Buyers cancelling orders seems to become more frequent

[equinox-electronics]

Is it just me, since ebay have made changes to the cancellation process the number of buyer cancellations is increasing 

Always the same reasons "ordered  by mistake" etc 

This last few weeks I'm getting 2 or 3 a week!  Very frustrating 

[apparelnexus]

Negative feedback, forced return by claiming "Item Not As Described". I'd just cancel and block. 

[1934mgpa]

Yes I thought that might be the case. I hope eBay are aware of these comments but I doubt it! I have cancelled & blocked but it's really annoying.

[just-got-personal]

The 'Ordered By Mistake' cancellation request thing though not new for me, is happening more often lately and I definitely attribute it to the vast array of other similar items that buyers are shown during and after checkout.

I guess that buyers are more inclined to save even 50p these days and so just cancel on you and move onto the next stall.

[ed_58611]

That very same thing has happened to me on a couple of occasions recently!

Immediately after paying I am shown "similar items, buy another one like it" or something along those lines and it's for exactly the same item.

My question is why weren't those offers shown in my initial search results?

[spence0175]

Seems to be sellers cancelling as well. I had 3 cancelled in as many weeks. 

[apparelnexus]

If sellers cancel they get a "transaction defect" against their account, and a good handful mean they lose their "top rated seller" status and drop to "above standard" or worse still "below standard". When you are below standard you pay extra ebay fees and have a big mountain to climb to get back to above standard. There is a way around this - a seller can cancel their shop subscription and leave the account dormant for a year and in the meantime use another account.  After a year the defects are gone.

[1934mgpa]

Yes but how are buyers affected? This is the problem we seem to be facing
more and more. Is it best to report them or do we just have to put up with
it which is not right.

[habbymart]

Im getting about 2 a day and im sure its affected my listing impressions which are down 20%

[1934mgpa]

It's just not fair to decent, honest eBayers & eBay need to address it.

[spence0175]

I don’t think these cancellers really care. My most recent was I think  an error in price. Fine but just say so. Don’t tell me that immediately after listing the item and me buying it, it mysteriously disappeared and was nowhere to be found..

Lets face it the penalties for cancellation are not that severe really and if everyone does it, where will we all be.

And onto the buyers wishing to cancel. I’d rather they cancel before me sending it and lose out on postage

[toadflaxandnedhare]

I have been selling on Ebay for over 19 years and can't remember ever having a request for a cancellation before. I have had 3 in the past 2 weeks. I always get the same reason as you say 'ordered by mistake' I have asked all 3 how you can make a purchase via a 'Buy it now' by mistake and have had 3 different answers. Two buyers apologised and had seemingly genuine reasons, the third replied tersely and only replied to make sure they got their order cancelled. It wastes my time, wrapping, booking the parcel in for collection, cancelling the booking etc. and it looks bad when you have to re-list as prospective buyers think there is something wrong with the item and that is why the sale fell through. 

[1934mgpa]

Ebay has to do something about it or I think a lot of sellers, like me,
will be looking elsewhere.

[dch2112011]

With any online sale the buyer has a legal right to cancel 'at the same time as ordering'  this is generally interpreted as within an hour  - this is to compensate for buyers inadvertantly ordering.

ebay are very generous to sellers by giving them the option to accept cancellation, most these days are automated so that the order is automatically cancelled during the initial time period.

We get a few cancellations which are always accepted - it is pointless not to - we do look into each cancellation and look at the sales for that particular item,  if we have low sales and cancellations there is a reason which needs addressing - so it can be a useful measure in certain circumstances

[1934mgpa]

Yes but what repercussions could there be for not accepting & why has it
become such a problem of late. It never used to be.

[lucy_farmer]

'& why has it become such a problem of late. It never used to be.'

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I wonder if it has something to do with ebay's horrible habit of plastering listings with adverts for the same item from other sellers.

(So buyer buys item, then reads all the adverts on the listing page, realises they can get it 2 quid cheaper from another seller, cancels then buys it from the other place )

I know adverts on the listing page aren't a new thing, but they do seem to be getting more and more in your face (and really slowing down the page loading, which is intensly irritatating and really putting me off buying...)

[1934mgpa]

How does that benefit eBay if they are promoting cheaper alternatives?

[lucy_farmer]

'How does that benefit eBay if they are promoting cheaper alternatives?'

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Dunno...!

Perhaps ebay are now making more from 'promotion' fees than FVFs?

[dch2112011]

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@1934mgpa wrote:
Yes but what repercussions could there be for not accepting & why has it
become such a problem of late. It never used to be.

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The repurcussions if you do not accept a cancellation before dispatch  are none, although you risk

- potential loss of future custom and the possibility of a return and poor feedback. However  If you ignore the request then it may automatically be cancelled.

Why has it increased 

There have always been cancellation requests although you are likely to see an increase due to the policy change where ebay up until this year only allowed automated requests clicking of a button for 60 minutes after purchase to comply with legislation - This has been enhanced by ebay as a buyer  upgrade to allow automated requests up to the time of dispatch.

I personally am surprised that the 60 minute cancellation time has not become compulsory and automated to stop false denials because 'it has been shipped'  all ebay would have to do is put orders into pending for the first hour and then cancel or release.

For those offering same day dispatch I doubt that it will make any difference whatsoever  and certainly hasn't for ourselves other than being a lot easier being totally automated rather than making sure you pick up buyer's personal messages before dispatch in case they are requesting cancellation after the first hour 

For those who use long dispatch times say 5 days you are giving longer for a buyer to change their mind before dispatch and it is now easier and you can't miss or ignore requests after one hour in messaging.

Sadly a lot of sellers do not respond to messages or read them come to that - often the bigger sellers who claim not to have time to do so because they are busy - don't get me on that disgusting seller behaviour and therefore under the old system manual cancellation requests were generally ignored.

ebay have correctly responded to this poor seller behaviour highlighted by the number of buyer dissatisfaction reports and it also puts more pressure on sellers  to achieve ebay's goal of quick dispatch

Slow dispatch means buyers can therefore have more time to think about a purchase and maybe find a better option or discuss it with a family member or realise they have ordered the wrong thing  and use the  request cancel button  which is available up to dispatch rather than having to contact the seller direct and ask for the item to be cancelled.

It should reduce return requests if sellers respond by cancelling orders prior to dispatch

[a45heaven]

Maybe the Seller is doing the Buyer a favour since ebay stopped combined invoices from being sent.

Which would you prefer, paying double or treble the postage or have the order cancelled?

And dont talk about the Seller making a refund- when its ebay causing the problem.

Two sides to every coin remember.

[a45heaven]

@1934mgpa 

Because ebay get paid to insert adverts into a listing the Seller has paid for?