Sellers are talking about eBay’s new mandate that requires them to offer free returns on new (or new-other) items listed in Parts & Accessories. Starting July 15, P&A sellers will be required to offer a minimum of free 30-day returns.
Announced in early June, eBay said it would block listings that don’t meet the new requirements beginning later this summer. It applies to fixed-price listings that sell for over $10.
eBay’s take on how the new policy benefits sellers is as follows: “For sellers in the P&A category, we’re making it easier for you to stay competitive and deliver a seamless experience for your buyers with our updated return policy.”
To take some of the sting out of the returns mandate for sellers, eBay will automatically subsidize eligible return-label costs by 50% – if they use eBay’s shipping label program – and if it’s due to the buyer changing their minds. eBay explained:
“The 50% reduction in eBay labels applies only when a buyer changes their mind after purchasing an item and wants to return it.
“If a buyer wishes to return an item because it doesn’t fit their vehicle, we’ll cover the cost of the return shipping under eBay Guaranteed Fit. If the buyer reports that the item arrived damaged or doesn’t match the listing description, the seller is responsible for the full cost of the return label.”
In a thread on the eBay boards, a moderator answered sellers six questions posed by a seller about the policy on Tuesday:
1) Does free returns mean that the original shipping cannot be deducted?- we are trying to figure out how much neg impact this will be on our bottom line.
Response: “The 50% reduction in eBay labels applies only when a buyer changes their mind after purchasing an item and wants to return it. If a buyer wishes to return an item because it doesn’t fit their vehicle, we’ll cover the cost of the return shipping under eBay Guaranteed Fit. If the buyer reports that the item arrived damaged or doesn’t match the listing description, the seller is responsible for the full cost of the return label.”
2) What is going to happen to sales and the search as sellers move their new and new other products into the used category?
Response: “Can you add more context or an example for what you are asking?”
3) Is this a stepping stone for eBay as a whole to change sitewide to free returns? we need to prepare- most all have families that we support with our eBay businesses
Response: “We have no information to share at this time.”
4) How is eBay going to mitigate the buyer confusion of whether or not the item has free returns- we all know that is all anyone will “hear” and then they will be trying to return a used item for free and complaining that it is not working.
Response: “eBay will begin automatically updating eligible P&A listings that are live to reflect this new return policy starting July 15th.”
5) Why is eBay doing this now when 90% of all other retailers are going the opposite direction because of the giant and unsustainable losses of offering free returns?
Response: “We want to provide buyers with a quick, effective, and hassle-free return experience, giving customers even more confidence and security when shopping from you on eBay. Buyers don’t want to wait for sellers to accept a return request and manually issue a return label. This convenient return process speeds up the normal steps buyers take to return an item.”
6) There is a reason that electronic parts/ sensors/gauges/ etc are not returnable at all as the industry standard, not to mention FREE RETURNS.
Response: Thank you for your feedback and we will share it with the correct Product team.
A seller who seemed resigned to longer return periods wrote in a Reddit thread on Wednesday, okay, “but for the love of God let sellers leave the same positive/negative feedback as buyers cause we would never knowingly put ourselves in a situation where we sell/send to a SCAMMER. Is that too much to ask??”