"Item not as described" Return postage costs

[davespwd]

Are there any other sellers out there that are sick of having to pay for return postage labels?

It seems that as soon as a buyer states that an item is not as described eBay hold you responsible for the return label cost. This leaves you no other options other than issuing them a label.

I've had 3 or 4 this month that are as descibed but buyer purchased in error.

I've jumped through every hoop in order to retain Top Rated seller status but starting to feel like I'm being taken for a ride!

[4_bathrooms]

You need to report sellers who abuse the returns process. In the case there will be a "Report a problem" link that allows you to report the seller for abusing the process; if eBay agree with the report they will credit up to £3.50 to cover the lost return postage costs. Note you need to use the report option in the case.

I know many will chime in and tell you eBay does nothing when buyers are reported for abusing the returns process but my personal experiences suggeast otherwise. One buyer who I reported actually called me a few days later full of apologies so eBay must have threatened some kind of sanction against his account. 

[rjwilmsi]

Buyers are given the benefit of the doubt for returns, because distance selling regulations are the same: buyer gets benefit of the doubt, seller has the near-impossible task of proving the buyer wrong. The law is designed to be like that.

What you should do is report the buyer as part of the returns process. I have done this and have had eBay apply return postage label credits. If buyers repeatedly abuse eBay processes then eBay will eventually suspend their account.

[wholesale-fashion-clothing]

I think they now have to post a photo but we have had photos of car seats and all sorts of random items , some you cant even tell what they are but have still been accepted

[btr.style]

"if eBay agree with the report they will credit up to £3.50 to cover the lost return postage costs"

Rubbish. As well documented here by many people, eBay are supposed to issue a postage credit when it's clear cut but never do. 

The last postage credit I had from eBay was over 2 years ago. Since then there's been at least 15 clear cut INAD or DMDOP returns where the buyer was misusing it or was wrong. All were reported, eBay gave no credits at all. No way to see their decision on it or appeal it. You just hope someone with common sense reviews the report. I'd say either it's never reviewed or someone who shouldn't be working at eBay reviews it. 

[btr.style]

They do but yes as you say they can put anything. A few times people have had something not fit them and instead of doing the right thing and paying for the return, they'll latch on to our provided measurements claiming they were wrong so not as described. Normally they'll say the pit to pit was wrong and to justify this will take a photo below the pit to pit where the item crops in or will sneakily have the tape slightly folded so it shows as a lower measurement than what it really is. 

It means a lifetime ban from buying from us again. 

[4_bathrooms]

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@btr.style wrote:

"if eBay agree with the report they will credit up to £3.50 to cover the lost return postage costs"

Rubbish. As well documented here by many people, eBay are supposed to issue a postage credit when it's clear cut but never do. 

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I have received postage credits after reporting buyers and a previous poster has reported they have received a credit as well so it's clear eBay do issue them. Of course, I have no idea what their criteria is for issuing a credit but they definitely do so in at least some cases.

I suspect it's a numbers game. If a buyer purchases 30+ items in a year, opens 6 INAD cases and gets reported for abusing the returns process once then eBay probably does nothing. Also, a seller who receives a very high rate of INAD cases opened against them and reports every single one likely gets ignored. However, a buyer who opens INAD cases for half their purchases and is frequently reported by sellers is likely to attract eBay's attention resulting in postage credits to the sellers who reported them and a warning about their behaviour and/or loss of their ability to use the MBG.

Note it states in the guidance "It may take up to 60 days for this amount to be credited to your account"; I suspect this delay is to see if there are any more reports filed against the buyer during that period. As mentioned, eBay can't look into every report but there will clearly be a threshold where they decide "hmmm...this buyer is being reported a lot".