eBay has recently updated its return policy to enhance buyer experience and confidence. This change particularly affects sellers using US-based fulfillment centers, requiring them to adapt to new operational requirements.
Policy Core: Three Mandatory Return Options
Effective November 3, 2025, for listings with item location in the United States, sellers must offer one of these three return options:
- US return address: Provide a domestic US address for returns
- Free returns: Cover all return shipping costs
- Partial/full refund without return: Issue refunds while allowing buyers to keep items
Key Consideration: Item Location Matters
The policy specifically applies to orders where both the listing location and shipment origin are within the US. Sellers must carefully evaluate their fulfillment setup:
- Existing US return addresses require minimal adjustment
- Sellers without US return addresses must either provide prepaid return labels or consider refund-only solutions
- The "refund without return" option may prove cost-effective for low-value items compared to international return shipping
Platform Objectives: Enhancing Buyer Experience
eBay's policy update aims to:
- Improve customer satisfaction through streamlined returns
- Build buyer trust with more consistent after-sales service
- Reduce cross-border return disputes for US-sourced items
Compliance Requirements
Non-compliant sellers may face service metric penalties and potential classification of transactions as defective. The platform provides tools to manage return preferences through account settings, allowing sellers to designate return addresses for specific listings.
Strategic Recommendations for Sellers
Merchants should consider these adaptive measures:
- Conduct cost-benefit analyses of different return methods
- Enhance product listings with detailed descriptions and multimedia
- Prioritize proactive customer service to preempt return requests
- Evaluate overseas warehouse solutions for scalable return management
The policy change represents a significant operational shift for US-based eBay sellers, requiring careful strategy adjustments to maintain competitive positioning while complying with new requirements.