eBay postage costs: what's unreasonable?

[Wigeon]

I bought a dress for DD (age 6) from eBay and postage was given as £4.60. It's arrived, packaged in brown paper and sellotape, and the postage cost only £1.19.

The itself dress wasn't that expensive (£8.39 - although it was Mini Boden so I feel it was a good price!).

I don't mind sellers adding a little bit more for the cost of packaging materials, and the cost of getting to the Post Office, but £4.60 just sounds a bit much! But is it worth the argument...?

oh dear - I know they have to offer paypal, but you must never ever take paypal for collected items. I hope she doesn't claim not received. Fees are the least of your worries....

I do think it was very greedy, I would only charge £2 for a £1.19 parcel, avoid sellers hiking up the postage in future :)

Ffey - all very well to say avoid sellers hiking up postage - how do you expect buyers to know how much something weighs until it arrives. If buyers were more honest with feedback and star ratings perhaps that would help, but as a buyer you trust a seller to be honest. And when something arrives with say a £3 postage profit, binbag or dirty packing or a tatty item a buyer will be pissed off as they will feel conned. It is very easy to tell someone to avoid a dodgy seller, but you won't know until after an item arrives will you?

A second class parcel is £2.80 and most clothing items will fit into that category, so I bear that in mind when buying.

I think the buyer has been greedy but then, you were aware of the costs when you bid! There's no way a girl's dress would ever cost more than £2.80 to post. But I would still give the seller low stars and mention that in my feedback.

Weigh it and the packaging - eBay have postage guidelines and don't like it if sellers overcharge

I think charging anything above £4.50 for postage of clothing is a bit much personally. But I always bare in mind the postage costs when I think of how much I'm willing to bid in total. It's not like they tack on the postage cost at the end, you know how much it will cost you upfront.

I'm guessing she intended to send it 1st class signed small parcel which would've cost £4.40, but the post office clerk has put it through as large letter instead. I think it's unfair to mark down for this, in my mind it's no different to buying from an online shop and being charged a flat rate of £4.99 or whatever. You knew the postage cost when you bid.

I'm guessing she intended to send it 1st class signed small parcel which would've cost £4.40, but the post office clerk has put it through as large letter instead

That's an interesting story. A reasonable explanation is that the seller promised one postage service in their listing and decided to use a cheaper and slower one. I'd mark down for postage stars without a qualm.

If for whatever reason the postage comes to less than I have charged, I always refund the difference, it takes seconds and buyers are not cheated.