eBay is giving sellers greater protection in the Trading Cards category by reducing the time buyers have to make a return under certain circumstances.
One reader who forwarded the email wrote, “I’m surprised and shocked to see a reduction in the return window time! It’s refreshing to see an actual positive change in the sellers favor.”
When a buyer files an Item Not as Received claim (INR), they currently have 30 days to request a return, even if the seller has a 14-day return policy or a no-returns policy. (Buyers have 60 days when making a claim against a seller who offers a 60-day return policy.)
As of July 29, buyers will have only 3 calendar days to request a return for Item Not as Described claims no matter the seller’s return policy.
Many sellers say that buyers abuse return policies by claiming an item is not as described even when it is, especially in categories like Trading Cards where investors have been heavily speculating and where prices fluctuate wildly. The current policy allows them to return cards that drop in value within sellers’ return period mandated by eBay, which they see as a problem.
A second reader noted the volatility in the category when forwarding today’s email to EcommerceBytes: “This change is huge for the card industry as it takes away the flip time for scammers to try and make more money and then still be able to return it. In the card market a card can drop 50% or more in 7 days or less if the player gets injured or dies.”
Today’s announcement follows another seller-friendly change eBay rolled out in January: as of January 11, 2021, listings in the Sports Trading Cards, Collectible Card Games, & Non-Sports Trading Cards categories are no longer required to offer remorse returns to qualify for the Top Rated Plus 10% final value fee discount.
Customers who buy and sell in the Trading Cards category received an email today (June 21, 2021) that included a chart detailing the new policy, prefaced by the following message:
Effective July 29, 2021, we are updating our eBay Money Back Guarantee policy for trading cards by changing the time frame for buyers requesting a return when the item doesn’t match the listing.
- If the seller doesn’t offer returns, you must request a return no later than three (3) calendar days after delivery, instead of 30 days, to return an item when it doesn’t match the listing.
- If the seller offers returns, you must request a return within the seller’s return window as stated in the listing.
While you may notice the absence of the eBay Money Back Guarantee badge from trading cards listings, these items will still be covered under eBay Money Back Guarantee as long as all eligibility requirements are met, including returns windows outlined in the policy.
The policy announced today is part of eBay’s “vertical strategy” in which it customizes features and policies in specific categories (including Sneakers, Luxury Watches, and Handbags) such as escrow and authentication services. Sellers may be wondering if eBay would ever consider a 3-day return-request policy for INRs in other categories
this could be good for sellers. but, for some reason I think fleecebay will still screw the sellers.
don’t trust or believe anything that the walmart dopes do.
Remember when eBay pushed that 30 and 60 day returns were industry standards? Seems venues like Mercari and Poshmark are changing their minds.