipt. I fully refund for not as described, and bid amount less fees for anything else.
The 10 day policy would take care of the mass return thing.
Each their own, but I really think not allowing returns hurts sales.
Answer
Darn. The quote thingy doesn't seem to be working on this 'puter.
You said, "I really think not allowing returns hurts sales."
First point:
A money-losing sale is a sale you don't need.
Some sales come at too high a price. For an obvious example, see my "Phone Harassment" thread. Sure, I sold her three items. But it wasn't worth it.
Second point:
I really think that eBay sellers need to decide what real-world business model they want to emulate. And stick with it, despite pressure from peers and looky-loos.
What I mean is that if you are planning to be the Macy's of eBay, you put a $100 price tag on a bracelet (your cost $8.00), list it on eBay for a "sale" BIN of $50, provide free gift-wrapping, 30 minute or less response to emails, a pretty and soothing environment in which to purchase, accept all forms of payment and be prepared to accept a return for 90 days after the sale. You may refund shipping both ways. You'll use expensive branded wrapping material.
If the Marshalls or TJMaxx or Ross scenario is more to your liking, you take that same bracelet, price it at $17.99, respond to emails in three days or less, accept most forms of payment and be prepared to accept a return for 30 days after the sale. You won't refund shipping on returns.
If you're more of a flea marketer, you'll price that bracelet at 1 cent to start, ship it the least expensive way possible, respond to emails when convenient, accept forms of payment that have no fees to you attached and make all sales final. You don't refund shipping because you don't accept returns.
I feel and have always felt that once you decide on a business model, you need to communicate that to potential customers. ALL SALES FINAL is one dandy way to do that. You want returns? Fine. You can pay for the privilege of having a return option. You don't need the option? Great. I'll sell you some wonderful jewelry at very low prices.
fLufF
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Being a PC tech, I sell used computer items on Ebay. A big problem is people who buy your item & then return their identical (but dead) item in it's place. The only way to stop that is to photograph serial numbers and post them in the ad or to etch your own identifiers somewhere internally and refuse a return if it comes back without those on it. Of course, that doesn't protect you against a user who gets your item, fries it because he/she didn't know how to install it properly, then returns it because it is DOA (which is the ONLY thing I accept a return on). I don't know that there IS an answer to protect oneslf from all situations, except to sell everything "as-is", no returns. I still offer a return against DOA & just HOPE that most people don't fry the merchandise. Have been okay so far. It amazes me how many scams people can come up with! My brother deals in used record albums & has had people buy his "excellent condition" album & then return their "horrible condition" one for a refund. You can't mark the record albums or you destroy their value. He knows it isn't the album he sent them, but, as it is an identical, but lesser condition one, he can't prove it. He just sells "as-is" anymore with a disclaimer.
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I sell shoes and I've never had anyone abuse the policy by returning worn shoes etc. I have some take along time to return or to return without notifying me but it doesn't bother me. I even pay shipping for the 2nd pair back. Sure it cuts into my profit for that sale but the return policy gets me $15-25 more than sellers of the same thing
Answer
Originally Posted by delliottq
A big problem is people who buy your item & then return their identical (but dead) item in it's place. The only way to stop that is to photograph serial numbers and post them in the ad or to etch your own identifiers somewhere internally and refuse a return if it comes back without those on it.
Yes, thank you for reminding me. I toured a local company that sells memory and Macintosh parts online. They have a _very_ expensive camera-direct-to-computer setup where they photograph everything before it goes out the door, then the image is automatically filed with the sales record.
The attempts at fraud were so frequent that they had to either do this or stop selling online altogether. They advise their customers the object has been photo'd, and it has cut down on returns.
You don't want to know what people have tried to pull on Fry's (Electronics) and are still trying. Best Buy, too.
fLufF
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