Free returns

[cutecottons]

Hi folks,

Just seeking some advice on the benefits of including free returns in my store.

Apart from the obvious benefit to the buyer.

What are the benefits for us? 

I'm looking to protect my feedback and of course if buyers return and are not happy any negative feedback can be removed - is that the case? Any experience please?

Thanks very much!

[technthread]

Offering free returns won't protect you from negative feedback unfortunately. I believe if you became a top rated seller the buyer can't leave a neg for 14 days (that used to be the case I hope it hasn't changed and I'm not misleading you there) so I'd prioritise qualifying all settings for that to give yourself the best standing with eBay to be able to challenge bad feedback when it isn't justified. 

I do free returns purely because I would rather avoid the buyers who decide to falsely claim a defect and harm my account to get a free return label, instead of using the change of mind return. As most people don't return items it doesn't mean much other than buyers are more confident to buy. It does hurt though when a buyer treats you like a rental service which you could experience with clothing.

I had a buyer the other week get an item delivered at 2:40pm, by 3:00pm it was already at the post office on its way back to me as a change of mind return. It lost money on the item as I've now paid 3 lots of postage to sell it twice and it has wiped my profit out on it and it leaves a bad taste. You can't really win on here sometimes but just mitigate risk as much as possible by making the listings as clear as possible so the returns setting is irrelevant 99% of the time. 

[the_book_seekers]

Last time I checked the 14 day period before negative feedback could be left was still in operation. If the return does not come back in the same condition as when the item was sent out there is the option of offering a partial refund of up to 50%. I also seem to remember some protection against defects and used to receive monthly messages from ebay about how it had protected my metrics. I haven't seen a message for sometime and am not sure if this is still the case. ebay does like sellers to offer free returns but I think it depends on the category and return rates. In some areas free returns are just not sustainable. 

[technthread]

Maybe I am mis-remembering but I thought to get top rated seller (TRS) status, free returns had to be switched on. When I looked now I can't see a reference to free returns and TRS so am a bit confused as to where I got that idea from. 

To the OP, my message was a bit scatty before I had a few random points in my head all at once, contradicted myself and didn't proof read what I wrote 😅.

The 14 day cooling off period TRS gives before a neg can be left is very useful to stop buyers impulsively lashing out with negative feedback, so maybe try to secure that if you are able to shorten your dispatch times. As you have plenty of positive feedback I wouldn't worry about it too much either way as you can take a few negs here and there and it won't do much damage. Free returns in the clothing category are a risk, I don't sell much so I can do it but if it had thousands of listings I'm not sure I would be as comfortable having it switched on as I am now. 

[the_book_seekers]

I opted for free returns. It was some years ago now so don't ask me where this is.

[sheba-knows-best]

I don't offer free returns in clothing. I don't think it encourages more purchases or causes fewer SNADS. I think it simply encourages a free trying-on service.

 Truthfully, if I sold all men's clothes I might use it. Not to be sexist but men seem to like shopping for clothes a little less than women. So it might encourage them to buy - and even buy more than 1 to be certain of one working out - and then apathetically they keep the other as a spare. But women? Women seem happy to try on a hundred items and still struggle to find one they like... 

I do KNOW there are exceptions to every rule.😁

[sheba-knows-best]

I'd just add that the theory behind big brands - Next, M&S, Boden - offering free returns is that (a) they're not free they have already charged for the return in the INITIAL postage (unless they have tempted tyhe buyer to take a very large bundle which is when both outward/inward postages are free) whereas we, on ebay, are encouraged to offer free delivery, (b) they WANT women to buy huge bundles of clothing in all sizes (hence free postage on large bundles), the idea being they create a loyal customer who will gradually return fewer and fewer items as they understand the brand's sizing better; a customer that they can target with very specific temptations and offers (due to the data they then keep).

Question is, are you the size of M&S? Thought not 🙂

[darth_baggins]

Not sure where people are getting 14 days before a neg can be left. The actual rule is 7 days and only applies to top rated sellers.

[simplyessential_uk]

Supposedly Ebay say offering free returns gave you better impressions in their algorithms, which I tested for about a month, I didnt see any real increase in sales nor abuse of returns, at the of the day buyers who want free returns just lie or damage the item anyway so you prevent that.  I removed free returns though as my margins are tight so hljust a few extra returns can make a difference and with no increase in sales its just an unecessary extra cost to me I could do without.  You can bulk add onto all your orders, test it out and see yourself than revert back if it isnt for your business

[cutecottons]

Thanks everyone,

I deduce from the responses it won't benefit me in the slightest so I'll keep things simple.

Hopefully future improvements to eBay will help sellers a bit more than they actually do at the moment.

personally I think the feedback system is harsh and would benefit from the Vinted style where auto positive feedback is given, in the absence of buyer feedback. If this were the case, our feedback count would quadruple, and any negs have less of a percentage impact.

Sending good vibes 😎