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eBay

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Original poster

Invoiced for higher than expected postage costs

15 replies

moonstone1201 · 30/12/2011 20:03

Having a moral dilemma regarding a recent purchase.

I bought hand weights on Ebay for my post New Year good intentions. The cost of postage was 3.50.

I have had an email from the seller today saying that the weights have been posted but postage cost £10 more than expected and could I pay the extra.

Having sent a load of Christmas presents by post and being roughly aware of postage costs I'm sure the seller is telling the truth.

As they say they have sent the item they are relying on my goodwill to send the extra money.

Is it their own fault for not checking postage costs or should I pay the extra? I try to do the right thing generally but if the postage had been this high I would not have even considered buying the item as you can get the same type of thing new for the postage cost alone.

I'm sure the seller is genuine, nothing to indicate a scam, but I am very reluctant to pay the extra money!

Any thoughts appreciated, thanks!

OP posts:

rainbowinthesky · 30/12/2011 20:05

I'd pay it as £3.50 for weights does seem very cheap and it's fair to say you could have had an inkling of this too. I would just pay up.

Oakmaiden · 30/12/2011 20:07

How much did you actually pay for them? I would personally be inclined to give them enough money that they haven't actually lost out by sending them too you (so if you paid £5 for them and then £3 postage then I would send another £2 to cover their overall costs, but if you paid £10 for them then they have made a small amount of profit on the transaction and that is fair enough). Always assuming you can afford to... if you can't then don't.

fergoose · 30/12/2011 20:11

No you do not have to pay the extra money - if the seller undercharged on the listing that is their fault, and they cannot make you pay another penny towards the postage.

Original poster

moonstone1201 · 30/12/2011 20:25

I paid £6.65 for the item, £3.50 postage. To be exact the seller says the postage cost £14.25 and wants an extra £10.75.

It is very cheap postage but I think it is up to the seller to make sure it covers their costs. I didn't even consider it to be honest, I was just looking at the overall cost. If they had emailed me before posting giving me the option of a refund or paying the extra I would have taken the refund as I would not have paid £20 for a secondhand pair of hand weights.

I posted this thinking there was no way I was paying any extra as I don't feel I should be compensating people for their own mistakes! I have miscalculated postage before and always bore the cost myself rather than invoicing the seller. But you have stirred my conscience so I might take Oakmaiden's advice and offer to pay an extra £4.10 so I am covering the postage and no more.

OP posts:

fergoose · 30/12/2011 20:27

You are correct - the seller cannot demand any more money from you. Harsh but their mistake their loss.

Oakmaiden · 30/12/2011 21:13

fergoose is right - they can't demand anything further, and you wouldn't be wrong to decline to pay extra.

But in honesty it sounds like someone trying to raise some extra cash by getting rid of a few things, and I can't help wondering how I would feel if I had made a mistake like that, and how grateful I would be if the buyer paid a contribution of the extra postage.

It is obviously completely your call though. There is no obligation on you to pay any more than was originally agreed.

BastedTurkey · 30/12/2011 21:24

They can't make you pay it. TBH making such a fundamental error on postage they should have mailed you first to check if you would mind paying the extra.

BastedTurkey · 30/12/2011 21:24

Thinking about it £14.25 is ridiculously high - I realise that they are heavy but I'm sure a courier would have been nowhere near as expensive

fergoose · 30/12/2011 21:26

That's a point - how heavy are they meant to be to warrant such a high fee. A courier would only be half that cost.

thefroggy · 30/12/2011 21:42

How on earth could they miscalculate it by so much though? I dont sell all that often on Ebay but I do know it costs roughtly £3.50-£4.00 to send a coat.

I think perhaps the seller purposely put the postage very low as he thought he'd get a lot more for the item.

fergoose · 30/12/2011 21:54

Yes, and as you say Op you wouldn't have bid on them if the postage was higher than stated.

thefroggy · 30/12/2011 22:01

roughtly? look, I made a new word!

A bit about this...has the seller sold many items op?

QED · 30/12/2011 22:02

Has it arrived yet? I would want to see it cost that much first. And how heavy were the weights?

jimswifein1964 · 31/12/2011 12:39

I wouldnt pay; I can see that the seller will be out of pocket, but you worked out your max bid based on total inc postage. You couldve just bought new!! Years ago, I bought a load of elc animals for 99p plus £2 postage. When they came, the postage had cost about £7, but the buyer didnt mention it. And I wouldnt have bought them if I'd been charged that much postage.

PurpleFrog · 31/12/2011 20:32

That is ridiculous! I understand your dilemma but I feel that in this case you can't be expected to pay for the seller's mistake! Why did she send them without checking with you first?

I have taken the liberty of finding what I think is the item you bought on eBay. As far as I can see you can get the same 2 pairs of weights plus a 5kg pair from Argos for £14.99 all in here.

See what she says to that!

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