Not Accepting Returns Repercussions & Mail Forwarding Services.

[TheRevolver]

I'm having a problem with return addresses so I'm thinking of just not accepting returns whatsoever on a few stealths.

I runs several accounts, most have return addresses in a different city at a friends or family's address, so I'm okay with them, but what about the future accounts I'll be building and a few that I'm using now?

Say I sell an item and the customer wants to return it, saying it's broken or whatever random reason. If I tell them no, what can happen?

Sure, they open a case on the item, but won't they have to prove that what they say about the item is true?

I've read that Ebay usually sides with the buyer on this, so will I lose my item and the money or will eBay require the buyer to return the item to the address on the account?

If the buyer returns it to the address of the stealth account, obviously whoever lives at the stealth address won't accept it (or maybe they will), so what happens now?

I currently have 3 return addresses here in the small town where I live. All 3 return addresses are used for returns on 3 separate stealth accounts. It looks suspicious as all 3 accounts sell the same items and if a competitor or someone else was to buy from those accounts, they'd see the return addresses are in the same small town, selling the same items. It would be obvious that it's the same person.

I know there are alternatives for return addresses. Mail forwarding services are what I was looking in to. Only problem with these alternatives are they require documents for USPS. Won't USPS see that I'm opening several of these Mail forwarding accounts or do they look into this? Won't they find it suspicious or am I over analyzing the situation (which I tend to do a lot)? What if I just opened 3 or 4 of these mail forwarding service accounts, from different providers, would that look bad?

Can someone enlighten me on what steps I need to take here, or what you would do in this situation?

[oompaloompa]

it is difficult;

if it is low cost item, let them keep it, particularly if you negotiate a partial refund or

have a returns sticker for your box on the item and tell them to return there, without mentioning the address via eb messages..

it would be rare but only issue that comes up, is if there is a case and your registered address is shown on the case, and the buyer needs to be told to send to the sticker address, without you mentioning the sticker address on the case...reason you dont want to mention it is because this address is used for returns on several ebay accs.

[Callidus]

I either tell them to keep it which is VERY RARE because most of my customers love the item OR they would have messaged me via my private email address.

Did a return recently to my address outside of ebay messages recently absolutely fine and got a positive :D

[oompaloompa]

yeah try and keep it on private email, eg. contact their paypal email or if their eb email shows up..

only thing is some people do not look at the email and just deal via eb messages or want to keep it official and visible to ebay....

[slim jim]

I think if you are not accepting returns, you are just hurting yourself. That is just not realistic in today's ebay world. You know that the buyer has the power and if they want to return it they will. They can do this in an easy, organized matter which keeps your account in good standing, or you can be stubborn and force people to open cases against you. If you are selling fragile merchandise, concentrate more on insuring your items to protect yourself.

[TheRevolver]

Originally Posted by slim jim

I think if you are not accepting returns, you are just hurting yourself. That is just not realistic in today's ebay world. You know that the buyer has the power and if they want to return it they will. They can do this in an easy, organized matter which keeps your account in good standing, or you can be stubborn and force people to open cases against you. If you are selling fragile merchandise, concentrate more on insuring your items to protect yourself.

You have a good point but but this is something I already know and this doesn't answer my main questions. I accept 14 day returns on every account I own. I said I was thinking about not accepting returns for the reasons listed above in my main post. Do you have any info on that?

[slim jim]

Originally Posted by TheRevolver

You have a good point but but this is something I already know and this doesn't answer my main questions. I accept 14 day returns on every account I own. I said I was thinking about not accepting returns for the reasons listed above in my main post. Do you have any info on that?

Part of your title states 'Not Accepting Returns Repercussions', I think I covered exactly what you were talking about

[TheRevolver]

Originally Posted by slim jim

Part of your title states 'Not Accepting Returns Repercussions', I think I covered exactly what you were talking about

You covered the title, not the main questions I asked. Obviously there's more to a thread than it's title.

Either way, thanks for your input on this, the way I typed my last message may have sounded like I meant you were some how not helping, I didn't mean that, I appreciate anyone's input on this, so excuse my last post as I didn't mean any harm.

I just mean I know what can happen, so I laid out some options above and need some opinions on that.

[corleone]

Most buyers will ask for the return address and not just ship to the return address on the envelope. If you are worried about that, then you can do what I have started doing, is leaving the return address blank. Make a template so that you know where to place the tape(easy remove masking tape) and place it over the spot where the label prints the return address. Pull the tape off after it prints, and you have a perfect looking label without a return address. I usually do this on expensive items, where I don't want the item to get returned to sender because I use stealth return's. I do not bother on 99% of my stuff because it's a bit of a hassle, but for items that require signature confirmation, over $250 I do it.

If the item is valuable enough for you to want it back, offer to send them a prepaid envelope or box to send back. They'll be so happy that a seller offered to do this, they won't even think twice about the address on it..

[corleone]

BTW my advice: Alway's offer returns. In most cases ebay will require you to accept the return if it goes to a case, so you might as well just make a policy to accept returns.

I alway's put a disclaimer (item must be in same condition as I shipped it). Which means original packaging, labels or tags must be on the item.

[slim jim]

Originally Posted by TheRevolver

You covered the title, not the main questions I asked. Obviously there's more to a thread than it's title.

Either way, thanks for your input on this, the way I typed my last message may have sounded like I meant you were some how not helping, I didn't mean that, I appreciate anyone's input on this, so excuse my last post as I didn't mean any harm.

I just mean I know what can happen, so I laid out some options above and need some opinions on that.

As far as I see your only solution for address is to make a business PO box. This will allow u to pickup merchandise under ur business/ebay name

[TheRevolver]

Originally Posted by slim jim

As far as I see your only solution for address is to make a business PO box. This will allow u to pickup merchandise under ur business/ebay name

Yes, exactly, and I already have one but this doesn't keep a competitor or anyone for that matter from buying from two of my stealth accounts and returning both items, then seeing that both packages are being returned to the same very small town/zipcode/PO Box. Anyone with sense knows 3 people in the same very small town isn't selling the same exact items.

For a while I was having all packages go back to my same business PO box, but I felt it was a bad idea so I got 3 separate return addresses here in the same town, but now I feel this is also a bad idea since all the items are the same.

I have 3 return addresses here in this small town, If a dirty competitor bought from me and seen all 3 packages went to this small town they could assume I'm the same person, this is what I'm trying to avoid.

So I'm just wondering if I opened 3 or 4 Mail forwarding accounts would USPS find this suspicious since they'll all be in my name and they require a form before I can actually receive my packages.

[slim jim]

Why not get a 'virtual office'

[TheRevolver]

Originally Posted by slim jim

Why not get a 'virtual office'

Is the Virtual Office like the mail forwarding companies? Do you have more info on this Virtual Office? I need to get a different address for each account, seems like this could get expensive.

[Duster]

I would think using the same business PO Box could seem legit even if a competitor bought from multiple stealths. Just say please return to supplier or something like that.

I've also emailed buyers return labels...

[rsot]

I have used the excuse of different return address for package verification - like a proper business can do with RMAs etc.