topic Re: problem hi a buyer is asking for 2 dollars postage in Selling

problem hi a buyer is asking for 2 dollars postage

carly2579 — Thu, 07 May 2015 10:28:47 GMT

this is what i sold

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/321742440958?ssPageName=STRK:MESOX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1559.l2649

it costs 7 dollars to send blu rays out of tassie and here are the messages from the buyer i dont know how to change the postage and if i should?? here are the messages

message 1

hi coulp you please post in a padded envolope for $2 please? 🙂

message 2

you just need a larger envelope enough to fit it (...

message 3

hi could you please adjust post so i can pay for it...

what should i do?? i have been having so much problems with buyers and postage ....... and i never used too

Re: problem hi a buyer is asking for 2 dollars postage

justajunk — Thu, 07 May 2015 11:02:13 GMT

Well, if you put the Blu-ray inside a lightweight padded bag without any other packaging, it should only cost either $1.40 or $2.10 to send it, depending on weight, since it would be thin enough to go through as a letter... so I can see where the buyer is coming from.

However, (s)he actually agreed to pay $7.00 postage when bidding on the item, so it really isn't up to you to cave into his/her request.

My suggestion: Explain that you are not happy to post is as a letter because you have sent blu-rays like that before and they have arrived broken. Tell him/her that you'll be sending it as a $7.45 parcel with plenty of wrapping and protection, and make sure you do.

They can't really complain if you are laying out the full $7.45 to post it as an under-500g parcel. Maybe emphasise that you're actually going to lose 45c to send it as a parcel.

Just my thoughts...

Re: problem hi a buyer is asking for 2 dollars postage

phorum_junkie* — Thu, 07 May 2015 11:03:00 GMT

Just tell them that if you are going to use letter post then the cost of registration would be added to the basic postage cost plus a small handling fee as you would have to buy the envelope and take longer to process t as everything is set up to use parcel post as that has tracking included.

If they do not pay, in full, by day 4 just open an upaid item dispute as you would with any buyer who doesn't pay.

Re: problem hi a buyer is asking for 2 dollars postage

digital*ghost — Thu, 07 May 2015 11:03:42 GMT

@carly_and_judy wrote:

what should i do?? i have been having so much problems with buyers and postage ....... and i never used too

I would send the buyer a firm, and polite message - something like:

Dear [Buyer],

Thank you very much for your purchase. The postage costs stated on my listing are fixed and not negotiable. I post them as parcels so that they are well protected during transit, thus ensuring as much as possible that it arrives safely, so it won't be possible for me to change the postage amount.

Thank you for your understanding in this matter.

Kind regards

[Seller]

Re: problem hi a buyer is asking for 2 dollars postage

amalan11 — Thu, 07 May 2015 11:05:05 GMT

I sometimes get dvds for $6 inc post so it must be allowed but always in hard cardboard,these are mass dvd sellers so id say a padded envelope may not protect it.

Buyer should have asked before buying though ...what a pain

Re: problem hi a buyer is asking for 2 dollars postage

designers*n*more — Thu, 07 May 2015 11:12:20 GMT

I agree with PJ. If they want it sent letter rate. Then they also need to pay for Registered Post as well, otherwise you leave yourself open to INR disputes. At least with Reg, you have a signature on delivery and cover up to $100 for loss or damage.

Re: problem hi a buyer is asking for 2 dollars postage

designers*n*more — Thu, 07 May 2015 11:17:51 GMT

You could also tell them you are happy to send it for $2.00 if they pay by bank deposit. They can't use eBay's MBG OR Paypal's INR dispute,

Re: problem hi a buyer is asking for 2 dollars postage

cherry*135 — Thu, 07 May 2015 11:48:26 GMT

@digital*ghost wrote:
@carly_and_judy wrote:

what should i do?? i have been having so much problems with buyers and postage ....... and i never used too

I would send the buyer a firm, and polite message - something like:

Dear [Buyer],
Thank you very much for your purchase. The postage costs stated on my listing are fixed and not negotiable. I post them as parcels so that they are well protected during transit, thus ensuring as much as possible that it arrives safely, so it won't be possible for me to change the postage amount.
Thank you for your understanding in this matter.
Kind regards
[Seller]

I would also add, that parcel post includes tracking which letter rate does not.

Re: problem hi a buyer is asking for 2 dollars postage

cherry*135 — Thu, 07 May 2015 11:50:59 GMT

I sold quite a few DVD's recenlty. Sent in their casesin a padded bag as letter rate. None damaged, none lost in post. They were low value ones, if selling for higher $$, I would want them sent with tracking/registered post on them.

Re: problem hi a buyer is asking for 2 dollars postage

carly2579 — Thu, 07 May 2015 13:06:49 GMT

arghhh sill getting messages from them saying can i reduce it to 2 dollars i think im going to do a unpaid dispute when i can this isnt worth it for the 7 dollars she wants it for

Re: problem hi a buyer is asking for 2 dollars postage

carly2579 — Thu, 07 May 2015 13:07:24 GMT

sorry but why should i pander to buyers like this??

Re: problem hi a buyer is asking for 2 dollars postage

digital*ghost — Thu, 07 May 2015 13:16:46 GMT

@carly_and_judy wrote:
sorry but why should i pander to buyers like this??

You shouldn't.

Postage costs (and method) do not have to be negotiable. If you've already made it clear that they aren't (negotiable), I wouldn't respond to any further requests, except to maybe do/say nothing but issue a new invoice with the full, original P&H charge every time they ask for $2 post.

Re: problem hi a buyer is asking for 2 dollars postage

carly2579 — Thu, 07 May 2015 13:27:34 GMT

i sent another invoice with this message

hi postage is what it is if you want to do a mutal cancellation that is fine but i will not post for 2 dollars

they are from WA and im from tasmania 7 dollars postage is about right for a blu ray

Re: problem hi a buyer is asking for 2 dollars postage

justajunk — Thu, 07 May 2015 13:57:48 GMT

they are from WA and im from tasmania 7 dollars postage is about right for a blu ray

Actually, it isn't. There's no reason it shouldn't go through for $1.40 plus the cost of a padded bag since blu-rays are thin enough to be sent as letters.

However, that isn't the point.

The point is that you have clearly set the postage as $7.00 in the ad. When your buyer bid on that item, he/she agreed to the pay that amount. It is a little cheeky to ask for a discount afterwards.

All that said and done, I would say that he/she has every right to leave you low DSR for Postage & Handling charges if you go ahead and post it as a $1.40 letter rather than a $7.45 parcel. Just be aware of that.

Re: problem hi a buyer is asking for 2 dollars postage

thecatspjs — Thu, 07 May 2015 14:08:53 GMT

@carly_and_judy wrote:
this is what i sold

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/321742440958?ssPageName=STRK:MESOX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1559.l2649

it costs   7 dollars to send blu rays out of tassie and here are the messages from the buyer i dont know how to change the postage and if i should?? here are the messages

message   1
hi coulp you please post in a padded envolope for $2 please? 🙂

message   2
you just need a larger envelope enough to fit it (...

message 3
hi could you please adjust post so i can pay for it...

what should i do?? i have been having so much problems with buyers and postage ....... and i never used too

I am sorry, I just can't see that is a buyers fault that you can not say no in a manner that is quite clear that you will not consider offers outside of your terms and conditions or sell with different conditions that they purchased the item at.

Be firm. Open an unpaid dispute if they do not pay. close it after 4 days if they still do not pay. Block them. Move on.

Re: problem hi a buyer is asking for 2 dollars postage

heihachi_73 — Thu, 07 May 2015 19:10:33 GMT

As a seller of video games for years, I can say right now that it costs either $1.40 or $2.10 at the counter to send a CD, DVD or Blu-Ray disc in a bubble mailer (with the exception of PlayStation 1 games and other cases thicker than a standard DVD cover). It only costs $7.45 if the item is too thick or you are using a mailing box designed for VHS videos (which brings up the cost at the counter to $9.10 if you are buying the boxes on top of the Parcel Post cost).

A movie or a game with no instruction manual always costs $1.40 (in fact, with Blu-Ray cases being smaller and lighter than DVD cases, I haven't actually had a PS3 game go for $2.10 even with the manual included). Of course, this also doesn't cover the cost of the bubble mailer itself.

One thing to note: The $1.65 151x229mm "PB2" bubble mailers that Australia Post stocks do not fit DVDs or Blu-Ray discs, forcing you to pay extra for the larger 215x280mm "PB3" bubble mailers - if you really must buy them at the post office...

You can find 160x230mm (or larger) bubble mailers on eBay which are designed to fit DVDs, and Officeworks also has plastic bubble mailers for $1.05 each which also fit DVDs (they also have red and white PPS bubble mailers which look exactly like the Australia Post ones, avoid these). Additionally, they have a 5-pack of the plastic ones, but for some odd reason they cost slightly more than the loose ones, which drop down to 85c each if you buy 5 or more.

Re: problem hi a buyer is asking for 2 dollars postage

k1ooo-slr-sales — Thu, 07 May 2015 22:15:31 GMT

The eBay policy is very clear with regards to buyer requests for a change of postage cost/method. Buyers can ask for a postage option that will cost more than what was stated in the listing, but policy says they can't demand a change to the postage method that was in the listing.

I would stick to the postage amount that was in the listing in the hope that the buyer decides to not pay. If they do pay they have the opportunity to ding your DSRs. I think if they leave a negative or neutral on the basis of a $7 postage cost rather than a $2 cost then that negative/neutral could have grounds for removal as the demand for $2 postage is against eBay's own policy, but removal would depend on them commenting about the postage cost in their comment.

Re: problem hi a buyer is asking for 2 dollars postage

beallieblue-oz — Thu, 07 May 2015 22:50:46 GMT

I also buy the padded bag on ebay 160 x 230 but by the 100s so are cheaper and the blue ray fits into it, and will go through the slot, without any more packaging around it.

If you have to buy one large bubble mailer from the po, will be near $2 just for that plus $1.40 for stamps, and don't forget the 10% fees on postage, so you would be looking at nearly $4.00

I also buy the flat mailing boxes the same size, these are great for my handmade cards also on ebay.

Re: problem hi a buyer is asking for 2 dollars postage

digital*ghost — Fri, 08 May 2015 02:02:03 GMT

@heihachi_73 wrote:
As a seller of video games for years, I can say right now that it costs either $1.40 or $2.10 at the counter to send a CD, DVD or Blu-Ray disc in a bubble mailer

I've sold and sent a ton of standard DVDs the same way, but the bottom line here is that the buyer has no right to insist the seller posts via a different method, and they certainly have no right to dictate the cost of a different method. 😉

Re: problem hi a buyer is asking for 2 dollars postage

heihachi_73 — Fri, 08 May 2015 19:07:21 GMT

Exactly, if something says $7.50 postage, the buyer should expect to pay $7.50 postage. I refuse to send games in envelopes, "tough" bags or prepaid satchels because they are more likely to end up wrecked at the other end and I will be forced to refund the buyer because eBay basically says it's the seller's fault if Australia Post plays basketball with the mail 2000 kms away from the post office where it was lodged.

I guess we'll be up for even more fun when buyers start expecting us to send things for $2 when the new stamps take over.