eBay Launches Guaranteed Fit For Car Parts - Will Sellers Pay The Price?
UPDATE:
eBay has provided more information on the new Guaranteed Fit program for sellers and if you sell large items like bumpers, you'll want to pay very close attention!
FAQ excerpt:
What items are eligible for eBay Guaranteed Fit?
eBay Guaranteed Fit will cover most parts and accessories for cars, trucks, and motorcycles with more automotive products to be added in the future. Tires and wheels are currently excluded from eBay Guaranteed Fit. In order to receive eBay Guaranteed Fit benefits, you must add compatibility information (also known as ‘fitment’) to your listings. Learn more about parts compatibility listings.Is participation in eBay Guaranteed Fit optional?
Yes, this is optional. The benefits of eBay Guaranteed Fit may result in lower return costs and the enhanced buyer experience can generate more sales.If my items are eligible for eBay Guaranteed Fit, is it required for all of them to be covered under eBay Guaranteed Fit or do I have the flexibility to select specific items?
You have the flexibility to select specific items to be covered under eBay Guaranteed Fit. By adding compatibility information (also known as ‘fitment’) into specific items, eBay Guaranteed Fit will be applied to those specific items.In what situations will eBay pay for a return shipping label?
We’ll pay for return shipping when a return is opened for “Doesn’t fit my vehicle” and an eBay label is available. Some examples of an eBay label not being available include:
- The return is international
- The item is oversized or a freight item (e.g. engine, bumper)
- The return is shipped in multiple packages
If a part or an accessory doesn’t meet the eligibility criteria for an eBay label, you’ll be responsible for providing a way for the buyer to return the item.
eBay has announced the launch of Guaranteed Fit for car parts as the next step in their Motors Parts & Accessories vertical focus.
Today, eBay Motors, the parts and accessories destination used by millions of car lovers, builders, restorers and mechanics, announces the launch of eBay Guaranteed Fit, a program that gives users even more confidence when buying and selling on the marketplace. Shoppers can now look for the green ‘Fits’ compatibility checkmark on select parts and accessories listings to gauge whether the part will fit their vehicle. If the part arrives and doesn’t fit as expected, eBay Motors will cover the cost of the return and the buyer will receive a full refund – enabling more seamless and trusted transactions for both shoppers and sellers.
“People are buying and selling parts online like never before, and eBay Guaranteed Fit helps take the guesswork out of the shopping experience,” said Chris Prill, VP of eBay Motors. “Accurate fitment is critical to completing a project, from simple repairs to major modifications. With today’s launch, eBay Motors is empowering shoppers to browse and buy the millions of parts and accessories on the marketplace with that crucial added assurance.”
The launch of eBay Guaranteed Fit is the latest advancement designed to help people shop the marketplace with confidence and ease, including Authenticity Guarantee for sneakers, handbags, jewelry and trading cards, and the expansion of condition grading for eBay Refurbished. eBay Guaranteed Fit is an additional protection under the eBay Money Back Guarantee, and covers most new and pre-owned items in the Parts & Accessories category with more to be added in the coming months.
How It Works
Fitment issues arise when a part or accessory is not compatible with the vehicle for which it was purchased. With three parts or accessories sold every second on the marketplace, the search tools and purchase protections now offered on eBay Motors are an important part of the shopping journey. With eBay Guaranteed Fit, buyers can rest assured knowing that they are getting the right part at the right price, while sellers benefit from fewer returns and higher customer satisfaction.Here’s how it works:
- Input vehicle details: Shoppers enter their vehicle year, make, model, trim and engine information into Finder, or select the vehicle saved in My Garage to search for new and used parts.
- Discover parts that fit: eBay Motors verifies that the vehicle details match the part compatibility information within the listing. When there is a match, fit is confirmed with a green ‘Fits’ checkmark on the listing.
- Purchase an eligible part or accessory: When shoppers purchase an eligible part or accessory, they can be sure it will fit their vehicle. Some exclusions apply, including tires and wheels.
- Access purchase protections: If the part or accessory does not fit the buyer’s vehicle upon arrival, they can return it for free within 30 days for a full refund.
As always, check the fine print - there are some important exclusions.
What items are excluded from eBay Guaranteed Fit?
Tires and wheels are currently excluded from eBay Guaranteed Fit. We will still confirm which tires and wheels are compatible for your vehicle using the green checkmark. Your tires and wheels may still be eligible for a return under our eBay Money Back Guarantee. Learn more.How to search for the right part?
Use Finder
If you start from eBay Motors’ homepage, you can input your vehicle details in Finder. Just enter the Year/Make/Model/Trim/Engine and click Find Parts.Add a vehicle or select a vehicle in My Garage
If you start from eBay Motors’ homepage, you can also add a vehicle into My Garage by inputting your vehicle’s Year/Make/Model/Trim/Engine or select an existing vehicle saved in My Garage and search for the part you are looking for. If you have multiple vehicles saved in My Garage, please ensure you have selected the vehicle for which you are shopping parts and accessories.Add a vehicle or select a vehicle on the search page
If you start by searching a part or accessory in the search bar, you need to select an existing vehicle you have saved in My Garage or enter another vehicle for us to check the parts that fit. If you have multiple vehicles saved in My Garage, be sure to choose the vehicle you are shopping for.How do returns work for eBay Guaranteed Fit?
You can start a return from your Purchases in My eBay. When selecting your return reason, choose “Doesn’t fit my vehicle” for a free return shipping label. If you don't receive your label after the return is accepted, ask us to step in and help.Why can’t I find the return reason “Doesn’t fit my vehicle”?
You will only see the reason “Doesn’t fit my vehicle” when the item you purchased is eligible for eBay Guaranteed Fit.How long do I have to open a return?
In order to be eligible for protection, you must open the return request within 30 calendar days after the delivery date or within the seller's stated return window, whichever is longer. Learn more about our return requirements on eBay Money Back Guarantee.After I ship my return, when can I expect my refund?
Most sellers submit a refund as soon as they receive the returned item. If the item has been returned to the seller and they have not given you a full refund after 2 business days, you can ask us to step in and help.What if I have an issue that’s not fitment related, what protections do I have?
eBay Money Back Guarantee covers most transactions on eBay. It means you can get your money back if an item didn't arrive, is faulty or damaged, or doesn't match the listing. Learn more about eBay Money Back Guarantee.
This move will likely come as no surprise to regular readers, as Value Added Resource has been covering early trials of this functionality eBay started in Australia last year.
Sellers raised concerns that because the new policy treats "doesn't fit my vehicle" as a "not as described" return, it could end up costing them big.
Liz Morton ~ Founder
eBay has promised there will be protections for sellers that will remove these returns from Service Metrics (which can cause sellers to incur additional "penalty fees" if they are too high), as well as removing negative or neutral feedback related to fitment issues - but sellers don't trust that eBay will provide the promised protections or empower support to properly apply the protections if needed.
Liz Morton ~ Founder
There are also lingering questions about whether or not sellers will still have the current protection that allows them to deduct up to 50% from refunds if items are returned in used condition - a major issue for parts & accessories where attempted installation is often enough to damage the item or alter the condition so it can no longer be sold as "new."
Here's what eBay's sitewide seller protection policy says:
Top Rated Sellers (TRS) who reside in the US or Canada and offer 30 day or longer returns are protected on items listed on eBay.com when:...
...An item is returned after it was used or damaged by the buyer
You can deduct up to 50% from the refund to recover the lost value of the item
We will work directly with the buyer to resolve any issues associated with the item being returned, including removing any negative and neutral feedback, defects, and open cases in service metrics......Sellers who offer free returns and who are not Below Standard are eligible for this protection
You can deduct up to 50% from the refund to recover the lost value of the item
We will take care of any issues directly with the buyer for you, including removing any negative and neutral feedback, defects, and open cases in service metrics
I've reached out to eBay to confirm if those seller protections will still apply to Guaranteed Fit and will update once I have a response.
Fitment has been a longstanding issue with the Motors categories and eBay acquired MyFitment Group last year ostensibly to help out with those issues.
Liz Morton ~ Founder
However, many Motors P&A sellers say the Fitment capability has not improved since the acquisition and glitches in fitment charts that have been reported for years still aren't fixed.
Liz Morton ~ Founder
Here's just one example:
When you try to use eBay's fitment chart functionality on some listings - if you enter the year, make, model, trim, and engine options of the first vehicle listed in the chart, eBay's compatibility tool says it doesn't fit! 🤯
The issue appears to be the slight difference in text in the "engine" drop down menu vs that field in the chart. The drop down lists the cubic inches, but the chart does not and that difference is apparently enough to return an incorrect result.
This isn't something the seller can fix - it's entirely caused by eBay's programming for how the information display is displayed in the fitment charts.
What's worse is sellers have been reporting this issue to high level people at eBay Motors since at least 2019 and nothing has been done to correct it.
That's just one example of many that shows the fitment functionality as it currently exists on eBay is not fit for purpose. Until they fix the many issues with their own programming, there is no way eBay can honestly offer a "Fitment Guarantee."
