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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Anyone who sells on eBay – this one’s for you

221 replies

SuzieBishop · 02/12/2020 11:22

So selling something on eBay and postage is set at £3.40 - buyer buys and messaged me asking if I will refund the difference of the postage as it is small and might go as a large letter so would only be £1.10.
I initially found this a bit cheeky as postage is normally set around £3.10 to £3.40-50 on most items on eBay. Yes I set it up £3.40 to make a bit of a profit.
I’ve sold a good few things and some have gone just £1.10 but no one has ever messaged me to ask for the money back. The postage is the postage and it says in your terms that there are no refunds. Is this person being cheeky? I can’t decide.
So my AIBU is should I refund it as they have the balls to ask (YABU) or say no and keep the profit (YANBU). Thanks!

OP posts:
itbemay1 · 02/12/2020 11:23

I always refund if it's a lot more but I do also take packaging and time to post office out of that. So if cost £1.10 to post then I'd happily charge £2.

altforvarmt · 02/12/2020 11:24

I wouldn't refund... they bid knowing what the postage had been set at.

Livinginatree · 02/12/2020 11:24

I believe you can include in the postage the cost of going to the post office to send it and for your time? She knew the postage cost when she bought it and I always calculate that into whether o will buy something or not. Be prepared to get bad feedback though.

Simplyunacceptable · 02/12/2020 11:24

eBay policy dictates that you shouldn’t seek to profiteer from postage costs, you should only charge what the postage will actually cost.

I don’t think it’s cheeky to expect not to be ripped off by postage costs.

SebastianTheCrab · 02/12/2020 11:24

I've learned the hard way if a buyer ever contacts you with any kind of qs before bidding and they win they almost inevitably turn out to be a nightmare buyer. I'd ignore and block.

Smallsteps88 · 02/12/2020 11:26

I always thought postage was to cover postage, packaging and time/expense to go and post it.

liveitwell · 02/12/2020 11:29

Postage is postage.

If you wanted more money for the item you should have started the auction higher or put a reserve price.

YABU.

SavoyCabbage · 02/12/2020 11:30

@liveitwell

Postage is postage.

If you wanted more money for the item you should have started the auction higher or put a reserve price.

YABU.

I agree.

Katinthedoghouse · 02/12/2020 11:31

To avoid this happening I would select free postage option. Obviously there is no such thing as free postage so what you have to do is absorb the cost in your listing. So if your item is set up as £10 + £3.40, change it to £13.40 and free postage.

The benefit to you is that problems like this don’t happen again and you are automatically given a 5star rating for postage. Some buyers do mark down because for the most spurious reasons.

LastInTheQueue · 02/12/2020 11:31

YABU for the simple reason you are not supposed to make a profit on P&P.

ShirleyPhallus · 02/12/2020 11:31

@Simplyunacceptable

eBay policy dictates that you shouldn’t seek to profiteer from postage costs, you should only charge what the postage will actually cost.

I don’t think it’s cheeky to expect not to be ripped off by postage costs.

Yeah this

It really puts me off of postage is excessive like that. I’d rather start the bidding for £1 more.

toconclude · 02/12/2020 11:31

@SebastianTheCrab

I've learned the hard way if a buyer ever contacts you with any kind of qs before bidding and they win they almost inevitably turn out to be a nightmare buyer. I'd ignore and block.
I've often asked questions, 100 pc feedback as buyer and seller
GreyishDays · 02/12/2020 11:33

£3.40 postage for something that actually costs £1.10 is taking the piss. You can add the cost of the packaging, but not triple the cost.

OrangeIsTheNewTwat · 02/12/2020 11:35

YABU. You should charge the price you need to charge for the the item. You shouldn't be profiting from the postage.

DynamoKev · 02/12/2020 11:35

@altforvarmt

I wouldn't refund... they bid knowing what the postage had been set at.
^This. time to query was beforehand.
SlopesOff · 02/12/2020 11:35

If the buyer sees that you appear to have pulled a fast one by overcharging on postage they won't be happy. I don't do it because it isn't good practice. I list at what I want for the item and add postage into that so that people can see the total cost before they buy.

I have been on Ebay for many years and people used to say 'Well, you know what the P&P was before you bid. If this is the case then fair enough, but only if it reflects the actual cost of the postage and packaging. To overcharge in order to make a profit is likely to get you poor feedback and low stars.

I look at the sellers feedback ratings and stars and if they are an experienced seller and I have been ripped off then the stars get marked accordingly. Have seen some sellers with very low ratings, bordering on suspension because of it.

Your choice, but it doesn't look honest.

gretagreengrapes · 02/12/2020 11:37

Everything I've listed automatically sets to £3.10 by ebay and the odd thing that's cost less to send I wouldn't dream of refunding the difference and noone has ever asked! You buy knowing the price of postage, on any website regardless if you buy one pair of socks or 10 winter jumpers!

PrincessPain · 02/12/2020 11:37

Piss taking.
Just like people who say they combine postage and the take 50p off the £16 postage, say it is combined and it comes with a £3.10 sticker on.
It pisses people off.
You want to make a profit then set the start price higher, you can do what you want once they have won/paid, but you might get marked down for it.

Original poster
SuzieBishop · 02/12/2020 11:39

Righty ho I’m off to the post office soon so I’ll go with the majority vote and refund! Thanks for everyone’s opinions

OP posts:
Original poster
SuzieBishop · 02/12/2020 11:40

@gretagreengrapes yes this I must agree with - eBay sets it for you at £3.10 so nobody really would then set it lower because then you’re actually losing out on money!

OP posts:
sporkle · 02/12/2020 11:40

I've always given a partial refund if the item ends up fitting in cheaper postage.

Original poster
SuzieBishop · 02/12/2020 11:42

@GreyishDays but o haven’t sent it yet so I don’t know how much it’ll cost though - I personally don’t think it will go as £1.10 as it has a fair bulky bits on it. I’m not out to take the piss and would never triple the price of something!! Just had to reply to your comment there!

OP posts:
PattyPan · 02/12/2020 11:45

Yabu to try to make a profit from the postage cost, that’s not what it’s there for. However, you can include the cost of the packaging so you can tell the buyer that’s why it was that cost.
If you are hiking up the cost of postage people may avoid you as a buyer. There’s been several things I haven’t bought because it hasn’t seemed worth it when the price of postage is added on top.

ReviewingTheSituation · 02/12/2020 11:45

I'm surprised at the responses here. Yes, you shouldn't profit, but the COST of posting isn't just the stamp. It's the packaging, the time to wrap it, the fuel to get to the post office (and maybe parking) and time to do so. It's 'postage and packing'. Yes, be reasonable, and don't charge £10 postage for something that costs £1 in stamps, but the cost should be more than you see on the postage label when it arrives.

SebastianTheCrab · 02/12/2020 11:46

@toconclude since sellers are no longer allowed to leave truthful feedback about buyers that doesn't really count for much.