Seller says Free Post: now won't send as postage is 'too costly'

[lotzrgood]

I bid on, and won, an item that was advertised as 'free postage'. I paid straight away. Now seller wants to cancel the transaction becase it will cost too much to send to me. I received an email from Ebay asking to 'confirm your acceptance to cancel the transaction' - but I said no. Now the seller has refunded my money.

I've never had this before. Anyone give me some feedback? Just because the seller has refunded me, does that make it OK to refuse to abide by their own terms? I myself have often advertised goods with 'Free Postage', and just had to lump the postage cost.

What happens now??:|

[*new2vintage]

You can report them as a non performing seller and leave feedback that they deserve. " Free Postage " is usually not free and the cost is included in the price of the item but regardless of who pays for it the seller is obliged to send it to you. The problem is they can't be forced to.

[***super_nova***]

Was it pick up only item?  Lot of people make the mistake that they click on the free postage, when they want the item to be collected.

If you really want this item you can ask the seller how much is the postage, and offer to pay it or at least part of it.

[***super_nova***]

Is it the dinosaur?  It cannot possibly be all that expensive to post.  Maybe they hoped for more money.  The seller is not new to eBay and has sold other items for as low as $5 with free postage, so no excuse.

[ilovefashion!]

It may be advertised as free post, but in reality there is no such thing as free post, most sellers add the postage cost to the item when it is a BIN item. I add basic post costs to my items, but I am caught out sometimes when calculating the cost. But as a business and a seller of 8+ years, I wear the cost. Surely having a happy customer who gets the item they paid for is better for business than cancelling a transaction because the seller stuffed up the postage cost. As a customer if this happened to me, i certainly wouldn't shop there again. 

[cathy1971]

I also made the mistake a week or so ago.  I had an item which I thought would go small large parcel for $6.60.  I have the item on sale for $16.97 and sold a couple.  I went to post them only to realise the items weighed over 500gms and had to go in a large 3kg satchel.  As a seller I could'nt day to the customer sorry the postage is too high so I can't post it.  I wore the extra charge and realised my mistake and took item off sale and increased price to cover the free post.

i then had a customer later that day ASAP they wanted to purchase and why had the price changed.  I explained nicely that I had realised post was different and had to increase price.  They never bought.

so it does happen to sellers.  But I kept my customers happy and posted items.  I think the seller is wrong.  They should wear the cost and learn from it like I did.

[carly2579]

australia postage has gone up so as a buyer and a seller  i can understand the cost however  imo if they offer  free postage they   dont havea  excuse to pull out  of the sale

[lotzrgood]

No - as you have now seen the item, it clearly was not pick up - clearly stated FREE POSTAGE. Yes - I do want the item - but will definitely not be offering to pay for any postage as this would create a rediculous precedent. Offer free postage - and literally hold the item to ransom until the buyer pays for postage!! Buying & selling on Ebay is a 2 way contract. I have abided by my terms - the seller cannot say 'oops - I've changed my mind'. If it says FREE POSTAGE - that is exactly what I expect - to get the item, at the price I bid, and won, without having to pay extra postage.

This is the first time this has happened (as a buyer). As a seller, I have always mailed an item, no matter what the postage charge. It's called honesty and good service.

[2106greencat]

Pay for item, open INR if it doesn't arrive I guess, and go from there. Or, add them to a list of never to buy from again, and move on. Fact is, unfair as it may be you can not force them to sell the item. But I would also be leaving FB to show others how I felt about the 'professionalism' of said sellerX-(

[phorum_junkie*]

Already paid for and refunded oh cativelarious one;-)

They must have been nuts to ask for a mutual cancellation,  any one in their right mind would refuse unless perhaps it was a complete newbie listing a pick up item and not knowing how to show pick up only.

I would report them for non performance and leave them a factual neg.

There aren't many sellers who can say they have never underquoted for delivery but any decent seller will just accept it is their mistake and send the item anyway.