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Ecrater Refund Policy
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TheWizardofOdd



Posts: 1

PostPosted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 6:24 am    Post subject: Ecrater Refund Policy Reply with quote

Does anyone know what Ecrater's refund policy is?

I just recently sold a used item that a buyer returned for a refund. So I gave the buyer a refund minus the cost of shipping (per my store policy) When I went to E-crater to show them the refund so that they could adjust my marketplace cost to reflect the refund, I was told that they would not adjust my marketplace cost because I did not give the buyer a full refund. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. This policy does not make any sense whatsoever. Can someone please help explain the rational?
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MoonwishesStore
moderator


Posts: 17389

PostPosted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 6:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
Can someone please help explain the rational?


You would have to ask them. As far as I know, ecrater itself doesn't have a refund policy since they don't sell anything. What you are actually talking about is their marketplace fee policy in connection with a refund of the selling cost. I do know that if a full refund is given they delete the marketplace fee. I didn't know anything about them not refunding the fee if you only give a partial refund. As I said though, only they can explain it or point you to the specifics about it unless someone else knows where that particular rule is tucked away at.
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tigercreekgifts



Posts: 6293

PostPosted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 12:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hmmm, that doesn't seem fair though. Why should a seller have to lose out on the shipping costs because a buyer made a return? You refunded them the price of their item after they returned it to you right? Seems even to me.
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vintagemoonbeams



Posts: 1002

PostPosted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 4:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

According to this information in Ecrater's FAQ's, Marketplace cost is not charged on shipping. Therefore, you should not receive a refund of Marketplace charges on the shipping. I would think you would not be charged Marketplace cost on the purchase price, especially if it was refunded back through PayPal where it could be shown.

"It is absolutely FREE to open a store on eCRATER! This means you won't pay any fees, final value fees, monthly fees or commission to open your own store and sell your products. You will get 100% of all the sales that you bring to your store. If eCRATER brings you a sale through the main marketplace, we will collect 2.9% marketplace cost. This marketplace cost will not be imposed on shipping and tax or refunded/reversed or unpaid orders and will only occur for buyers coming from the marketplace"
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MoonwishesStore
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Posts: 17389

PostPosted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 4:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Which leads to the questions, was the item bought by way of the Marketplace? If not you wouldn't be getting a refund anyhow.
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SheilaDeesPostcards
moderator


Posts: 4614

PostPosted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 4:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Your marketplace fee is based on the cost of the item and is refunded when the order is refunded. Your items are offered with Free Shipping, therefore the marketplace fee would be based on the price of the item. In your description you even state, "FAST & FREE SHIPPING!". Your customer did not pay anything for shipping. Now you are asking eCRATER to refund you for your marketplace fee when you didn't refund the order. The fact that you deducted your shipping cost from the amount the customer paid means you didn't "refund the order".

I would think this would also apply when you offer a refund minus a restocking fee.
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ecrater-moon
forum admin


Posts: 571

PostPosted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 6:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The policy is that an order, including shipping must be fully refunded for adjustments to marketplace costs.


EM
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A-Better-Way



Posts: 3363

PostPosted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 9:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

One more good reason, for me, to use fixed free shipping.
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maggiethehousecat



Posts: 2457

PostPosted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 11:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

A-Better-Way wrote:
One more good reason, for me, to use fixed free shipping.


That means that you pay commission on every single shipping included item. That adds up in a year even if your shipping is just a postage stamp stuck on an envelope.

Silly unless you really expect every buyer to return their purchase?
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cosmicray



Posts: 7286

PostPosted: Thu Apr 24, 2014 9:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

A few thoughts ...

eCRATER can see if we do a full refund or a partial refund. The sticking point here is when is the partial refund because the seller was adjusting for combined shipping, and when is the partial refund because the seller is refunding the purchase price less shipping. I'm not sure if eCRATER can tell how much the partial refund was.

Since the partial refund to adjust shipping never involved the item cost, then that would not qualify for a marketplace cost adjustment in any case.

I understand the OP's point. For example if you sell something that cost $50, with $5 shipping, the original marketplace cost was $1.45 (50.00 x 0.029). If the customer returns it, and you don't refund them the shipping, then you are still out the $1.45, but you get the item back (presumably to sell again). This gets messy when the item is returned, but the seller also charges a restocking fee (irregardless of shipping charged or free shipping). IMHO, the restocking fee will cover the marketplace cost.

Before anyone gets upset about the concept of a restocking fee, I point you back to this thread ...

http://community.ecrater.com/viewtopic.php?t=34284&highlight=

My view remains that the customer placed multiple orders for that item, just to make sure they received one by Christmas. This is similar to how people used to overbook airline flights to make sure they got out. The airlines got tired of that expense, so they charge people for doing that now.
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A-Better-Way



Posts: 3363

PostPosted: Thu Apr 24, 2014 11:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

maggiethehousecat wrote:
A-Better-Way wrote:
One more good reason, for me, to use fixed free shipping.


That means that you pay commission on every single shipping included item. That adds up in a year even if your shipping is just a postage stamp stuck on an envelope.

Silly unless you really expect every buyer to return their purchase?


Sort of, I also take a full loss on shipping if there was a refund. But I like setting one price and not have the buyer deal with extra info they need not bother themselves with. I am happy with the prices I set, be it to high or to low, and am willing to accept whatever comes my way. more or less.......
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MoonwishesStore
moderator


Posts: 17389

PostPosted: Thu Apr 24, 2014 10:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Now my question is, if you offered FREE shipping, how can you give a refund less shipping? They didn't pay any shipping in the first place so how can you decide what the refund should be? That doesn't make any sense to me. Nor would I expect that the original buyer would be happy about not getting a full refund

Ecrater thanks for coming along and stating the policy here! Good to know.
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MaggietheCatsMeows



Posts: 2853

PostPosted: Thu Apr 24, 2014 10:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

MoonwishesStore wrote:
Now my question is, if you offered FREE shipping, how can you give a refund less shipping? They didn't pay any shipping in the first place so how can you decide what the refund should be? That doesn't make any sense to me. Nor would I expect that the original buyer would be happy about not getting a full refund.


Agree. Free shipping for the seller means shipping included but for the buyer it means free shipping. A return for any reason means refund should be the total price paid because you wrote free shipping.
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tigercreekgifts



Posts: 6293

PostPosted: Fri Apr 25, 2014 12:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

MaggietheCatsMeows wrote:
Agree. Free shipping for the seller means shipping included but for the buyer it means free shipping. A return for any reason means refund should be the total price paid because you wrote free shipping.


Yes, which is why I don't add the postage into my price & tell my buyers the shipping is free. I know free shipping appeals to a lot of people but, I'd rather have less sales than to deal with explaining the actual costs to a buyer who wants a refund.
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NirvanaCreations



Posts: 81

PostPosted: Fri Apr 25, 2014 8:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

tigercreekgifts wrote:
MaggietheCatsMeows wrote:
Agree. Free shipping for the seller means shipping included but for the buyer it means free shipping. A return for any reason means refund should be the total price paid because you wrote free shipping.


Yes, which is why I don't add the postage into my price & tell my buyers the shipping is free. I know free shipping appeals to a lot of people but, I'd rather have less sales than to deal with explaining the actual costs to a buyer who wants a refund.


IMO, adding postage to the price when offering free shipping is dishonest and fraudulent. It certainly is not "free" shipping. Don't assume that everyone includes shipping costs in the price when offering free shipping because I don't. The prices of my items are for the item only. I pay all shipping costs out of my pocket so all shipping costs are deductible business expenses.
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