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So I got an INAD case this weekend and I decided I want to test out the faulty INAD return appeal system.
My first step was to accept the return and then message the buyer why I disagree with their return reason with evidence. I told them they would be responsible for shipping costs. I have not issued a return label yet. They have not responded to my message in any way. I expected an angry response, but got nothing. Go figure!I know things are changing with ebay right now and they are trying to distance themselves from the returns dispute process, so I figured I’d start a fresh post on how this can successfully work.
As for steps forward, do I have to issue the buyer a return receipt?
If I do that and they send it back, that is when I call ebay and then issue a paypal refund of original sales price minus return shipping label cost?
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When we have had a dispute on a case in the past, we would message the buyer like you did. The return case on eBay should show that this is Awaiting Buyer’s Response. After 5 days or so, I would contact eBay, tell them the story and why you are disputing the INAD case, show that you have messaged the buyer and are awaiting there response, and ask for their advice on how to move forward.
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The status of the case is for me to send them a return label. I have to send them a label by tomorrow.
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Hey – sorry to hear you got an INAD – that’s a bummer. I’ve only gotten a few and they were items that I didn’t want back so I let them keep ’em because I didn’t want to pay to have the stuff shipped back – thus, I’ve never gotten to the point where I have had to send a return label to a customer. How exactly do you go about doing that? I thought it was automatically done through ebay? Anyway, please keep us posted on your outcome and good luck!
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Our latest INAD case was different from how it’s always been. You used to be able to call dispute and only do a partial refund.
With our INAD case last week, we called eBay and the CS rep said there was nothing he could do. All we could do is a total refund. No way to dispute. I look forward to hearing if you have a different experience.
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This is what I was afraid of. That is honestly complete BS right there.
On this item the buyer didn’t look at my photos or my description. Said I didn’t say the jeans were “short”. I included a photo of the actual tag, referenced to look at photos for details & description in two places, and included the actual dimensions of the jeans in the description.But…but… I didn’t say the word “short” in the title! How dare me!
Oh well, I’ll issue the label and hope I scared them off from returning them.
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I agree with you Retro. The good news is…there aren’t that many buyers like that. They are out there, but not a lot of them.
Don’t let it rile you. These things will happen. Just process and move forward.
Probably easier for me to say since we have had to do this a lot so we are used to it. It may still be worth a call to eBay to see if they will remove it from an INAD to another return type, that way the INAD isn’t on your account.
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From our experience last week, eBay’s return system has completely changed. It’s a pretty big deal IMHO. The last Customer Service Rep actually removed us from the Returns Beta program because they said they ended it. They told us eBay would no longer get involved in returns.
Im thinking that this is their way to nudge us into Free Returns. According to their statement, eBay will get involved if you do Free Returns: https://pages.ebay.com/seller-center/seller-updates/2018-spring/seller-protection.html
”Starting June 1, 2018, when you offer free returns, you’ll have greater control to manage your business, and you can decide to issue partial refunds to buyers. For example, if a buyer uses or damages an item and returns it, you can decide to issue a partial refund and we’ll take it from there. If a buyer escalates a case, we’ll take care of it for you so you can focus on your business. Plus, we’ll protect your reputation from any negative feedback.”
So if you decide to not do Free Returns, you’re on your own. I’d love it if I’m wrong.
Tsatt, are you still in the Concierge Program where you can call a rep and have item get involved? I know that was a bata program as well. Will it continue?
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Yes, we are still in Concierge, but my understanding was that Concierge is where ALL Customer Service is going. It was a beginning program where sellers can call, get knowledgeable reps that have more power to make things happen quickly. We still get that service and love it. This was supposed to be the future of returns.
Regarding returns, we haven’t had an INAD case in a while. Last time I called and I “think” they moved the item from INAD to another issue. I said I wasn’t fighting the return, didn’t care about the cost of return shipping, I just didn’t want an INAD on our account. I think they did that, but I don’t remember.
Since we went Free Returns, no INAD, only “Did Not Fit”, and no fuss. Just purchase the return label and move on.
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This is where Top Rated Sellers and/or Anchor Store sellers are going to have to step in in a very calm, professional, and fact based manner and let ebay know this INAD and Return policy that they have instituted is not ok. Ebay is making free shipping both ways a marketing point for them but it is only beneficial to them as a company and not to sellers. If those at the top of the ebay seller tier (who have a very strong voice with ebay) do not let ebay know that this is not ok, ebay will continue to move forward with it.
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AE: Thing is, it is a seller’s choice to offer Free Shipping and Free Returns. We can vote with how we run our shops. Voicing could help when we talk to folks at eBay Open, but at the end of the day, 80% of the items sold on eBay are new items.
So the best way to vote is how you feel you should run your business. Personally, when I look beyond eBay at other platforms, these changes don’t worry me at all.
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T-Satt,
I hear your perspective, but I would have to disagree. It is not a choice when they have set the stipulation that if you do not offer Free Returns you are on your own. When they have taken away INAD support if you do not offer free returns. When they have made it so that the Top Rated Seller status will be withheld if you do not offer free returns. That is not a choice, that is what is called a forced option. If 80% of items sold on ebay are new, this stipulation and forced option is even worse for sellers. You sell a new item at a new item price only to have to pay for it to be returned open and used. Ok, so you can give a partial refund (if it is approved), but based on the extent of use and/or damage, the item may not be able to be resold so the the seller is out the money for shipping both ways, the amount for the item that could not be recouped, and the item itself.
Top Rated Sellers and those with Anchor stores are a huge profit stream for ebay and have a very powerful voice with ebay. Top Rated Sellers as a whole have already brought about positive change because they voiced their opinion as a collective and we all benefitted from it.
Running a one man store is fine and accepting whatever comes down is fine if that is what works for the seller. The reality is that those who have history with ebay, have Too Rated Seller Status, Top Rated Seller Plus Status, or who have Anchor store status have enough of a voice to redirect how things are done. Unfortunately, those who do not hold one of the above positions do not have as strong of a voice.
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AE: I hear your frustrations, but again, there is just not enough on this to really move me. These types of transactions happen very rarely. Our total return rate is less than 2% right now. Of that, INAD is even less. Rather than tilt at the windmill to force a change on a once in a blue moon event, I would rather focus on getting more items listed and sold.
There just isn’t enough here for me to worry about it. We have had 3 returns this month since we went to Free Returns. All for not fitting, even though we put a ton of measurements in the listing. Earlier this year, I would not have paid for the return shipping. And I just don’t care. We paid all of $18 this month on paying for Free Returns on $10,000 in total revenue. Just not worth my time to worry about.
Yes, when I talk to eBay folks, especially in the survey group and at eBay Open, I will voice that my preference is that they update the process and make improvements for sellers. But if it goes forward the way it is now, I’m fine with that as well.
I’m not trying to be dismissive or callous, but (and this is just my opinion), this just doesn’t bother me at all. What I worry about is getting to 3000 listings (our next goal) and getting to $15k in monthly revenue. Then it is on to 4000 and $20k. Not worrying about $20-$30 in Free Returns we are paying for.
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T-Satt,
It is good to hear things are going well for you. It is good that you are not really effected by returns. With this new return policy ebay is mandated, the rate of returns may increase for all of us as sellers. The all of us includes thousands of sellers.
I will just share that these issues/ebay ways of doing things are more than just one seller. They effect thousands of sellers (many Top Rated Sellers) which is why this is an important topic to address by the collective of Top Rated, Top Rated Plus, and Anchor Store sellers.
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I had a item not as described today – Under Armor gym shorts – after the purchase & about an hour after shipping I got this weird message from the buyer that he wanted me to make sure to pack carefully and put it in bubble wrap and a box. We are talking gym shorts. I wrote to the buyer that I sent them in a polymailer and that they’d already gone out. But then I got that feeling that this buyer is for sure going to have a problem. These were gym shorts that looked like they were new without tags but I listed them as gently used just to be safe. So, no surprise, today I got a note that they were not as described and a bunch of the threads were loose – they were not loose when they left me. I really think that the buyer changed his mind after he purchased and then when he got them he ripped a couple of threads so they looked loose. I know I’ve missed things before, but these shorts were in new condition. But I feel like I don’t have any way to fight this situation. So I accepted the refund and sent the free return postage to the buyer. I guess I figure, I’d rather pay the $3 to have the buyer at least not get to keep them. I’m trying to go with the flow and not worry and offer free shipping and free returns. But, it makes me feel like I’m in a position of weakness. I’m feel like a bit of a grumpy seller about this whole issue – not letting it stop me from selling on ebay or anything like that – just a little disappointed and annoyed about this particular issue because with selling clothing I predict this is going to be a problem over and over in the future. Bah Humbug. (This is the internet so don’t take my attitude seriously – it is said with a bit of a smirk and an annoyed eye roll and then back to business).
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Katie: the good news is that this type of behavior is rare. You won’t have to deal with it often.
The bad news is…it happens. This is retail. You will deal with a lot of people. The more you deal with, the more it happens…it is rare…but it happens.
Like the founder of EBay said…”people are generally good”.
You will only deal with this 1% of the time, but you will deal with it.
Just don’t let it get to you, and don’t let it stop you.
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Well my opinion is this:
Ebay is concerned about upsetting buyers and driving them away from the marketplace. Ebay should be a little more concerned about upsetting sellers as well and encouraging them to grow every way they can (not so much about driving them away).When a buyer obviously abuses the INAD case, it should be super easy to call ebay, state your case, and ebay simply changes the return case to a standard return. If the buyer whines and complains, ebay can offer a one time grace waiving of the return shipping to the buyer, reminding them to pick the correct return reason next time. It boggles my mind that ebay can’t simply close the case and direct the buyer to open a standard return.
That paragraph above, THAT is industry standard and how these cases should be resolved. Why is this so hard? The free returns thing is such a cop-out by ebay, rather than resolving their own Customer Service issues.
And I do agree with T-Satt, these returns are incredibly few and far in between. This was really just an experiment for me since I’ve never fought an INAD before. We all learned something in the process. Knowledge is power – use it to better adjust your business.
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Katie, Sorry about your problem buyer! People, are we reporting these abusive buyers? It only takes a few extra clicks to do it < 1 minute of your time. I report inappropriate returns and abusive feedback, etc. EVERY TIME (Don’t get them very often, but they do happen.) I know after several complaints of the same nature from a few sellers (I think I read somewhere the magic number was “3” but I don’t remember which board I read that on…) ebay will reprimand them and either suspend their account for 7 days or they will lose their ebay buyer protection. If there are consequences to their behavior, maybe they will stop doing it.
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eBaymom: yep, great point. We have never had anything so bad that we had to report the buyer (in this area…we did report the buyer who kept buying the same pair of pants every month and then never paying for them).
On a positive note, we had our first broken item in transit using the global shipping program. Could not of been easier. Just had the buyer open a return case for item arriving damaged, contacted eBay customer service, and they immediately closed the case (no fault on our end) refunded the buyer, and EBay absorbed the cost. We are not out any money, or have to deal with submitting a claim.
Works like a charm!
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So a little update. The buyer promptly shipped the jeans back after I accepted the return and issued a return label. I’ve been waiting until the last day of the case to issue the refund (because I can :P). So after hearing the call in for the podcast today I called in to appeal and see how they would advise me.
The lady explained that in order to appeal I have to close the case by issuing the refund. Issuing the refund was the only way I could start an appeal. I did as instructed and the CS rep transferred me to the appeals department.The appeals CS rep told me that since I voluntarily issued a refund, it is assumed I resolved any issues directly with the buyer and that no appeal could take place. UH UH..NOPE. NOT TODAY MISSY! I calmly but firmly explained that I followed exact instructions from the previous CS rep that I was told to issue the refund to close the case in order to create an appeal. The CS rep said that they would have to listen to the call to determine if the CS rep actually said that. So now I’m waiting 24-48 hours for a call back about the case.
How does ebay manage to make Customer Service so unnecessarily hard and complicated?
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Sorry for bumping this old thread, but I actually got a resolution to this case.
I about had a heart attack when I got a supervisor on the phone who has actual common sense.Anyways, I never did get that callback promised to me. I tried to call back after that 48 hours and was on hold for 40 minutes. I gave up at that point. I let it go because I was frustrated. I was on the phone with ebay this morning anyways so I decided since I am a glutton for punishment I would reopen this can of worms.
I recounted the tale again to the CSR. They eventually transferred me to appeals since they had no idea what they were doing. I got to recount the whole thing again to appeals. After a hold, they came back to tell me I was trying to open an appeal after the appeals window has closed. Were the even $*%^$ing listening to me?!? I already tried opening an appeal over a month ago. Grrr…
It gets better though – when I asked her to review the call that the previous appeals rep was supposed to review, she claimed that they had no record of my call. I may have have had legitimate smoke coming out of my ears at this point. I demanded to speak to a supervisor and demanded a review of all of my phone calls for the last 90 days.
Once the supervisor was on the phone, I had to recount the entire schpiel again. This time I also looked up my own records and specifically told her the call happened on May 14th. She confirmed that I did have a call with appeals on May 14th. She initially tried to say I should have seeked a mutual partial refund with the buyer. Eh eh, not so fast! I did send a message to the buyer explaining my case and that I would happily accept a return if they sent it back on their dime. I pointed her to the message as it was logged in the return communication record.
After that she agreed it was buyers remorse. She reviewed my record to see I was a long term customer record and thanked me for my business. She flagged the buyers account for manipulating the returns process, and she refunded me original and return shipping.
So if you fight long and hard enough, you just may find there are a few people at ebay customer service that have brain cells in their heads and can handle things in a competent and professional fashion.
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