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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To make awkward seller send two parcels?

51 replies

AiryFairyMum · 09/09/2019 20:52

I'm aware this makes me petty...

I won two lots from the same eBay seller. One is for me and the other for a friend who I see regularly. Postage is on the higher side but hey ho, I thought she would combine it for two small items. But no, she has refused to combine the postage, or even reduce it at all and hasn't given a reason.

WIBU to carry out two transactions, one to my house and one to my friend's (two minutes walk away) so that she can't make a saving on the postage?

Is there anything else I should do more sensibly? At this rate, we are paying almost as much for (second class UK) postage as for the items. And yes, I know I should have checked before placing the order, but this has never happened to me before. I can't understand why she wont just put both things in the same package?

OP posts:
AdobeWanKenobi · 10/09/2019 13:14

Let's say the seller has packaged them up already. 2 small items of clothing according to OP.
How difficult is it then to put both in a 10p bag for life, turned inside out and a label slapped on it?

Do it OP. Your seller is being awkward.

YeOldeTrout · 10/09/2019 16:08

What did you pay for each item, purchase price vs postage? How much was postage? Could either item be sent large letter rate?

DontCallMeShitley · 10/09/2019 16:09

This isn't a business seller, and it isn't tracked postage. It's two small items of second hand clothing. If she explained her reasons I'd be less fed up. I sell on Ebay too and I have never heard of anyone not combining postage before.

Combining postage does not mean it is reduced postage, it simply means that the items are posted in the same package. What you want is reduced postage.

As I said earlier, sellers list at a low price with higher postage in order to get higher in the listings which gives them more chance to be seen. It doesn't always work but if they are desperate to sell and need the money then I don't blame them because Ebay make it difficult enough for small private sellers as it is.

You should check BEFORE you bid, it is not fair to expect someone to practically give you things for free when they have the prices shown on the listing. If you want free, go to Freecycle.

One of the reasons there are less and less private sellers on Ebay now is this kind of attitude. Many of the good ones have given up because they have no chance of making anything after the fees are paid because people want things for nothing. Being spiteful is not a nice attribute. If you ask for something that is not mentioned in the listing you are breaking Ebay rules. If combined and reduced is not offered you might want to think about that.

Original poster
AiryFairyMum · 10/09/2019 18:12

If she has already parcelled things up, fine, she can send two parcels. But what I'm unhappy about is if she refuses to combine postage and then tries to make a saving by putting them both in the same package. I though that post and packaging was just that, not a way to make more profit through the back door.
Is that unreasonable?

OP posts:
Gojojogogogo · 10/09/2019 18:20

Yes, I'd do 2 separate addresses through PayPal, very easy to do but then I'm v.v.sad

BarbaraofSeville · 10/09/2019 18:32

But combined postage is not necessarily cheaper, that's the point.

If one item fits in a large letter package - has to be less than an inch thick, say a small clothing item in a cardboard envelope, it costs £1.32 for second class post.

Two items would probably be hard to keep at less than an inch thick, so then you'd want a small parcel, which costs £3.00, so it's actually cheaper to send separately.

It's buyers like you who make small sellers just trying to sell their second hand bits and pieces, for which they usually get a pittance for after ebay and paypal have had their cut, decide that they'd rather just drop it all in the charity bin.

ShirleyPhallus · 10/09/2019 18:35

If she sends you one parcel then just log it through eBay that you didn’t receive the second item

She won’t have proof of postage for 2 items so would have to refund you the full amount

Not that I’m suggesting you do that but you could Wink

Hayls17 · 10/09/2019 18:39

If it is clothing, lots of less chunky items can pass through as a large letter costing between around £1 and £2 depending on weight. 2 items together may well be too thick to go as a large letter and would cost a minimum of £3 as a small parcel, so maybe by combining the two it wouldn’t actually cost her any less to send, and therefore she cannot pass any savings on to you? Speaking as a post office manager and ebayer myself so I have had this problem before!

Original poster
AiryFairyMum · 10/09/2019 18:41

I really don't want to be dishonest. I'm already paying over the odds for postage and packing - almost £5 for a small item. I just want her to be reasonable.

OP posts:
BarbaraofSeville · 10/09/2019 18:47

But you bid on the basis that you were paying £X for the item and £Y for the postage = total £Z.

What does it matter to you whether you pay £2 for the item plus £5 for the postage, £5 for the item plus £2 for the postage or £7 incl free postage?

Every time someone sells on ebay there's always the worry that the buyer is going to be a nightmare CF in some way and it is a surprising blessed relief when they are not.

Original poster
AiryFairyMum · 10/09/2019 18:52

I was looking to buy an item. I looked on the seller's other items, as I usually do, and spotted an item my friend would like ending at the same time, so I thought it made sense to bid on them both, assuming that they could be posted together. I now realise that some sellers use the postage and packaging to profit, and refuse to pass on savings to buyers. This has been the first time I've encountered this and in future I'll definitely check.

OP posts:
Soubriquet · 10/09/2019 18:53

It’s £4 for a second class signed parcel now.

That’s without the fees

But I wouldn’t be impressed if she refused to combine the parcels and refunded me one lot of P and P

Kyriesmum1 · 10/09/2019 19:19

Wow, I sell regularly on eBay and always combine postage if someone buys more than one item!! Recently I've had two people who have brought two things and paid for them separately. Both times I have packaged them together and refunded one of the postage's and emailed to let them know that they would be getting a refund and that both items would be arriving together!

If you invoice the purchased you can combine the postage on invoice and make multiple purchases one transaction!

YeOldeTrout · 10/09/2019 19:35

Why did you agree to £5 postage on each small item. Ouch.

Original poster
AiryFairyMum · 10/09/2019 21:45

I figured maybe the seller was factoring in buying packaging, petrol and parking near the post office? But there is an economy of scale, and if she saves on postage I think it is right if she passes some of that on.

OP posts:
Dontlikeoranges · 11/09/2019 04:32

*ShirleyPhallus

If she sends you one parcel then just log it through eBay that you didn’t receive the second item

She won’t have proof of postage for 2 items so would have to refund you the full amount

Not that I’m suggesting you do that but you could*

Shock aren't you just a theiving fucking delight! Hope you never buy off me

YobaOljazUwaque · 11/09/2019 05:31

Go for it.

Some eBay sellers will package up their parcel as part of their listing process - photograph it first, then package it up to get accurate figures for p&p costs, then list the item. Its a faff but if you have eg small children you don't want to risk an item getting damaged in between listing it and sending it off, so packaging it up is a good way to protect it. If she does it that way then she would make no saving from you buying two.

But you aren't unreasonable to require the packages to be sent to two addresses.

Plasebeafleabite · 11/09/2019 06:24

I would always combine postage but then I never list at 99p or anything less than I would be happy to sell for. Not everyone has that model so I think YABU you should see the bigger picture of overall cost and not buy if it’s not acceptable

ShirleyPhallus · 11/09/2019 07:20

@Dontlikeoranges I wouldn’t actually do that!! Chill out!

YeOldeTrout · 11/09/2019 09:35

I am keen to know what kind of packaging/postage cost the items arrive with. Let us know what the seller seems to have paid to send each item.

WhatWouldChristineCagneyDo · 11/09/2019 10:43

*If she sends you one parcel then just log it through eBay that you didn’t receive the second item

She won’t have proof of postage for 2 items so would have to refund you the full amount*

ShirleyPhallus please DM me your ebay user name so I can put you on my blocked bidder list. It's buyers like you that fuck it up for everyone else.

Nonmerci · 11/09/2019 11:07

@purpleboy issue is the sellers usually send the items together so are clearly just profiting from the excess postage.

purpleboy · 11/09/2019 11:20

Yes absolutely agree, there are definitely people out there who use it for extra ££s but if the seller isn't trying it on then she has a justified reason to not send together. But in the interest of transparency she should let the buyer know why she won't send together. Everyone knows where they stand then.

ShirleyPhallus · 11/09/2019 11:52

@WhatWouldChristineCagneyDo literally said there I wouldn’t actually do it. But it would also incredibly dishonest of buyers to charge for two lots of postage, then only pay one because they put both items in the same parcel and benefit from the cost saving. And risky because nothing would stop a buyer from claiming they didn’t actually receive a second parcel Confused

Original poster
AiryFairyMum · 12/09/2019 20:02

I listened, and haven't requested two addresses. Let's see if one or two parcels arrive...

OP posts: