topic Re: Freight and buyers think it's free postage in Selling

Freight and buyers think it's free postage

funkyflamingo* — Thu, 07 Jan 2016 11:44:38 GMT

I have had several buyers say to me that Freight for postage comes up at "Free postage" after the item has been bought. I invoice them with the postage costs and then I get a complaint "why have I invoiced them with postage costs".

I have had a look at this item in particular and postage comes up as calulate. Can anyone enlighten me on why some buyers see free postage! and how I should best deal with the situation.

The item number was :

231799451517

thanks

Re: Freight and buyers think it's free postage

collect247 — Thu, 07 Jan 2016 11:51:11 GMT

It comes up as free postage if they are using the app on their mobile phones

Re: Freight and buyers think it's free postage

transport-posters — Thu, 07 Jan 2016 11:51:56 GMT

I don't see any free postage, I get the link to go to the postage calculator. But when I put in my postcode it says my postcode is not a valid postcode.

Quite strange.

Re: Freight and buyers think it's free postage

funkyflamingo* — Thu, 07 Jan 2016 11:52:48 GMT

Really! So they see free when it's not! How do you deal with that issue.

Re: Freight and buyers think it's free postage

collect247 — Thu, 07 Jan 2016 12:00:47 GMT

Am getting the same my postcode isn't valid,I think it's because the listing has ended?

But looking at the other listings when you click on the postage it says I need to contact the seller.

Re: Freight and buyers think it's free postage

collect247 — Thu, 07 Jan 2016 12:03:08 GMT

It's sometimes a glitch with the ebay app,and mobile users need to log onto ebays website if they are having difficulties with the app.

Re: Freight and buyers think it's free postage

funkyflamingo* — Thu, 07 Jan 2016 12:08:29 GMT

I have offered the buyer to cancel the transaction, postage or pick up is available as they are also in Melb. They had no feedback, so I am assuming they are very new to buying on ebay unless it is a new account that they have started and have others.

I had other buyers interested in this item, and they emailed me to find out what the postage costs would be.

Re: Freight and buyers think it's free postage

collect247 — Thu, 07 Jan 2016 12:14:19 GMT

It could be that this buyer being a newbie perhaps was using the app and being a newbie hasn't realized that they should have contacted you for the postage cost?

Re: Freight and buyers think it's free postage

5kazam — Thu, 07 Jan 2016 23:12:45 GMT

As others have said - it is a glitch with the mobile phone app, and according to information from buyers, particularly iPhones.

The previous time this happened to me, I complained to eBay. My thinking was, who should pay for the postage? I personally didn't see why the buyer should pay, when they had bid in the good faith that post was 'free'. I also didn't see why I should be out of pocket for an eBay system error. And on that basis, I insisted that eBay cover the post cost - which they did by crediting my account for the amount of postage.

It was supposed to be escalated to the tech team, and if it has been, they've obviously done nothing about it yet (surprise, surprise!!!)

I suggest you contact eBay as I did, and see if they will come to the party, given that it is a system error.

Re: Freight and buyers think it's free postage

sparrow2207 — Fri, 08 Jan 2016 01:16:26 GMT

If eBay ever fix the app it will be a miracle. It has been an issue since launch and they deny there is anything wrong with it.

Re: Freight and buyers think it's free postage

*tippy*toes* — Fri, 08 Jan 2016 01:49:37 GMT

@sparrow2207 wrote:
If eBay ever fix the app it will be a miracle. It has been an issue since launch and they deny there is anything wrong with it.

You forgot the bit about everytime there is an update, it goes from bad to worse. There are never any "improvements", they just make it even more unfriendly.

Re: Freight and buyers think it's free postage

funkyflamingo* — Fri, 08 Jan 2016 05:52:53 GMT

Response:

I have checked on the item and I can see that this listing has a calculated postage option and as you have mentioned this is freight. It's impossible that they saw another add or just mixed the items up.

Did they confirm if they did use a phone via mobile app or a computer when they try to purchase the item?

Question:

No confirmation as yet. Apparently, I was told on the forums, when using an app on a phone, it may come up as "free postage". I really don't know what else I can do, as this is not the first time it has happened when listing "freight" for postage. Maybe 4-5 times in my ebay selling time.

Response:

That could be possible since this was actually an issue before when using an app however this has been fixed a long time ago.

Question: So what is your advice about this issue?

Response:

I would suggest to make an agreement with the buyer since this is not actually a free postage as we can see.
If you don't come up with an agreement then you can cancel the transaction with them buyer,

I so agree that ebay should be paying for postage. It is unfair to the buyer and the seller.

Re: Freight and buyers think it's free postage

5kazam — Fri, 08 Jan 2016 06:18:37 GMT

I so agree that ebay should be paying for postage. It is unfair to the buyer and the seller.

If more sellers who have been 'caught out' with this situation told eBay to cover the postage cost for eBay's system error, maybe, just maybe, they may get around to fixing it.

Possibly I was the first one to do it, and I think flunkyflamingo will be the second, but if each an every seller put the pressure on to eBay to cover the cost of their 'stuff up' with the app it could well get sorted.

No one wants to have a situation with a buyer that, 'no sorry, it's not 'free' post', when the listing clearly states otherwise. Sales lost, buyers put off/p'd off - all over something that is not in their control.

eBay's problem, so they should be the ones to pay - and when you think about it, isn't it eBay's policy that buyer's should be happy above anything else.