More eBay changes, now on returns

[the authority]

Buyer gets a refund instead of a return if the item is less than $10.

Makes selling stuff for under $10 even less appealing.

 

From eBay

 

"...Many sellers are facilitating returns for faulty or not as described items, but for those sellers who choose not to facilitate a return or provide a return shipping label for a faulty or not as described item, we may refund their buyers without requiring the buyers to return the item, and in turn seek reimbursement from sellers."

 

This is scammer heaven imo.

 

[jaybuck43]

Buyer gets a refund instead of a return if the item is less than $10.

Makes selling stuff for under $10 even less appealing.

 

This is the only part that people are screwing up. People don't automatically get a refund instead of returning. You, the seller, can now set up an option in the system that if you don't want to go through the hassle of returns on say any item that sells for $10 or less, you can select a setting in your profile so that it just issues a refund and doesn't require a return. You could also make that threshold, $1,000. Or $1, or Not at All.

[ComicConnoisseur]

Buyer gets a refund instead of a return if the item is less than $10.

Makes selling stuff for under $10 even less appealing.

 

This is the only part that people are screwing up. People don't automatically get a refund instead of returning. You, the seller, can now set up an option in the system that if you don't want to go through the hassle of returns on say any item that sells for $10 or less, you can select a setting in your profile so that it just issues a refund and doesn't require a return. You could also make that threshold, $1,000. Or $1, or Not at All.

It could be abused in if it gets out that a certain seller sets their threshold at $5, $10 or $20,then they could become prime targets for repeated scammers.

Remember it`s easy to get a EBay buyers account, unlike a sellers account.

An example is seller JOE DOE Comics sets their threshold at $20. A buyer comes along and buys something from JOE DOE Comics at $20. The buyer for unnamed reasons thinks the comic should be returned for a refund only to find out they don`t have to as JOE DOE Comics gives an automatic refund. The buyer then lets his friends in on this info who want to take advantage of JOE DOE Comics good return policy. Word gets out,so then a few crooked buyers start making extra buyers accounts to take advantage of JOE DOE`s refund policy.

That $20 could easily turn into hundreds in losses.

Yes, I could see this return policy being abused.

[awakeintheashes]

Let me explain to you how this can be exploited.

 

Okay... say I am participating in a straight auction for say Amazing Spider-man 50. I see that 24 people are watching a particular issue for listed at a BIN for $1000. I see another copy in the same grade that is on auction. So what I do is participate in the auction. I wait until there is a half hour until the auction closes. With a half an hour remaining I hit the BIN. I then participate in the auction anyway. I place a final bid in that is cheaper than the BIN for the copy I just bought.

 

Even if I am the winning bidder, I got the book for less than the BIN and I have enough time to cancel the BIN purchase as an hour has not elapsed.

 

yeah, sounds like a great plan. Let the dumping begin.

 

Quick question, since this happened to me recently: How is this different from a buyer currently making a bunch of offers on the same exact book and only paying for the best accepted offer or first accepted offer?

[skypinkblu]

Last night I said something about working out a return with a seller. I got a refund.

 

So I closed the case and gave the person positive feedback.

 

This morning, I get a notice that his bank declined the "echeck" . I didn't even know it was an echeck. I had just gotten a notice saying my credit card was refunded.

 

I hope it was just an error on his part, but I wonder if this might be a new angle for less than reputable people and the guy stopped payment once he got the positive feedback/case closed notice.

 

I just got off the phone with eBay and they said to give it 3 days then they would open an "appeal" for me I paid by credit card, so I'm giving it 3 days and contacting my credit card company.

 

However, after calling them, even though I dislike the new rules as a seller, I can see where they need to do more for the buyers as well.

 

Although I miss the earlier garage sale days, I did lose $1k through a scam years ago, where I would have been covered now.

[Fan Boy]

This is crazy. As a buyer I haven't had a problem on eBay since maybe 2004.

 

As a seller, it happens more and more often, to the point I don't want to sell anymore. Particularly with collectibles. If I'm selling an old shirt or CD, no problem. If I'm selling comics or toys, it's like a 50-50 chance it's going to be a nightmare.

 

Same with me! Now with this announcement ... I have to consider putting an end of my selling days with eBay. It is now more of a hassle to deal with their rules. I have about 10-12 vintage auto parts I was thinking of listing them on eBay this week.

 

But now this? I begin to wonder if it's worth my time?

[Chip Cataldo]

I have the same low percentage of problems with buyers on eBay as I've had with customers in my 20+ years of retail management. It's a "cost" of doing business with people and I don't see that percentage increasing just because of these new changes.

 

Anyone who wants me to sell stuff for them, bring it on...I'm not budging.

 

Peace,

 

Chip

[HighStakesComics]

I have the same low percentage of problems with buyers on eBay as I've had with customers in my 20+ years of retail management. It's a "cost" of doing business with people and I don't see that percentage increasing just because of these new changes.

 

Anyone who wants me to sell stuff for them, bring it on...I'm not budging.

 

Peace,

 

Chip

 

Some of the earlier posters make great points regarding auctions though. Buyers can now literally bid on the same item in different auctions and cherry pick the one that works out more in their favor. This bothers me more than the return policy, which seems reasonable. No need to make someone keep something that doesn't make them happy. That said, it's becoming more apparent that BIN's with OBO is the way to go on the higher end stuff. That's probably the best strategy to avoid complications IMHO noob opinion. I'd be curious to hear what others think.

[Number 6]

I'm not sure what to make of it.

 

I'm only a perineal seller on eBay. I usually list only about 25 items, only sell about 4-6 lots, and of those always have 1 non-paying bidder/cancel transaction request.

 

Last month I listed 140 lots - quite a bit for me - and sold 42 lots. The vast majority of my lots are $10 or less.

 

Not one single NPB or cancelation request.

 

I was thinking of re-listing these this month to have another go, might be wise to do it now before these changes go into effect. After August 20th, I wonder if my luck will hold.

 

Isn't this fall when eBay starts their extended holiday return program - where buyers have 3 months to decide if they want to return something? Don't know if I'm quitting eBay yet but I'm definitely going to be taking a 3 month break.

[jaybuck43]

See that's what I'm trying to figure out. If I cancel within the 1 hour time frame, does that leave a mark of some sort on my account? In the past if I did something like that (hit the BIN and then bid on a similar item and paid for the cheaper of the two) i'd be hit for an NPB. Now, do I not?

 

Second question, someone needs to get George in here for this. If I hit the BIN and then cancel an hour later, does the "sale" still get reported to GPA? Would be a FANTASTIC quick way to artificially inflate GPA without even having to create shills to do it. (Granted I understand that eBay could care less about what gets reported to GPA)

[kimik]

With these new changes I am going to rethink my selling on eBay (I am a top rated and power seller). It will likely mean cutting back on modern speculation primarily, and selling slabs via Clink, Heritage or somewhere else instead. While I enjoy the flexibility it offers, the fees and changes in favor of the buyer are getting a bit to excessive for me.

[Point Five]

See that's what I'm trying to figure out. If I cancel within the 1 hour time frame, does that leave a mark of some sort on my account? In the past if I did something like that (hit the BIN and then bid on a similar item and paid for the cheaper of the two) i'd be hit for an NPB. Now, do I not?

I sure hope that serial returners will get dinged. It seems easy enough to track if someone keeps cancelling immediately, and I can't imagine it's in ebay's interest to suddenly have a big wave of returns wash away their final value fees.

 

 

[skypinkblu]

I'm not sure what to make of it.

 

I'm only a perineal seller on eBay. I usually list only about 25 items, only sell about 4-6 lots, and of those always have 1 non-paying bidder/cancel transaction request.

 

Last month I listed 140 lots - quite a bit for me - and sold 42 lots. The vast majority of my lots are $10 or less.

 

Not one single NPB or cancelation request.

 

I was thinking of re-listing these this month to have another go, might be wise to do it now before these changes go into effect. After August 20th, I wonder if my luck will hold.

 

Isn't this fall when eBay starts their extended holiday return program - where buyers have 3 months to decide if they want to return something? Don't know if I'm quitting eBay yet but I'm definitely going to be taking a 3 month break.

 

I used to sell 25 things a week. I just lost my power seller status because I only sold 87 things last year. While I'm planning on listing a bunch this month, I had already decided not to list anything during that 3 month buyer return thing. I don't want to have to keep track of something for 3 months.

 

I don't think I'll be a power seller again.

 

[HighStakesComics]

I'm not sure what to make of it.

 

I'm only a perineal seller on eBay. I usually list only about 25 items, only sell about 4-6 lots, and of those always have 1 non-paying bidder/cancel transaction request.

 

Last month I listed 140 lots - quite a bit for me - and sold 42 lots. The vast majority of my lots are $10 or less.

 

Not one single NPB or cancelation request.

 

I was thinking of re-listing these this month to have another go, might be wise to do it now before these changes go into effect. After August 20th, I wonder if my luck will hold.

 

Isn't this fall when eBay starts their extended holiday return program - where buyers have 3 months to decide if they want to return something? Don't know if I'm quitting eBay yet but I'm definitely going to be taking a 3 month break.

 

I used to sell 25 things a week. I just lost my power seller status because I only sold 87 things last year. While I'm planning on listing a bunch this month, I had already decided not to list anything during that 3 month buyer return thing. I don't want to have to keep track of something for 3 months.

 

I don't think I'll be a power seller again.

 

 

What are the best alternatives for raw books? Comicconnect? CGC Boards? I like link for slabs. Heritage is great to buy from, but 29.5% seems like a steep premium for sellers (buyers premium included).

[Dr. Balls]

Wow they are REALLY going heavy in favor of buyers. I would not want to be a eBay seller starting in October

 

This has got to be a shift in what their target market must be. I'm thinking Amazon's structure has some pretty big influence on the changes we are seeing.

 

Returns on Amazon are practically seamless. My wife and I have Prime, and every now and again, we've got to do a return, and it's pretty much automated from what I have seen.

 

Granted, all of the Prime merchandise are from larger retailers that can handle automated returns, I think Ebay is going to try forcing that concept on smaller guys, which I think sucks.

 

I also think it's aimed at people who sell brand new retail widgets and not used things like comics, so casual sellers are just ignored in their grand plans.

[Buzzetta]

Let me explain to you how this can be exploited.

 

Okay... say I am participating in a straight auction for say Amazing Spider-man 50. I see that 24 people are watching a particular issue for listed at a BIN for $1000. I see another copy in the same grade that is on auction. So what I do is participate in the auction. I wait until there is a half hour until the auction closes. With a half an hour remaining I hit the BIN. I then participate in the auction anyway. I place a final bid in that is cheaper than the BIN for the copy I just bought.

 

Even if I am the winning bidder, I got the book for less than the BIN and I have enough time to cancel the BIN purchase as an hour has not elapsed.

 

yeah, sounds like a great plan. Let the dumping begin.

 

Quick question, since this happened to me recently: How is this different from a buyer currently making a bunch of offers on the same exact book and only paying for the best accepted offer or first accepted offer?

 

Because in this case, eBay allows it to happen within an hour without consequence. I believe that the word used was 'cancellation' not a NPB. The buyer may cancel their purchase.

[Buzzetta]

 

I used to sell 25 things a week. I just lost my power seller status because I only sold 87 things last year. While I'm planning on listing a bunch this month, I had already decided not to list anything during that 3 month buyer return thing. I don't want to have to keep track of something for 3 months.

 

I don't think I'll be a power seller again.

 

 

I will still sell non collectable items during this time period. An article of clothing or something would be returned either way whether it be a week or three months. Something like that is being returned immediately.

 

However, I am not playing the speculation game where people get to buy and if they cannot flip it, they return it back to me. That was a game the old Toy Scrubs used to play with action figures back in the 90's. They would get to Toys R Us on a Saturday morning or when the truck would come in. Then they would make sure they got the 'hot' figures or anything that thought was 'hot'. They would then take them to a comic show and try to flip them there. Whatever did not sell would be brought back to Toys R Us.

 

Eventually Toy's R Us placed a new policy on action figure returns and basically made them final sale with a line that said we have the right to refuse returns on a discretionary basis or something like that. Everyone can argue the law all they want. I laughed when the LCS owners would ask their customers to make returns for them after they were no longer allowed to.

 

Shamefully, I did it once... 'cool books' you know.

[awakeintheashes]

Let me explain to you how this can be exploited.

 

Okay... say I am participating in a straight auction for say Amazing Spider-man 50. I see that 24 people are watching a particular issue for listed at a BIN for $1000. I see another copy in the same grade that is on auction. So what I do is participate in the auction. I wait until there is a half hour until the auction closes. With a half an hour remaining I hit the BIN. I then participate in the auction anyway. I place a final bid in that is cheaper than the BIN for the copy I just bought.

 

Even if I am the winning bidder, I got the book for less than the BIN and I have enough time to cancel the BIN purchase as an hour has not elapsed.

 

yeah, sounds like a great plan. Let the dumping begin.

 

Quick question, since this happened to me recently: How is this different from a buyer currently making a bunch of offers on the same exact book and only paying for the best accepted offer or first accepted offer?

 

Because in this case, eBay allows it to happen within an hour without consequence. I believe that the word used was 'cancellation' not a NPB. The buyer may cancel their purchase.

Hmmm...I was able to cancel an order at the buyer's request because they had a bunch of offers out and one had already been accepted. I didn't have to open a NPB case. Under the "More Actions" dropdown and after selecting the "Resolve a Problem" link, you have the option to open a NPB case if it's been more than certain amount of time or cancel the order for a variety of reasons. One of the reasons listed is "buyer error" or something like that.

 

Am I missing something? It doesn't seem like much has changed aside from the fact that it's addressed in the update.

[darkstar]

I imagine most users here who sell comics on ebay, and are also top rated sellers, were going to stop qualifying as such anyway in the next few months because of the absurd extended holiday returns program. And since there is now no point in meeting the requirements as a Top Rate Seller there is really no reason to offer any returns at all.

 

 

[Chip Cataldo]

...there is really no reason to offer any returns at all.

Whether you like it or not if you're an eBay seller you offer returns on anything you sell.

 

Peace,

 

Chip