topic Re: Problems with postage payments in Selling

Problems with postage payments

lezned-toycollector — Fri, 08 Jul 2022 07:14:50 GMT

Yesterday, I had a buyer select Sendle at checkout. Then somehow they paid $2.50 for the service, rather than the advertised amount of $9.50. Of course, I went and checked the amounts displayed in the listing, and it was definitely set at $9.50. How the buyer managed to give himself a $7.00 discount is somewhat perplexing.

Then, just now I've sold another item and the buyer has selected Sendle at checkout. The amount set in the listing is $7.95. This time, the buyer has somehow managed to give herself a discount of $3.95, and only paid $4.00

I'm not really happy about my buyers being able to give themselves an unauthorised postage discount. Is this happening to anyone else? Is it just my listings? Is it just happening to the Sendle option?

Re: Problems with postage payments

gutterpunkz05 — Fri, 08 Jul 2022 08:28:30 GMT

Your last couple of sales have been ebay plus listings, ebay plus buyers can upgrade to express post at a reduced cost as set by ebay. there are two amounts paid $2.50 or $4.00 I think it relates to the value of the item.

Actually I think the buyer gets upgrade for free, and then ebay pays the seller the set amount, which is supposed to reflect the difference between standard and express post.

Re: Problems with postage payments

domino-710 — Fri, 08 Jul 2022 08:29:27 GMT

Gawd - you still use - Sendle.

Re: Problems with postage payments

lezned-toycollector — Fri, 08 Jul 2022 10:37:30 GMT

@gutterpunkz05 wrote:
Your last couple of sales have been ebay plus listings, ebay plus buyers can upgrade to express post at a reduced cost as set by ebay. there are two amounts paid $2.50 or $4.00 I think it relates to the value of the item.
Actually I think the buyer gets upgrade for free, and then ebay pays the seller the set amount, which is supposed to reflect the difference between standard and express post.

That's exactly what I was told in the live chat. However, my postcode isn't included in eBay plus. It's only available for metro deliveries, and Bathurst NSW certainly isn't metro. eBay in their wisdom slug me with a $10 surcharge for all Sendle labels because they say it's not metro, but in this instance I'm supposed to wear that $10 donation for this transaction, because I am metro now - guaranteed it will change again when it suits them).

In the latter transaction, the buyer selected Sendle (as per the sales record), yet it is fully greyed out as a label option. The CS agent tried telling me that buyers do not have any ability at all to select a postage method, and they just get whatever method that eBay settings default to. We all know that's utter tripe.

The transaction yesterday had to be cancelled because the goose chose Sendle for delivery, but then completely refused to provide a street delivery address. He told me to ship it to his Parcel Locker, or process a refund. So I was left with no option other than process a refund.

Re: Problems with postage payments

davewil1964 — Fri, 08 Jul 2022 10:40:19 GMT

Don't use Sendle?

Re: Problems with postage payments

lezned-toycollector — Fri, 08 Jul 2022 11:04:09 GMT

Your negative comments relating to Sendle were anticipated. Thanks for not letting us down. Perhaps you should stop using your current shipping methods and exclusively use Sendle. That would make much more sense to any intelligent creature.

Now here's a question for you, though; did you miss what I just posted? Sendle is greyed out and not an available shipping option.

Re: Problems with postage payments

davewil1964 — Fri, 08 Jul 2022 11:54:53 GMT

Perhaps I should stick with AP, who don't let me down. That is certainly an intelligent option. I would be interested in why you think exclusively using Sendle is intelligent.

As a consumer with a day job, I have no interest in sellers who think that saving a buck by using couriers is a valid option.

Re: Problems with postage payments

*sons_and_daughters* — Fri, 08 Jul 2022 12:45:14 GMT

Bathurst falls into metro when it comes to trains, so maybe it is seen as metro when it comes to parcels too.

Re: Problems with postage payments

lezned-toycollector — Fri, 08 Jul 2022 13:04:39 GMT

Sorry, but that's not quite correct. At its western extent, the MRA (Metropolitan Rail Area) is bounded by the former station at Bowenfels, a few kilometres west of the town of Lithgow. In practice, the last MRA station is Lithgow. Since Bathurst is almost 65km west of Lithgow, I'm pretty sure it's actually outside the metro area.

As I previously stated, eBay impose a 9 or 10 dollar surcharge on every Sendle parcel, with the reason being that Bathurst is outside the metro area. Yet, when it suits them, they want me to cover their ridiculous surcharge out of my own pocket because suddenly it is metro. Either it is, or it isn't. It simply can't be both.

Re: Problems with postage payments

*sons_and_daughters* — Fri, 08 Jul 2022 13:09:19 GMT

@lezned-toycollector wrote:
Sorry, but that's not quite correct. At its western extent, the MRA (Metropolitan Rail Area) is bounded by the former station at Bowenfels, a few kilometres west of the town of Lithgow. In practice, the last MRA station is Lithgow. Since Bathurst is almost 65km west of Lithgow, I'm pretty sure it's actually outside the metro area.

As I previously stated, eBay impose a 9 or 10 dollar surcharge on every Sendle parcel, with the reason being that Bathurst is outside the metro area. Yet, when it suits them, they want me to cover their ridiculous surcharge out of my own pocket because suddenly it is metro. Either it is, or it isn't. It simply can't be both.

I'm in Orange. It is significantly cheaper for me to drive to Bathurst to get a train to Sydney than it is from here. When you look at the timetable, Bathurst falls into metro, as in City Rail, rather than Country Link. I know, it makes no sense, but that's how it seems to be. City Rail used to stop at Lithgow, but it extended to Bathurst quite a few years ago (unless they changed it back. It's been awhile since I have got the train)

Re: Problems with postage payments

lezned-toycollector — Fri, 08 Jul 2022 13:32:32 GMT

At the risk of going off topic, I will respond to your misguided opinions. Yes, Sendle is cheaper than AP - fact. Yes, Sendle offers a far better service than AP - fact. Yes, Sendle is a zillion times more reliable than AP - fact.

No, I don't save any money by using Sendle, and to suggest as much is quite laughable. I don't know how your business model operates, but my buyers actually pay for their chosen delivery method. Whichever service they select is entirely cost neutral to me, and I honestly couldn't care less which service they prefer. That's their choice alone to make, and really of no concern to me. However, if ever asked which service I think is better, I will most definitely give Sendle the highest recommendation. They've earned it, and they thoroughly deserve it.

Now, this thread isn't about which delivery service people use, or prefer, or why they make that choice. Nor is it a platform for your predictable Sendle bashing, and/or attempts to bully others into your line of thinking. It's about buyers paying an incorrect amount for postage. I'd thank you to remain on topic.

Re: Problems with postage payments

davewil1964 — Fri, 08 Jul 2022 17:55:48 GMT

I dispute your 'facts'.

I also dispute your claim that me stating 'Don't use Sendle' is Sendle bashing. Sendle is a courier broker, not a courier, so the nuts and bolts is what courier they subcontract for a particular delivery and how well that goes for the buyer. Not well, according to many buyers.

I use AP and have had very few issues.

However your issue seems to be with eBay Plus and eBay's application of express postage.

Re: Problems with postage payments

gutterpunkz05 — Sat, 09 Jul 2022 01:27:59 GMT

In the listings, you offer express service via sendle and AP, as you are offering these services, I would assume that it is irrelevant if you are located in an area covered by an express service guarantee or not.

In other words an express service is available but is not covered by the delivery time frame guarantee.

Re: Problems with postage payments

*sons_and_daughters* — Sat, 09 Jul 2022 03:13:35 GMT

I am 50km from the OP. Our area is NOT in the guaranteed express network. While postage is usually overnight to Sydney, both regular and express, it is minimum 2 days to anywhere else via express. It can take 4-5 days to get something to Darwin or Perth via express. Same with FNQ.

Re: Problems with postage payments

gutterpunkz05 — Sat, 09 Jul 2022 03:43:18 GMT

I don't offer express services, as I am outside the guaranteed service. On occassions I do have buyers request express even though it is not guaranteed. Have had express items take 10 days from Qld to Melbourne.

As a seller you can send express from anywhere, there is just no guaranteed delivery time frame.

Re: Problems with postage payments

padi*0409 — Sat, 09 Jul 2022 04:00:27 GMT

@lezned-toycollector wrote:

At the risk of going off topic, I will respond to your misguided opinions. Yes, Sendle is cheaper than AP - fact. Yes, Sendle offers a far better service than AP - fact. Yes, Sendle is a zillion times more reliable than AP - fact.

From my experience both in Perth and in SW WA Sendle has been woeful in their deliveries, maybe where you are they are OK, but I will never buy from sellers who insist on using them.

They will use the cheapest possible couriers - usually Couriers Please or Fastway (Aramex) - with their own problems like almost non-existant customer service and lousy tracking updates (if you actually get any at all) etc.

AP isn't perfect but it's certainly a hell of lot more reliable than Sendle for me anyway.

To sum it up Sendle has been a 100% fail and AP maybe 1% or less fail.

Re: Problems with postage payments

eol-products — Sat, 09 Jul 2022 05:04:39 GMT

Express post guarantee is still not back and one of the reasons is due to less passenger flights. Maybe Aust Post should inform the airports of this.😀

Re: Problems with postage payments

gutterpunkz05 — Sun, 10 Jul 2022 14:43:15 GMT

It looks like only the buyers address has to be metro,

Express postage contribution

When an eBay Plus member buys an item from your eBay Plus listing, they'll get a free upgrade to express delivery if they're in a metro area (some category exclusions apply).

To help sellers with the additional costs of express postage, eBay contributes up to $2.50 for items up to $15, and up to $4 for items over $15. For example, on an item over $15, if you're charging $2 for the express upgrade, we'll cover $2. If you're charging $7, we'll cover $4.

From 8 July 2022, if an eBay Plus order includes multiple items, the express postage contribution will be applied once per SKU, rather than per item, with a maximum of 2 contribution amounts per order. For example:

On an order for 3 identical printer cartridges, we'll cover up to $4
On an order for 2 identical cartridges and a mouse, we'll cover up to $8
On an order for 2 identical printer cartridges, 1 mouse and 1 USB stick, we'll cover up to $8

The express postage contribution is applied automatically when the buyer pays for their order, and for many sellers this will cover the cost of the express upgrade.