topic Re: Not Sure How to Answer This? in Selling

Not Sure How to Answer This?

aroth57 — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 11:30:14 GMT

On my other id I have sold an item as a BIN, postage cost quoted in listing, buyer has paid, with no questions or contact until I marked her parcel as posted, tonight I receive an email asking "do I refund excess postage"

I note that this statement is mentioned in her last feedback left.

Actual cost to me was $1.55 more than she paid, would like some help in how to answer this question, the right way.

Re: Not Sure How to Answer This?

kopenhagen5 — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 11:47:42 GMT

Perhaps she is looking at another of yours.

Explain that you do (if you do), refund excess postage, however the recent purchase has a postage cost of xxxxxx and in this case is a little more than initially calculated and you are happy to absorb the extra. Your item has been posted etc.

As you are rightly a little perplexed by this, it's something the buyer should clarify before purchase. But maybe she is wondering if there will be something coming in her PayPal account to make another small purchase.

Re: Not Sure How to Answer This?

davewil1964 — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 11:51:39 GMT

I would reply -

"Yes, if I overcharge. In this case, however, the cost of packaging and my handling time to apply said packaging is more than the difference between the postage cost and what I have charged. I don't expect you to pay more than the quoted postage price, so I will wear the loss.

Thank you for bringing this matter to my attention. I will look closely at my postage prices with a view to revising them upwards, to more accurately reflect actual costs."

Re: Not Sure How to Answer This?

digital*ghost — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 12:08:09 GMT

I would send something like this (assuming you would refund excess postage, which to me is when it costs less than what was factored into the original charge, not amounts over stamp price etc):

Dear [buyer],

Thank you for your enquiry. I'm sure that you can understand postage charges are worked out in advance and include all costs incurred to package and post items safely, and of course I would be more than happy to refund any excess postage paid if those calculations exceeded actual cost.

In regards to your parcel, the cost to package and post in fact exceeded the amount charged, however this does not mean any additional amount is payable. I hope this answers your question sufficiently, and if I can be of any further assistance, please let me know.

Regards,

[Seller]

Although I also like "Thank you for bringing this matter to my attention. I will look closely at my postage prices with a view to revising them upwards, to more accurately reflect actual costs." 🙂

Re: Not Sure How to Answer This?

i-once-was-bump — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 12:19:57 GMT

Just tell them you don't charge excess postage so you are yet to be in the position to have to make that decision.

I would think about adding them to your blocked bidders list because they seem to have a problem with postage costs and as these costs are out of your control then you will not be able to change anything.

Re: Not Sure How to Answer This?

thesoulyearns — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 12:42:03 GMT

Good replies so far.

You may also want to ask her which part of the postage appears (to her) to have been overcharged.

Re: Not Sure How to Answer This?

ozsse — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 14:43:56 GMT

I agree to add buyers like this to your blocked bidders list. Her question should have been asked BEFORE purchase and not AFTER purchase (or after receiving it in this case).

She knew what the shipping and handling charge was when she purchased an item and it's part of the contract. Any refund of excess postage is in the discretion of the seller.

The timing when she asked questions like this indicate she will one day cause headaches for good sellers if not already done so.

Some good replies were given in this thread, make use of them and avoid dealing with buyers like these who will cost sellers a lot of time and stress.

Re: Not Sure How to Answer This?

aroth57 — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 01:28:58 GMT

Thank you so much everyone for the very helpful advice, have heard back from her today and Kopenhagen was right the message I received was for another seller, but I will block her anyway.

Re: Not Sure How to Answer This?

phorum_junkie* — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 07:27:28 GMT

Dear numpty buyer I will always refund if I have overcharged but in this instance I actually underquoted as I forgot to include all of the cost of the packaging materials however don't worry, I will not be asking you to pay the extra LOL.

Re: Not Sure How to Answer This?

2106greencat — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 08:29:16 GMT

As always - so many good replies! and the perfect response. It never ceases to amaze me how many quibble over a couple of dollars here or there, when overall they must have considered it a good deal, or why would they have purchased in the first place. ?:|

Funny thing is, these same buyers will be the first to complain about actual cost of postage if the need arises and they have to send an item back ! Go figure

Re: Not Sure How to Answer This?

***super_nova*** — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 08:53:13 GMT

It never ceases to amaze me how many quibble over a couple of dollars here or there,

Then obviously you were never so broke that you had to count every cent. People agree to pay postage because they believe that the postage quoted is what it costs, and if they want the item that is only way to get it. Yes, I am sure it is the same people who are upset if the item is not as described and they have to pay return postage; maybe in many cases it means that once they pay the return postage they cannot afford to purchase the item elsewhere.

Re: Not Sure How to Answer This?

forumfool — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 10:10:34 GMT

It never ceases to amaze me how many quibble over a couple of dollars here or there, when overall they must have considered it a good deal, or why would they have purchased in the first place.

Unfair!! I fall into the same category of seller as the OP in absorbing little extra costs when my postage estimates turn out to be underestimated despite my best calculations. However, as a buyer, if am quoted for postage and agree to it, with the assumption (I know, I know, don't all jump on me for ASSUMING rather than confirming, already beaten myself up about that enough) . . . . the assumption that the buyer will be supplying item in a box or at the very least with a new padded envelope/packaging, and then it turns out that they have squished the item into a recycled envelope meaning that I've paid over four times more than the total postage cost then yes, I'm going to get narky.

Especially since even a handling fee shouldn't be more than the cost of postage (now don't give me an example of backpacking 100kms to get to a post box or paying for petrol or the tread on your tyres).

I guess I try to be as honest and accommodating as possible even when I lose a little here or there and I expect (perhaps naively) other sellers to do the same.

Happily, in this case the OP is of course an honest seller. But I would not be blocking the buyer in question, perhaps she has been overcharged before and is just trying to safeguard themself? Has every right to do so.

Re: Not Sure How to Answer This?

phorum_junkie* — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 23:31:42 GMT

There is a difference between a valid packaging and handling cost and hiking up the cost of delivery so as to pay less in FVFs.

I absolutely agree that if a seller has just stuffed an item into a satchel, envelope or whatever and scribbles the name and address on charging any more than 50c would deserve stars marked well down.

If the item is carefully/safely packaged in clean, new packaging materials and the seller has obviously spent some time preparing the item for delivery then I don't have a problem with a p&h charge of up to about five bucks depending on the degree of difficulty.

Any more than that and I would again be marking stars well down.

Re: Not Sure How to Answer This?

2106greencat — Sat, 22 Dec 2012 00:00:03 GMT

I give up - even a calm and fair comment seems to get jumped on these days X-(

Is it just Christmas, or is everyone just out to kill a seller.

@Nova, if I was in a position of being so broke that $1.55 would hurt me, I wouldn't be buying anything on eBay, I'd be buying a loaf of bread! Ridiculous comment IMO.

Tip to sellers - get a Postage Paid stamp

.....................

Yes, I'm waiting, should get a few for this one! X-(

Re: Not Sure How to Answer This?

***super_nova*** — Sat, 22 Dec 2012 03:54:23 GMT

@Nova, if I was in a position of being so broke that $1.55 would hurt me, I wouldn't be buying anything on eBay, I'd be buying a loaf of bread! Ridiculous comment IMO.

i was not talking about $1.55, i was responding in general to some posts above that that once buyer accepts postage cost they have no right to complain regardless how much overpriced it is. And to your comment that it is the same people who complain about having to pay return postage - well, yes, when seller messed up and the buyer is left with the cost of postage, they have a full right to be unhappy. People who do not have much money would be more unhappy than people who can afford to lose $10+ or what ever the registered return postage costs.

Just because people do not have much money does not mean they should stop living; they may still want to give somebody present, or are buying something they need. Old people or disabled people, who cannot always get to shop, use on line shopping. And to say that if they cannot afford to waste their money they should not be shopping is nasty in extreme.

Re: Not Sure How to Answer This?

forumfool — Sat, 22 Dec 2012 09:55:09 GMT

:8}

I give up - even a calm and fair comment seems to get jumped on these days X-(

Is it just Christmas, or is everyone just out to kill a seller.

@Nova, if I was in a position of being so broke that $1.55 would hurt me, I wouldn't be buying anything on eBay, I'd be buying a loaf of bread! Ridiculous comment IMO.

Greencat, I'm not meaning to 'kill a seller', I am a seller too remember! And it's not a matter of being too broke to afford $1.55, it's the principle of fairness, that is, that the customer should be charged fairly and get what they pay for. As PJ outlined there is a balance to be had here. That's all I'm trying to say!

Re: Not Sure How to Answer This?

gec2002 — Sat, 22 Dec 2012 22:19:21 GMT

So its ok for a seller to buy an item for $1 and sell it for $100 but its a crime against humanity if they charge more than the exact postage.

To all the buyers complaining about postage its simple if you don't like the TOTAL cost move on, if you don't agree with the postage cost don't buy, if their Font offends you, don't buy. If your unsure ask the the seller about the cost and if you don't like the response move on. But please once you have bought and paid for it don't then decide to winge about the postage costs or mark down their stars, the seller didn't force you to buy it, take responsibility for your own decisions.

Re: Not Sure How to Answer This?

phorum_junkie* — Sat, 22 Dec 2012 22:35:23 GMT

So its ok for a seller to buy an item for $1 and sell it for $100 but its a crime against humanity if they charge more than the exact postage.

Not a crime against humanity but certainly a breach of ebay policy, the only ones missing out are ebay, the seller obviously wanted $101 for the item so it would make no difference to the buyer how the two parts of the transaction were divided.

With my BIN store items I have them all listed with free postage, the few cents extra in FVFs is worth the hassle saved having to justify my meagre one dollar P&H charge that I add onto my auction items lol.

Re: Not Sure How to Answer This?

***super_nova*** — Sat, 22 Dec 2012 23:20:28 GMT

but its a crime against humanity if they charge more than the exact postage.

As PJ said, but also, it is crime against all the honest sellers who only charge what it costs to post, and pay fees on the rest, while the cheats who load the postage cost do end up with less fees. Therefore overcharging on postage is dishonest, and if seller is dishonest = ripping off eBay, why should the buyer trust them they will not also use any opportunity to rip them off?

And again, I am not talking about few cents for bubble wrap etc.

Re: Not Sure How to Answer This?

gec2002 — Sat, 22 Dec 2012 23:33:03 GMT

"As PJ said, but also, it is crime against all the honest sellers who only charge what it costs to post, and pay fees on the rest, while the cheats who load the postage cost do end up with less fees. Therefore overcharging on postage is dishonest, and if seller is dishonest = ripping off eBay, why should the buyer trust them they will not also use any opportunity to rip them off?"

So don't buy off them its that simple, but if you do don't complain. If all buyers followed that simple rule market forces would remove those charging excess postage

Poor old eBay going broke due to sellers charging too much postage. Please, give me a break, eBay don't give a toss about sellers, I suppose doubling store fees was due to those nasty postage pirates nothing to do with greed. Using your theory why would any seller trust eBay they were dishonest about store fees?