What are your thoughts on refunding due to change of mind? New ebay 'rules'

[currarongpete]

Well, this could be a bit of a mine field.

[currarongpete]

My friend has started offering free postage too with her clothes and she too feels she is going backwards. In my case I will be researching Q.....sales and probably using the annoying Gumtree more often. Losers in this too could be the buyers who live in outlying or remote areas: if the hobby sellers who are usually selling at realistic prices start to opt out they may be affected. Though based in Sydney the majority of my items end up interstate in remote areas funnily enough

[dotm2004]

Yes, I agree .... I have several buyers who live in outlying Queensland and NT, and find it impossible to find things for their kids.  They tell me they're really happy with their purchases from me, and I don't want to put up my prices ... I like it to be a win/win situation for all of us 🙂

I find my 'bulk buyers' are the ones who are keeping me going at present .... I'll try to work on building this up, and at the same time keep the service up and the prices down.

The cost to sell on eBay just keeps on creeping up.

AND ..... regardless of what eBay say about there being FREE LISTING PROMOTIONS being around all the time ..... I've been waiting for weeks 😞

How about everyone else ... I'd be interested to know if anyone has had ANY in the last month.

[twobowerbirds]

Hi dotm, I have had a good run on free listings but my friend hasn't had any for some weeks, it must be totally random

[2011.narelle]

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@currarongpete wrote:
I feel yet another giant hurdle for the sellers, another win/win for the buyers. I have a friend who sells at very reasonable prices 2nd hand good quality clothes and shoes as a hobby and just to have a few extra $ and she and others who sell such items may find this very frustrating. She will need to put a message on each listing that she won't refund due to change of mind.

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She can do that for sure.... But she will  probably get a lot of SNAD's & defects.

Buyer changes mind = buyer pays return post = no seller defect

SNAD= free return post = seller defect.

Which option are most buyers going to select?

It's not fair but that's how it is.

[cq_tech]

I very specifically exclude returns and/or refunds for change of mind in my T&Cs and quite frankly I don't give a toss what eBay have to say about it. They can defect me out the back door if they want to but as far as I'm concerned, if buyer's aren't prepared to accept my published terms & conditions, they can bugger off and purchase from somebody else and a pox on anybody who thinks otherwise.

[cherry*135]

Is it in the new policy that all sellers must refund due to change of mind?

I don't think it is.

Not a very good option for small sellers, especially for used goods. A store with lots of new stock and the buyer returns the item, still in its packaging with tags attached and  pays the return postage, probably not such a big issue.

[currarongpete]

it is not in the policy that that refunds must be given to those who change their mind (but suggests strongly what a good idea that would be)

Hopefully the majority of buyers I come across won't, however, there will no doubt be a percentage of buyers who will give it a go...

when I first started I had a woman buy a woollen flokati rug from me, she picked it up, 'loved it loved it loved it', took it home then the next day rang and said her husband was horribly allergic to it and she needed to return it ASAP. That was fine of course I would take it back & refund

........ she stayed home ............. it was carried in to my house by the husband  Lucky for me I guess the husband did not collapse at my feet after transporting it in the car for an hour then carrying it inside...

[2011.narelle]

eBay points out that "before you bid or buy check the seller's return policy then follow the steps to make a return"

How many buyers have been found not to read anything a seller puts in a listing? Rhetorical question really.

eBay does not require a seller to allow change of mind but it does inform buyers that if you select-Change of mind-then they will pay for return post & perhaps a restocking fee.

It also informs buyers that it is not as described,the seller pays return post.

If a seller states no returns & a buyer wants a refund/return then what will most of them do?

Will they just keep the item?

Will they pay to post it back?

Will they lie & make it a  SNAD to force you to refund & return at your expense?

There's your minefield.Sellers be getting SNADs on perfectly as described items with no flaws & good luck dealing with that.All because people don't like paying return post.It's expensive,you know even when it's free.

It's up to everyone what they decide on that policy but if you don't decide then a default policy is decided for you by eBay.Do you trust eBay to make fair decisions & look at evidence & that the fair & right decision will be made?

I haven't decided about it myself yet.

[lalala-au]

Well I read it all through this morning and then hit the Feedback link twice as I couldn't express myself in one go because of the restriction on characters! ha ha! I doubt it made any difference but after finishing my 2nd lot of feedback using every character, I did feel better.

They say to come up with ways to handle buyers complaints better, maybe they are sick of my step 1 in handling certain complaints, as my step one with handling certain issues is hit the ebay "Tell us what you think link" to rid myself of all negative emotions and have a clear head to deal with the issue logically and professionally, as sometimes I really do feel it is not the buyers fault it is the way the system (Ebay)  is set up. I am sure they could do more to protect the seller from buyers who don't read the rules of buying on Ebay.

Hmm I am wondering if I could go and return the winter dress which still has the tags on it from Myer that I didn't end up wearing that I bought back in June, and just tell them I have changed my mind? I wonder would they refund me? Also is the 180 day return on sale and clearance goods that are sold online too?