eBay "required" 90 day returns

The newest seller update is out and reads that in order for sellers to be qualified to receive their 20%final value fee discount over the November-December holiday period, sellers must accept returns until January 31! So a buyer can purchase a coin on November 1, & still return it on January 31.

What do you think as a buyer?
As a seller?

 

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I understand an extended return period over the holidays for a couple reasons. First, everyone is busy so mailing things back might take a backseat as well as the mail being extra slow due to the increased volume. I also understand because perhaps I'm buying something in November as a Christmas gift for someone. They won't get it until the end of December so if it needs to be returned the first of January is about as early as one could expect.

I think the end of January does seem like a long time...and it is certainly designed to favor the buyer. But, if you think about it...on the other hand, if it's a Christmas gift that's not a lot more than 30 days after the intended party actually gets the item. I think this would be hard on sellers...but I do understand the point.

 

They're trying to increase Christmas purchases.
IMO, 14 is plenty.

 

As a seller, I think it's a major deal breaker between me and eBay since I know of absolutely No online retailers that have a 90 day return period without strings attached.

As a buyer, it does not matter to me one way or another since, as an adult, I rarely return anything.

eBay should rescind this and be "clear" or "specific" that certain products are iummune from such a ridiculous policy as it will open many "bullion" only sellers to huge losses given the volatility of the bullion coin market.

Folks that sell US Mint products could also suffer as popularity waves come crashing on the shore.

In short, it's a silly and irresponsible policy.

 

That's an excellent point about bullion. If gold drops $600 an ounce between November and the end of January, it would mean massive returns and seller losses.

 

A very good point about bullion. Will Ebay have to be regulated by the SEC now that it's in the business of call options on bullion?

 

The major bullion sellers like Apmex and MCM do not offer returns on ebay.

I think it's excessive (90 days). But I'll go along with it because the risk of returns outweighs the rewards (20% off fees and higher search rankings).

 

Agreed. I think if you are going to have a return...it's normally going to happen pretty quick. I do agree some items...such as bullion needs to excluded.

 

Of course the easiest solution for bullion dealers is to not opt in. But then they'll lose the 20% discount for a couple months...

 

That's true. I guess what I made my last post the fact that it's an "opt in" service slipped my mind.

 

I will accept the terms only because I don't have a problem if someone tries to return a coin. I have a data base tied with pics to my offerings. I dont' have enough offerings to make this cumbersome. But I note the date of sale and posting on a xcell and save all pics posted by date. So it gets tied together. Ebay will look at your evidence as they keep sold records for over 90 days with pics attached.

Bullion sellers, run.... don't walk
Bud

 

I meant above it they try to return a coin that's is different from the one I sold

 

The people at eBay who come up with these policies don't do the proper research to determine what effect it will have on what some of their users sell. Will they rescind or modify this policy to prevent sellers from getting screwed by buyers returning bullion for a profit, not in our lifetime.

eBay has become a bully, in that they are telling sellers what they can and can not do when it is actually not their business to do so. eBay was founded as a platform for which sellers can put their collectibles out on the world wide web for collectors to find and bid on. It used to be a great place for buying and selling. Now they have their nose in everything from what you can and can't say in a description, image size, shipping calculator, payment options, banning items which are perfectly legal to sell, unfair buyer protection policies and the list goes on. Their current feedback policy is a joke, it's worthless. They know that they can get away with it. What they don't realize is just how many people have stopped or drastically cut back using their service and I think they just don't care about their users like they used to. I registered to sell on eBay in October 1998 as ssgtedusmc and became an unregistered user last year I got so fed up with them. I know countless friends and acquaintances who don't even browse much less buy or sell on, eBay anymore. Occasionally I will find something to buy on eBay and I have a friend who will place my snipe bid. If I win I pay her the total amount of the purchase.

 

Actually they're getting rid of the star feedback system too. Instead they will use what they are calling your "Defect Rate," as described here:

Your defect rate is simply the percentage of your transactions over the most recent evaluation period with one or more of the top predictors that a buyer will leave eBay or purchase less, such as an opened eBay Money Back Guarantee case, a return because the item wasn't as described, or negative or neutral feedback.

 

I have never participated in any ebays programs, whether it be global shipping, easy returns, top rated seller status, tracking on every shipment. I just do what I'm comfortable with, and try to make buyers happy the best I can.

 

While I think the 90 day holiday return policy is ridiculous, the entire policy is not as bad as it sounds.

And they have addressed the bullion issue:

Extended holiday returns required for Top Rated Plus discount and seal

• To qualify for the Top Rated Plus seal and 20% final value fee discount between November 1 and December 31, your listings must include the new extended holiday return option, with returns accepted through January 31. Bullion, Gift Cards, Tickets, and all Business & Industrial categories are exempted from this requirement.
• Same fast shipping and 14-day returns: As before, same-day or one-day handling will be required for Top Rated Plus listings, and a 14-day or longer money-back return policy will continue to be required when holiday returns are not in effect.
• Note, starting in August, all Business & Industrial categories will be exempted from the 14-day or longer return requirement along with Bullion, Gift Cards, and Tickets that are excluded today.

After reading the details of the policy, it seems that you don't lose your Top Rated Status if you don't offer the extended return, but any item that sells in November & December without the extended return policy will not qualify for the 20% FVF discount.

 

That seems a bit much, I understand the holiday season but for coins thats to much

 

I'm sure glad someone actually read the policy and noticed bullion is excluded.
Otherwise we might have gone another 50 or 100 posts discussing the ramifications for bullion sellers.

 

Since I'm too lazy to look it up, exactly what defines "Business & Industrial"? Are regular sellers (i.e. Top Rated Sellers) NOT actually a "Business" or are they referring to "Business" in the sense of say Office Supplies and what nots?

 

I really doubt that opting in will affect me much as a rare coin seller. That's a loooooong time to hold out hope that no one returns a coin, though.