Seller has just brushed me off

[tulip*place]

Recently purchased 2 x vintage dishes and paid 2 charges for the postage as seller didn't combine postage.

Received items and they were packed in the same box.  There is a problem with 1 of the items not being in

excellent condition as described.  Contacted the seller and sent pictures of the marks on the dish.  They responded

saying "sorry I didn't notice these marks."   No mention of returning for a refund.  

The other item is ok, therefore only want to return the 1 dish.  

I don't want to pay for the return postage therefore if ebay gets involved will I be able to return just the  1 item. tia.

[4channel]

I'd like to find out wy the seller didn't want to combine the items. There's possibly more to this.

And don't be silly. I don't have a bias against sellers.

At the end of the day, if a buyer is out of pocket because of a seller making a stuff up or not being fair then this is not fair to thge buyer is it?

[tazzieterror]

---

@4channel wrote:

I'd like to find out wy the seller didn't want to combine the items. There's possibly more to this.

And don't be silly. I don't have a bias against sellers.

At the end of the day, if a buyer is out of pocket because of a seller making a stuff up or not being fair then this is not fair to thge buyer is it?

---

It's nearly as silly an idea as your imagined clique of biased sellers, secretly working together across these forums to advance their nefarious agenda through misinformation and trickery! 

At the end of the day, if the OP disregards your poor guidance and instead just follows eBay's normal return process as advocated by several experienced sellers here, they're nearly guaranteed to not be left out of pocket and will have their issue resolved to their satisfaction.

[davewil1964]

---

@4channel wrote:

I'd like to find out wy the seller didn't want to combine the items. There's possibly more to this.

And don't be silly. I don't have a bias against sellers.

At the end of the day, if a buyer is out of pocket because of a seller making a stuff up or not being fair then this is not fair to thge buyer is it?

---

But, as I and others, including d*g who you claim to have respect for, have said, if the buyer follows the eBay procedures put in place for this scenario, the buyer won't be out of pocket.

As has also been said, the sticker price of postage is not usually the actual cost of postage. And some sellers can't or don't scavenge packing materials.

The time to determine 'fair' postage is prior to purchase, not after, when ipso facto the postage price is/was acceptable.

[tulip*place]

Just received a response from the seller after advising it was not acceptable for me to be out of pocket approx $48.00.

Asking me if I checked how much it cost them to post out those items. ($29.00.)  They wrote they will not be paying return postage.  If I want to return item it will be at my cost.  Thank you.

[davewil1964]

As previously advised, many times, open a claim through eBay for item not as described.

Once you open the case DO NOT reply to the seller except through the case.

You have certainly confused the issue by conflating the postage cost with the fact that the item is allegedly not as described. Keep it clean and simple.

[countessalmirena]

@tulip*place,

It's not clear whether or not you have officially requested a full refund on the basis of Item Not As Described. This should be quite straightforward, and it doesn't matter whether or not the seller agrees or disagrees to accept the return, pay for the return postage, and refund you in full. Under eBay's Money Back Guarantee, the seller is obliged to do this. If he/she doesn't voluntarily accept your return request and provide you with a return label (or other means of returning the item fully tracked to them - postage paid by them), then you can ask eBay to step in (aka "escalate the request").

If eBay are asked to step in, the seller will not be a happy camper.

• They will be dinged by eBay.
• They will be forced to accept the return and to refund you in full upon receipt of the item. (Tracking will show "delivered" status.)
• If they did not issue you with a postage label for the return, eBay will have done so. eBay will charge the seller for this, hence it's actually the seller who is out of pocket for that cost.

The returns process under eBay Money Back Guarantee is automatic (driven by bots) and has a strict timeframe for actions. Once you've been instructed in the request/dispute to return the item, you must comply with the MBG timeframe.

If you HAVE ALREADY OPENED a return request, and the issue is that the seller hasn't provided a way for you to return the item (and refuses to do so, insisting that you will need to pay for the return postage yourself), then you need to contact eBay CS to get a human involved in this. Either a way of returning must be provided which has the seller forced to pay for the tracked postage, OR you must be refunded in full without having to return the item.

Because eBay phone support is down at present (due to the COVID-19 pandemic), your only option to contact eBay via chat support.

Link is at the bottom of the Help page.

🗪 Chat with us

            We're available from 8am to 8pm AET

            Monday to Friday, and 9am to 7pm AET

            Saturday and Sunday.

You'll have to explain very clearly, and ask to chat with a supervisor (if one is available) if the chat support person cannot help.

State that the seller refuses to provide you with return postage label - and has specifically stated that he/she refuses to pay for your return postage.

Explain that the basis of the return request is that the item is NOT AS DESCRIBED. Add that on the basis of these two things (INAD and seller refusing to pay reeturn postage), you ask eBay to step in and either provide a return postage label, OR action the refund without your being required to return the item, since the seller is refusing to provide an acceptable solution with regard to the return postage.

From Return postage for buyers:

❝Who pays for return postage

If you're sending an item back because it doesn't match the listing or it arrived damaged or faulty:

• The seller pays for return postage.
• The seller should provide a way for you to return the item, or offer you a refund.
• You'll need to send it back using the postage label or other method provided by the seller.❞

From eBay's Money Back Guarantee help page:

❝In some instances, we may not require that an item be returned to the seller. For example, we may refund the buyer and seek reimbursement from the seller if:

• The seller has not responded to a return request, chooses not to accept a return request for a not as described item, or has not provided a return postage label or another return method
• The item location was misrepresented
• It's hazardous to send back the item
• The item no longer has a value.❞

(Rubrication mine.)

Quote these within the chat to explain your situation.

Remain courteous at all times.

Ask the chat support person to look at the messages where the seller refuses to pay return postage.

Provide all information requested.

Good luck.

[springyzone]

---

@repentatleisure1952 wrote:

Colour me thick...

How can a buyer be overcharged if they paid the cost of shipping displayed on the listing?

I have never even glanced at the "cost" on a package when it arrived.

The item arrives as described at the price/shipping I was happy to pay...works for me.

---

Easy as to how someone may label it as overcharging.

The seller stated he/she did not combine postage. So the items were paid for separately, for the individual charges plus postage as listed in the ad.

So far, so good.

However, the seller then sent the items combined, at a postage price significantly under the postage costs paid.

As far as I am concerned, that could be expected to do nothing except generate bad feeling.

I can tell you now that most buyers would feel slightly ripped off. Even allowing for packaging costs, the seller walked away with a profit and you can't tell me this seller didn't combine for that exact reason, to save a bit on postage. Well, you can tell me but I won't believe it and neither would 99% of buyers. And Tulip felt a bit disgruntled/disappointed too or otherwise would not have mentioned it.

I understand that sometimes combining postage doesn't result in a lower cost, but in this case it did. 

Sellers are perfectly entitled to have a 'no combined postage' stipulation in their ads, but they shouldn't say one thing then do another.

I think tlip should ignore all that postage question as a side issue though and not bring it up. It will cease to be a problem anyway if the buyer can get a full refund on the unsatisfactory item as they will then have only paid out one lot of postage (if they play their cards right with an INAD claim).

[springyzone]

---

@tulip*place wrote:

Just received a response from the seller after advising it was not acceptable for me to be out of pocket approx $48.00.

Asking me if I checked how much it cost them to post out those items. ($29.00.)  They wrote they will not be paying return postage.  If I want to return item it will be at my cost.  Thank you.

---

As dave said, you've been told what to do many times now.

It was plain from the outset that this seller did not want to pay return postage. Stuck out a mile by the replies to you. She is now asking you to look at 'how much it cost to post out those items'.

Not relevant.  Luckliy for you, you paid for the items separately, it was a separate transaction with a clearly identified postage amount paid.

Here's what you do now.

-stop communicating with the seller, you're not going to get anywhere near as satisfactory a result as you'll get dealing direct with ebay. Trust us on that one.

-open an official item not as described claim with ebay and do as others have suggested, follow it through. You can't just open the claim and let it hang.

The seller will then have to supply you with a return postage label so you can send the item back to her. This will be at her expense. You will also be refunded the full cost of your item (for item and the postage).

You don't have to worry about the second item, that was a separate transaction and doesn't come into it. Leave that out of any discussion.

If you get no satisfaction from ebay (although I think you will) you can always later open a paypal claim. But go for an ebay full refund first. The beauty of it is the seller won't have a say in it. All her comments about not accepting returns or her opionions about who should pay what for postage are irrelevant if you go through ebay. They will impose the official process on her. That will work in your favour, so go for it.

[the_dutchess_of_dork]

Hi 4channel,

I am not criticising but it does seem you have strong views on some things, particularly regarding postage.

I absolutely agree when you [or I] are the seller we must determine for ourselves what we believe is ethical.  Personally, yes, I do refund if buyers purchase more than one item and don't request or wait for an amended invoice.  Yes, I do refund if the AP quote I provide is more than actual postage unless the difference is in cents rather than dollars.  Yes, I do refund if I can send in a smaller satchel.

However, you are incorrect to advise someone to insist upon a refund of postage you regard as "overcharged".  Firstly, as others stated postage is not just the stamp or postage value.  Under your criteria every one of my buyers is being overcharged because the postage value shown does not include the $2.95 Signature on Delivery service.  Nor does it include additional insurance, if relevant, at $2.50 per $100.  Depending on the value of the item, I generally pay this myself but the point is it is not included in the postage value either.  I wish parcels would show the whole postage cost including extras but they don't so you must tread carefully when you make these statements because they can be misleading.

Also you should bear in mind if a seller goes to considerable effort to pack an item for safe transport.  I get a bit miffed if I receive an item rattling round in a satchel with no packaging whatsoever although with the type of items I usually buy it isn't an issue.  However, I recently bought a painting on a large canvas and dreaded its passage through the AP system.  The seller did an amazing job of packing, basically at cost, but I would have happily paid more.

Finally, what would your advice be to buyers who are significantly "undercharged" on postage?  Would you advise them to compensate the seller and, if not, why not?  As honest as I consider myself, I don't offer to pay extra if a seller has undercharged on postage; just as I wouldn't expect it either.  But as you regard this as a matter of principle, shouldn't fairness go both ways?

[4channel]

---

the_dutchess_of_dork

(3181 ) View Listings

Community Member

Posts: 44

Registered: ‎10-26-2004

Re: Seller has just brushed me off

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in reply to 4channel

2 hours ago

Hi 4channel,

I am not criticising but it does seem you have strong views on some things, particularly regarding postage.

I absolutely agree when you [or I] are the seller we must determine for ourselves what we believe is ethical.  Personally, yes, I do refund if buyers purchase more than one item and don't request or wait for an amended invoice.  Yes, I do refund if the AP quote I provide is more than actual postage unless the difference is in cents rather than dollars.  Yes, I do refund if I can send in a smaller satchel.

However, you are incorrect to advise someone to insist upon a refund of postage you regard as "overcharged".  Firstly, as others stated postage is not just the stamp or postage value.  Under your criteria every one of my buyers is being overcharged because the postage value shown does not include the $2.95 Signature on Delivery service.  Nor does it include additional insurance, if relevant, at $2.50 per $100.  Depending on the value of the item, I generally pay this myself but the point is it is not included in the postage value either.  I wish parcels would show the whole postage cost including extras but they don't so you must tread carefully when you make these statements because they can be misleading.

Also you should bear in mind if a seller goes to considerable effort to pack an item for safe transport.  I get a bit miffed if I receive an item rattling round in a satchel with no packaging whatsoever although with the type of items I usually buy it isn't an issue.  However, I recently bought a painting on a large canvas and dreaded its passage through the AP system.  The seller did an amazing job of packing, basically at cost, but I would have happily paid more.

Finally, what would your advice be to buyers who are significantly "undercharged" on postage?  Would you advise them to compensate the seller and, if not, why not?  As honest as I consider myself, I don't offer to pay extra if a seller has undercharged on postage; just as I wouldn't expect it either.  But as you regard this as a matter of principle, shouldn't fairness go both ways?

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Hi there, maybe I do have strong views on some things. Fairness and the right to speak out about things are a couple.  I  the case of tulip*place, our OP here, I think that in this case, it's easy to see a blatant overcharge and one that should be set right! I do hear you on the costs etc.. With me, I have always been resourceful and have had a keen eye for things.  I'll give an example of when I was selling. Driving past, if I saw something that would come in handy for packing, I would stop and pick the item(s) up. I knew where to find things to use as well and my Sundays were days of looking behind shops for what was thrown out.

If  the cost of packing is going to be excessive (buying stuff etc..) then a good seller should incorporate the costs into their minimum bid price.

With undercharging on postage, if a buyer pays $10 for postage and due to a miscalculation on the seller's part, it cost the seller $18, then the buyer should send the seller the $8. That's only fair.

[#12]

Hi 4channel,

I am not criticising but it does seem you have strong views on some things, particularly regarding postage.

I absolutely agree when you [or I] are the seller we must determine for ourselves what we believe is ethical.  Personally, yes, I do refund if buyers purchase more than one item and don't request or wait for an amended invoice.  Yes, I do refund if the AP quote I provide is more than actual postage unless the difference is in cents rather than dollars.  Yes, I do refund if I can send in a smaller satchel.

However, you are incorrect to advise someone to insist upon a refund of postage you regard as "overcharged".  Firstly, as others stated postage is not just the stamp or postage value.  Under your criteria every one of my buyers is being overcharged because the postage value shown does not include the $2.95 Signature on Delivery service.  Nor does it include additional insurance, if relevant, at $2.50 per $100.  Depending on the value of the item, I generally pay this myself but the point is it is not included in the postage value either.  I wish parcels would show the whole postage cost including extras but they don't so you must tread carefully when you make these statements because they can be misleading.

Also you should bear in mind if a seller goes to considerable effort to pack an item for safe transport.  I get a bit miffed if I receive an item rattling round in a satchel with no packaging whatsoever although with the type of items I usually buy it isn't an issue.  However, I recently bought a painting on a large canvas and dreaded its passage through the AP system.  The seller did an amazing job of packing, basically at cost, but I would have happily paid more.

Finally, what would your advice be to buyers who are significantly "undercharged" on postage?  Would you advise them to compensate the seller and, if not, why not?  As honest as I consider myself, I don't offer to pay extra if a seller has undercharged on postage; just as I wouldn't expect it either.  But as you regard this as a matter of principle, shouldn't fairness go both ways?