Seller wouldn't combine postage, but only 1 package?

[GnarlyOldGoatDude]

Grrrrr I'm having a bad time on eBay at the moment. Bought 2 items from the same seller 10 days ago. Asked beforehand if they would combine postage, no answer, but I won them anyway and just thought "oh well". Messaged them before paying, again no answer. Hadn't received the items a week later so opened a not received case. The items finally arrived today, but in one package, so effectively I've been overcharged postage by £2.50.

Anything I can do other than be cross and leave bad feedback??

Marking place as I've just had the same thing happen. Except I ordered 4 items, and each was £2.95 postage! All arrived together in one (small, light) package 2nd class and I've paid a total of £11.80. And it took over a week.

Yep, I've had the same. Bought 4 things at £3.20 P&P each. Asked to combine postage. Seller ignored. Then proceeded to BLOCK questions about postage. All arrived (after 10 days) in one parcel... costing £3.20. I left crappy feedback.

The seller hadn't really done anything against the rules here, to combine would just be a courtesy. However if after a message from myself, if they failed to make a goodwill gesture to try and put things right I'd leave low stars for postage charges, which would equal a defect.

Thanks all- I agree the seller didn't have to combine postage, but in that case shouldn't I have received 2 packages? They charged me £3 and £2.80 postage for the 2 items, but sent together in one package costing £3.30.

In theory, yes, but as explained he hasn't broken any eBay rules. All you can do is leave appropriate feedback, but I'd give them a chance to resolve the situation first.

you can neg, twice. And if you want them to take effect then leave 8 days apart.

If she didn't combine then she should have sent in 2 separate parcels.

You could always worry them by claiming only one item arrived. Could they provide proof of postage for the other, thanks. . .

Making a fraudulent claim would be stupid and dishonest. I'm with summerwinterton.

Thanks all. I've emailed as Lottie suggested, not holding out much hope as the seller didn't answer any of my emails pre-purchase though!
Didn't know about the 8 days thing- thank you.

It annoys me when sellers won't combine postage but I don't buy from them if they won't confirm beforehand that they will combine the postage.
The seller hasn't really made much profit out of not combining your postage though - you paid £5.80 and the seller would have had to pay eBay and pay pal fees out of that, the £3.30 postage cost, the cost of the actual packaging and possibly petrol to drive to the post office.

What's the 8-day thing about negative feedback? Please could someone explain? Thanks!

iamnot they were cheap items though, the postage is over twice their price! And I'm always scrupulously honest with postage. I refund people if I ever manage to squeeze it into a lower mail category.
I'm also hacked off as they didn't post it for 10 days after I paid, and only after I'd opened a not received case, and I've still not had any communication from them at all!

"What'sgoingon" I think it's that if you've bought multiple items from the same seller, if you leave feedback on each item 8 days apart, they count as separate ratings rather than one

If you leave feedback together it counts as 1, leave over a week apart and it counts as 2 negs

and the seller cannot factor in the cost of getting to the post office, unless they are a business.

they were cheap items though, the postage is over twice their price!

But you knew the goods price and the postage costs before purchasing regardless of how cheap they were. The seller hasn't profited by £2.50 as you haven't considered the fees or the packaging costs. The actual postal charge is only one element of the cost. If you feel aggrieved then leave negative feedback on the sellers postage cost.

If they'd sent the items in 2 packages, they wouldn't have profited, no.

But they sent them in one package, for the price of one package, so £2.50 has not been spent on p&p in any way. I would have taken the hit as one of those things, if they'd sent in the 2 packages I'd paid for.

It's not how I operate as a seller! Ah well, we shall see.

Its happening all too often imo,sellers are not achieving the prices they expected for their items so are trying to make up on the postage cost which is very naughty,if they wanted a higher price why not offer free postage and build in the cost to the item,this is what I do I keep my postage costs down by folding items as flat as possible and never pay more than £2.80 postage for items under £12.00 so even if I only make £8 profit on an item it all adds up when selling 4/5 a day.