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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to complain about £3.50 p+p on ebay when postage costs were £1.52

57 replies

lulu2 · 09/04/2008 17:17

and seller states that p+p is not just stamp cost its petrol, wrapping and their time. This i know but I think it's wrong to make a profit out of p+p. Sorry rant over. i don't want to leave negative feedback, what does anyone elsse think?

OP posts:

chinchi · 09/04/2008 17:20

Its difficult, but if you agreed to the postage costs prior to paying then you cant really complain.

hanaflower · 09/04/2008 17:21

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

shubiedoo · 09/04/2008 17:21

That's pretty usual, in fact several times I've paid a lot more than what's shown on the package once I get it. P&P is one area that sellers don't have to justify or give commission to EBay for, so a lot charge more.
If the seller stated on the item description that they were also charging for their time, then you shouldn't leave negative feedback.
Then again some sellers only ask for the actual postage, next time you might be lucky.

LadyOfWaffle · 09/04/2008 17:21

Depends on packaging I guess.

ja9 · 09/04/2008 17:21

i think that sounds fairly reasonable - especially as i assume that cost was stated before you bid on the item.

i occasionally sell on ebay. as i don't do it hugely often i don't have a very accurate idea of how much postage of an item will cost. so i search for similar items and choose a p&p cost that is similar to what others charge. sometimes the situation will be as you have described above.

p&p is postage and packaging, so it is fair for cost of padded envelope etc to be added on.

kayzisexpecting · 09/04/2008 17:22

YABU,

Packaging isn't free.

KMUN · 09/04/2008 17:24

I think it's fair enough actually. Buying packaging, doing packaging and worst of all getting to and queuing in the MF post office. The charges are transparent, but agree it does make a bit of a mockery of buying small value items.

ItsNotYouItsMe · 09/04/2008 17:41

Well
I think YANBU

In buying an item from someone I do not expect to pay them a wage to stand in a post office queue

Packaging YES pay for
Time, feck off!

Minum · 09/04/2008 17:44

When I sell I cant always be sure what the postage will cost before I put it up, so have to make a guess. Occassionally get it wrong and lose money on postage. When I buy I'm happy if postage is more than the stamps, as its all clear up front.

carolyn1941 · 09/04/2008 17:45

I think it's a fair price tbh. I sell a fair bit on ebay and sometimes i pop to the post office 4 or 5 times a week, using petrol, it takes time, plus you have the packaging and tape, labels, printed invoice etc and the time taken to package things up. Just don't give the full star rating on P&P charges but leave good feedback overall if you're happy in all other respects

Wisteria · 09/04/2008 17:45

YABU - you knew the cost of P&P and signed up for it - the seller might have to drive to the PO, plus wrapping costs more than you would imagine and many sellers factor a bit of their own time spent into the costs as well.

You certainly can't complain after you've won and paid. I think it's a normal charge.

NatalieJane · 09/04/2008 17:49

If you didn't want to pay £3.50 P&P, why did you bid for the item?

This is something I will never understand about buyers on eBay, you knew the cost before you bought it, maybe next time think about what you are paying for.

And it would be very unreasonable of you to leave a negative or even comment on it IMO.

mellyonion · 09/04/2008 17:54

i think yabu too....
if i'm bidding on ebay, i look at the overall price i'm prepared to pay....that includes the postage too....its a more accurate way of seeing how much your item is actually costing you.

ButterflyBessie · 09/04/2008 18:09

Surely the point is that unless the seller puts the weight and size of the package in the details then the buyer doesn't know if they are being ripped off for p&p costs until the item arrives?

YANBU, Sellers who hike the p&p prices up are being unreasonable and should be named & shamed - ie neg feedback

NatalieJane · 09/04/2008 18:13

But it makes no odds, if a seller put absolutely ridiculous charges on P&P say £25 to send a top, if you agree to pay that, then you agree, end of story.

If I sold something on eBay, and then had to get to the post office to send it, I would have 2 lots of bus fares (£2.20 in total) that is aside from the packaging, selotape, printing invoices, labels etc. and cost of posting the item, and my time.

So would I be seen as 'hiking prices'?

Surfermum · 09/04/2008 18:14

I also add the cost of postage to the cost of the item, and if I'm happy with that I bid. It doesn't really bother me whether I pay more for the item and less postage, or the other way round.

I've paid £3.50 p&p for a lot of mail order items, so by comparison to those it isn't a lot.

kayzisexpecting · 09/04/2008 18:18

Butterflybessie, how are they hiking up prices?? Packaging is not free. P&P stands for Postage and Packaging. You have to pay for packaging too.

ButterflyBessie · 09/04/2008 18:27

Oh come on, when you get something through the post that you have bought of ebay and the seller has packaged it in either a re-used envelope or cut up some old cardboard and you try and justify it with "You have to pay for packaging too."

Yes, I agree you have to make your money somehow, but there are reasonable costs and then there are rip off costs.

This is why ebay have changed the feedback systems and why those sellers who feel that they have a right to charge extortionate amounts of money for some reused cardboard and a bit of sellotape will find that they will have less people bidding on their goods, good, they deserve it.

VictorianSqualor · 09/04/2008 18:27

If you were buying it from a company you'd pay more than £3.50 for P&P.

QOD · 09/04/2008 18:35

I think YABU if you give negative feedback. Someone bought something off me and commented on the p&p price in the text, REALLY p'eed me off!
They paid 99p for a brand new item that cost £5.99

NoBiggy · 09/04/2008 18:36

It's a long time since I sold on ebay, but I have some vague recollection of p&p costs being an admin charge too?

KMUN · 09/04/2008 18:37

I'm actually in favour of recycling packaging where possible. Surely any responsible person is these days. You are paying for a service, with transparent pricing, you are getting items usually well below their market price, in good condition and delivered to your door. The changes in postal prices make it difficult to second guess postal charges too if you are selling. If you don't agree with people's fixed charges, don't bid. It's as simple as that.

Original poster

lulu2 · 09/04/2008 21:26

i can see both sides tbh and yes i was aware that the charge for p+p was £3.50 when i bid, i just expected that more of that £3.50 would have been on stamps as it was a larger item. The item was not posted in a padded jiffy bag and there was no invoice/packing slip. None of this matters but if charging £2.00 for their time then i think the seller should make an effort.
I am not going to leave negative feedback but am considering increasing my p+p charges and making every buyer pay more because i have to go to the post office 3 or 4 times a week.

OP posts:

Chequers · 09/04/2008 21:29

Message withdrawn

UniversallyChallenged · 09/04/2008 21:39

£2 extra isnt too bad I dont think.
I presumed - silly me- that my seller would combine p and p as i bought 4 items. they didnt and charged me over £10 for something that cost them under £2 to send. I complained and got nowhere apart from 4 negatives - my first ever .
Dont bother complaining, you wont get anywhere

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