Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
eBay

If you buy or sell items on eBay, you will find tips and advice on this forum.

Original poster

WWYD - overcharged on postage

24 replies

ApricotDream · 22/11/2015 00:33

Bought two books off ebay from the same person last week. They first of all refused to combine the postage (same series of books but two separate auctions) stating that it would cost that much (over £9) to post them due to the weight. The books are known to be fairly heavy (around 1kg each) so I reluctantly accepted it... a week later and no sign of the books. I messaged the seller who suddenly revealed they'd been on holiday and would post them the following day Hmm fine.. I would have appreciated being told that before I chased them but still... anyway, books finally arrived today in two separate small packages and what a surprise. Only £2.80 each to post

So I messaged the seller (nicely) asking for the overcharge back. They've replied with the excuse that the extra charge (over £3) was for the jiffy bags from WH Smiths (these were not huge or fancy jiffy bags Hmm )

I haven't yet replied. I wanted to speak to ebay via Livechat but it seems to have vanished...

So would you pursue the overcharge if you were me or just let it lie? To be fair the books were very cheap compared to what books in that series can sell for but I'm still hopping mad at the seller. Opinions please

TIA

OP posts:
lexigrey · 22/11/2015 00:53

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Lappy214 · 22/11/2015 10:55

I fear all you can do is leave her 1* ratings

for reasonableness of p&p charges - 1* for obvious reasons
for speed of delivery - 1* for obvious reasons
for communication - 1* for obvious reasons
for accurate description of goods - well, that's up to you, annoyance at the situation might make you downgrade that a little but only you can decide.

ragged · 22/11/2015 11:51

What dispatch time did they promise? Not fair to neg them on dispatch time if they stated 7+ day dispatch time which you didn't bother to read.

If they were polite & quick in their responses then I don't think they deserve 1* for comms.

I think Only one of those 1* low ratings or Neg F/back will count against them, so no point other than personal satisfaction if you want to multi-slam them. I would keep it factual about your bad experience, and the postage wasn't very reasonable (even I reluctantly agree). Only 'Neg' them if you well and truly never want to buy from them again.

I am mixed. Usually I think people who moan about charges that they agreed to pay are sheer troublemakers, but it seems like you've been very messed about, too, with the comments they couldn't combine, or what they claim their costs were, etc (not your problem). Ebay sellers should know that we are expected to bend over backwards. The Ebay system also tells sellers what postage to charge, too, so might be partly them being given bad info.

Minisoksmakehardwork · 22/11/2015 12:01

As they told you it would definitely cost that much to post, I see no reason why you shouldn't ask for some of the cost back. Allowing postage and, for example, £1 for a padded envelope would be reasonable IMO. I have done in the past, had a very apologetic reply that eBay suggested it was the correct postage and refunded the difference. Another time, a seller thought they would be posting from abroad and postage reflected that. They posted from the uk which was a £6 difference and it was clear from the postmark it had been posted in the uk. Again, difference was refunded and an apology.

I accept the line that 'you agree to postage when you bid'. But that's assuming postage is accurate. And I would challenge if there was a vast discrepancy. I've had people tell me it's the only way to make sure they get what they want from their item, started on a 1p bid! Part of it is ensuring you start your bidding at either the price you need to cover your costs initially, or accept that you might get less than you want. Postage is not to be used to boost your income.

summerwinterton · 22/11/2015 13:55

I agree you should ask for the extra back. The you knew the cost when you bid doesn't not wash with me. Them overcharging is just greed. p&p is just that, not profit, petrol or eBay fees.

And nobody should start at 1p or 99p now, especially with free listing. Is pointless.

VodkaValiumLattePlease · 22/11/2015 13:59

Last time I bought a padded envelope it was £2.50, so it seems legit.

Original poster
ApricotDream · 22/11/2015 20:01

Thanks all - I decided in the end that it wasn't worth the argument to ask again since I couldn't confirm the true cost of the jiffy bags. So I left positive feedback (to stop them coming back at me) but low stars (taking them from 4.9 to 4.7 on there P&P charges, dispatch time and communication) hopefully that will teach them... Hmm

OP posts:
summerwinterton · 22/11/2015 21:29

they can't come back at you and neg you so there isn't any risk tbh

Mrsmorton · 22/11/2015 21:45

I charge for the Jiffy bag, the time I spend getting to and waiting at the post office plus the postage so you might be BU. But difficult to say.

summerwinterton · 23/11/2015 00:10

you can't charge for your time if you are a private seller

Mrsmorton · 23/11/2015 06:10

Well it works for me, no one has ever complained about excessive postage charges.

summerwinterton · 23/11/2015 09:10

unless you are registered with hmrc as a business you cannot charge for time, petrol or anything else. Just because you have so far got away with it doesn't make it right

SpendSpendSpend · 25/11/2015 11:05

Postage bags are around £5 for 30 bags on amazon.

I had a seller that charged me £10 postage on some toys than cost £6 to post.

I left positive feedback but mentioned on the feedback that i had been overcharged dramatically on postage.

The seller then messaged me saying that the postage originally quoted was done through Royal Mail website and when she got to the post office it was cheaper than she thought. I sent a mesage back saying that she should of refunded the postage if that was the case and i was no happy with her pocketing the difference in postage.

She did then refund the difference and then put a comment on my feedback saying i had been refunded the postage difference as will always be the case if she ever overcharges.

That was rubbish tbh as she only refunded because i questioned her about it. If i hadnt of said anything then she wouldnt of refunded.

yeOldeTrout · 25/11/2015 17:52

who needs 30 jiffy bags, and would they all be the right size anyway? Confused

SpendSpendSpend · 25/11/2015 18:07

It gives you the size measurements before you buy. You can buy various sizes for a per pence difference.

Its better to buy in bulk if you sell often on ebay

yeOldeTrout · 25/11/2015 18:15

and if you don't sell often...?
anyway, I hoard old packaging, but most people wouldn't.

Cockbollocks · 25/11/2015 18:19

If you think postage is too high, don't bid on the item. Simple really, saves a whole host of problems.

VagueIdeas · 25/11/2015 18:25

If they'd posted the two books together it would still have cost £2.80 - that's Second Class Small Parcel rate. So when they said it would cost £9.00 due to weight they were lying.

VagueIdeas · 25/11/2015 18:25

The maximum weight for Small Parcel rate is 2kg, incidentally.

mrsjanedoe · 26/11/2015 09:58

the cost is for postage and packing, sellers can include their ebay fees, their paypal fees, packaging, petrol or bus fare. The fees are clearly shown when you bid, it's not right to complain later about them, and it's not just the cost of a stamp.

When you buy from a shop online, do you query the delivery charges? When I find them too high, I don't buy from them, problem solved.

WinterBabyof89 · 26/11/2015 10:15

I know OP has since updated, but some people on ebay bloody wind me up.
Don't like the postage cost, don't buy it.

If customers refused to pay for ridiculous postage it would likely prompt sellers to reevaluate their advertised postage costs & reduce them to a more reasonable amount.

Why agree to pay it & then complain. Baffling.

summerwinterton · 26/11/2015 12:50

Jane you are wrong - private sellers can't charge for all those extras

mrsjanedoe · 26/11/2015 22:02

private sellers can't charge for all those extras

of course they can! They can either add them to the starting price of the item, or to the postage. It's the same thing with "free delivery", the cost is actually included (in most cases) in the price of the item.

Sellers are not trying to make a loss, so the fees must come from somewhere.

19lottie82 · 27/11/2015 10:48

mrsjanedoe is correct. The seller is allowed to incorporate Amy postage AND packing costs, even fuel to the PO if they feel the need. The only thing they are not allowed to include is the percentage that eBay takes for fees for,mother postage charged

New posts on this thread. Refresh page