Combined post/possible cheeky buyer... what should I do if anything?

[Dustyblue]

This is a little complicated, but I'm hoping people here can tell me if this buyer is being cheeky and if so, what you do about it? (I'm in Australia so diff postage situation- but it's the ebay part I need help on).

I put 2 items up for sale, both bulk batches of collectible paperback books. Have sold similar batches before. Put them up at:

1 x BIN $A22 (£13)
1 x auction, reserve + post $A28 (£16)

Someone bought the BIN batch straight away, and asked if I'd hold it and combine post if they won the auction batch too. Fair enough request I guess, although the auction still had 9 days to run & I preferred not to leave it that long.

BUT my problem is I've already bought the postage- in Aust you can buy pre-paid satchels that come with tracking, perfect for ebay. So, I emailed back explaining I had to sell both items with postage as listed (I've charged far less than cost price for postage on the BIN batch), and did they still want the BIN item as-is listed? Even though I wouldn't be able to combine post if they do win the auction too?

No reply for a few days, I sent a polite prompt email and they replied with 'yup will paypal it asap'. That was 3 days ago and no payment.... I kinda suspect they're dragging it out to see if they win the auction? Even though I've said I need to send both items separately as they're listed?

Should I not worry and let this hang until the auction finishes in 3 days time? That'll be 10 days after they technically 'bought' the BIN item... that's not too late to report them as a non-payer, is it?

Sorry for longness- any thoughts appreciated.

You're half stuffed. If you filed NPB they'd probably still pay & leave you Low stars because they felt badly done by. I think you have to wait & see if they win 2nd Auction then politely ask for payment & go thru usual procedures if they turned into a NPB.
Play it all very professionally. Imagine these scenarios:

1. they don't win 2nd auction; you immediately invoice them for first auction. If they don't pay within 12 hours file NPB.

2. They do win 2nd auction; invoice immediately for both auctions & give them 48 hours before filing NPB on both items.

Whether or not they win 2nd auction I would add to my BBL after 2nd auction finishes, they sound like pests.

Prepaying for postage sounds risky, what if the items never sold?

As matter of interest, do you pay 10% on p+p in Aus? Makes combined postage discounts tricky!!

I would file a non paying bidder case, and block them and cancel their bid on the second item before it finishes, not after.

Thank you both- interesting.

lljkk- thanks, I tend to think you're right. I'll just wait & see if they win the 2nd batch (1st batch was BIN, 2nd batch is auction) and pretty much follow your instructions.

As for Aust Post- the prepaid postage isn't as risky as it sounds. You buy sturdy plastic satchels that are quite large, and are priced by weight (eg, I've got a stash of 3kg ones). You get a discount if you buy >10. You can send anything you like in them- you do have to bubble-wrap typically- but it's a pretty common way to send small items via eBay over here. You can also prove tracking on them- I had an item I sold go astray in the mail but ebay sided with me, since I% could prove via the tracking that the item was delivered.

No, ebay doesn't charge Aust sellers 10% on postage (is that what you meant?).

I read here that ebay in UK are charging commission on postage as well as item price- that's not good! Thankfully eBay aren't yet doing that for Aust. sellers, but I'm sure it's coming eventually.

Thanks again for replies

If these pre paid satchels don't have to be used by a certain date why can't you put both lots in one satchel (assuming they both fit in one parcel) and keep a spare one for the next lot of things you sell?

PersilOrAriel- I would do that, but they won't all fit. In the 2 batches together there are 38 paperback books (13 in one lot, 25 in the other).

I've sold books online for years but only started ebaying a year ago- so it's usual for me to buy bulk-packs of these satchels. So do lots of ebay sellers over here; it's very common & usually works well (the tracking aspect is really useful).

This buyer annoys me b/c they haven't really answered my questions (do you still want this, even though I can't combine post IF you win the auction too?) and they've said they'll pay 'asap' but haven't.

Btw, there are 2 bidders on the auction & this buyer isn't the highest- still got 2 days to run & a few watchers, so who knows what will happen? I'll leave it go until then.

Thanks for the advice, I've not encountered this one before. lljkk, am still planning to follow your instructions; sounds about the best I could do.

Sorry, I meant to reply to SandyDilbert too- I was tempted to do exactly what you said. But then thought a) I don't want to antagonize them too early; they might still want the 1st item & pay for it, b) Maybe it's better to let them keep bidding on the 2nd item, since there are only 2 bidders atm- better not to kill one off!

We shall see I guess- I might end up cursing myself that I didn't do what you said

I would just do the combined postage if they win the other auction and keep the satchel for the next time. Charge them exactly what it costs. I know it's more work for you but sometimes it's just got to be done.

SavoyCabbage- yes, that's another option worth considering. It'd annoy me no end, since I deliberated & planned the costing of both items carefully. But I didn't anticipate this situation & as you say, sometimes these things have to be done.

Only 2 days to go on the 2nd batch, it's up to £24 (equiv) with the other bidder winning. Regardless of who wins the 2nd batch, I think I'll have to suck it up and be happy with a late payment for the 1st batch. If they pay. We shall see

Taa again for the help.

the only trouble is if they win both items they could potentially leave 2 neg feedbacks.

True SandyDilbert. The thing is, I can't see that I'm really doing anything wrong by this buyer. I AM allowed to insist things are sold for the exact item/postage listed. This buyer would know the I've postage charged is about two thirds of cost price, so know they're getting a bargain already.

They'd also know my 'problem' in combining post with these satchels- everyone here uses them- so saying "I would combine post but both batches won't fit in my 3kg satchels" wouldn't seem unusual to them iykwim.

If they wanted to cancel the BIN b/c I've said I can't combine post with the auction, thereby giving them a potential couple of dollars off an already discounted postage cost, then I'd do that. Instead they seem to be jollying me along.

It's been a week since they 'bought' the 1st item and apart from one polite "did you still want this as listed?" email, I've left them alone.

Perhaps if the worst happens- like you say, they win both items and leave 2 negs- I could come up with a short response that shows I haven't done anything wrong. I know sellers can't leave neg feedback for buyers, but I think the seller can leave a short reply.

Thanks again for the advice, I really appreciate it. I will come back with the result, I just hope I'm not back saying "Well SandyDilbert was spot-on and I couldn't have screwed that up any harder" LOL.

You can leave a short reply. I don't care if someone leaves me a negative if they are trying to screw me over, but I don't think your buyer is trying to do that.

I've never used the satchels and I have never received anything in a satchel either so I might be a bit and I would think it was unusual. You can't post anything without tracking any more either. Which is good.

SavoyCabbage- I'm guessing you're in the UK?- the satchel thing is purely Australian. You should be very if a seller local to you was saying all this!

Sorry for confusion.. I've been after ebay advice and initially thought the diff. in postage b/w RM and Aust Post was extraneous.... but it's all gotten tied up & lost in translation a little

1 day to go on the auction, I'll update this thread with the result. Taa again for all this help.

I live in Melbourne.

Oh! You're only a few hours from me SavoyCabbage!

I'm talking about these:

auspost.com.au/parcels-mail/prepaid-satchels.html

Now I'm confused- all Australia Post Offices have lashings of these pre-paid satchels avail. in their shops, in fact I think they've recently done a deal with ebay to offer bulk-packs of further discounted satchels for ebay sellers. I haven't checked that out yet, but in any case- I don't understand how anyone who sends/receives mail in Australia has never come across these before?

When you say 'you can't post anything without tracking anymore'- and I agree that'd be a good thing!- I'm not sure that's true of general parcels. Eg, you can wrap up a box yourself and get it posted, charged by dimension and by weight, but I'm pretty sure tracking costs extra. Then extra again for 'sign on delivery' and so on.

Sorry to hijack a UK site with all this guff on Australian postage

I've just never used the satchels. I've seen them but I weigh the stuff and charge accordingly and I've never received anything I've bought in one either. All AustraliaPost parcels are tracked for free and it's $2 something for a signed parcel.

Ah ok, thanks SavoyCabbage. I've done the opposite; bought prepaid satchels instead. That's good to know about free tracking on parcels you've wrapped yourself.

The 2nd item went to the other bidder & they paid immediately. So, I invoiced the buyer of the 1st (BIN) item, as per lljkk's suggestion. Also sent a msg saying 'sent you an invoice, hope that's ok, if you've decided you don't want this batch anymore just let me know and we'll cancel it'. This was 8 days after purchase.

Left it 3 days and no payment or reply msg, so filed NPB. 1 day later they paid. So, have sent it and msg'd them the tracking details, saying 'thanks for the payment on that, have sent it etc'.

Now let's see if they leave me nasty feedback! I hope not. I was fairly patient. Haven't had to open a NPB case before so wasn't sure how long to leave it... here I think 11-12 days and sever msgs was enough.

Taa again for all the advice.

Funny update- the 1st item/nonpayer I was worried about all went fine. They didn't win the 2nd batch and didn't pay for 1st, so I filed NPB, they paid, I sent & they left me nice feedback (and I them).

The 2nd item won by diff bidder- they paid, I sent and they've left no feedback at all. C'est la vie.

Teaches me I shouldn't over-analyze ebay!

Taa again for all the help I got here. You people have an awesome knowledge of this, I've learnt so much reading this forum