eBay Sellers - To offer returns or not? 1 1

[cigars&comix]

Ebay Comic Sellers : 
Do you offer returns: Yes or No?
If yes, what would you estimate your return rate is? (and do returns vary depending on the type of listing)

Edited October 19, 2018 by moemaya

[Cozmo-One]

Based on other posts on the board (I don't sell on ebay), I think a buyer can return an item for pretty much any reason and ebay will allow it...even if you don't offer returns.

[pjray55]

I do offer returns on eBay up to 30 days in order to take advantage of the Top Rated Seller or Power Seller discount on listing fees (I cant remember which program it applies to) and as Cozmo-One said I might as well get the discount because even without offering returns an item can be returned regardless.

Knock on wood, my return rate has been less than 1% so it hasn't been a problem but I also display multiple images, take care in packing and when dealing with raw books grade conservatively. 

Edited October 24, 2018 by pjray55
grammar

[Heronext]

33 minutes ago, pjray55 said:

I do offer returns on eBay up to 30 days in order to take advantage of the Top Rated Seller or Power Seller discount on listing fees (I cant remember which program it applies to) and as Cozmo-One said I might as well get the discount because even without offering returns an item can be returned regardless.

Knock on wood, my return rate has been less than 1% so it hasn't been a problem but I also display multiple images, take care in packing and when dealing with raw books grade conservatively. 

Can you give more details of how offering returns helps you?  I just became a Power Seller.  I don’t offer returns but I know this means nothing if a seller really wants to return something.  I haven’t been charged listing fees in ages but I’d like to save on FVF.  I don’t pay for a store.  Thank you

Edited October 24, 2018 by Heronext

[pjray55]

6 minutes ago, Heronext said:

Can you give more details of how offering returns helps you?  I just became a Power Seller.  I don’t offer returns but I know this means nothing if a seller really wants to return something.  I haven’t been charged listing fees in ages but I’d like to save on FVF.  I don’t have pay for a store.  Thank you

I just verified and the benefit is part of being a Top Rated Plus Seller.  For maintaining that level I receive 10% off of my Final Value Fees for every listing I post that offers at least 30 days returns and 1 day handling.

[cigars&comix]

1 hour ago, pjray55 said:

I just verified and the benefit is part of being a Top Rated Plus Seller.  For maintaining that level I receive 10% off of my Final Value Fees for every listing I post that offers at least 30 days returns and 1 day handling.

Im not sure how ebay nominates a Top Seller. I was recently made a Top Seller, but I only offer returns on some items (non-comic), but all my comics now are no return policy. And my shipping times are 4 day processing.

[Heronext]

Having read the definition, I’ll never be a 100-listing a year seller

[pjray55]

7 minutes ago, moemaya said:

Im not sure how ebay nominates a Top Seller. I was recently made a Top Seller, but I only offer returns on some items (non-comic), but all my comics now are no return policy. And my shipping times are 4 day processing.

you can still be recognized as a Top Rated Seller and not offer returns and offer 4-day processing / handling you just wont get that 10% discount on Final Value Fees.

[Heronext]

3 minutes ago, pjray55 said:

you can still be recognized as a Top Rated Seller and not offer returns and offer 4-day processing / handling you just wont get that 10% discount on Final Value Fees.

Thank god eBay has made it so easy to understand 

[Slappy Jones]

slabbed: no returns.  c'mon, it's professionally graded, that's where i draw the line on being nice & reasonable...

raw: I offer the minimum 14 day return, but have NEVER had a book returned (probably 1,000 individual units sold in maybe 200 auctions over the past 5 years...)

But, to make this work, I use 'bomb-proof bullet-proof' packaging up the wazoo AND really truly genuinely grade conservatively.  I try to be as harsh as possible, and then often knock it down another 1/2 grade for good measure.  Only once did I have to give a refund for a flaw I missed, but I also do it as a hobby not to put food on the table, so that kinda makes it easier to go with the flow...
 

[Gaard]

Always have offered returns. Never had a book returned. I've never understood why anybody wouldn't take returns.

[wikked]

Aren't returns required now?

I don't have a choice when listing, well I do, but it's either 7 day or 14 day return...no "none" option.

I am a 100% top seller or whatever they call it.

[sagekilz]

I offer returns on anything I sell on ebay IF there is damage due to shipping.  If the item received, is the item purchased, there are no returns; everything is always clearly stated in the description.  Whether it's a comic or a coin, I make sure everything is clearly stated.  

[fastballspecial]

Everything on ebay is returnable doesn't matter if seller offers it or not if they pay
thru paypal and I would imagine a credit card as well.

I can tell you that you limit your sales if you don't take them sadly. 

Edited September 4, 2019 by fastballspecial

[AndyFish]

Far less than 1% returns.   I did have one big book some time ago that the buyer had remorse and an angry wife and he started a claim before the book even arrived to him.   I understood his situation but like the boards here, if I say "I'll Take It" that's the end of it, no matter the circumstance I will stand by my word.   I accepted his return, blocked him as a bidder for future auctions, was refunded seller fees, relisted it and it went for about 1/3 more than the guy had paid for it the first time.

 

[littledoom]

It's worth offering free 30 day returns (It gives me confidence as a buyer also).. It's very scarcely used.. let alone inappropriately.. but when it is inappropriate it stings

[shadroch]

In mail order, the longer the return period you offer, the fewer returns you get. It sounds counter-intuitive but it works.  Tell someone they have a week to return it and they will scutinize it quicker. Tell them they have sixty days and half the time they misplace it before they can return it.

[OuterBanks]

On 6/5/2020 at 12:34 PM, shadroch said:

In mail order, the longer the return period you offer, the fewer returns you get. It sounds counter-intuitive but it works.  Tell someone they have a week to return it and they will scutinize it quicker. Tell them they have sixty days and half the time they misplace it before they can return it.

 

This is something I learned a lot in marketing courses - if a restaurant emails its customers regularly a coupon, most won’t use it but they feel good will and start coming more often.  We have a local restaurant that ran a Facebook ad offering 25% off, it got a lot of shares and buzz in our area, but I suspect most people didn’t bother to print out the coupon and still wanted to try it out.

Could be something similar here with returns.  I’d feel less suspicious of a seller if I knew they offered returns.

[rexinnih]

Longtime seller and offer I believe 30 day returns to hit a higher status. Over 1K sales with two returns I can remember and none of them comics.