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Original poster

Excess postage charges

27 replies

sparkle12mar08 · 30/07/2013 20:17

I've just recieved an item which is otherwise lovely, but the postage charged onthe listing has turned out to be three times higher than that on the envelope I recieved it in! I've messaged the seller very nicely and asked for a part refund of half the total, leaving her still in profit on p&p, but she has refused. How do I report her and open a case against her - none of the options I can find in the help centre seem appropriate?

OP posts:
LilyBossom · 30/07/2013 20:37

you can't open a case against her for it, but you can leave appropriate feedback and low stars. It is fee avoidance and not permitted on ebay.

Original poster
sparkle12mar08 · 30/07/2013 20:41

Can I report her for it though? It seems to be an increasing problem tbh. I know many of the posts here are about sellers who've been done over by their buyers, but this is the third excessive postage item I seem to have bought in as many weeks. I wouldn't have minded the total pstage at all, if that's what it had actually cost her to post it, and I made my bid in full knowledge of the stated costs. But I deeply object to paying three bloody times the actual postage when it finally lands on my mat!

OP posts:
nickstmoritz · 30/07/2013 20:42

What are the costs involved? Sometimes a person might estimate £3 for small parcel but it goes large letter £1.20. This has happened to me before but on the whole I have lost more by underestimating postage than gained by this happening and I don't think it is usual for sellers to ask for more postage if that happens, they have to take the hit. The seller could do a partial refund via paypal but if you did know the postage when you bid then they wouldn't be obliged to really. Depends how bothered you are about it to follow up. You can leave a lower star rating on p&p if you feel it was too much. I personally would only do this if it was, say, £3 or more than actual p&p. Remember some sellers add a bit for packing costs too so it is not just postage.

LilyBossom · 30/07/2013 20:44

yes if they overestimate it that is fine, but to keep the money is just fee avoidance and greed

you don't know as a buyer the size and weight of a parcel, you trust the seller to be honest- and this seller clearly isn't

Leave low stars if you want them to count, leaving them blank does not count as low

and mention fee avoidance and making 200% profit on postage in the neg feedback

LilyBossom · 30/07/2013 20:46

and on each listing there is a report button, so take it from there to report excessive postage costs.

bishboschone · 30/07/2013 20:47

How much is it? Some people factor in packing and petrol and parking etc . It's not always as easy as walking to the post office . I think as you agreed to the postage then there isn't much you can do.

CockBollocks · 30/07/2013 20:49

You knew how much the postage was, if you we're not happy you should have said so prior to winning or not bidding.

LilyBossom · 30/07/2013 20:49

private sellers are not allowed to charge for petrol & parking

and you saw the cost so agreed is unfair, seller is clearly profiting and breaking ebay rules, there is no excuse.

StrangeGlue · 30/07/2013 20:57

It is packaging as well as postage to pay for. And you did know how much it was before you bought it and thought it was reasonable.

Original poster
sparkle12mar08 · 30/07/2013 21:02

I trusted the seller to charge a roughly accurate amount for postage, she didn't. I've left a neutral overall with a single star for p&p, and mentioned the three times actual postage in the feedback. It's not a huge amount of money in absolute terms, she listed £3 p&p and it cost £1.10, but it's the principle of it. I would have been perfectly happy to pay the full £3 if that was what it had cost her, but it didn't, and she should have set a higher starting price or reserve if she wanted a particular result.

OP posts:
Original poster
sparkle12mar08 · 30/07/2013 21:02

It was a heavily recycled envelope too, by the way!

OP posts:
bishboschone · 30/07/2013 21:10

Is that true that your are only supposed to charge exact postage ? I don't try and profit from the postage but always charge for recorded and over inflate if im unsure . No one has ever said anything. I have been stung before many times when I have under quoted . Postage seems to go up every time I post anything.

LilyBossom · 30/07/2013 21:14

you are allowed to charge an amount for packaging. I think you were very kind to only leave neutral tbh.

ChesterCake · 30/07/2013 23:32

I also think you were being very reasonable to only leave a neutral. I would of definitely left a neg.

I hate all of the people that say 'oh you knew the price when you bid' it would be like estimateing £30 for a courier and managing to get it through on £10.. I bet they would be complaining then! You've done the right thing. I would try reporting to eBay too no harm in trying Smile

ChesterCake · 30/07/2013 23:32

WhoopS make that estimating!

nickstmoritz · 31/07/2013 08:23

I would not have left neutral or neg for that. It was only a couple of pounds and the item was nice. It is not always easy to tell what will be a large letter or a small parcel with the new post office regulations. It was probably an honest mistake rather than profiteering or "fee avoidance" which is a bit strong for this situation. Postage for a large letter is £1.20 so a fair P&P might have been £1.50 with packing so you might have been refunded £1.50 by the seller and not all sellers know how to do partial refunds. I would say you were a bit harsh imo. I don't really like paying high postage but I sell too and do try and keep it fair even doing free postage for some things. I understand that sellers quite often lose on postage too so I am flexible with postage charges from sellers. I have never given anyone a negative or neutral just maybe marked down stars sometimes. Any real beefs have been dealt with by messaging or ebay. Sorry don't want to criticise anyone else just give another point of view.

lljkk · 31/07/2013 08:34

I don't understand what the principle here is. Confused
If buyer had item available for sale for £1.90 more on the sale price but only £1.10 for postage, would you have bid? Obviously yes. So what's the problem? You paid for an item at X price including delivery and you got it. Now you change your mind?

As for breaking Ebay rules, give me a break. Ebay wouldn't care about that kind of mark up. Plus they are tax-dodgers who treat their sellers like rubbish and bully other auction sites.

As for "private sellers not allowed to charge extra": there are contradictory statements about this on ebay.co.uk.

I would have refunded the "excess" postage when you asked but put you straight on my blocked bidder list, too.

really wish Ebay.co.uk would require that postage is always included in the price.

Rowanred · 31/07/2013 08:50

I hate when sellers do this, its just fee avoidance and not allowed. I would leave neg feedback and 1 star for p&p if the postage charge is more than 50p what it actually costs to post. 50p is plenty for packaging. An a4 mailbag costs 10p.

I have sometimes overestimated postage as a seller ( thought it would go as a parcel but gets large letter price) and I always message the buyer and refund the difference.

WandaDoff · 31/07/2013 08:57

I've always refunded the difference if it's been more than a pound.

BettyandDon · 31/07/2013 09:02

I wouldn't mind if I liked the item and got a bargain otherwise.

Most mail order businesses charge silly amounts like £4.95 for small parcels and such.

I think most second hand stuff sellers are selling as they are quite hard up. I just wouldn't begrudge a few £'s.

I tend to buy almost everything from Amazon as postage is normally free if you wait a couple of days (most arrive 2 days later tops).

I am just sick of the poor quality of items that are on ebay. Like the squidgee window scraper I bought that was awful. I think quality of new goods is a problem and they are trying to get rid of nice second hand buyers and sellers with ridiculous policies that are almost impossible to adhere to if you are just jo bloggs trying to sell a few extra bits.

nickstmoritz · 31/07/2013 11:05

I agree with lljkk and I would have refunded on request but probably blocked too.

Again, I don't like big postage costs but remember the seller will be paying fees to ebay and paypal and ebay include postage in the final fee too (please correct me if I am wrong on this but I think that's the way it works - the 10% will be taken from total sale plus postage paid amount) so sellers don't always make that much on their items.

nickstmoritz · 31/07/2013 11:13

BTW standard post now only covers items up to £20 (used to be £46) so many sellers will probably move to signed for which is now £4.10 but is more secure for items worth more than £20. A signed for parcel to Ireland or Europe is now £10.20 even for a little light parcel which is pretty horrendous.

It might be worth negotiating postage before paying if you have any concerns then you know you can be refunded if there is a difference or not bid if you are going to be annoyed. Sellers won't want neutral or neg feedback.

LilyBossom · 31/07/2013 11:20

ebay do not include p&p in the fvf, and the seller is not allowed to add paypal and ebay fees onto postage costs either.

nickstmoritz · 31/07/2013 11:56

oh ok thanks. That's good to know. I haven't come across many sellers that overcharge tbh.

Tryharder · 31/07/2013 22:47

She charged you £3 and it only cost £1.10 to post?

Can't get worked up personally. She obviously priced it to be sent small packet (£2.60) and the person at the post office squashed it down for her to fit it through the smaller hatch in order to qualify for large letter. She wasn't massively taking the piss I.e charging £6 to post a kids T shirt and sticking a second class stamp on the envelope.

I really hope that the item you win was not something extremely lovely which you got for 99p because that would make you a bit petty.

If you were pleased with your item then you should have left it alone.

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