eBay return operation process and common problems

What are my options when responding to a return request from a buyer?

When you respond to a buyer's return request, you will be able to see all the options available to you. For international return requests, there are generally 4 options:

1. Accept returns. You will refund the buyer after the item is returned.

Or: Accept returns and exchange. You can use this option only if you have set a clear return policy in your listing (e.g., select the "Refund or Exchange" option under Return Policy on the Selling Items form) and the buyer has indicated that he is willing to accept an exchange.

2. Full refund and buyer keeps the item.

3. Partial refund, buyer keeps the item. Please note that you can only make this request once.

4. Send a message to the buyer through the request process.

You may choose to decline a return request only if:

The reason for the return is that the buyer changed their mind and exceeded the return period you set.

The return was initiated after the eBay Refund Guarantee period (this period is usually the item's estimated delivery date plus 30 business days)

How do I manage a return request I receive?

eBay will notify you by email when a buyer makes a request. If you use the API, they will notify you separately. You can track return requests in the "Sold" section of My eBay, in the Seller Dashboard, and in the Resolution Centre. Any "Item not received" disputes are tracked in the "Dispute Resolution Centre".

eBay recommends that you use the user-to-user messaging system to communicate with buyers so that eBay can keep a record of your communication. Please be sure to update the request with the information you provided to the buyer in the message, such as tracking information, etc.

What should I do if the buyer did not initiate the return request through the eBay returns process?

If the buyer does not request a return through the eBay return process, please advise them to select "Request a return" in My eBay so that eBay can track this process. If the buyer has already returned the item to you, you can cancel the transaction yourself. Please be sure to select the option "Buyer requested" when selecting the reason for canceling the transaction so that eBay is aware of the specific situation. eBay will refund your buyer. eBay will also automatically refund your final value fee.

How long do I have to consider whether to accept a return request? Can buyers upgrade?

When a buyer initiates a return request, you should respond to the request within 3 business days (US, CAN, AU)/8 calendar days (UK). If you do not respond within the above time period, the buyer can escalate the request.

If I deny a buyer's return request, can the buyer upgrade?

No. Please note that you can only deny a buyer's request if the buyer changes their mind and requests a return and it is beyond the seller's allowed return period, or if the buyer initiates the request after the eBay Refund Guarantee period.

If a buyer returns an item, will eBay refund my final value fee?

If the request is resolved through "Accept Return" or "Full Refund", eBay will refund your final value fee. For "Partial Refund", eBay will not refund the final value fee.

eBay accepts return process:

If I select "Accept Returns", what happens next? Do I need to provide the buyer with a shipping label?

If the reason for return chosen by the buyer is not "item not as described", please follow your return policy. If the reason for return chosen by the buyer is related to "item not as described", you should contact the buyer through the user-to-user message system to discuss the details of the return shipping. You can provide the buyer with a return shipping label and send it to the buyer to print; or you and the buyer can discuss how to return the item to you (via airmail, courier, etc.). From the time the seller accepts the return until the item is sent back, the buyer cannot upgrade the request to eBay within the process. Therefore, eBay recommends that sellers choose a solution that has the best chance of satisfying the buyer (such as "accept return" or "full refund") within the response time limit (for example, 3 working days on the US site).

I have multiple warehouses (return addresses) in the buyer's country of residence, how do I choose which warehouse to send the buyer's return to?

Once you click "Accept Return," eBay will present you with a page where you can edit your return address.

Who pays for return shipping?

It depends. If the return is because the item was not as described, then you will be responsible for the return shipping. If the return is because the buyer changed their mind, then the buyer will be responsible for the return shipping (unless you indicate in your return policy that you are willing to pay for return shipping).

How will eBay charge me for return shipping if the item is seriously not as described?

If the return is a cross-border transaction, eBay will not charge you directly in any way. If you want the buyer to prepare the return shipping, eBay hopes that you will follow eBay's policy and refund the buyer additionally through PayPal. (The amount you refund in the return process is only the original product price plus the original shipping cost.) Also note that if the buyer changes his mind and requests a return, you can decide whether to refund the original shipping cost.

For returns where the item is seriously not as described, if I want the buyer to return the item to a local warehouse in the United States, how will the shipping cost for the return shipping label be calculated?

eBay calculates the return shipping label cost based on information such as the weight and volume of the item.

Learn more about return shipping labels here: http://pages.ebay.com/help/buy/return-item.html

If I select the "Accept Return" option, when do I need to refund the buyer? How do I proceed with the refund?

You must refund the buyer within 6 business days of the return tracking information showing that the item was delivered. You can do this during the eBay return process and the refund amount will be automatically generated; this way you don't need to log in to PayPal to process it. If the buyer does not provide tracking information, only in certain circumstances will eBay calculate an estimated delivery date for the return and notify you. Again, you must refund the buyer within 6 business days of this estimated delivery date. Everything is based on the refund deadline provided to you directly by eBay in each individual case.

What should I do if I did not receive my returned item, or the buyer returned the wrong item?

If a buyer uses the return service with a tracking number and the seller receives an incorrect or fake return item, eBay recommends that the seller escalate the matter to eBay.

If the buyer does not upload the return tracking number, or uses a return service without a tracking number, and the seller has not received the returned goods, please contact the buyer to confirm the return time. If the buyer does not respond, then escalate to eBay.

Note that you should refund the buyer within 6 business days after the item is returned to you. Therefore, if you find that there is a problem with the return, please escalate it to eBay in time. Otherwise, after 6 business days, the buyer will be eligible to escalate this request to be adjudicated by eBay.

eBay Refunds:

I proposed a partial refund, but the buyer did not accept it. What should I do?

eBay recommends that you contact the buyer to discuss the amount of a partial refund using the "Send Message to Buyer" button in the process before sending a refund proposal (note that this refund proposal is a one-time offer). After receiving your partial refund proposal, the buyer has 10 working days to decide whether to accept it, after which the request will expire. Note that if the buyer is dissatisfied with the partial refund proposal and refuses it, he can still escalate the request to eBay.

Escalation and Appeals:

How long do I have to appeal after a dispute is decided?

You have 30 working days from the dispute decision date to file an appeal.

I asked the buyer to arrange a return shipping label and I paid for the shipping. However, the buyer used a very expensive shipping method that far exceeded my original shipping cost. Can I upgrade this request?

eBay recommends that you communicate with the buyer first to decide which shipping method and shipping cost to choose, and then ship the item after reaching an agreement. Please use the eBay platform's messaging function to communicate and negotiate with the buyer to resolve the problem, so as to keep a record of the negotiation. Be sure to make it clear to the buyer that you have promised to pay for return shipping (for SNAD return requests). If the request is unfortunately escalated, this promise may affect the customer service representative's decision whether the buyer must return the item to you.

My buyer escalated a SNAD return request to eBay and the customer service representative has now set a 5 day hold. What do I do now?

Usually, the buyer can only escalate if you do not accept the return or refund the buyer in full within 3 working days (US site) from the date of the request. In this case, the eBay customer service representative can set a 5-day suspension period for this case and send you an email to provide action suggestions. The usual suggestion is to let you use these 5 days to promise/arrange a return plan with the buyer. In addition, you can also refund the buyer in full for the product, and the case will not be considered unresolved.

Seller Performance/Standards/Others:

If the buyer cancels the transaction, is it accounted as a bad transaction?

No, if the buyer cancels a transaction, the buyer will not be able to leave a neutral, negative or low seller service rating for that transaction.

If I cancel a trade, will it be accounted as a bad trade?

When you cancel a transaction, you will be asked to select the reason for the cancellation: 1) "I don't have the item in stock anymore" or 2) "The buyer has requested to cancel or is unresponsive". If the seller selects 1) "Out of stock", the transaction will be counted as a bad transaction.

If a buyer initiates a return request, will it be counted as a bad transaction?

Buyers can choose from a total of 8 reasons when initiating a return request, and you can also see the reasons they choose. The first 3 reasons can all be attributed to the buyer changing their mind, and if the buyer chooses these 3 reasons, it will not be counted as a bad transaction. The remaining 5 reasons are related to the item being seriously different from the description, and if the buyer chooses any of these reasons, it will be counted as a bad transaction.

What is the difference between a Request and a Case? Do they count towards my seller rating?

A "Request" is a matter between you and the buyer. Only when either you or the buyer requests eBay to intervene will the request be upgraded to a "Case". Whether a "Request" will be counted in the bad transaction rate depends on the reason for the request. Requests due to defects in items or services are generally counted in the bad transaction rate, such as: buyers initiate disputes for not receiving items, requesting returns because the items do not match the description, sellers canceling transactions due to out of stock, etc. Once the buyer's "Request" does not receive a timely response from the seller or the transaction parties upgrade the "Request" to a "Dispute", it will be determined based on the arbitration results of eBay whether it will be counted in the seller's bad transaction rate, and it will also affect the seller's unresolved dispute rate. Disputes where the seller is at fault will be counted in both the seller's bad transaction rate and the unresolved dispute rate. The minimum standard for the "unresolved dispute rate" is 0.3%, so sellers should try to avoid escalating "Requests" to "Disputes", otherwise it will likely affect your seller performance.

Why do I seem to be receiving more returns?

eBay has consolidated all of your return requests into one system, so it may seem like you have a higher volume of returns. However, having all of your requests in one place can help you identify problems more quickly and respond in a timely manner. So if you find that you have more returns than you thought, please carefully investigate the cause of the problem and make adjustments to avoid similar situations.

What should I do if a buyer abuses a return request?

For example, the buyer clearly changed his mind and asked for a return, but when selecting the reason for the return, he chose the reason that the item did not match the description.

If you believe a buyer is abusing return requests, you can report the buyer. The eBay Seller Protection team will investigate, and in some cases, eBay will step in to claim that it was not your fault. Buyers who abuse the system may have their accounts frozen or even removed from the platform. After eBay has provided you with protection (such as removing a neutral or negative review), eBay will also notify you via email.

You can track which returns are counted as bad transactions in your Seller Dashboard. You can also download eBay's weekly updated bad transaction record report.