Is it fair to leave negative feedback for over inflated postage?

[SamuelWestsMistress]

Just a musing really. I'm not really a huge eBay buyer but have recently been buying stuff for DD. just doll things really and all private sellers.

It's occurred to me that they seem to be charging greatly over he odds for postage. I pay £4 for postage and when it arrives its franked at £1.50. I've avoided many sellers like this so it's really not an issue to me, I've just not bought from them.

But do people ever leave negative feedback for inflated prices on postage? I know there is the star rating, but it doesn't seem to do a lot. It seems in the last few years I've been away from eBay the postage prices have rocketed!

Omg Higgle, I sometimes post from work too - I pay for it, it just saves walking to the post office. I don't think my boss would take too kindly to someone phoning and quizzing him about it

With private sellers, I do agree to postage when I bid, and I tend to cut them a bit of slack. A lot of people don't understand how to get the best postage price, or they send everything signed for, not understanding the insurance they get.

If however the item comes with ridiculously cheap postage, less than half of what I paid, in a recycled envelope (for example) I give poor star ratings and would consider a neutral or negative overall feedback if the cash difference was enough. Postage is not there to make a profit, or to pay for time or parking, and it's the seller's responsibility to estimate postage costs.

Ananikifo - understanding the insurance is irrelevant really - if an item isn't sent with a signature seller loses all protection and are leaving themselves open to be scammed.

With proof of postage you can claim up to £20 back from Royal Mail. Most of what I buy used on eBay costs less than £10 and I maintain that signed for is a waste. As I said though, I don't say anything when portage is high, but I will give lower stars if they charge me much more than what they actually end up paying.

no i wouldnt

Higgle

I think you need to understand how offices work, most allow personal use of the franking machine & employees reimburse any costs. It's cheaper, quicker and no queues in the PO. My boss would not take kindly to a busybody wittering about postal costs.

ananikifo - if a buyer claims item not received and the item isn't sent with a signature they could be lying and get free goods. It is part of the paypal agreement that items are sent with proof of delivery.

We have been selling quite a bit on eBay recently and have been selling brand new items worth approx £150-200 with a start price of 99p... We have put accurate postage costs on all the items, what really pisses me off is when people are buying 3&4 of these items and once the auctions are won (and they've paid 30-40 for items worth up to 5/6 hundred quid) they then ask for a reduction in postage... Our answer is a big fat no... If they ask beforehand then fine but after the auction and to assume that postage will be combined is just rude in my opinion!

We were accused of 'profiteering' from postage, but believe me, we are clearing some space there is no profit involved sadly for us...

This entire thread is why a lot of private sellers don't use Ebay anymore. Don't like the postage, don't bid. And Higgle, what a nasty thing to do.

Lot of pisstakers on EBay, Feel.

Funnily enough expat when I've offered to cancel the transaction if they are not happy with the fees they agreed upfront they never take us up on the offer!

This will be the thing that stops me selling on eBay and it would be a shame as we really are almost giving stuff away :-/

Oh and higgle I agree that is a spiteful vindictive thing to do... Most people are not thieves and have agreement from their boss

Maybe you are judging people by your own standards? Just saying...

Lilyblossom- I can't find on the eBay website where it says that proof of delivery is required. If this was the case, why would first or second class postage, or local pickup, even be options? I do see where they say you would only win a dispute if you produce proof of delivery. What I am saying is that for small value items you can refund the buyer and claim your money back from Royal Mail. They may have successfully "scammed" you but you would get your money back.

I'm not really interested in starting a big argument about this. As I said I accept signed for if the seller prefers it, as long as the overall price (including postage) is good, but I still maintain that signed for is a waste for a £3 item.

I'm genuinely surprised how many peope on here are condoning theft - it was not just alittle company with a franking machine, it was a national retail company - big high street brand. I did not name anyone until I had asked if their staff had permission to frank private stuff, and they said no never, they said they were pleased I had informed them.
I think it says more about the moral standards of people who think it is just fine to rip off your employer in this way than mine. I do appreciate taht smaller companies might allow this as an option and I certainly wouldn't have contacted a small firm in this way. If this woman had franked all her items that were up for sale tha tweek in this way it would, as I say have been £30 + and would quite have justified dismissal instantly for gross misconduct.

I assume you don't work in HR higgle? I do and I still think you were way out of line.

I used to work for a medium sized national organisation (about 8000 employees). Employees were permitted to use the franking machine and the payments were credited to petty cash. We would not have discussed the ins and outs with some random who just called up but might have made soothing noises while thinking what a massive waste of our time.

That is not condoning theft. That is condoning not going off half cocked when you don't have all the facts and are acting under wild assumptions.

For the THIRD time - before I reported the person I asked if they allowed staff to send mail and re-imburse, when they said "no" i reported.

Probably to find out who you had a bee in your bonnet about so they could let her know. I would want the employee to know so she could be on her guard. Karma's a bitch.

Why do you think they would discuss their franking machine policy with you? They were probably just trying to get you off the phone so they could get on with work.

It is a bit annoying but I don't think I would leave a negative rating based on a couple of extra quid on the postage. To be honest I've stopped beating now because it just doesn't seem particularly worth it anymore - sellers p&p is ever higher, the bargains fewer and ebay's fees are astronomical these days.

Higgle I'm really shocked that for the sake of what was a couple of quid to you, you potentially lost someone their job through such a spiteful act. You don't know anything else about that person other than the small transaction you had, and yet you seem to be quite proud and smug that they may have been 'rightly' dismissed for gross misconduct.

Nasty

Argh! Not beating, ebaying! Darn Autocorrect

last post on this issue. I employ a workforce of 50+ myself. I view pilfering by staff as a serious matter ( which is why - to my knowledge - it doesn't happen in my organisation) I would be grateful if someone rang me to say if they suspected my staff had stolen anything, and if it turned out they hadn't that would be OK. I'm surprised to be on the receiving end of abuse myself, I'm a charity trustee, do quite a lot of voluntary work and am generally quite trusting. I don't lie down and do nothing when someone scams me for a fiver and seems to be taking their employer for an even greater ride. And I do know about karma as I'm a buddhist!

What abuse are you receiving? Criticism is not abuse.

Stealing is serious. Causing trouble for someone on the off chance they may be caught out in some wrong doing, without even having the courtesy to discuss it with them first, is just nasty.

I see someone enjoys reporting people. Actions speak for themselves. :o