topic Re: Why does eBay insist on 'Return Item' as the first option on a buyers drop down menu ?? in Selling

Why does eBay insist on 'Return Item' as the first option on a buyers drop down menu ??

dontmissthese — Tue, 23 Jun 2020 03:27:08 GMT

Why not 'Contact Seller'. This would make sense as the fastest resolution would be achieved
by communicating with the seller ( THEN to open a case if that fails ).

On the surface it would appear that putting a ding in your service metrics is eBay's goal.

Re: Why does eBay insist on 'Return Item' as the first option on a buyers drop down menu ??

dontmissthese — Tue, 23 Jun 2020 03:44:39 GMT

Apology if this has appeared many times but no suggestions popped up when I entered the title.

Re: Why does eBay insist on 'Return Item' as the first option on a buyers drop down menu ??

tazzieterror — Tue, 23 Jun 2020 03:53:51 GMT

Which dropdown menu are you referring to?

Re: Why does eBay insist on 'Return Item' as the first option on a buyers drop down menu ??

dontmissthese — Tue, 23 Jun 2020 04:11:46 GMT

The one to the right of the purchase record.
'Return Item' appears as the first option after the item is shown as delivered.

Re: Why does eBay insist on 'Return Item' as the first option on a buyers drop down menu ??

tazzieterror — Tue, 23 Jun 2020 04:25:18 GMT

Do you mean the 'More actions' drop-down?

Re: Why does eBay insist on 'Return Item' as the first option on a buyers drop down menu ??

padi*0409 — Tue, 23 Jun 2020 04:35:01 GMT

@dontmissthese wrote:
Why not 'Contact Seller'. This would make sense as the fastest resolution would be achieved
by communicating with the seller ( THEN to open a case if that fails ).
On the surface it would appear that putting a ding in your service metrics is eBay's goal.

Don't know if you have a different drop-down menue to me, but "contact seller" comes before "return this item" on mine.

Re: Why does eBay insist on 'Return Item' as the first option on a buyers drop down menu ??

dontmissthese — Tue, 23 Jun 2020 04:53:43 GMT

My recent purchases.

Maybe it is browser dependent. I use Chrome.

Re: Why does eBay insist on 'Return Item' as the first option on a buyers drop down menu ??

padi*0409 — Tue, 23 Jun 2020 04:58:26 GMT

The screen-shot I provided was from Firefox, but the Chrome drop-down is exactly the same for me.

Ah, I think I see what is happening, it shows like yours for me if I've already left feedback.

Re: Why does eBay insist on 'Return Item' as the first option on a buyers drop down menu ??

imastawka — Tue, 23 Jun 2020 05:08:49 GMT

Edge gives me the same as dontmissthese

That's with FB given.

With FB not given, the big blue button is still on top, but the first option in the drop down'is 'View Order' then 'Contact seller'

Re: Why does eBay insist on 'Return Item' as the first option on a buyers drop down menu ??

cezm — Tue, 23 Jun 2020 06:08:44 GMT

Mine is the same as yours in both Edge and Chrome

Re: Why does eBay insist on 'Return Item' as the first option on a buyers drop down menu ??

digital*ghost — Tue, 23 Jun 2020 07:47:24 GMT

@dontmissthese wrote:
Why not 'Contact Seller'. This would make sense as the fastest resolution would be achieved
by communicating with the seller ( THEN to open a case if that fails ).
On the surface it would appear that putting a ding in your service metrics is eBay's goal.

The returns process is technically contacting the seller.

I'm not saying I particularly like big blue "return item" buttons being the most prominently displayed option for a buyer, and I know it's really difficult to see it this way because my auto-react is still on the side of emotions when I see an email headed "your buyer opened a request" lol, and I also know the system can be abused, but it's actually there to help both sides comply with requirements when it's used correctly and in good faith. Almost every large ecommerce site has an official returns system in order to simplify things for both parties.

As sellers, I know that's probably hard to see and / or difficult to believe, but it puts guidelines, limitations and restictions in place for the buyer's eligibility for a return / refund, just as much as it imposes similar things on the seller's side, and gives buyers an official channel to return items where they remain covered by the MBG if something goes wrong, eg the seller gets the item back, and doesn't provide a refund.

InB4 any one asks "do you work for ebay?": No

As a side note, I have "return this item" on single item purchases, and "view order details" on multiple item orders (return this item" is a smaller white button next to individual items - I haven't left feedback for any of them).

Re: Why does eBay insist on 'Return Item' as the first option on a buyers drop down menu ??

dontmissthese — Tue, 23 Jun 2020 08:38:56 GMT

A return case will almost always become a SNAD given that most

buyers are savvy enough to avoid having to pay return postage costs.
The outcome is not relevent and still results in a metric ding.

'Contact Seller' will not immediately result in a metric ding.

'Contact Seller' will give the seller a chance of avoiding a metric ding.

'Return Item' will on average cause a metric ding which 'cannot' be reversed

and has in fact never been reversed.

There is no good reason why 'guidelines' shouldn't steer a buyer to contact

the seller directly in the first instance.

There is a tiny little company called PayPal which urges buyers to communicate

with a seller in the first instance before initiating a dispute.

Oh that's right...I forget....PayPal doesn't have a FVF penalty system based

on SNAD dispute rates.

Re: Why does eBay insist on 'Return Item' as the first option on a buyers drop down menu ??

digital*ghost — Tue, 23 Jun 2020 08:51:59 GMT

I've actually found the opposite - buyers who are complaining about an item being not as described tend to avoid the request system (perhaps they find it too impersonal and want to yell at me directly - seems to be the case ), while buyers that are returning for COM reasons tend to use the return system and select the correct reasons. I've actually only had one buyer use SNAD request in recent memory, and after I responded to them, provided some info and even sent through a postage label, it looks like they've come to understand the items were exactly as described and opted not to return after all).

To be fair, I'm generally pretty average in all respects so tend to assume most sellers experience similar, but I am prepared to accept my experiences are anomalies. I also need to acknowledge I'm not exactly a low volume seller (not high volume either), so this can also make my perspective a little different to some others - if I get the odd abuse of the system, it's been worked into my costs already, and the one-off isn't going to hurt my seller performance.

I however maintain that a buyer is only going to click on "Return this item" if they have a problem, so by and large it being there isn't inviting problems (if it were, i would have seen a significant increase in return requests when they started to do it, as would have every other seller, and I've seen no evidence to suggest this). If a buyer has a problem, and they understand the system well enough to know what to choose to avoid paying return postage, they're going to use that system regardless of whether they can click a blue button or access it through a dropdown menu, IMHO.

Re: Why does eBay insist on 'Return Item' as the first option on a buyers drop down menu ??

tazzieterror — Tue, 23 Jun 2020 09:04:04 GMT

@dontmissthese wrote:
A return case will almost always become a SNAD given that most
buyers are savvy enough to avoid having to pay return postage costs.
The outcome is not relevent and still results in a metric ding.
'Contact Seller' will not immediately result in a metric ding.
'Contact Seller' will give the seller a chance of avoiding a metric ding.
'Return Item' will on average cause a metric ding which 'cannot' be reversed
and has in fact never been reversed.
There is no good reason why 'guidelines' shouldn't steer a buyer to contact
the seller directly in the first instance.
There is a tiny little company called PayPal which urges buyers to communicate
with a seller in the first instance before initiating a dispute.
Oh that's right...I forget....PayPal doesn't have a FVF penalty system based
on SNAD dispute rates.

I have a simpler answer for you. It's because eBay is aiming for as many items as possible to qualify for eBay Plus, under which returns aren't quite the sinister beast you're characterising them as.

Re: Why does eBay insist on 'Return Item' as the first option on a buyers drop down menu ??

dontmissthese — Tue, 23 Jun 2020 10:00:55 GMT

So a great big button saying 'Return Item' is somehow related to eBay pushing eBay Plus.
Can you kindly explain that relationship ?

While on the subject...

Am I to assume that eBay Plus offers free delivery on all listed items or just those that offer free delivery anyway ?

Re: Why does eBay insist on 'Return Item' as the first option on a buyers drop down menu ??

digital*ghost — Tue, 23 Jun 2020 10:25:40 GMT

(Note: not answering for tassie).

The button has been there like that for about 5 years, so it's not really related to ebay Plus, but what that does mean is eBay would have collected enough data on whether it increases returns or not.

You suggested ebay has an interest in higher SNAD return rates because they can whack sellers with higher fees, but eBay don't get as much as you might think out of high rates of returns in the grand scheme of things.

Under their new managed payments system, they will lose more money than they did before if returns are at a high rate, and they pay for postage for COM returns when it's an eBay Plus purchase, so it's not exactly in eBay's interests to encourage people to return items, they are pushing hard for plus for both buyers and sellers, if it's there for a financial incentive, it'll probably disappear once eBay starts financing a high number of returns...

What is in their interest is to make the system easy for buyers, and there is actually quite a lot on this site that is the opposite of intuitive for newbies - including such simple tasks as combining multiple items in a single order / checkout process, so quick and easy access to an optional...option is probably one of the few things that doesn't frustrate a lot of buyers navigating the site.

Plus, you should know they mentioned wanting to use the same technology they use to scan messages for contact info / off eBay sales to detect indications from buyer messages their items weren't as described, so if they ever manage to pull that off, it's not going to matter if a buyer messages directly or uses the request system.

Re: Why does eBay insist on 'Return Item' as the first option on a buyers drop down menu ??

danieh_6 — Tue, 23 Jun 2020 10:35:54 GMT

Ebay wants the customers to come back, so always sellers take one from behind. Customers pay eBay's bills not sellers.
I have a solution for you and kind of relating to tazzie, but
eBay plus or not.

1) Don't sell cheap quality products or products that break easy (fragile)
2) Make you listings clear so there is no misinterpretation.
3) Send items in a timely manner with tracking, (avoids return happy buyers complaining about postage times to get free item)
4) Pack items well in shipping

You should find that will make a big difference.
1 & 2 are quite important imo, we only get around 5 returns a month

Re: Why does eBay insist on 'Return Item' as the first option on a buyers drop down menu ??

dontmissthese — Tue, 23 Jun 2020 10:47:23 GMT

50% of a sellers current FVF 'added on top' is an incentive.

( Running a close second will be AfterPay, which scores almost

25% of it's revenue via late payment fees ).

So refunds to buyers will result in a refund of the FVF under Managed Payments.

We don’t issue a final value fee credit if any of the following happens:

-You refund the buyer outside of eBay (using PayPal to send money, for instance)
-You issued a partial refund to the buyer.
-You or the buyer asked us to step in, and the case was decided in the buyer’s favor.

Yes the Return Item button has been around for 5 years.

Perhaps there was a chinese influence within ebay.

These guys plan way ahead.

IMHO there is absolutely no good reason for making the Return Item button

the first option visible to a buyer. If there is an argument that the same goal is

achieved then making 'Contact Seller' the first visible option can do no harm.

Re: Why does eBay insist on 'Return Item' as the first option on a buyers drop down menu ??

dontmissthese — Tue, 23 Jun 2020 10:52:42 GMT

5 returns a month.

I sure hope you sell a LOT or the metric will get you.

You actually proved a point. Despite all your best efforts

you still get returns.

Re: Why does eBay insist on 'Return Item' as the first option on a buyers drop down menu ??

davewil1964 — Tue, 23 Jun 2020 10:55:54 GMT

How many buyers would be looking at the item page after they've left feedback?

Very few, I'll warrant. Even less of the majority who don't leave feedback at all.

A storm in a teacup.