Cost of returning a "free shipping" eBay item

[deckeda]

I saw this on a seller's auction:

"If you [were] offered free shipping, both initial and returning shipping cost are buyer's charge."

I get that I'd have to pay to ship it back, but I'm not clear on why I'd pay for "initial shipping" even if I knew how much that was, which I wouldn't.

Item is in another country. I'll likely pass.

[gadje]

Because the seller assumes he would make a sale and is willing to absorb the cost of shipping. If the sale does not happen the seller loses money.

[deckeda]

I understand that. But if I needed to return it I'd be refunded the sale amount minus whatever they say they paid to ship it to me?

[hal]

Last I heard, this is not allowed in ebay rules, but it might be different for outside USA sales (I never did that).

The way returns are handled is explained in the 'upper' portion of the eBay listing



Click on the 'see details' and that is everything you need to know about how returns are handled. Anything written in the item description area is overruled by the 'see details' link info.

[Acer]

gadje wrote:
Because the seller assumes he would make a sale and is willing to absorb the cost of shipping. If the sale does not happen the seller loses money.

And the seller assumes the risk of losing the cost of shipping when the item is returned. Free shipping is a marketing tactic intended to increase sales, so on the whole the seller should come out ahead...IF they have a good product not prone to returns.

[deckeda]

Makes sense, thanks!

[hal]

Acer wrote:
[quote=gadje]
Because the seller assumes he would make a sale and is willing to absorb the cost of shipping. If the sale does not happen the seller loses money.

And the seller assumes the risk of losing the cost of shipping when the item is returned. Free shipping is a marketing tactic intended to increase sales, so on the whole the seller should come out ahead...IF they have a good product not prone to returns.
This is true for large operations, but if a 'just a guy selling stuff' sells a $40 item with free shipping that costs $20 to ship, they get royally screwed when it's returned. That's one thing I HATE about selling on ebay is that many buyers assume small guys should have the same liberal policies that big guys have while also expecting the big guys to be as nimble as the small guys.

[Acer]

hal wrote:
[quote=Acer]
[quote=gadje]
Because the seller assumes he would make a sale and is willing to absorb the cost of shipping. If the sale does not happen the seller loses money.

And the seller assumes the risk of losing the cost of shipping when the item is returned. Free shipping is a marketing tactic intended to increase sales, so on the whole the seller should come out ahead...IF they have a good product not prone to returns.
This is true for large operations, but if a 'just a guy selling stuff' sells a $40 item with free shipping that costs $20 to ship, they get royally screwed when it's returned. That's one thing I HATE about selling on ebay is that many buyers assume small guys should have the same liberal policies that big guys have while also expecting the big guys to be as nimble as the small guys.
I rarely offer free shipping for this reason, among others. And, in the hobby niche I've been selling and buying in, very few offer free shipping, so I don't think I'm missing much. That said, in the interest of good will and avoiding negs, I have felt pressured, er, inclined, to be more forgiving about returns in practice than I state in my listings, and have lost a small bit of revenue.