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Original poster

Seller has added a 'seller charge' onto the total of the item I won.

56 replies

WeAreEternal · 01/09/2013 17:41

I bid on an item that ended last night in the early hours.
I went online this morning and found that I had won the item for £14.80 plus £5.40 postage.

I clicked pay now and went to the invoice/payment/basket page and it said:

Subtotal. £14.80
Shipping. £5.40
Seller charge £15.00
----------
Order total. £ 35.20

I don't understand what the seller charge is.
It is mentioned nowhere on the auction listing.
There is no way to remove this charge.

I have contacted the seller but not received a response yet.

Does anyone have any ideas?

OP posts:
ThedementedPenguin · 01/09/2013 17:43

That is ridiculous. There is no way they can just add a seller charge.

Seems like they didn't get what they wanted and this is to boost the price.

Rooners · 01/09/2013 17:45

Was it abroad? Could it be customs charges?

Particularly US listings seem to have these sometimes.

Rooners · 01/09/2013 17:45

Can you maybe link to the listing? Only if you feel comfortable doing so obvs.

noisytoys · 01/09/2013 17:46

That is ridiculous I would cancel the listing and report them.

Original poster
WeAreEternal · 01/09/2013 17:53

It's a uk listing (the item is located in Kent)

It's only a pair of shoes, not designer, just high street ones, but they are sold out on the shops website and in my local store in my size.

OP posts:
ThedementedPenguin · 01/09/2013 17:54

Maybe give them a day to reply. Could be an honest mistake. However no way would I be paying that.

Really hope seller gets back to you soon and it is a mistake.

Rooners · 01/09/2013 17:56

Well then that is really bloody odd.

I hope you get to the bottom of it. It's not a legitimate charge.

Cloudkitten · 01/09/2013 18:03

Never heard of that one! Shock like Rooners said, it's not a legitimate charge - sales would collapse all the time if sellers could add any old random figure onto the invoice after the deal was struck!! TBH I am highly suprised there is even the function to do this from the seller's screen. I would contact Ebay too and ask them. I have found customer service to be very helpful in the past.

trikken · 01/09/2013 18:06

I've never heard of that one either! Very odd..

lottieandmia · 01/09/2013 18:06

Sounds like they are trying it on - don't pay it! I am sure I read in ebay rules that sellers are not allowed to add on any extra charges.

HormonalHousewife · 01/09/2013 18:08

It would be great wouldn't it if we could all just add on a figure to inflate the sale price ?

Like others say, I have never seen this before. It's not a eBay policy.

Let us know how you get on.

Cremolafoam · 01/09/2013 18:08

Is it for shipping insurance ? I wonder.
FGS don't pay anything until eBay / the seller explainsShock it.

FannyMcNally · 01/09/2013 18:10

Maybe the automated invoice has been set up wrongly. The £15.00 might be the price seller has to declare to Ebay to pay fees on? Agree, completely wrong and I'm sure the seller will agree.

Original poster
WeAreEternal · 01/09/2013 19:51

So I contacted eBay CS, apparently a seller can add on additional charges, this option is there so that sellers can change postage charges, to offer combined postage discount, or a faster postage option, for example, or add charges for extras such as postal insurance or gift wrapping or extra items.
The example the CS agent used was someone selling reconditioned laptops could offer "for an extra £10 the memory can be upgraded to Xgb's" and this is where they would add on the extra £10 if the buyer wanted the upgraded memory.

But the CS agent couldn't see any reason why the seller would have added any charges onto my item.

The 'description' in the listing just said the brand of shoes, that they were brand new in the box, the size and that she bought them online but the didn't fit so have never been worn.

The CS person said to wait and see what the seller says.

OP posts:
GhostsInSnow · 01/09/2013 21:30

Can you not pay the listing total with P+P and knock off the 'seller charge'?

lljkk · 02/09/2013 08:01

I thought that buyers could edit the invoice, too, tbh. I am pretty sure OP can just delete the seller charge. and then pay the invoice she wants to pay.

LilyBossom · 02/09/2013 08:18

no the buyer can't change the invoice if the seller has removed that option.

The CS person seems rubbish - the seller cannot just add £15 and get away with it, that is ridiculous. This isn't a legitimate charge is it?

SoupDragon · 02/09/2013 08:27

The CS person seems rubbish

No they don't - they explained why the option was there and when it may be used and then said they could see no reason it had been added in this case. They then advised waiting to see what the seller says. How is that rubbish?

lljkk · 02/09/2013 08:33

LilyB has to be the toughest Ebayer I ever 'met'.
I suggest to OP to post this query on the Ebay.co.uk discussion boards, too (Buyer central). They will give clear advice about what procedures OP can best follow if Seller doesn't realise their mistake.

InLoveWithDavidTennant · 02/09/2013 10:38

Shock blimey!

i will be double checking then checking again when i buy stuff if sellers can do this Confused

Cremolafoam · 02/09/2013 17:07

Any news OP?

nickstmoritz · 02/09/2013 17:37

I have never come across this one in many years of ebaying. I would contact the seller to politely check if there has been a mistake and see what happens. If they have definitely added £15 and it is not a mistake then tell them you will be checking with ebay how you stand on the transaction. Don't pay it under any circumstances. I am certain you would find ebay were on your side. BTW what does the seller's feedback look like? have they done this before? Totally absurd. Tell us what happens please and good luck, hope it is just a silly mistake on seller's part.

lljkk · 02/09/2013 20:11

I have heard of buyers editing invoices to take postage charges off, so it doesn't surprise me. Hope OP updates soon.

ArabellaBeaumaris · 02/09/2013 20:14

Intrigued.

Original poster
WeAreEternal · 02/09/2013 22:41

I've sent the seller another message today but have still not heard anything.

I have however, received 3 emails from eBay reminding me to pay for my item, which I have never had so many before so I was wondering if they had been prompted by the seller.

I will give them a bit longer to reply and then contact eBay again.

There is no way I am paying the extra charge.

OP posts:
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