eBay's returns process and the real risk to sellers | Seller Central

triumph_spares · 2025-10-20T07:53:48.327000Z

I'm the sort of seller that doesn't know eBay policy that well, call me a fool but I find rules just sort of say common sense things so generally don't take the time to read them until I hit an issue. The problem is when you sell something used the description is subjective and your buyer may not agree or just change their mindThis is where "not as described" becomes a problem because eBay will 100% align with the buyer . However in process that's ok if the buyer intentionally returns it, you get back what was sent and progress a refund. It becomes a problem when the buyer starts changing things or blaming you for the impacts outside of your control because it wasn't what they expected / assumed from your description. So they ask for a discount or make modifications or even stating they are keeping it but the buyer leaves the request to return in place.You just lose everything and in my case I feel the buyer is actually rewarded for what I understand now are breaching buyer policies. I don't understand why eBay has these buyer polices in place, I'd say they are a fallacy because in my experience they are ignored when eBay are informed of it. So I've come to the conclusion that if I sell something on eBay now I have to accept that it is a 100% gamble on here as I may be lose everything i.e. not a trusted selling platform. How is it fair that the buyer now has the item and money when they state they have no intention of returning it.

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eBay's returns process and the real risk to sellers | Seller Central | eBay UK