topic double purchase in Buying

double purchase

leorx — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 12:10:01 GMT

Something is wrong with Ebay Lately. I accidentally double purchased items twice in two days.

The first one was at check out, ebay wouldn't let me pay for the items as the seller put down "freight" and wants me to press the "request for total" button. After I click on the request for total button, it took me back to the same page. It was then, I realised the delivery address I've given on the transaction was my work address. So, I updated my address and clicked on "request for total" again. The glitch aside, how could ebay possibly made me commit to a purchase without getting the freight cost from the seller. its crazy. what if the seller tells me its 1 billion dollars for freight, am I still legaly bound to purchase the item?

The second time was through its mobile app. after I click "place order", it showed an error and took me back to the same check out page. so I pressed it again, now I have two purchases on my account! What is going on here!?

I've sent emails to each seller. hopfuly they are understanding and allow me to cancel the orders. EBAY please fix these glitches, I've been a long time ebay shopper and never had this kind of issues before.

Re: double purchase

lyndal1838 — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 12:20:29 GMT

You should have asked for a postage quote if the listing did not have an actual amount.

It is hardly ebay's fault if you committed to buy before asking the seller for the cost. And yes, you have committed to buy even if the postage is outrageous.

I cannot comment on the other incident as I don't use the mobile app. but I would suggest that if you have misused the "Request Total" function then you have also misused the other function too.

Re: double purchase

leorx — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 13:45:48 GMT

Thanks for the assesment. The only logic you have is based on assumption. Im not sure how request total twice means purchase the item twice in the same check out basket. This are a thousand dollars worth of items! I dont know how the app could pop up with an error and even allow me buy the items twice. Where's the common sense here?

Re: double purchase

digital*ghost — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 17:54:55 GMT

@leorx wrote:
Im not sure how request total twice means purchase the item twice in the same check out basket.

It's because you actually told the system twice that you wanted to purchase it.

This is the button you have to click to request a total from the seller, which very clearly indicates that by requesting the total, you are comitting to buy the items, so if you do that twice, 99% of the time you'll end up buying twice:

If you experience cart issues in the future (definitely more common with the apps, unfortunately), the best thing to do is exit the cart, rather than repeat the action or process, and go to your eBay account to check your purchases and confirm whether an item has indeed been purchased.

If an incorrect address is used to request a quote, there should be an option in the dropdown menu next to the (already purchased) item to request a new invoice, or you can message the seller directly to ask for a new one.

Re: double purchase

typhoon4u — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 18:52:49 GMT

Slightly off topic, but how crazy is it that you have to "Commit to buy" to find out what the postage/freight cost is?

Surely there is some trade practices act breach there....

I've come up against this a couple of times and just backed out of the deal.

Re: double purchase

lyndal1838 — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 20:22:03 GMT

If you have an item in your cart you can message the seller to ask for the postage cost before committing to buy the item.

Once the seller has told you the cost you can then hit the button to buy and ask for the seller to make up the invoice with the postage amount on it.

Re: double purchase

typhoon4u — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 21:43:55 GMT

I asked the seller.....

Said he couldn't see what I had in the cart.......

It all go too hard and I moved on....

Re: double purchase

springyzone — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 21:53:23 GMT

I can understand where you are coming from. If something doesn't seem to work, most people do tend to click again.

Yes, if I were you, I would write to both sellers and explain. In the circumstances, since you are obviously still buying one, any reasonable seller should be able to gauge you are genuine and made a genuine mistake here & let you cancel one of the orders.

If they don't and it is an expensive purchase, then you really can't be forced into paying for something you don't want or need. You could pay for one item, not pay for the other. That is what I would do.

Re: double purchase

springyzone — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 21:55:34 GMT

What I would do is open the ad and then click on the bit where it says ask seller a question. I am pretty sure then they see exactly what item you are asking about. I have never had a problem with asking questions that way. I have never tried this cart thing.

Re: double purchase

typhoon4u — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 22:45:21 GMT

No need to ask for one item as the postage is generally already there.

In a cart you may have 8 or 10 items (or more) and the problem is that you need to "commit to buy" your order even before you know the postage discount or even if the seller is going to give one at all. So you have no idea of the total price, but you're expected to commit to the purchase..

The system is broken....

Re: double purchase

lyndal1838 — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 22:46:57 GMT

@typhoon4u wrote:
I asked the seller.....
Said he couldn't see what I had in the cart.......
It all go too hard and I moved on....

Yes, it is true that the seller cannot see what is in your cart.

You need to open the listing and go to the Ask Seller A Question link at the bottom of the page before you commit to buy.

The only real function of the Cart is to be able to combine items.....either from the same seller or from different sellers (very useful if you want to maximise the use of a discount voucher IMO).

If you don't want a combined invoice just bypass the cart and use the BIN button which takes you directly through Checkout.

Re: double purchase

leorx — Fri, 12 Aug 2016 00:37:21 GMT

Electronic shopping is based on real life shopping experince. If my credit card scan didn't work the first time at Woolworth, how can I possibly go to the bank to see if my card has been charged, then come back to Woolworth to and purchase it again. What is in my shopping cart is what is in it. Swipe it again does not mean I go and get the gazillion items I've put in my shopping cart.

the item in question is

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/DARCHE-AT-4-AIR-TENT-4-PERSON-NEW-MODEL-INFLATABLE-TENT-WITH-PUMP-/281966779775?hash=item41a6879d7f:g:2nkAAOSwDNdVrdIh#shpCntId

Anyway, I have sent email to both seller. hopfuly the seller understand it an update the purchases. It is a glitch within ebay I hope they can fix this up to avoid further issues. this is the first time that happened to me after 600+ purchases!

Re: double purchase

digital*ghost — Fri, 12 Aug 2016 01:14:41 GMT

@leorx wrote:
Electronic shopping is based on real life shopping experince. If my credit card scan didn't work the first time at Woolworth, how can I possibly go to the bank to see if my card has been charged, then come back to Woolworth to and purchase it again.

Not really a good comparison - we're talking about electronic functions, not the entire experience of shopping, and online shopping doesn't exactly mirror shopping in stores - you don't have to go anywhere to check if something you told a website to do was actually done, you just have to click to go to your account (in saying that, it's also possible to do that in a store. I used my phone recently to check my bank balance after an ATM failed to dispense the cash I withdrew).

Just thought I'd mention the seller of the tent currently has their store in holiday mode until the 16th, so while I'm sure they'll be able to help resolve this, they may not be able to respond immediately.

Re: double purchase

digital*ghost — Fri, 12 Aug 2016 01:32:15 GMT

@typhoon4u wrote:
Slightly off topic, but how crazy is it that you have to "Commit to buy" to find out what the postage/freight cost is?
Surely there is some trade practices act breach there....
I've come up against this a couple of times and just backed out of the deal.

When eBay first introduced the cart and the 'request total' button, I said it would make things so much easier for everyone if it worked more like a 'request quote' function without purchasing the items, but eBay never listens to me.

As others have said, the only way now is to message the seller directly without buying it - rate tables eliminate the need for having to request a quote, but I guess they're not always suitable, plus it makes items show as 'free postage' in search results (the P&H shows properly once you view the listing, though).

There are a lot of wholesalers who can't / won't provide the postage amount on an invoice until you submit an order, personally I couldn't buy like that, unless I was very familiar with the business.

Re: double purchase

leorx — Fri, 12 Aug 2016 01:35:08 GMT

I've submitted this feed back to ebay.

I understand how electronic function works. same as when you press submit button multiple times, it literally submit whatever multiple times. the problem is the programming of the solution.

In this case. each time a item is added to shopping cart, there should be a unique identifier created. it will avoid situation such as this and ensure only items are only processed once. its a system issue and the system should be created to safeguard this, especially you can't expect everyone have perfect internet connection for all ebay clients.

imagine a system allows you to put in 10% off promo code multiple times without the checks to prevent you doing it. it will be a day I'll give my finger a work out when that happens.

Also, I only noticed the seller was not in store after i already committed to buy and needed to request for total. I was trying to purchase the item before the 10% promo expired. 😞 my bad for not see this earlier. the commited to buy should only comes in after request for total.

However, the reason I pressed request for total twice was because i noticed the delivery address was incorrect. I assume this is important as the need to request for total is due to the delivery cost for one single item. its only normal to update the address to request for total again.

Re: double purchase

springyzone — Fri, 12 Aug 2016 02:32:45 GMT

you need to "commit to buy" your order even before you know the postage discount or even if the seller is going to give one at all. So you have no idea of the total price, but you're expected to commit to the purchase..

The system is broken....

-------------------------------

I agree.

I have been on a couple of other websites-not many, mind you, but the occasional one-where they haven't shown the postage cost. They expect you to hand over credit card details etc then I presume it takes you to the total cost, including postage.

I don't usually get that far as it turns me off buying. Of course most people want to know freight charges before they commit.

Re: double purchase

*tippy*toes* — Fri, 12 Aug 2016 11:00:04 GMT

A seller on the sellers forum put up a thread about double orders, I wonder if this is what happened with his buyers?

Re: double purchase

panoramic7 — Fri, 12 Aug 2016 12:44:23 GMT

I'm a seller of mostly freight items. Buyers do have to contact me to find out the freight cost, as I cannot automatically have the listing calculate for Startrack, and the cost varies dramatically depending on a buyers location. It's pretty easy to just send the seller a message and ask the post cost (remember to tell the seller your post code/suburb). Do this before you buy.

Sellers cannot see items in your cart. Putting an item in your cart is not committing to buying. Clicking Buy It Now is a commitment.

Re: double purchase

leorx — Fri, 12 Aug 2016 13:04:31 GMT

I must admit ive never really purchased bulky items that requires freght. Or at least run in to situation like this. Its a little late now. The seller is also away and will not be back till next week. Ebay is constantly hassling me to pay for the item, but i cant because the seller hasnt responded to my request for total and wont let me pay. Now you see how broken the system is.
On the other hand. If i commited to buy during the 10% off promo period. I should probably retain the offer even if i pay for it next week. But i very doubt this will be the case. Ill try regardless.

Re: double purchase

lyndal1838 — Fri, 12 Aug 2016 13:30:39 GMT

@leorx wrote:
I must admit ive never really purchased bulky items that requires freght. Or at least run in to situation like this. Its a little late now. The seller is also away and will not be back till next week. Ebay is constantly hassling me to pay for the item, but i cant because the seller hasnt responded to my request for total and wont let me pay. Now you see how broken the system is.
On the other hand. If i commited to buy during the 10% off promo period. I should probably retain the offer even if i pay for it next week. But i very doubt this will be the case. Ill try regardless.

To use the 10% discount offer you have to have bought and paid for the item before midnight on the last day of the offer....the code becomes invalid after midnight.

If you wanted to use the discount offer you should have bought from a seller who was not away....or at least ordered early enough for the freight charges to be added.

Ebay is not hassling you to pay....they send one reminder after 48 hours and that is it. It is completely automated and you will hear nothing more from them.