Buyer wants me to reduce the postage.

[butterfliesinmytummy]

I have just sold an item and probably over estimated the postage by a pound or two. Buyer wants me to reduce the postage, she won and the item is gbp7, postage is gbp 5. Can I do this and should I? I could probably post for gbp 3.50.....

If someone does this after they agreed to buy, I would promise to refund her the difference after I posted & could be sure of the amount. I would do this to protect my f/back & long term selling privileges. You have to log into paypal account to do the partial refund, btw.

I would also put her on my blocked buyers list now. Heck, if you put her ebayname on MN I'd be recommending everyone to add them to BBL.

One time I was really nice to a buyer who messed me about on postage because it was a teenager trying to stretch pennies and he was so naive in what he asked. But mostly I can't be asked to deal with people who don't read.

you can send an amended invoice or refund after you have sent. Try Hermes - £3 if under 1kg and proof of delivery. If you think buyer may be awkward you should certainly send with online proof that it has arrived.

Thanks. I'm in the USA so can't use Hermes but it will be tracked first class which is what I specified. I will offer the partial refund if the cost is lower than expected, good idea, thanks. Judging from her name, she is a dealer or shop owner, will block her. I sell very rarely on ebay, just trying to clear out my wardrobe...

Yes send signed for and refund once you know how much it cost you. Just message them to say you will do this or get it done before they receive item & leave fb

Why recommend blocking? I know the postage was stated, but the OP admits it's too much, so surely it's not unreasonable to request a reduction?

Buyer agreed to pay X for delivery. After agreeing to the contract on offer, buyer wanted to renegotiate the contract. Buyer can't read or has entitled attitude. Next time they'll insist on a 2 for one deal or brand new instead of used (things which they have equal rights to demand). It's up to OP whether to block, but that kind of behaviour makes me twitchy and I (almost) always will block for it.

Wow, blocking?? Really?

Wow, blocking?? Really?

Yeah, really. If you sell a fair bit on ebay, blocking anyone who waves a "I might be an awkward customer" flag at you can save huge amounts of time and effort in the future.

fwiw, I also believe that blocking bidders is merely a completely tokenistic gesture of my immense frustration & otherwise a waste of time. On my buyer requirement log (link might work), not ONCE have I seen that anyone was blocked because they were on my BBL. Occasionally someone blocked because they had 2 nonpayment strikes, but never someone on my BBL. Because Ebay is too huge the odds of a return troublesome buyer are miniscule.

Twitchy as I am, my BBL is huge, but still probably pointless except as a way to vent my frustrations.

ps: however, there are websites devoted to listing bad buyers!! I could spend my life filling up BBL with usernames from those websites.

The problem with ebay postage is that ebay take a percentage of the final item value and postage as commission (10%) so in order to actually get the cost of postage after ebay and paypal fees you have to overcharge by around 15% to cover fees and packaging materials

I have now started listing things with this explained and pointing buyers at parcel2go as they can arrange there own courier to pick up from you and only pay what the courier charges with out ebay or paypal taking a slice of it, i am quite happy to package and leave it sat for collecting when the courier turns up for it

you must never ever let a buyer arrange their own courier - and you are not allowed to charge buyers for your eBay/Paypal fees either. Regardless of what you state in your listing - it is not permitted.

I have now started listing things with this explained and pointing buyers at parcel2go as they can arrange there own courier to pick up from you and only pay what the courier charges with out ebay or paypal taking a slice of it, i am quite happy to package and leave it sat for collecting when the courier turns up for it

That is incredibly dangerous. The BUYER then has the contract with the courier and the tracking details so you are risking sending off your item and the buyer claiming Item Not Received - eBay would then ask YOU for the tracking details which you won't have. Buyer then will get a full refund AND has your item. You are then down the item AND the money AND you have a defect on your eBay account for the INR case.

or the buyer could claim item damage and again the seller will have no claim with the courier for the broken item.

Good point Chrissy :)