To ask for eBay help!

[BreakfastAtLitanies]

I'm really sorry to post here but needed an answer quite quickly and I know it gets the best traffic.

Won a bid on an item on eBay, the seller has got in touch today to say the following:

Hi Litanies,

I underestimated the cost of shipping for this item and it's going to be a bit more than the listing said. Please could I have your phone number to pass on to the courier.

Thanks, Seller.

I'm quite new to eBay, but why does he need my phone number for the courier? Am I going to be required to pay more for shipping? I'll be a bit miffed if I have to as it wasn't my mistake that was made.

Thanks in advance for the help!

They can't increase postage without your agreement.

I've underestimated postage costs before and just had to suck it up.

Is it something hard to get hold of, I'd be tempted just to say no thanks and ask for a refund if they're going to play silly beggars.

Don’t give them your phone number.

Ask them how much extra the postage costs will be and then decide whether you still want it.

Sounds iffy to me though and I would ask for a refund.

Politely reply saying that you bid based on the stated cost of shipping and you will not be paying any more than you have agreed to. You and the seller have a contract for the seller to sell you the item for the price you bid plus the stated shipping cost.

Now depending on how much you want the item and what costs we are talking about, whether you got a bargain, are there others available, etc etc, you could either say you want them to send the item for what you agreed, and send the money by Paypal, or you could say 'shall we cancel so you can relist'?

The seller should have checked the shipping cost before listing, if they had overestimated, they would be very very unlikely to give you a refund.

Is it a big item? Could the phone number to be to arrange delivery?

You don't have a contract with the courier, it is arranged by the seller, so they have no way of making you pay extra.

Should the worst come to the worst and you don't get your item after you have paid, you will be able to get all your money back from paypal, as they will refund you if the seller can't provide proof of delivery.

when I've booked collections with various courier firms in the past they have asked for the phone number of the person they are delivering it to, just incase they need to call to clarify location etc etc. That's all your seller wants it for

Thank you all for your responses.

It is a bundle of 5 small books. So not particularly bulky and certainly not too big to fit into a smallish box.

I would understand if they had asked for more money, I wouldn't be giving it but would understand, however it is the request for my number rather than extra payment that has thrown me off!

@Gatekeeper ah, so possibly it is because they have to go with a different courier than mentioned on the original listing?

How much postage did you pay her and what do you estimate the weight of the bundle to be?
I'm pretty sure she could send that with Hermes or similar for under £4

I paid £3 postage. I'm not sure I could accurately guess the weight but it's 5 small, thin books. Certainly not very heavy but either way, surely it is the responsibility of the seller to check this! I have no idea about shipping costs etc, I just pay if it seems reasonable to me and whether I want the item that badly

I've responded asking them to clarify what my number will be used for; I was concerned it was for the courier to get in contact with me to arrange the further payment for shipping etc, so will feel better if the seller can confirm they are taking responsibility for the extra cost.

"possibly it is because they have to go with a different courier than mentioned on the original listing?"

Almost certainly this. They've probably taken it to the post office and realised if they send them that way that they'll lose money. Personally I'd just give them my phone number and say something like, Thanks a lot for sorting that out for me :).

When they reply I'm sure they'll confirm your suspicions that it's just for the delivery and not for extra money.

Remember you are also paying for the box, any bubble wrap, trip to a courier drop off point, they may have to pay for parking. It’s not just the actual cost of the postage. Someone people forget that. That’s why I stopped doing eBay it got too expensive, and by the time fees etc are taken, you are left with little.

I had a seller message me a while ago saying they’d under-estimated postage and could I increase - I suggested they use a cheaper courier as they were quoting Royal Mail prices. Don’t give them your phone number.

They've confirmed that they are going with a different courier. I probably would have paid more postage if it was an item I was desperate for, but feel it's dodgy to sell and then increase. But glad it's cleared up now and thanks so much for all of your helpful responses!

Are the books valuable? If not, they can be sent by second class post, assuming they weigh under 2 kg and can go in a package no more than 16 cm thick, which they should do if they are indeed 'small thin books'.

www.postoffice.co.uk/mail/uk-standard

Get proof of postage and the parcel is covered for £20. Pay an extra pound and they go signed for, with £50 insurance. I think the likes of MyHermes and other cheapy couriers offer a similar deal.

remember you are also paying for the box, any bubble wrap, trip to a courier drop off point, they may have to pay for parking. It’s not just the actual cost of the postage. Someone people forget that. That’s why I stopped doing eBay it got too expensive, and by the time fees etc are taken, you are left with little

That's a separate issue. The seller must state a postage cost and the bidder bids on that basis. If they don't fully account for their costs, they have to absorb it from their profit, they can't ask for extra money from the buyer.

Would you be happy after you'd bought something from an online retailer if they said 'do you know what, we've changed our minds about the free delivery you thought you were getting when you ordered from us, please send us another fiver, before we send your item'?

Remember you are also paying for the box, any bubble wrap, trip to a courier drop off point, they may have to pay for parking. It’s not just the actual cost of the postage. Someone people forget that.

It should be factored into the selling price or P&P stated on the listing.

Ebay should have your phone no. stored in your details that get sent to the seller. Some companies are unable to send without a phone no. The courier will text regarding delivery.

It looks as if they are sending by courier as it is cheaper, but haven't worded it very well. I have had this happen. seller asked if I would mind it being sent with a courier due to the cost, my phone no. is already stored on Ebay as I learned a long time ago that sometimes you can't buy without it.

I could be wrong but at one time you had to enter a phone no. when signing up or either buying or selling, but not sure which, otherwise mine would not be on there.

I mainly sell on ebay and if a courier asks for a phone number, I just put my own. No-one has ever rung me about a delivery.

Some couriers will ask for a delivery phone number in case of query; it depends how happy you are to give this out.

They could post a parcel of that size for £3 second class Royal Mail, sounds as though they’re wanting to send it through a courier which is always more expensive.

I’ve underestimated postage costs plenty of times, you just have to suck it up. I wouldn’t give my phone number.

I underestimated an item's postage by a pound or so yesterday, and like PP, as a seller you just suck it up. They cannot charge you more after the auction has ended.

Books, even if heavy, would go as a small parcel. £3 second class.