A clear return policy can reassure buyers

If you have a clear return policy, chances are that you're more successful than other sellers on eBay. eBay’s research shows that difficulty in returning items is the most common shopping barrier talked about by buyers. As a result, sellers who clearly spell out return policies in their listings have an edge on the competition. Typically they sell a higher percentage of their items.

eBay’s research also shows that only a very small percentage of sold items are actually returned.

Return policy for business sellers
Business sellers are legally bound by the Distance Selling Regulations as outlined in eBay’s Legal Guidance for Business Sellers policy page.

Businesses selling on eBay are legally required to offer buyers a 'cooling off' period of 7 working days after receipt for all Buy It Now items with very few exceptions. Within this period, a buyer can decide to cancel the purchase. As a seller, you should clearly outline the conditions of how the buyer can return the item in your return policy (eg: who pays for the return postage cost). Find out more about your legal obligations as a business.

Return policy options to consider:

• Refund (for example, returns accepted for full money back or store credit)

• 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed (for example, returns accepted, no questions asked)

• Time Limit (for example, returns accepted within 30 days after the item is delivered)

Mention the details up front
Consider including details like the following to make your return policy clear and complete:

• Restocking fee: Mention if you will charge a restocking fee, and if so, what it would be.

• Postage and packaging charges: Clearly state who would pay for return postage and packaging, you or the buyer and if you will refund the original postage charges.

• Item condition: Clearly state the condition of the returned item that would be acceptable to you, for example, "unopened box" or "opened box with all original materials".

How to specify your return policy
In the "Return Policy" section of the Sell Your Item form, take the following steps:

Be sure to state your full return policy in your item description as well.

If you are a business seller, you can define a standard return policy in your Business Seller Preferences, which will automatically be inserted into all future listings. You can also copy the return policy to all your active listings through the bulk edit tool in My eBay.