Sales down-Are buyers waiting for 1st November when eBay Money Back comes into effect?

[musiclover70s]

Hi Everyone

I have been trying to build my eBay business for over 12 months and over time have added free postage, next day delivery, opened a store, improved the look of my listings with Auctiva and joined My Store Rewards to reward customers with cash back on purchases.

I sell mainly new clothes with many of them being designer brands.  Most are around 50% less than retail.  I will also regularly put items on sale.  Some items are initially listed at almost full RRP but then I will put them on sale a week later.  I have tried all methods of selling to improve my sales.  

Last month saw an upswing in sales and I thought I was eventually starting to get some traction.  This month I have plummeted to 4 sales (it would have been 5 but that sale turned into a non payer).

With the new money back guarantee from eBay/Pay Pal coming into effect on 1st November, I was wondering if buyers are waiting for this?  Firstly, if I offered a 7 day returns policy do community members think this would help with my sales ? Secondly, would this negate eBay's new policy or will the buyer still have 30 days to return the item?  I take more photos before posting the item just in case the buyer decides to "create some damage" .

I would appreciate any feedback

Kind regards

[2011.narelle]

I have wondered the same thing about buyers waiting until the new system kicks in.I have 3 non payers from last week,maybe they think that if they pay after Nov 1 that the rules will apply.Dunno,it's a rough theory.

I think you will have to research how the system works with the MBG.If a buyer starts a dispute as INAD then eBay policy trumps any seller policy.I think you have the right idea with returns as long as you include returns for any reason including change of mind.If the buyer chanes their mind or it doesn't fit & your policy states buyer returns at post cost,then they will make their return a INAD or SNAD just so that the seller has to pay to post it back & gets a defect as well.

NWT can also be marked as INAD so even that is not safe.eBay decides in the buyers case in nearly every case,without even looking at any seller evidence or photos.Sometimes they even refund before the seller gets their item back & inspects it's condition.It has been suggested by U.S board posters to not request a buyer email pics of damage or they may damage it for the pics.Buyers lie about such matters to get free return post.Buyer wants return/refund,eBay wants the same thing,the seller must work out the best solution or they will be defected into a suspended selling account.

Great listings & love your escriptions BTW.

[toygirl70]

Bricks & mortar retailers are fighting back a bit...DJs had 40per cent off all their clothing sale stock last weekend, that was 40pc off their already reduced sale items.....pulled in 300 of our dollars. Nov 1st is an ebay gimmick to boost buyer confidence, honest descriptions and plnty of photos for fashion items should easily overcome that.......You may wish to run a few auctions to drive some footfall. Given the lowish number of items you sell, you are vunerable to defects though...

[musiclover70s]

Thanks for your quick reply and your positive feedback to my listings

I suppose we will just have to wait and see what happens after 1st November.  I am always happy to refund if something is my fault but the new policy just leaves it open to so many unscrupulous buyers to rort the system.  

I'll just keep forging along and hope that sales improve soon.

[musiclover70s]

Thank you for your comment.

I have tried auctions but will give them another go.

Your comment about my lowish number of items.....I have been trying to increase these but can't go into too much more debt at the moment and usually purchase more from the profits of my sales (catch 22 when sales are low).   I am also trying to have lots of different brands and more male items to attract different buyers...

[2011.narelle]

You could wait & see or you could read the U.S boards & see the reality of how the system is working & the results of it.I see that it is all a difficult mess & policies unevenly applied by eBay.Sellers being robbed & defected out of selling & very much an us vs them mentality between buyers & sellers.

Some sellers have spoken about raising prices to make up for theft & loss.There is little to no eBay support for sellers & theft is called "the cost of doing business" by CS when the seller disputes a ruling/refund etc.

Sure,you're probably not going to deal with it every day but when you do you probably going to be stressed & annoyed.I'm not a fan of it as it all seams to be too much fuss & difficulty to sell when it doesn't need to be.Too much interferrence by what is meant to be a platform/landlord/slumlord.

Not all doom & gloom,i just like to see the reality & worst case scenario & what can be done to work around it.

[musiclover70s]

I have just read some of the US boards and it's all a bit depressing, isn't it?   Looks like I got into eBay at the wrong time Following is just one post:

I just closed my store and ended ALL my auctions. Ebay does not realize without SELLERS they would not have BUYERS. I am DONE. I sold a brand new purse with the tags on it and posted 10 clear photos and the lying buyer had the NERVE to file a claim saying it wasnt as described. I film all items at the post office before going out and if they are returned they are sent to our UPS store and filmed opened.

Note to Sellers don't tolerate abuse from buyers getting away with fake claims. I am done selling on here due to Ebay's lack of respect for the very people that bring them business.

Without SELLERS they would have no BUYERS remember that selllers. They allow buyers to get away with filing a fake claim and they treat the sellers like the guilty party without even investigating the claim, total BS.

I don't need the money bad enough to put up with Ebay allowing scam artist buyers to file BS claims, they even admitted to me on the phone once that they automatically side with the buyer on any claims. If enough sellers leave maybe their policies will change, I for one am done being disrespected by the very place I bring business to.  

[toygirl70]

The US does have a lot of dodgy folk, high crime areas have moved from the streets of US cities onto ebay. There are so many no go areas in their big cities. Australia is not like that, so do not give up hope. Build  your range and service and you will not have to worry about too much... 

[musiclover70s]

Thank you, I will take your advice on board and try to build my range.

[justcruising48]

I do not think buyers are waiting for Nov 1 myself. Think after the big problems ebay had and all the publicity, and everyone had to change their log ins weeks after we all were told about the event, I just think they no longer trust buying from ebay. I had many regular customers who just are not on ebay anymore.