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Original poster

I feel a bit like I've been diddled - can you reassure me or incite me to do something about it?

83 replies

GunpowderTreasonAndSquonk · 03/11/2007 12:10

I bought three gameboy games from an ebay seller. It wasn't till I went to pay for them that I saw that he had a note on his site saying that he will not bundle items together in order to save postage.

So I paid over a quid for each one and was expecting them all to come separately.

They arrived this morning, in the same envelope and he had paid £1.10 postage. I paid him £4.60 postage all together.

Now, I have absolutely no problem with people making a bit on postage, and it's only just over a fiver more than he actually paid, but my problem is that he said he WOULDN'T put them all together which is why I had to pay three lots of postage, then he DID put them together.

Am I right to feel a bit "done" and if so, should I do something about it, especially as it's only a fiver?

OP posts:
Original poster
GunpowderTreasonAndSquonk · 03/11/2007 12:11

£6.40 not £4.60

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Freckle · 03/11/2007 12:11

Report him to ebay as he is clearly making money from the postage and not paying fees to ebay.

FrannyandZooey · 03/11/2007 12:12

If the postage was stated on the auction and was the same as what you paid, sorry, you have agreed to this and he has a right to charge what he wants as long as postage charges were stated upfront.

This is quite usual on eBay - you must check before bidding if you feel strongly about it

Hekate · 03/11/2007 12:12

You could email him, or give him neutral feedback.

Original poster
GunpowderTreasonAndSquonk · 03/11/2007 12:14

F & Z - my problem is with the fact that he said I had to pay for postage for each one separately as he would not bundle them together.... then he bundled them together.

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FrannyandZooey · 03/11/2007 12:14

He's allowed to charge reasonable amount for postage, packing materials, his time, petrol to post office etc

eBay (I believe) states that for instance, £20 for a light object would count as fee avoidance, but I wouldn't think that £6.40

he is allowed to post the things together but not combine postage charges if he wants to

this is all stated on the auction page - you can check whether a seller combines postage or not

TnOgu · 03/11/2007 12:16

He ststed that he does not bundle items to save money, yet that's exactly what he did, eejit!

It's worth making a negative comment on his feedback about this, but perhaps not worth persuing.

Like the name squank, by the way

FrannyandZooey · 03/11/2007 12:16

yup sorry I have it now

see last post - he should not have said he would not post them together, as he was obv intending to, but he is not under any obligation to pass on the savings on postage to you

see the bit on the auction page where it says something like "seller will combine postage" and then says how much you save for buying more than one item. If seller won't combine then i believe this part is absent

Original poster
GunpowderTreasonAndSquonk · 03/11/2007 12:17

okay, thanks everyone.

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FrannyandZooey · 03/11/2007 12:19

here's a bit about postage charges aimed at sellers

don't know if it helps

I agree it is annoying, but if a seller refused to offer postage discounts for combined postage, I wouldn;t presume they were actually going to post the items separately

Original poster
GunpowderTreasonAndSquonk · 03/11/2007 12:22

thanks for that.

It is annoying, and it's just the feeling that I've been had. But it's not for much and if he had sent them in different envelopes I wouldn't have felt like this, but would still have paid the same.

I will give him ok feedback anyway.

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FrannyandZooey · 03/11/2007 12:25

No I don't think you have been diddled. I agree that is a nasty feeling. He could have chosen to pass on the savings / some of the savings on postage to you, which would have been nice, but not all sellers do this - you haven't been conned or anything

TnOgu · 03/11/2007 12:25

Yes good idea squank.

I gave such helpful, constructive advice, as always.

Original poster
GunpowderTreasonAndSquonk · 03/11/2007 12:38

tnoggy always gives the best advice

feckin' eejit, you're right.

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TnOgu · 03/11/2007 12:46

Oh God, that sounds like I was being very needy and memememe ME!

What I actually meant was, Franny gave very good advice and I just posted a trite little comment - not very helpful at all.

Anyway, I only really wanted to say hello to you squinky.

FrannyandZooey · 03/11/2007 12:48

oh I was scared by last few posts and was hiding

Original poster
GunpowderTreasonAndSquonk · 03/11/2007 13:59

Tnog - I know you were just saying hello.

That's why I completely ignored you and went with franny's fab advice

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sixlostmonkeys · 03/11/2007 14:59

the only way you would have this seller is if you paid three separate payments. 3 payments = 3 parcels.

there are some (and tbh I would do the same) who, if a seller refuses to combine the P&P and you have asked before bidding, then they pay 3 separate payments. It's a way to prompt sellers into being reasonable re P&P (once they see 3 lots of paypal fees

he has made way too much profit on the postage here so I'd definitely mark him down on the star ratings

PeachyCosmicExplosion · 03/11/2007 15:03

Yes, agree that there's not much you can do but there is a feedback section for ostage now so would be very valid to rate low on this.

mybabysinthegarden · 03/11/2007 15:29

Before you rush to leave negative feedback, you should at least contact the seller and ask if he'll refund you part of the postage-- I queried postage on an item once (even though the amount had been stated on the listing) and got a little bit back from the seller.

FrannyandZooey · 03/11/2007 18:52

IMO it is not fair to leave less than good feedback or to 'mark down' a seller in the detailed feedback section, if they have sent your item(s) on time and well packaged, for the price stated in the auction. You should consider whether you think the postage is a fair price before you bid, and not start whinging about it afterwards when you have entered a contract to pay

(I don't mean you, squonk, I know you were just asking for opinions, but some people do moan and leave neg feedback about postage charges that they have agreed to when they bid)

Original poster
GunpowderTreasonAndSquonk · 03/11/2007 18:54

I left positive feedback but only gave him two stars for postage charges.

I thought about emailing him but couldn't think of how to phrase it.

I just would have felt so much better if he'd sent them in three separate envelopes like I was expecting.

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FrannyandZooey · 03/11/2007 19:12

would you? who would have benefited from that, though?

only the post office and people who sell the padded envelopes, as far as i can see

gameboy · 03/11/2007 19:30

F&Z re your earlier post about not complaining if you KNOW how much postage you are being charged.... but you don't always know how heavy the item is, and exactly what seems 'reasonable' - I've been charged 4.99 for postage and it's arrived with a 64p stamp on it.
I think everyone has a different view of what is 'reasonable' to make on P&P.

Original poster
GunpowderTreasonAndSquonk · 03/11/2007 19:45

I know it's daft. I know that it makes no difference at all except that the bloke has saved himself a bit of money - good for him.

It's just that if they'd come in three separate packages, it would have been what I was expecting and I wouldn't have thought anything of it.

As it is, I still have a bit of a vague feeling that I've been done.
even though you lot have put my mind at rest that I haven't, there's still a feeling iykwim.

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