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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 DILEMA WHAT SHALL I DO???

15 replies

horseshoe · 18/03/2008 21:55

I sold something on ebay and stated in my listing that postage would be an extra £4 to scottish highlands or Ireland due to the weight and postage charges.

Anyway bidder was fgrom ireland so I sent them an invoice and reminded them of additional postage but they paid the original cost.

I sent another email requesting the additional amount but they still did not respond.

So I did nothing for a few days and when they contacted me to find out where it was and I told them, they demanded a full refund.

I said I would refund minus the paypal fees and ebay charges.

They have now left me negative feedback.

Who is in the wrong?

OP posts:

QuintessentiallyAnEmptyCave · 18/03/2008 21:57

If I were you i would pose the same question on the Ebay Community boards...

Youcannotbeserious · 18/03/2008 21:58

As it was clearly stated in the original advert, then the buyer is in the wrong.

Ebay / Paypal should back you up as long as the p&p charges were reasonable....

Sadly, I don't think there is much you can do about the negative feedback as it's difficult to retract.

Make yourself feel better by leaving him negative feedback, I suppose?

QuintessentiallyAnEmptyCave · 18/03/2008 21:59

Sorry I hit send too soon.

Was the item sent Royal Mail, or by special courier who states increased charges for Ireland and Scotland?

I am asking, as I have never charged extra for those places, as the cost is the same all over the UK by Royal Mail.

So if you were using Royal Mail, I sholdnt think any extra postal charges should apply.

Youcannotbeserious · 18/03/2008 22:00

Sorry, just want to check something... If you sent the invoice, why did you not modify the postage cost there?

If the buyer has modified that, then they are clearly in the wrong.

libEL · 18/03/2008 22:00

Beware though, they aren't to friendly on those boards!

If it were me I'd reply to the feedback with something like 'postage costs stated extra for Ireland, winner unhappy to pay, full refund given'

Original poster

horseshoe · 18/03/2008 22:05

I used a courier service which increases amounts for scottish highlands and ireland.

I treid to change the postage costs on the invoice but for some reason I couldn't do it so asked him to modify it as per my listing. I know a buyer can but I dont think the seller can modify these things,

OP posts:

QuintessentiallyAnEmptyCave · 18/03/2008 22:06

You may also go down the route of leaving a retaliating neg, in which case you may be able to negotiate a feedback withdrawal, if this is still possible. Been a while since I had my shop and was a full time trader.

QuintessentiallyAnEmptyCave · 18/03/2008 22:08

Well, then clearly you are in the right, and buyer should have communicated with you over this rather than leaving a neg.

I think the Reply below was very good, and I would do that if I were you.

YOu may leave a neg, but let it be factual and no ranting and raving and effing and this and that.

Dont worry, how you respond to the neg will tell other buyers and sellers more about you than the neg. It will soon disappear off the page.

Pannacotta · 18/03/2008 22:13

Seems very unfair on you as you had stated the extra postage.
You could leave (polite non-ranting) negative or you could try and get the neg f/b for you removed but not sure how.
Btw, as a seller you can indeed change the postage on an invoice, its fiddly but at least means there is no room for misunderstanding - hopefully this would save you similar hassle another time.
I would try the ebay boards for advice actually, there are some v helpful folk on them, or you need Sixlostmonkeys to come and give you some advice.

sixlostmonkeys · 19/03/2008 09:02

tbh you are both in the wrong.
The buyer for not reading the listing properly and you for not issuing a full refund. If you 'refund' paypal rather than send a payment you will get your paypal fees back, whereas by sending a paypal payment to them not only have you given them less money but they will have paypal fees deducted from that amount too.
If you agree to mutually withdraw from the transaction you would get your ebay fees back.
With all this said do you see why I think it is wrong to pass on the fees to the buyer?
I can see why the buyer left you a neg.
As for you leaving the buyer a neg, I'd ask you to consider whether you would have negged them if they hadn't negged you. If you had refunded appropriately and withdrawn from the transaction would you have felt the need to leave a neg on the basis that they didn't read the listing properly? Your feedback should reflect the answer to this question.

All i can suggest is that you reply to the neg calmly. A neg shouldn't affect you all that much.

Youcannotbeserious · 19/03/2008 09:32

But, Sixlostmonkeys.....

If the P&P charges were stated clearly (regardless of whether they are or aren't reasonable)then they form part of the contract.

Too many people treat e-bay as some sort of holding shop.... You should bid to buy - not bid to negotiate later.

Personally, I do think many P&P charges are far too high - If I'm buying a small t-shirt I DON'T expect to pay a further £4 for P&P.. but, if that's stated, then I just don't bid on that item...

I do appreciate that you are right about getting fees back, but most of us who sell on E-bay, list stuff to sell it... Not to faff around relisting etc.,

In this instance, I do think the buyer has reacted aggressively by leaving neg feedback so quickly and, I'm afraid to say, I'd be tempted to reciprocate. The buyers part of the deal is to pay the fees as listed and that hasn't happened here.

Youcannotbeserious · 19/03/2008 09:35

BTW, it's quite easy to change the invoice... but the best way to do it is to list the P&P fees in the correct place in the auction.... that way, it'll automatically pull through to the invoice page..........

Or, in future, just post to mainland UK.

Original poster

horseshoe · 19/03/2008 10:08

I think thats what I'll do in future and only post to mainland UK.

The item I was sending was 20KG in weight and I normally only charge £8.50 P&P but I had to charge an additional £4.

I compare it with other people selling the same item and they charge up to £15 for normal mainland and £16 for ireland and scottish highlands so I think I am being fair with my P&P prices. probably cause I dont chrage for packaging.

That is why I am very upset. I dont sell that often and so the neg feedback is having a big effect.

Anyway I have written to him and said that I did not know that I was able to refund Paypal. I have only sold 5 items in the past. I have offered to send him a cheque for the fees incurred by him and me if he would be willing to withdraw the negative feedback.

OP posts:

sixlostmonkeys · 19/03/2008 10:13

he can't with draw the feedback I'm afraid.
You can do a mutual withdraw if you have already left him feedback. - if he agrees

the easiest way to give him the correct money would be to ask him to refund your paypal payment and then you can refund his original payment - whether he will trust you on this is a different matter.

If you only have a few FBs I'd be tempted to start up again with a new account.

Youcannotbeserious · 19/03/2008 10:35

I do agree with 6LM here...

If you don't have lots of feedbacks and a neg will make an impact (lower than 99%), I'd be tempted to start again.

Low feedback scores, coupled with negs puts me off....

You can have the neg feedback withdrawn, but it'll still affect your % rating and the neg will still appear, just not the comment.

I'd say a better way (if you can resolve) is to ask the buyer to leave a follow up comment... just saying that the matter has been resolved.

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