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eBay

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

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Original poster

Postage method for Isabella Oliver dress

23 replies

Pannacotta · 15/04/2007 23:16

Just sold an Isabella Oliver dress on ebay tonight for £62! (was brand new with tags).
Had put on the listing that I would send it first class recorded (started the bidding at 1.99 so wasn't sure how much it would make).
Am bit anxious that if it were to go missing the cover would only be £30, but to send Special delivey or Standard Parcels with added compensation will cost me at least an extra couple of quid.
Any suggestions? As I gather from lots of the posts on here that if sth goes missing its up to the seller to reimburse then claim (never yet happened to me).
Did check the other Is Oliver things before I listed this dress and most were first class or recorded only (suppose because they count as secondhand and not new as in brand new from shop IYSWIM).
Thanks....

OP posts:

sixlostmonkeys · 15/04/2007 23:29

Imagine if it does get lost in the post - you would have to refund the buyer and then claim from the royal mail, as you quite rightly say for a max of £30.
For your own piece of mind I'd pay for the extra cover. Ask at your PO what the best option would be.
I wouldn't opt for standard parcels (with extra cover) as they standard parcels takes a few a days and the buyer has paid for first class. the fact that you have paid extra for insurance will be of no consequence to the buyer and they just might grumble that that have paid for a service they didn't receive.

Original poster

Pannacotta · 15/04/2007 23:32

Yes I think on reflection you are right, its hard to know what to do about postage in such cases as I had no idea the dress would make so much and I didnt want to put people off by quoting for special delivery (which is pricey) given no one else seems to use it in these circs...
Will have to cough up, but its going to cost me £5 or 6 in postage! Oh well....

OP posts:

sixlostmonkeys · 15/04/2007 23:44

best to pay the £5 than lose over £30.

It's happened to me before and I've just paid the extra for cover for my own peace of mind.

Try to to be too worried about putting a more expensive form of postage on items such as this. If an item has no or little competition then a buyer will be prepared to pay that little extra for shipping. It's only when you are competing against loads of identical items that you need to be competitive with the P&P

nappyaddict · 16/04/2007 02:42

ask the buyer if they would like to pay extra for special delivery, or they can pay for standard delivery but if it gets lost/damaged say you would only be able to refund £30?

nappyaddict · 16/04/2007 02:43

i quite often ask the buyer if i can pay for normal postage instead of recorded or whatever on the understanding that if it does get lost then i understand i will not get a full refund.

sixlostmonkeys · 16/04/2007 08:05

but why would someone not want a full refund?

nappyaddict · 16/04/2007 12:22

well i go on the basis that i've never had something lost in the post and would prefer to pay say £3 postage than £6.

Original poster

Pannacotta · 16/04/2007 13:51

mmm am thinking that, nothing ever lost and i have sold a lot and £6 is a lot of money...
will check postage at P office and take a view...

OP posts:

sixlostmonkeys · 16/04/2007 16:50

ahh nappyaddict - did you mean you ask the 'seller' if you can pay lower the postage and then you the buyer would be happy at not receiving a full refund?

I thought you meant you got buyers to agree to not receiving a full refund - that's what confused me.

sixlostmonkeys · 16/04/2007 16:52

Pannacotta i'd think carefully about the options - lose £3 or run the risk of losing £30

jenkel · 16/04/2007 17:55

We have had our fingers burnt a few times like this, from now on if we imagine anything to go for more than £30 it goes insured and the cost gets passed on to the buyer.

For those of you who ask the buyer if they want it insured or to take the risk, beware. If it does get lost and it wasnt insured I think legally it is your responsibility as the seller to ensure that it gets the buyer. So if Paypal got involved for example they would take the money back off you.

Original poster

Pannacotta · 16/04/2007 18:07

How do you insist on the buyer paying the added postage cost though??
What I can't work out how to resolve is, as per my case, the bidding started at £1.99 - I had no idea how much the dress would make and didn't want to put £6 postage up front for a dress (which is what is the cost boxed up and sending special delivery).
What I mean is how you can you know what the final item price will be and how you can price postage accordingly, if that makes sense?
No point sending special delivery if the item makes only £30 but of course you dont know at the auction start what the end price will be and not sure you can change postage terms at the end as the buyer bid accepting your terms on the listing...

OP posts:

sixlostmonkeys · 16/04/2007 18:14

you are right - you can't change the postage terms after the auction finishes.
There is no way of predicting what an item will end at, if there was I'd be very rich

You can only use your own judgement - look at what other similar items sell for and see how yours compares. if you have a unique or hard to find item a higher postage rate will not put bidders off.

The postage choice is for the sellers benefit.
You just have to weigh up the chances/options like anything else.
an eg - i personally wouldn't opt for no smoke alarm based on the fact that my house has never been on fire before - iyswim here

Original poster

Pannacotta · 16/04/2007 18:48

yes know exactly what you mean, best to err on side of caution! Thanks for all advice everyone

OP posts:

nappyaddict · 16/04/2007 20:35

if i am buying something then if the postage is high due to the seller using a special delivery, then i will say is it ok just to send say first class and if they item is worth more than £30 i say i understand that if it did get lost or damaged then i would only receive £30 back and not say £60 if thats how much i paid for the item.

when selling i offer a range of methods from 2nd class standard up to special delivery if the item is over £30. if the buyer chooses standard delivery i remind them that this means i am only covered by royal mail for £30 and that if i got lost i would only be able to pay that much back. then i leave it up to the seller if they want to stay with standard or pay extra for special delivery.

Pannacotta · 16/04/2007 23:15

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

nappyaddict · 17/04/2007 00:49

if you find out let me know. i am probably too trusting. never thought about what if the item did get lost and the seller opened a paypal dispute. i just assumed if i kept the emails as proof that they had agreed to it, it would be ok.

UmSami · 17/04/2007 00:59

Just wondering...it seems that you were willing to sell the dress for alot less than you actually got...

Surely its better to pay that little bit extra p&p and still get more overall than you expected than save £5 but be more than 30 out of pocket if the royal mail do mess up (which they do frequently IME (including my wedding pics many moons ago aaagh)...

Hope that makes sense...

sixlostmonkeys · 17/04/2007 09:28

Be careful if you offer options to the buyer asking them to agree to only receiving a partial refund. Even if they agree, when it comes to the crunch they will want their full refund and any agreement made will be worthless as ebay/paypal will settle in their favour and give them the full amount.

Pannacotta, your question Still not that clear to me where sellers stand on lost items if eg insurance not taken up by buyer for a costly item - even if a buyer opts not to pay for extra insurance it is still the seller's responsibility to ensure that an item reaches it's destination and if it doesn't the seller must refund in full.
So you have 2 options. 1 offer a choice and pay the extra yourself for insurance (because the insurance is for you not the buyer or 2. don't offer the option.

nappyaddict · 17/04/2007 13:54

even if you had the proof that they agreed to it?

sixlostmonkeys · 17/04/2007 14:10

You could have proof that they agreed to do the fandango wearing a pink tutu but if they suddenly realise that they didn't want to lose £x.xx afterall they would just file a dispute and win.

You could argue it out with them (but ebay/paypal and royal mail rules will still override any agreements or statements on listings or in messages.

Would it be worth the argueing?

Can you really see a buyer saying yeah OK I haven't got my item and I'm happy to have lost £30 (for eg) into the bargain?

TBH this is how I could see it happening:
A seller asks me do I want to pay for cheaper postage on the understanding that I will only get a fraction of my money back if it gets lost.
I say yeah Ok (and save myself a couple of quid)
The item gets lost in the post.
Seller says OK Ill send you £30.
I think no you won't I want all £60 - I file dispute and win, and get all my money back.

Another scenario:
I say to a buyer - do you want to pay the cheaper postage on the understanding that you only get £30 back if it gets lost.
Buyer says yeah Ok.
I don't bother sending the item.
Buyer informs me it must have got lost in the post.
I say OK here's your £30.
Buyer is happy cos he agreed to it didn't he?
I have just made £30 for nothing.

ALL buyers agree to this partial refund so I get rich quick

Original poster

Pannacotta · 17/04/2007 17:28

Suppose the best solution is to check carefully what similar items have made and if you think it will go for much more than £30 to offer only special delivery postage on that item and hope buyers will bid and pay for it.
Or not to offer it but to use that method at your own expense but then you risk not making any money on ebay!!

OP posts:

jenkel · 17/04/2007 18:44

As i said earlier on this thread, we have had our fingers burnt with this happening to us as sellers. From now on, if we guess that an item will go for more than £30 it gets set insured and the correct postage including insurance gets added on.

As far as ebay stand, as a seller it is your responsibility to ensure that the item gets delivered to the buyer.

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