Another ebay rant -scam by buyer

I'm a full time seller on Ebay. If I mess up, you get all your money back. Sometimes I let you keep the part if it costs more than it's worth for me to pay to return it. If you bought the wrong thing, found one cheaper, decided you don't want it, my normal return policy is for the buyer to pay shipping both ways and a 25 percent restocking charge.

Now HERE'S the "secret" full time Ebayers don't want you to know: If an Ebayer is a "top rated seller" (it will say so beside the sellers name) Ebay gives you a 20 percent discount on your fees. If you're like me and spend 3-4K per year on Ebay fees, that 20 percent is a substantial amount of money.

The trick is the DSR (detailed seller rathings) that you leave for your seller. Unlike a feedback, DSRs are anonymous. The person doesn't know that you left a bad DSR. AND if a "Top Rated Seller" gets more than two DSRs under three stars in any category in a YEAR..Ebay pulls that 20 percent discount.

For me, many times it's much easier to completely eat a $10-$50 sale and give back the money rather than risk losing my discount. But yes, I do block the buyer after that happens.