Returning for wrong reason (forcing us to pay for returns) - how do you handle?

[allseven-supplies]

Hi,

We're getting a bit tired of buyers returning items for the wrong reasons so to avoid paying for the return. Ebay themselves suggest/request paying for the return but then reporting the buyer and requesting a refund for the label - we've done this and never got a response on the refund. But we feel doing this only encourages the behaviour from buyers, and given that eBay only supply a 2kg/62cm label and we have to go out of our way to supply the correct return postage (despite doing nothing wrong ourselves), we feel it just isn't right to indulge the buyer further.

A better solution would be for eBay to be able to intervene and change the return reason after an initial investigation. They don't even allow a return to be re-opened, so we can't even persuade the buyer to close the return and re-open it with the correct return reason.

We have one particular example right now, a kids football goal, where they've marked it as "not as described" and said it's "too small and bad materials". The measurements are detailed all over the listing, as are the materials used. We asked them to elaborate on the problem and they sent a photo of the item looking perfectly built saying it was bending...so already this is a red flag as this would be classed as a fault, not a "not as described". We said we cannot see any issue in the photo and asked for more photos that clearly show the issue but we were met with "we have boxed it up as it's too small".

We really don't want to go against eBay's advice and preferences but given the frequency of these returns we're tempted to send one final message to the buyer explaining that the incorrect return reason has been chosen and that we must ask them to pay for the return. We'll state that eBay will automatically supply a label, but it will not be enough to cover the return postage - the item is well over 2kg and well over the 62cm limit for the label they supply. And that's another thing - the listing has the correct weight input in the postage area, so the label should surely reflect that?

What are your thoughts and what do you do in these situations?

[therenewalworkshopltd]

Unfortunately, this is just one of those things.

No matter what you do, you are always going to get some customers gaming the system.

Other than reporting and hoping for a refund on the label, there really isn't a great deal that you can do about it.

I've literally got one myself an hour ago, for a t shirt worth £5, that apparently has a hole in the armpit.

Photo's provided and a microscopic hole that is very difficult to see and certainly not viewable when worn.

But I'll still have to stump up the return cost.  And frankly, I would rather pay for that than allow them to keep it.  As that is exactly what a lot are hoping for.

The only other option, is to make a deduction on return, but this is something that has to be used very sparsely.

[allseven-supplies]

How do you make a deduction on return? I always see that option on standard (non-return-open) refunds, but I only ever see an option to complete a full refund on open-returns.

[therenewalworkshopltd]

It's just an option when your completing the return.

You may not have it, as it depends on your stats etc.

[papso22]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/selling/managing-returns-refunds/handling-return-requests?id=4115#refund...

[bravergrace]

I had a difficult one recently.

Buyer opened a Not As Described return, but then agreed that there was nothing wrong with the item - he hadn't had one of these items before and misunderstood it.

CS suggested I should ask him to close the return, and return the item "off the books", (as he wouldn't be able to change the return reason).  I wouldn't - it looks dodgy.  I can't understand why an eBay rep would advise  this circumvention of the system; they do it because they know it's unfair to charge the seller AND penalise their account because of an admitted mistake.

In the event, the buyer returned the item badly packed and squashed beyond repair.

eBay CS sorted it out for me at that point , on the basis of postal damage on an eBay label.  

[therenewalworkshopltd]

I must admit, I have no issue with that kind of thing at all.  

Everyone can make a mistake.  But there are so many now who blatantly abuse the system and there is literally no backup from Ebay about it.

[simplyessential_uk]

Unfortunately you can accept buyers "lying" for a free returns OR buyers damaging your item on purpose to claim that it was received damaged. The former is the better option but something you have to factor in when selling online Im afraid, at least you can report and block them.

[microsolderingsupplies.shop]

Hi,

It's an every day issue on eBay, and many abuse the system.

Lately getting a lot of kind of these:

- Opening a Return Case in the last few days of the Money Back Guarantee, then not sending the item back, and for 2 weeks our money is on hold.

- Placing an order, then few mins later comes the Request for Cancellation.
- Once the item is despatched, and get's a tracking number - comes the message they like to cancel the order for some reason

-Royal Mail tracking not updating the order - the tracking at all, the comes the good old " we didn't received our order ... lies "

Also, buyers simply don't want to pay for return postage.
They are not reading descriptions, and then once the item is there, comes the lies, and choosing the wrong return reason.

We usually deduct a re-stocking fee from the return,  once you click on the "issue refund" on the return case.

I heard this many times before, once we report the buyer for abusing the Money Back Guarantee & Returns, we gonna get a refund on the label, but never really seen on the end of the month on the Statements.

It's a rollercoaster, but to put it simply, eBay is the platform for selling stuff.

They can provide guidance, but to handle a Return, and a Return Label, it's on us, as sellers.
Takes some time, some level or stress to get through on these, but every single one of us sadly must go through these.

Like 2 years ago we gave up with these good intentions, going above & beyond with every single customer, because of the grief it causing, stress, not to mention the ammount of money we spent on Return Labels for buyers abusing the system.

On the end of the month, we can see 28% in fee's on eBay.... with Final Value Fee's & Promotion.
Hard to digest.

This is the price of the business.

All the best for all of you who reads this.

[therenewalworkshopltd]

We usually deduct a re-stocking fee from the return,  once you click on the "issue refund" on the return case.

You are aware, that it is illegal to do this?  And I do mean illegal, not just morally wrong.

[allseven-supplies]

"You are aware, that it is illegal to do this?  And I do mean illegal, not just morally wrong."

In your first response you suggested making a "deduction on return". You didn't call it a "re-stocking fee", sure, and you do say it has to be done sparsely, but what's the difference - a deduction of any kind is just that, no?  Why would a deduction for one reason be illegal, but for another not illegal? Or are both illegal?

[microsolderingsupplies.shop]

Here you go.

Again.

Once i try to speak about an average day, here on eBay, i'm just getting the stones from all the direction. 🙂

Most of you just coming here to do this with others, sadly.

Doing this Keyboard Warrior thing, and throwing stones at each other. 

This is why i try to avoid this, chat thing. 

Real peoples are coming up with real life solutions, not accusing each other for things on the internet.

Sad.

Keywords, New SEO for eBay, worth more time to research, than doing mouthkarate on the internet. 

[therenewalworkshopltd]

No, both are not illegal.  But if you make a deduction for a restocking fee, that is very illegal.

However, yes, I suggested that a deduction can be made on return.  But I did not specify all of the reasons that you can do this.  I suggest that you go look at the rules surrounding it.

I most certainly did not advocate making a deduction just for the hell of it, or as a restocking fee.

[therenewalworkshopltd]

It's not throwing stones at all.

Just pointing out that the statement you made was incorrect and if fact an illegal practice.

And certainly something that you should not suggest or advocate.

Restocking fees are not allowed in the UK.  Though they may be allowed in other countries.

[padanpcparts]

therenewalworkshopltd is very correct though. He isn't 'throwing stones', he is giving you sound business advice. Don't do it! Restocking fees are illegal in the UK.

The option to reduce the amount you return to a customer on E-bay is something completely different and is a service covered by the platform. E-bay refund the customer in these instances if they agree that the reason given is satisfactory for their purposes. It is again something I would not abuse or E-bay might sanction you by removing the service or worse. 

Returns are a very frustrating part of doing business online and something you have to have a good process for or it will continue to be a pain point. 

[5216elisabeth]

I've been chasing a refund on a return label from eBay for weeks.  I keep being told it will be refunded but the money doesn't arrive.  As far as I can see, issuing a return label fee to a seller for a fraudulent return is essentially part of the contract we have with them so I cannot see why it is proving so difficult.  Unless eBay are deliberately trying to avoid refunding the sellers, which would be consistent with some of the other comments on this thread.  I used to really enjoy selling on eBay as a private seller, then became a business seller but lately I'm starting to wonder if it has become more hassle than it's worth with so many of these types of things.  

[allseven-supplies]

Just spoke with eBay support;  As far as I understand it, eBay only ever refund labels to the value of a 2kg/62cm label - so about £3.50 (at the time of writing).

So let's look at that then:

1. In my example, the weight of the item is on the listing in the item weight box of the postage area - this information is used by the eBay system when buying a label to despatch the item (it knows this info and loads up the relevant label options based on those measurements), so eBay should easily be able to map this to their own returns label providing function - they don't and they only ever provide a 2kg/62cm label....even if you put 15kg 130cm in those postage boxes.

So, put aside the wrong return issue for a sec; if sellers don't step in and provide a label by a certain date eBay automatically provides a label for the return. This is ALWAYS a 2kg/62cm label, regardless of what the item actually weighs / measures. I find this bizarre and not very helpful for sellers or buyers. Wouldn't it be great if eBay provided the correct label and we didn't have to step in and provide a different label every time?

2. Back to wrong reason returns: it shouldn't even get that far - If the reason for the return is wrong, and we have evidence of this, then we should be able to ask eBay to step in and change the reason for the return before having to provide a label.

3. As they don't do either of the things in points 1 and 2 then they should allow us to request a refund for the full amount of the return. They don't allow this - if an item is 15kg/130cm and it cost £20 to return (via a wring reason return situation), they will only consider refunding £3.50 of it.