4% Penalty For Mediated Auto Parts Returns Pads Bottom Line

So here’s a top rated auto parts seller on eBay Motors complaining about 4% penalty on returns. In this business the wrong part is often ordered that results in a return. Buyer does not want to pay return shipping, and opens a mediated claim. Seller is zinged with a 4% penalty, plus final value fees. 🙁

Seller claims he tries messaging buyers to be sure the part ordered will fit their car, but must ship the part within 24 hours to comply with eBay rules. Unfortunately in this short time frame getting a reply back from his buyer might not be possible.

From the forum topic: ATTN: Ebay Management/Corporate – WE NEED OUR VOICE TO BE HEARD!
We have recently learned that a 4% extra charge on our final value fees is added because we have a little over 4% return rate on the items we sell that are item not described. We STRONGLY feel that the “penalty” that Ebay is imposing on us is just a way to rip money off of us, sellers.

• (1) Ebay wants us to take care of the customers, even if it’s buyer’s remorse – DONE! We refund, even if we sell the item as “FOR PARTS/DEFECTIVE”, no questions asked. We provide the label to the customer and refund right away as soon as we get it back.

• (2) Ebay wants customers happy: DONE! We have an acceptable 99.8% feedback rate which puts us as a “Top Rated: Seller with highest buyer ratings”

• (3) Ebay wants customers to get the items shipped ASAP – DONE! We ship in less than 24 hours… 99% of the time (the only time we delay a little bit is on large items, that need extra care in packing – to prevent further damages in shipping

• (4) Ebay wants us to make sure the customers are happy by refunding a case promptly to prevent a defect rate- DONE! we have a 0% defect rate.

• (5) Ebay wants its buyers to be happy by sellers resolving cases in time – DONE! we have a 0% “case closed without seller resolution”

• (6) We give ebay over $600K business each year.

• (7) Ebay wanted for their customers to have free shipping… DONE! Most of our items have free shipping.

–> Extra “bonus” for sellers: Ebay needs the items shipped fast, which limits our time to verify with the buyer(through message and/or phone call) to make sure they purchased this item correctly, TO MAKE SURE it will fit their car. Consequently, the item is shipped in less than 24 hours, most of the time us not being able to verify this, buyer realizes they bought an incorrect item when they receive it, they don’t want to pay for shipping…..THUS, FORCING the buyer to open a return request with “Item Not Described” so that shipping label will be provided to them at no charge. WE EAT THAT TOO!…. no problem!!!!

Yet, after ALL the points mentioned above, Ebay still charges us 4% MORE on final value fees JUST because we have a high % of returns. Dear Ebay, WHY are you penalizing us for TAKING CARE of your customers????? Ebay motors is a very tricky category because there are thousands of cars which we CANNOT possibly acquire in order to test EACH and EVERY used part. We take care of the returns promptly, without having customers to wait an extra day to get their returns approved and refunded. WHY rip off your sellers that give you over half a million dollars in sales???? Aren’t your final value fees enough for you to continue to be in business??? You even charge a final value fee on SHIPPING FEEES, for God’s sake – The amount we HAVE to pay the shipping company to ship the item!!!!!!

We demand Ebay taking care of this absurdity ASAP and take care of their sellers FOR A CHANGE! Please respond to our concern, as I we are SURE we are not the only ones out there who feel we are being ripped off. We WILL NOT stop, until there is a resolution to this absurdity.

Sadly this is the cost of doing business on eBay. There is no such thing as fairness. All that matters is that corporate bottom line keeping shareholders happy. Be thankful someone didn’t send a different or damaged part back as new. eBay will refund the buyer regardless.