Free Postage that isn't really Free

[the_walsh*s]

Morning,

I have purchased eBay item number:132883628236 which clearly states FREE Postage, but yesterday I received a card in my letterbox to collect an item BUT they are requesting I pay $7.80 when I collect it. Well tome then this is clearly NOT Free Postage as advertised. I should of checked the company feedback prior to purchase as it is very clear by all the neg's that have recieved that they do this quite often and obviously keep getting away with it as they are continuing to do it over & over....So I have contacted the seller asking for a refund of my purchase price, but also reading feedback it looks like they don't bother to repsond, so I am not expecting a response, but obviously I now then just lodge a dispute with is it Ebay or Pay Pal? and I leave the item at the postoffice and not collect it? Just wanting to make sure I do all the right things to ensure I get my purchase price refunded. I know it's not much, but by time I add this postage cost if I was to pay to the purchase price, I may as well have bought a better quality item in the first place. thanks

[kopenhagen5]

It is obviously under paid from the seller.

Just contact the seller and explain.

I have had this happen before and the seller has happily part refunded the postage debt before I have collected the parcel.

[the_walsh*s]

At first look I thought that too, but looking at their previous feedback from other buyers, it appears to be something they do often. It is like they offer free postage to suck you in, then post off with no postage paid at all and expect buyer to cough up on their end when collecting.....I ahve contacted so will see what they say, just wanted to be prepared for what I think will happen...Nothing !

[collect247]

Like Maxwell Smart would say 'it's the oldest trick in the book'.

Did it have a return address on it?

I wouldn't think so otherwise you could just return to sender.

[the_walsh*s]

I am yet to collect the item as yet from the Post Office and I'm a little reluctant to incase they don't issue the postage refund.

[repentatleisure1952]

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@the_walsh*s wrote:

At first look I thought that too, but looking at their previous feedback from other buyers, it appears to be something they do often. It is like they offer free postage to suck you in, then post off with no postage paid at all and expect buyer to cough up on their end when collecting.....I ahve contacted so will see what they say, just wanted to be prepared for what I think will happen...Nothing !

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Collect the item...pay the postage...use it as a lesson to ALWAYS CHECK FEEDBACK PRIOR TO PURCHASE...the seller has terrible feedback...I would not buy from them if you gave me the money.

If the item is not as desribed or of  poor quality (great chance that it will be) then open a case to return.

[imastawka]

The listing says it all.

Why wouldn't you click on the negs in the listing?

They obviously send as a letter.

Cheap junk....it will be an INAD

[the_walsh*s · Accepted solution]

Guess I was just away with the faires that particular day as it is something I would normally do 😞

[brerrabbit585]

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@repentatleisure1952 wrote:

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@the_walsh*s wrote:

At first look I thought that too, but looking at their previous feedback from other buyers, it appears to be something they do often. It is like they offer free postage to suck you in, then post off with no postage paid at all and expect buyer to cough up on their end when collecting.....I ahve contacted so will see what they say, just wanted to be prepared for what I think will happen...Nothing !

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Collect the item...pay the postage...use it as a lesson to ALWAYS CHECK FEEDBACK PRIOR TO PURCHASE...the seller has terrible feedback...I would not buy from them if you gave me the money.

If the item is not as desribed or of  poor quality (great chance that it will be) then open a case to return.

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I'm inclined to agree with this.  The feedback system is in place for one reason - to help protect buyers from unscrupulous sellers.  If you don't bother to check their feedback first, you can't really complain.  On the listing page the feedback score is clearly visible and if it's less than 100% you should ALWAYS check further.

If you bought an item that was sent as a parcel it'll have tracking and if you don't collect it the tracking will show as delivered but not collected, which means you'll have no hope of getting ANY money back. It'll most likely be sent to the dead letter office as there's unlikely to be a return address on it, so you won't have any proof it was returned.  If there was a return address the sender would be the one who'd be charged the underpaid postage.  The best chance you've got is to accept the fact that you';re paying for your mistake in not checking feedback and pick up the item.

[brerrabbit585]

Scrap the last half of what I said. If they didn't pay any postage at all there's unlikely to be any tracking on it.