Won auction realised cosmetic is tiny sample size...

[RockyBird]

...postage price isn't tiny (3.80 for 2nd class)

Item would weigh 50-75g tops including packaging.

It's 5.30 altogether for something worth half that.

I didn't read the description properly and the photo makes it look normal size (so my fault really)

I don't want it. I bid thinking I'd be the first of many.

What will I do?

I'm not sure there is anything you can do. The seller may be willing to refund but it would be less p&p and you'd have to pay return postage as it's your error as frustrating as that is😞

Have they already posted it? Or have you just won it then realised it's a sample?

You could message and ask to cancel; they can only say no.

I've not paid yet. Won it tonight.

I did this once thinking it was full size....annoying but not much you can do

Umm it seems quite obvious what to do. Message them and say it's not what you thought you don't want it and don't pay.

That's very annoying. Was there anything in the description to say it was small? if not, you could say they misled you.

If I sell anything small I always put a ruler next to it in a photo so people can tell.

Ask them to cancel the transaction.

if they say no, you could always refuse to pay for it, they will open an 'item not paid' case and you will get a strike. They get their fees back either way.

Or pay, and let that be a lesson to you to always read the small print

If I don't pay can the seller give me negative feedback?

I've done this before, my finger slipped and rather than bid 2 quid I bid twenty.

I messaged the seller, apologised and said I didn't want it. They cancelled the transaction and that was that. They can't make you pay if you haven't already done so.

I don't know how it works these days but bidders who don't pay, get a strike against their account (unseen by anybody except eBay) and I think if you get so many they close your account, so as long as it's not a regular occurrence, you'll be fine. Also, sellers can't leave negative feedback for buyers either.

No, sellers can only leave positive feedback.

No but they can get you a strike which is worse.

I know it's annoying but the onus is on you to read it properly. Plus, it's only a few quid extra.

The alterative is to just message the seller and say you don't want it

I know I should have read it. It's just a fiver but I'd be 15 or less for a full size with 10 x the amount of product.

A strike is not worse than a neg. feedback, no one can see it for a start and it goes away after 12 months

Sellers can block striked eBayers from their auctions , but I think the minimum you need is 2.

I currently have 6 strikes due to an arsehole seller that I refused to pay after he changed his postage terms, and I have never encountered any problems.

Thanks for the help

It's annoying, but a good lesson in reading the description properly. I did the opposite and bought a small footstool to go with a chair in the living room. When I went to collect it was the size of a dining table.

Someone I know got a framed Arsenal signed football shirt for their grown up son and it was a small child's size. He wasn't wearing it anyway but the effect wasn't the same.

You do see articles now and again with people buying dolls house furniture thinking it's full size

Caveat emptor and all that.

If you messaged me I'd probably cancel it but nothing to say that they should.

I've cancelled a couple at the buyer's request. One was a clearly described size 14 and the buyer was a 12. It was a fiver or thereabouts so I didn't care.

idontlikealdi Caveat emptor certainly does not apply to ebay sales! Quite the opposite in fact.

OP...... does the description state the items size / volume?

Yes it was my fault entirely. The photo has nothing else in it so the tube looked normal size but the description quite clearly states the correct size.

The seller agreed to cancel. If they hadn't I'd have paid.

Hi OP, that's fair enough then..... as the seller hadn't misdescribed the item. Glad they agreed to cancel.