Concise, tight return policies that are upheld.

[thekloset]

I am very needy this morning.

Sorry. I didn't pay attention when return policies were discussed eons ago--I never, in my wildest dreams, expected to take returns, but here I am.

so I need examples/help with very tight, concise return policy statements and their wordings.

I have been editing my listings to streamline as much as I can and removing extraneous wording so I need it short and sweet.

I also need it to be something that will hold water--not pie in the sky stuff that ebay would laugh at like 18 hour windows for returns or something equally crazy.

I basically want to say something like:

Returns accepted within (14?) days. Items must be returned in condition sent. Buyer to pay return shipping. (Refund of purchase price only?) All refunds processed in a timely manner upon receipt and inspection of items. (Any item that is not in condition sent will be returned to sender. Please contact me via messages for an RMA number)

that's the jist of what i'm thinking.

I don't want it to be so punitive that in ENCOURAGES more bad behaviors so that I get in increase in Snads just so they don't have to pay shipping so i'm on the fence with restocking--I am of the firm belief that most buyers don't take much responsibility for themselves anyway and that its "in the handbook" to choose Snad reasons, but i'd like to hope that maybe this will mitigate SOME kind of damage.

i'll be damned if I pay return shipping for fit/remorse issues so that's not an option--I don't care what sellers like Griff or Danny delusionally think. i'm in the process of LOWERING prices, i'm not in a position right now to "figure in the cost of doing business".

then I plan to over-estimate all my weights-i'm adjusting everything to 2lbs. that might hurt me, but it might help some too, idk.

and later today, I plan to investigate HFR/MR and probably opt-in to both and see what happens.

(yes, I know i'm long winded).

So if you've been a successful return seller for any length of time with buyers choosing "non-punitive" returns...i'd really like to see your policies and procedures.

thanks in advance.

[thekloset]

Oh, and how do you return sellers handle clearance?

I've been running cheap turd auctions lately (probably attracting these lowlifes, idk) and I've started putting FINAL SALE in the top condition box....

truthfully, I've been toying at dumping my whole store out to auction at .99 with FINAL SALE-GOING OUT OF BUSINESS in that box, and that's still a consideration too, but i'm not sure i'm fully ready for that just yet.

I doubt that holds much water either, but i'm trying. I don't plan to take returns on these type of items if I have the option to pick and choose.

[Deleted]

I am a returns seller.

I don't type any of that out in my listing because most of it is already there in the selection I make for returns.

This is what shows up "Returns: 14 days money back, buyer pays return shipping"

I have no TOS or terms or anything in my listings. The majority of my returns have "wrong size/doesn't fit" selected so it's not a defect.

You do have the option to pick and choose - there are some items I don't take returns on - formal dresses, bulky coats, flawed items...

[thekloset]

are you in HFR/MR or any combination of the two?

and roughly how many returns do you do in a month?

I don't want a free-for-all...I do want to have some kind of policy, kwim?

i FULLY anticipate 298,987 returns in the beginning. for whatever reason, i'm somehow a guinea pig for "buyers testing"--i am the one who got an immediate neg the day they announced no more seller negs, an IMMEDIATE SNAD before the ink was dry on the defect stuff, and so on and so forth. (i'm sure there are other drastic examples that i cant think of at the moment-but i'm not kidding...the second something punitive is rolled out, i get hit immediately)

my current one says:
I am always happy to combine shipping on multiple items. No Returns. Shipping within 48 hours of payment (business days only!)

its served me just fine for more than a decade. i feel like i need to say something in the body of my listing, not just what is in the ebay box--but maybe i'm wrong. it DOES seem that iirc, there are a boatload of talk about writing these polices clearly when people first started feeling forced into returns so if i have to do it, i want to do it right.

[thekloset]

hmmm.

I just checked a few people whom I respect, and only one has terms in the description. everyone else seems to do as odyssey and just go with what ebay puts in the return box. the only one that has it is also one of the few with a template-the other seem to use SYI or some other quick format. (I use a template as well--all my stuff is just "there", done ages ago)

several DO have restocking fees.

so maybe less IS more.

[Deleted]

No I'm not in HFR/MR.

Returns are just like everything else on eBay, they come in spurts. I think I've had 2 this month and I don't think I had any in December. I had about 7 in October.

But I don't mind taking returns, as long as it's just for the purchase price and as long as there's no defect involved.

As far as the policies in the listing, my amateur philosophy is that the less there is to read, the better chance that the buyer will read it. So all that I put in the description field is size, measurements, fabric content, washing instructions, and 'please contact me if you have any questions.'

You could always test the waters by offering returns on select items that you think will be easy to sell again IF they're returned. Then you can compare and see which you like better.

[Deleted]

I'm not in HFR, but I'm about to change that, like today probably. Not sure what the difference is between HFR and a regular return policy as the couple of returns I've had lately are all going through the ebay console and I'm having no direct dialogue with the buyer. So, seems like HFR to me, except I'm not getting to deduct my 10% restocking fee.

kloset, I hope going to returns stops the bleeding for you. I've been both and I'm actually getting less returns with the 14 day return policy than I was when I tested out going to no returns for parts of November/December. I've had two over the last month and they both went very smoothly and buyer chose "fit" both times.

Anyway, I'm never known for my conciseness, so this is probably WAY too wordy for you, but I'll put it out there anyway.

I haven't revised all my listings to add this yet, but in my newer ones, I include this wording at the end of the description section:

"Click on "Shipping and Payments" tab to review 14 day return policy and 10% restocking fee details."

Then, in the actual return policy box, I have this:

"Please contact me within 14 days of receipt in order to receive a return authorization number (RAN). which MUST be noted on the outside of the returned package, or delivery will be refused. A return will not be authorized after the 14 day return period

Returned items must be received in the EXACT condition they were received. In addition to the exterior packaging, your item will be protected with waterproof interior packaging. It must be carefully repackaged, including interior protection from moisture, for the return trip. Item must show no signs of wear (i.e. pet hair, spots, odors).

Please pay close attention to measurements and any sizing notes as refunds will be for purchase price only, minus a 10% restocking fee. Buyer is responsible for original and return shipping charges."

[Deleted]

Okay, just went to read more about HFR and found that if you enroll in HFR, you don't have the option to put any additional text in the return policy box. So, if you think you're going to go that route, I guess you don't have to bother with coming up with anything.

I'm going to cogitate a bit longer on whether to do the HFR right now, or just wait until it's mandatory. Truth be told, I never deducted the restocking fee even when I was corresponding directly with a buyer. It was added more as a deterrent to purchasing without reading the description thoroughly.

[thekloset]

Idk what happened to my reply, but thanks terri-that was very helpful, and i'll stop worrying about what to say.
(something wonky was happening here on the board I think!)

I keep trying to figure out WHAT is going on, and think val probably had the best solution, which is to go back to the plus size only niche. unfortunately, I just cant get enough of it these days for the size I am, which was not some kind of "growing my business" philosophy, but strictly a financial one-I need the amount of listings I have to stay viable.

It does, however, appear that the biggest pita's wear size S-M-L.

[Deleted]

I don't have a problem with returns as long as I'm not losing $5+ on each of them. I planned on going to free shipping but if they return for fit and get their full payment back I'm paying them to try it on. I feel like I need to choose either free shipping or returns. I guess a restock fee would help with that but my items usually aren't very expensive so a 10% fee wouldn't come close to paying for shipping. A 20% would pay for part of it but not if I go priority.

Maybe I'll just stick to charging for shipping and do returns with no restock. Seems like the simplest solution.

[Deleted]

peek, I rarely do free shipping. I did it a couple of years ago for several months when ebay offered an additional FVF discount for items with free shipping and I seriously didn't see any difference at all in sales with shipping charged or without. Since the shipping charge star doesn't even count against us as far as defects are concerned now, personally, I wouldn't offer free shipping and HFR.

[Deleted]

Terri I didn't know the shipping star didn't matter as far as defects go, so that helps, thanks. I never understood how they could even have a shipping price star. You agree to the shipping when you buy, don't like it, don't buy. But that's common sense and we know how far that goes on Ebay LOL

[Deleted]

Jan 27, 2015 18:33:36 GMT thekloset said:

Idk what happened to my reply, but thanks terri-that was very helpful, and i'll stop worrying about what to say.
(something wonky was happening here on the board I think!)

I keep trying to figure out WHAT is going on, and think val probably had the best solution, which is to go back to the plus size only niche. unfortunately, I just cant get enough of it these days for the size I am, which was not some kind of "growing my business" philosophy, but strictly a financial one-I need the amount of listings I have to stay viable.

It does, however, appear that the biggest pita's wear size S-M-L.

I don't sell hardly any plus size and have not found the SML niche to be a PITA.  Nearly all of the overall small number of returns for me have been for shoes/boots and I'm pretty understanding of the fact that they're hard to buy online.

Not sure what your ASP is or what kind of inventory is available where you live, but in my own experience and in what I've read on the boards over the years, it seems to me that the PITA contingent is based more on price than size.  I shoot for an ASP between $30-$40.  When purchasing, I aim fr $40-$50, but things don't always turn out that way, so in reality, I end up with the $30-$40 range.

I know you have a lot more selling experience than I do.  I'm just adding my two cents since you're talking about a market outside of the plus size one you used to concentrate on.

[Deleted]

Jan 27, 2015 19:01:11 GMT peek said:

Terri I didn't know the shipping star didn't matter as far as defects go, so that helps, thanks. I never understood how they could even have a shipping price star. You agree to the shipping when you buy, don't like it, don't buy. But that's common sense and we know how far that goes on Ebay LOL

There's still a score for that star (i.e. 4.9 out of 5.0), but if someone rates you with a 1, 2 or 3, no defect goes along with that.

If something costs more than $8.00 or so to ship, I include a paragraph in my thank you message letting them know that, while the shipping charge may appear high, the amount they paid is the actual cost of postage to ship a package weighing 2-3 lbs. (or whatever the case may be) from my zip code to theirs and assure them that I don't add any packaging or handling fees.  I can probably count on one hand the number of times I got less than 5 stars on shipping last year and I run reports to check every single feedback.

[Emerald_Door]

I have a wordy return policy, which I'm still tweaking. I don't get very many returns. (Of course, I don't sell much in the first place.) But I think the restocking fee tends to dissuade returners. I've only had one person claim SNAD in order to get her shipping paid, but that was very recently, so it might be a sign of the way things are going.