topic Re: eBay fees/refunds in Selling

eBay fees/refunds

staffy33 — Tue, 27 Jul 2021 05:53:41 GMT

I had a person buy two lots of YOYOS and paid full postage of $24

Postage was $12 on both Items.
When I noticed the same person had purchased both items I immediately gave

a refund of $12 and both items were posted together.
The first item was $50 +$12 postage

final value fee $8.61
The second item $65 +$12 postage final value fee 10.62

Three phone calls later to eBay an hour on the last one explaining the buyer paid postage twice and that I had given him a refund of $12 postage through ebay.
I told eBay I have been charged final value fees on the second item of $10.62 and that this is on correct the final value should be calculated on $65.
The final value fee should be $9.10 the difference $1.50

Ebay is charging approximately 14% on selling price plus postage price.
Give us a break.
The lady from eBay blamed the buyer and would not give me the difference $1.50

Both items were bought on the same day and the refund given the same day through ebay.
EBay are lousy she suggested I should not have given the postage refund.
I did the right thing but not according to ebay.
I am very diaspointed with ebay.
I have had enough of eBay and seriously considering closing my account
Regards Ray

Re: eBay fees/refunds

gutterpunkz05 — Tue, 27 Jul 2021 06:13:13 GMT

The refund on postage, was a matter of goodwill between yourself and the buyer, it was not something the buyer was entitled to, and the ebay fees apply to the original transaction.

While it may be seen as commendable to refund the extra postage, you should at least deduct the applicable fees from any refund

Re: eBay fees/refunds

imastawka — Tue, 27 Jul 2021 06:28:34 GMT

You don't offer postage discounts in your listings.

So the buyer must have been happy to pay both lots of postage.

But, yes, postage refunded less fees is the only way to go.

Keep in mind, if you have a dishonest buyer, they can claim item not received for one item, because you posted them together - one tracking number only.

Re: eBay fees/refunds

joz*garage — Tue, 27 Jul 2021 07:24:49 GMT

You don't offer postage discounts in your listings.

I must be going blind, where in the listing tool can you check a box to offer a discount for multiple purchases?

Re: eBay fees/refunds

papermoon.lady — Tue, 27 Jul 2021 07:31:34 GMT

I don't know if this what she means, but sometimes when you check "Postage and Payments" sellers indicate a certain price for any additional items (or also free postage for any additional items).

Not all sellers do that, and some just combine postage if you ask them.

Re: eBay fees/refunds

joz*garage — Tue, 27 Jul 2021 07:35:04 GMT

I think it should be an option embeded into the system, rather than it being said in the description.

It happened to me on my other account, a buyer bought 8 items, buy it now - free postage that was factored in.

Sent in it all in an old 3kg satchel bag (to the buyers disadvantage he paid full price), the postie stuck a tracking number on it for nothing.

Re: eBay fees/refunds

papermoon.lady — Tue, 27 Jul 2021 07:37:58 GMT

With some sellers it works when you add items to the cart (combined postage is calculated automatically), but with some it does not work and they don't even know why and say they will send an invoice.

Re: eBay fees/refunds

joz*garage — Tue, 27 Jul 2021 07:45:59 GMT

and some just combine postage if you ask them.

Yeah, I used to combine the postage if the buyer gave me enough time to send them an invoice.

This recent buyer paid straight away Lol

Re: eBay fees/refunds

imastawka — Tue, 27 Jul 2021 07:50:54 GMT

No box ticking, Joz.

Just add to the description that you're happy to combine postage / give postage discounts for more than one item, use the cart and request an invoice.

Offering combined postage | eBay

Postage discounts | eBay

Re: eBay fees/refunds

gutterpunkz05 — Tue, 27 Jul 2021 07:59:55 GMT

As far as I understand it, buyers now have to place the items in the cart and apparently commit to buy, before ebay sends a message to send an invoice to the buyer. I have only had a couple of requests under this system, and with the last one the items could not be shipped together, so there was no postage discount to apply anyway.

Re: eBay fees/refunds

papermoon.lady — Tue, 27 Jul 2021 08:04:35 GMT

Yes, that is true, that's why I always ask the seller if they combine postage and how much it is before I send them a request from the cart and commit to buy, or if they specify they combine postage in their listing, I ask them how much it would be for the items I intend to buy... When you click on "request total" you commit to buy the items.

Re: eBay fees/refunds

jellybirddesigns — Tue, 27 Jul 2021 09:05:53 GMT

@imastawka wrote:
You don't offer postage discounts in your listings.

So the buyer must have been happy to pay both lots of postage.

But, yes, postage refunded less fees is the only way to go.

Keep in mind, if you have a dishonest buyer, they can claim item not received for one item, because you posted them together - one tracking number only.

Stawks - this is not true. I often have buyers who buy something, pay, and five minutes later they buy something else. As long as both items are going to the same address, I can input the same tracking number for both transactions.

Re: eBay fees/refunds

joz*garage — Tue, 27 Jul 2021 10:08:25 GMT

@jellybirddesigns wrote:
@imastawka wrote:
You don't offer postage discounts in your listings.

So the buyer must have been happy to pay both lots of postage.

But, yes, postage refunded less fees is the only way to go.

Keep in mind, if you have a dishonest buyer, they can claim item not received for one item, because you posted them together - one tracking number only.

Stawks - this is not true. I often have buyers who buy something, pay, and five minutes later they buy something else. As long as both items are going to the same address, I can input the same tracking number for both transactions.

I tried to insert the same tracking number in for 8 items I sold in one hit, clicked save, but not all items registered, site seemed glitchy, so I had to insert the tracking number individually.

But yeah, one would assume the same tracking number will suffice, providing you go through the process for each item in your dash board.

Re: eBay fees/refunds

staffy33 — Tue, 27 Jul 2021 22:05:42 GMT

Everyone here is missing the point.
So I should have followed the rulesept the extra postage

and ripped the guy off.
To easy for eBay to give me $1.50 credit.
Also don't forget I got eBay to contact me three times about this.
The first and second time I was lied to and told I would get a credit.
The third time on the phone for an hour only to be told at the end no credit for me.
I honestly would hate to be dealing with eBay with something more serious.
All of the chat and call back people are useless and cannot make any decisions very robotic

just like when leaving feedback after dealing with them. No one takes any notice.
I just seem to be on the wrong end whether I'm a seller or a buyer.
I have really hate ebay.

Re: eBay fees/refunds

springyzone — Tue, 27 Jul 2021 22:28:57 GMT

@staffy33 wrote:
Everyone here is missing the point.
So I should have followed the rulesept the extra postage
and ripped the guy off.
To easy for eBay to give me $1.50 credit.
Also don't forget I got eBay to contact me three times about this.
The first and second time I was lied to and told I would get a credit.
The third time on the phone for an hour only to be told at the end no credit for me.
-------------
My understanding is if you combine items/postage cost on an invoice, you'll only be charged fees on those official figures, but if you privately arrange a partial refund of postage costs, ebay is going to charge you fees on the total price you sold at.

I don't think anyone here would suggest you rip off a customer. But if you do want to refund some postage costs to a buyer, you'd be better off working out the fees and deducting them from the refund, so that neither you nor the buyer is out of pocket. Buyers don't necessarily expect that postage costs will exactly align with Australia Post costs in any case. Handling/wrapping etc expenses are often added in with postage costs so i think most buyers would be happy with a partial refund.

Ebay is what it is, you are right and the reps don't always show a lot of initiative or sensible decision making skills. All you can do really is work around that as best you can.

Re: eBay fees/refunds

gutterpunkz05 — Wed, 28 Jul 2021 03:48:52 GMT

I do not think anyone is missing the point. It is quite clear that the fee is not refundable, as such you should have deducted the fee before issuing a postage refund.

As for CS I find them relatively good and some even excellent, but it is best to know exactly what you are entitled to first.

Note, the buyer is the one who has made the initial error, by not having the items combined before making payment, and it was your decision to refund the excess postage, including digging into your own pocket.

As for it being too easy for ebay to give you a $1.50 refund..... I am reminded from years ago of a person demanding a refund of 1 or 2 cents (from telecom I think) anyway they were eventually sent a cheque for the grand amount, but wait there is more to the story, there next bill included a charge for processing the refund.

Re: eBay fees/refunds

sugar249 — Wed, 28 Jul 2021 04:13:54 GMT

And then depending on the bank they are with you get slugged another amount for depositing it. LOL

Re: eBay fees/refunds

sugar249 — Wed, 28 Jul 2021 04:17:03 GMT

Ok, So you didnt read the rules of Ebay, now you want a refund you are really not entitled to.

You have had 3 calls to Ebay, and by the tone of your words on here, I am already feeling sorry for the poor CS, and they may have felt pressured into offering you a refund. You have most likely spent more time then the 1.50 is worth.

Re: eBay fees/refunds

digital*ghost — Wed, 28 Jul 2021 04:49:16 GMT

@staffy33 wrote:

So I should have followed the rulesept the extra postage
and ripped the guy off.

This is the glass half empty way to look at it, IMHO.

I issue refunds on postage costs quite frequently, due to buyers purchasing items separately and paying full postage costs on each, when if they had bought them together, they would have only paid the one flat rate I have.

At most, ripping them off would be combining without refunding anything. Doing as they have technically instructed me to do would be to send each order separately. To refund as much as i can without incurring further cost myself and combining, is the best customer service I can provide in that circumstance, and I have only ever been thanked for it, and never have I been asked why I didn't refund more - most actually don't even acknowledge it at all, very occasionally someone will misunderstand why I've refunded and assume I'm not supplying something in their order and send a curt or even angry message about that, but it's quickly sorted when I clarify the reason for the refund. Sometimes I've added that I can't issue a full refund as eBay retain a portion of the payment, and everyone I have explained that to has understood it and still thanked me for the refund.

Some buyers will be focussed on every last cent they spend and think they are owed more or should have paid less or only pay the exact amount postage costs etc etc etc, but they tend to not be the ones that will check out multiple items separately - those types of buyers will wait for invoices, or ask about combined postage up front, or - if they just want to add items to an existing order - message and ask how to do so without paying unnecessary postage costs, which will allow the opportunity to set up a custom listing and not incur the additional FVF for no reason.

If a customer finds it easier to check out multiple times, their concern is convenience, not cost, and if your concern is the buyer's, just accommodate them without paying for it (by which I mean, refund less cost incurred).

Re: eBay fees/refunds

staffy33 — Thu, 29 Jul 2021 03:33:54 GMT

I received a phone call from eBay today from someone with

half a brain and worked out that I was overcharged and that I will receive a

credit.
What a waste of time.
Good luck everyone if you have a serious complaint.
All this time wasted mine and eBay's phone calls over $1.50

eBay bad news.