Comments on: eBay Tips 2008: Customer Focused Listings

By: Dan Wilson: UK-Based eBay Expert, Online Community Specialist, Author, Copywriter and Blogger

Wed, 09 Jan 2008 17:42:48 +0000

[...] Read the comments on Tamebay. [...]

By: northumbrian

northumbrian — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 11:47:44 +0000

there ya go circumstances alter cases,
seems quite reasonable to charge if you have cut from from a roll etc

By: Jean

Jean — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 11:11:14 +0000

My T&Cs state that I charge a restocking fee, because I sell fabric, which once cut, becomes a remnant, and will not fetch the full price. It comes under “custom goods” in the DSR, and legally, I don’t have to accept a return for a change of mind, but I do.

If it’s faulty, then I pay all expenses.

By: northumbrian

northumbrian — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 10:25:54 +0000

we dont charge to restock, thats taking the urine,

By: Sue Bailey

Sue Bailey — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 09:26:30 +0000

If you are selling retail and the customer is returning within your stated returns period, you cannot charge a restocking fee.

By: Jade

Jade — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 08:11:08 +0000

I don’t think I would charge a re-stocking fee, I would probably draw the line at asking them to cover P&P. Unless like North said it was SNAD or Faulty.

By: Jade

Jade — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 08:08:26 +0000

Hi North, I totally agree with your policy by the way. I wasn’t trying to play devils advocate. I think it’s only fair that if someone “changes” their mind then they have to at least cover some of out of pocket expenses i.e. postage. Do you charge them a re-stocking fee? I’ve seen some sellers state in their T&C’s that they do this and I think it would be interesting to know how that went down!

By: northumbrian

northumbrian — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 20:38:04 +0000

I state it quite clearly in the returns policy box, ,

jade

if its damaged or described incorrectly we dont argue we pay costs both ways, if its simply because its not what they wanted they pay,## if we are threatened with a negative, all bets are off we leave a negative and shut the door

By: Sue Bailey

Sue Bailey — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 18:55:18 +0000

if they dont like it, they pay to send it back

This is a general comment rather than being aimed at North, but to be legal (under the Distance Selling Regulations), the above has to be explicitly stated somewhere that buyers can read it before purchase. *That’s* the point of T&Cs.

By: Jade

Jade — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 18:53:03 +0000

Seems reasonable North. Do you risk a neg if they insist that you cover the cost of the return P&P? Or do you cave in?

By: northumbrian

northumbrian — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 17:57:20 +0000

I have only two conditions

they pay to get it, if they dont like it, they pay to send it back

By: Sue Bailey

Sue Bailey — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 17:02:49 +0000

Jade, that’s hilarious! You remind me of my own favourite notice, in a gift/touristy shop which had a huge rack of postcards, topped with the notice “we do not sell stamps”. I mean, if you get asked for stamps so often that you have to put up a notice about it, surely you should be stocking stamps?!

By: Jade

Jade — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 16:20:53 +0000

I liken the number of T&C’s contained in an ebay listing to the number of rings in a tree trunk, you probably get a 1 extra T&C for every month that the seller should have given up selling!

As you may know we used to have a coffee shop and we could always tell if the owner of another coffee shop/cafe had been in the trade too long. Usually by the number of not so polite notices displayed around the premises. I remember one cafe down in Clevedon who had written a whole blackboard full of of rules about how you weren’t allowed to substitute a sausage for an egg, or Bacon for Toast etc on its breakfast menu, it was hilarious and if re-confirmed to us that notices, unless highlighting a benefit to a customer, helping to trade up the purchase or a legal requirement was just not worth it. The VAST majority of transactions are painless and enjoyable, don’t inflict “your stuff” onto all the paying customers, they will get the message and move on to a simpler more comfortable supplier!

By: Chris Dawson

Chris Dawson — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 12:07:06 +0000

The best T’s and C’s are from one of the most respected PowerSellers and in fact the longest serving UK powerseller of the lot who’s been in the business for over 10 years.

He says “And thereâ€™s nothing ambiguous about my terms and conditions. There canâ€™t be â€” I havenâ€™t got any. They pay, I send. Itâ€™s as simple at that.”

Having said that a few T’s and C’s don’t go amiss but less is definately more

By: Sue Bailey

Sue Bailey — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 11:20:17 +0000

Yeah, or you know, unscrupulous sellers can just refuse to help you. In and of themselves, T&Cs never made anyone scrupulous.

By: Owen

Owen — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 11:15:01 +0000

I don’t agree with linked T&Cs. They can be too easily changed by unscrupulous sellers in the event of a dispute.

By: Owen

Owen — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 11:12:51 +0000

I love those horrible listings. Got some great bargains from them. lol

By: Sue Bailey

Sue Bailey — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 11:06:18 +0000

It shocks me how short my French listings are compared to my English ones – because I have to think about it in French, whereas in English I just type it. Time for a trim, methinks.

re. T&Cs – surely this is what custom shop pages are for. Only the very essential should be in the auction description (or boxed off at the bottom, as Mark says). The rest should be linked.

By: Mark Classic

Mark Classic — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 10:57:30 +0000

T&C’s can be boxed off and driven to the bottom of the listings.

AKA small print methodology.

Definitely NOT in the auction description.