posted on October 24, 2000 12:21:32 PM new
I just came across an auction that charged a $5 restocking fee (on a very small item). So I did a search and found that several sellers charge restocking fees - I've seen a $1 item with a 10% restocking fee and the most I saw was a $15 or 15% restocking fee. I personally think this is outrageous. Charging a restocking fee to put something back on your shelf? I know larger companies that do this and I don't think that's right either - but just ebay sellers selling items out of their house?
posted on October 24, 2000 12:24:53 PM new
Are these individuals? Even if they were companies, I'd hit the back button. I don't buy from brick & mortar companies that charge a restocking fee, I'm sure not about to do it on an auction site!
posted on October 24, 2000 12:25:40 PM new
Yes, When I sell someone a new Item in a sealed box it is worth x number of dollars on the market. When someone buys it and opens the box and then returns it claiming it is defective or something. I am required to test the item to see if it is truly defective before returning it to my wholesaler or face a stiff penalty, usually about 30%. Most items returned are not defective at all. Now when I try to resell it as an open box item it usually will sell for about 25 to 30% less than it did as a sealed box.
Hope this helps.
Fred
posted on October 24, 2000 12:28:10 PM new
Freddy: I see your point..and that does make sense for those kinds of items. However, the items I was looking at inparticular were USED clothing items and these people charged a restocking fee on USED clothing! THAT, I find outrageous....
posted on October 24, 2000 12:33:18 PM new
Used Clothing? Restocking fee?????????? How much could it have devalued, unless someone tore holes in it or something. Your right that is an outrage. I can see it on an item that loses value but used clothing??????????
posted on October 24, 2000 12:47:48 PM new
This is an interesting topic for me.
Now, we sell New jewelry as well. We've been selling returned jewelry >YUCK!< >UNSANITARY< after we sterilize them and under a second business name on eBay for a loss.
We could either cheat our customers and sell it as brand-new, which we won't do - or, we could always add a 30% re-stocking fee.
posted on October 24, 2000 12:51:08 PM new
The only possible decent reason I can think of is the seller has had a problem with clothing being worn 1 or 2 times, and then returned. But I wouldn't bid!
posted on October 24, 2000 01:05:46 PM new
The idea of a restocking fee is to discourage frivolous returns(where the item is not defective); this is much more of a problem in a retail store than elsewhere. I don't blame a seller for using it where it is legit and appropriate.
Bidders are often utterly in the dark as to the costs of business. A seller often makes the decision between saying no returns or charging a restock fee for non-defective expensive merchandise.
In the photo industry, it is common knowledge that someone will buy a camera or lens, use it once for a trip or wedding and then return it. Dealers charge restock fees to discourage this behavior which is still prevalent where stores don't do this.
posted on October 24, 2000 01:13:54 PM new
Gee, with that other post about Great Collections charging 10% buyer's premium, maybe we "little folks" should charge an "unstocking fee".
As in...
Now that you have bought my item on eBay, I have to walk over to that shelf there & unstock the item to you, I think that will entail an additional 10% fee!
(LOL)
Obviously many people on eBay are always on the look-out to find new ways to rip off bidders for money above-and-beyond the bid & shipping charges...
posted on October 24, 2000 01:21:12 PM new
As someone has already pointed out, charging a restocking fee may help returns for buyer's remorse. It also helps to recoup cost incured from the sell when it "doesn't stay sold". You paid listing fees, you paid a FVF, if you accept a payment option that comes with a fee you have "paid" that. You can get a partial refund on your FVF, but if the item had been paid for with Billpoint, you don't get THAT fee back! Since I assume most sellers don't have a lot of "blue sky" built into their auctions, their profits get whittled away nickel and dime. I don't see a restocking fee on returns as unreasonable. Now if the item is returned for a flaw or because it had been misrepresented, I would NOT expect to have to pay a restocking fee! If I was returning it because it wasn't what I expected, and the seller was generous enough to allow that, I would gladly pay the restocking fee.
