topic MBG Found a better price in Selling

MBG Found a better price

rocket2retro — Mon, 14 Dec 2015 01:49:42 GMT

Just got done over by a buyer who opened a return request for 'found a better price'.

It was opened before they'd even received my item and they did not need to provide any proof that they had found a cheaper priced item (even Officeworks etc 'beat any price' promo require a receipt).

I know for a fact that there aren't any cheaper replacements available in Australiia (I import the item that I sold).

Of course I had to refund the buyer for the original postage & the brand new tough bag

So basically I'm out of pocket and I've spent time packing, responding, etc to the request. I'm losing about $15.00 an hour on this transaction and my 15YO daughter is now earning $25.00 and hour more than me!

You'd think at least in this scenario the buyer would have to incur any costs to the seller.

I was hitherto under the illusion that I sell on eBay to make a small profit on the things that I sell...

Re: MBG Found a better price

*tippy*toes* — Mon, 14 Dec 2015 01:52:43 GMT

What happens to the item in this situation? If you've already refunded, are they going to send it back, or do they get to keep it? I'm not sure I would have refunded until after you got it back.

Re: MBG Found a better price

pennyforum14 — Mon, 14 Dec 2015 01:54:45 GMT

Does your returns policy state that you do not accept returns for change of mind? If so, phone eBay and insist on speaking to a supervisor and tell them you do not accept change of mind returns and insist they return your funds. It is their MBG not yours, and if the item is not faulty or SNAD then you are not required to refund and if they do so it should be at their expense not yours. Their own policy states sellers are not required to accept change of mind, but are encouraged to do so.

Re: MBG Found a better price

rocket2retro — Mon, 14 Dec 2015 01:58:50 GMT

Thanks for your reply Even though I believe it was probably a change of mind it was claimed under the 'found a better price' return category With no need for proof of the' better price' there would be no point fighting it (as we know who eBay would side with) and I'd lose my listing fees as well (I believe).

Re: MBG Found a better price

rocket2retro — Mon, 14 Dec 2015 02:03:36 GMT

Yes the item was returned & the buyer had to foot the return postage I only had the option of refunding their original payment in full (in fact the was frozen by PayPal). In doing so, however, I essentially lost the original postage cost and packing material (new tough bag). It is not a huge amount of money- but more the principle that I'm out of pocket for the buyer not shoppiing around first (in the unlikely event he did find a better price).

Re: MBG Found a better price

pennyforum14 — Mon, 14 Dec 2015 04:09:05 GMT

Found a better price is still a change of mind. You are not legally required to accept such a return. If it were me I would still fight it with eBay.

Re: MBG Found a better price

digital*ghost — Mon, 14 Dec 2015 04:10:55 GMT

Found a better price is a change of mind return - if you accept returns and the return met your conditions (eg was within the time limit etc), then you're obliged to accept it, but you should not have been liable for the original postage...unless it was a free-post item (I've had a couple of COM requests, and the buyers have only been eligible for a refund of the item price, not original or return postage, so something is wrong with a full refund of original payment being the only option if postage was charged separately).

The other thing you can do now - especially with free post items - is charge a restocking fee. It used to be a feature on the US site, but it was recently rolled out here. I think there's a maximum you can set it at, though (20% ? of item price).

Re: MBG Found a better price

digital*ghost — Mon, 14 Dec 2015 04:13:49 GMT

@pennyforum14 wrote:
Found a better price is still a change of mind. You are not legally required to accept such a return. If it were me I would still fight it with eBay.

If the seller accepts returns (as the OP does), while they can set conditions, such as a time limit, the item has to be unopened or otherwise in original condition etc, it is eBay policy that they accept returns for any reason, so by setting to returns accepted, you're obliged to accept for 'found a better price' if those conditions are met.

Re: MBG Found a better price

phorum_junkie* — Mon, 14 Dec 2015 05:14:24 GMT

If your returns policy states, as mine does, return of item cost only for change of mind then that is all you will have to refund, the whole amount was on hold in Paypal but as soon as I confirmed I had received it back the item cost was refunded and the original postage cost released back into Paypal.

Perhaps you need to reword your return policy.

Re: MBG Found a better price

lane-ends — Mon, 14 Dec 2015 08:07:10 GMT

Dont even know why they introduced found a better price option, its almost as if its a chance to insult the seller. Its a change of mind, no other sub catagory needed.

Re: MBG Found a better price

pennyforum14 — Mon, 14 Dec 2015 08:45:20 GMT

This is not what I was given to understand when I discussed the MBG with the CS rep who sends me all those nice emails about how they can help me improve my listings. It is also not what I read in the MBG guidelines eBay posted when they were about to introduce the MBG, which is what prompted me to ask the CS rep about it. The guidleines stated that sellers must accept returns for INAD or faults, but said that it is up to the individual seller whether they accept change of mind returns or not. They "encouraged" sellers to do so as a customer service, but it was not compulsory. I was advised that the MBG only promises that the buyer will get what they purchased and as described, it only covers change of ind returns if the seller's policy accepts them. Furthermore, if the return does not fall within the sellers return policy, (time period, unused etc) but fits the MBG T&C, eBay would fund the return.

Re: MBG Found a better price

pennyforum14 — Mon, 14 Dec 2015 09:00:40 GMT

This is from the info page for the MBG, Buyer's remorse is not covered. Finding the item at a cheaper price and wanting to cancel/return the item so you can take advantage of that is Buyer's remorse.

What's covered

Most transactions on eBay.com.au are covered by the eBay Money Back Guarantee.

Not covered

Buyer's remorse
Any reason besides not receiving the item or receiving an item not as described in the listing (see the seller's return policy for return options)
Items damaged during pick-up or postage
Items not delivered when the buyer arranges pick-up or delivery of the item (for instance, the buyer arranges freight)
Duplicate claims through other resolution methods
Click & Collect items that weren't collected by the buyer
Local pickup items that weren't collected by the buyer
Items sent to another address after original delivery
Vehicles, Real Estate, Websites & Business for Sale, Classified Ads and services, Tickets, Digital Goods and Intangibles, Gift Cards

Covered

Purchases are covered by eBay Money Back Guarantee when:

An item isn't received or it isn't significantly as described in the listing.
A buyer reports that they didn't receive an item or requests a return within the eBay Money Back Guarantee timelines.
The buyer made the purchase on eBay.com.au via checkout or an eBay invoice with one of the following payment methods:
- PayPal transactions made from a verified PayPal account
- Credit/debit card transactions processed through the seller's internet merchant account
- Paymate

Re: MBG Found a better price

rocket2retro — Mon, 14 Dec 2015 10:27:59 GMT

Thank you all for the advice. Perhaps I did not have to accept the return after all. I know now to look further into it next time. The whole system sucks.

You need a law degree to understand the complications.

Even to fight it (over a relarively small amount of money) requires so much time speaking to eBay customer service etc that you can't win either way.

Re: MBG Found a better price

digital*ghost — Mon, 14 Dec 2015 13:01:54 GMT

@pennyforum14 wrote:
This is not what I was given to understand when I discussed the MBG with the CS rep who sends me all those nice emails about how they can help me improve my listings. It is also not what I read in the MBG guidelines eBay posted when they were about to introduce the MBG, which is what prompted me to ask the CS rep about it.

CS reps, and eBay for that matter, and correct (or at the very least, consistent) information is almost a contradiction in terms, unfortunately.

You may not find the policy I'm referring to under the MBG guidelines, but you will find it here:

http://pages.ebay.com.au/help/sell/return-policy.html

C&P

What rules apply to returns?

Your returns policy on eBay

Returns Accepted:

A buyer can return an item for any reason, even if they change their mind about a purchase.
You can specify return requirements (for example, returning an item within a certain timeframe and meeting item condition requirements) for situations where a buyer has changed their mind or chosen the wrong item.

Returns Not Accepted:

You don't accept returns because a buyer has changed their mind or chosen the wrong item.

Re: MBG Found a better price

digital*ghost — Mon, 14 Dec 2015 13:07:56 GMT

@pennyforum14 wrote:
This is from the info page for the MBG, Buyer's remorse is not covered. Finding the item at a cheaper price and wanting to cancel/return the item so you can take advantage of that is Buyer's remorse.

Buyer's remorse isn't strictly covered, because a seller can say "no returns", but it's like any other physical shop - the second a shop puts up a sign that says "returns accepted for any reason" which is what accepting returns on eBay means, that business is then legally obliged to honour that.

COM requests can still be escalated and a refund forced by eBay, because the seller is offering a refund (that is the important part), and the buyer could return it and then get nothing (voluntarily) from the seller.