Combined postage too high.

[ekrabappel]

Hi

I recently purchased 5 items (coins). The seller had $8.90 postage per item.  I messaged and asked if he would do combined postage to which he replied yes.  I just got the invoice and he wants $24 postage.  Considering all 5 items would easily fit in a 5kg parcel or satchel with tracking for a flat rate of $10 I find $25 to be excessive. Even adding some extra $ for time and materials would not make it $25.  I purchase lots of coins and this is the first time someone has charged such an amount for combined shipping. They are not valuable coins (less than $100) so wouldn't be paying for insurance. Has anyone else had this experience.

Thanks

[lyndal1838]

I think you have done pretty well on the combined postage.

If you had to pay full postage for the 5 items it would have been well in excess of $40.

Sellers can do combined postage without discounting at all so do not look a gift horse in the mouth.

[paper-jack]

I'd be considering a carefully worded email to the seller. You could suggest that you'd be prepared to post the seller a prepaid self addressed Australia Post Satchel if they could let you know the size of the package.

Good luck.

[austfox]

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@lyndal1838 wrote:

I think you have done pretty well on the combined postage.

If you had to pay full postage for the 5 items it would have been well in excess of $40.

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I don't think that it is fair at all. It's a lot of work for the seller if 5 different people were to buy each one of those coins. It is so much easier to package 5 coins in 1 satchel than in 5 different satchels, and of course only 1 trip to the post office. I would also have assumed an $8.95 combined postage rate, especially since the insurance on a single satchel is $100 by default.

Cancel the sale, or simply don't pay, and I guess next time get the combined postage rate specifically mentioned (ie how much would combined postage be on 5 coins).

[gutterpunkz05]

In future be more specific when asking questions,  you apparently asked for combined shipping and that is what you got,  No one here has any idea how the seller calculates postage or what expenses they incurr on top of the actual  postage cost.  Are they paying someone to pack and post the items, who knows.  Anyway after ebay takes their cut the seller is only charging a bit over $3.00 per additional item, which seems reasonable.

If you don't like the price  dont pay, or you can contact the seller to see if they are prepared to reduce the postage any further.

[gutterpunkz05]

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@paper-jack wrote:

I'd be considering a carefully worded email to the seller. You could suggest that you'd be prepared to post the seller a prepaid self addressed Australia Post Satchel if they could let you know the size of the package.

Good luck.

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Yes you could do  that, and the seller could also charge you a $20.00 handling fee, I would not try to P...SS them off if I actually want the items.

Are you aware that sellers can even charge you to pick the item up yourself.

[imastawka]

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@gutterpunkz05 wrote:

In future be more specific when asking questions,  you apparently asked for combined shipping and that is what you got,  No one here has any idea how the seller calculates postage or what expenses they incurr on top of the actual  postage cost.  Are they paying someone to pack and post the items, who knows.  Anyway after ebay takes their cut the seller is only charging a bit over $3.00 per additional item, which seems reasonable.

If you don't like the price  dont pay, or you can contact the seller to see if they are prepared to reduce the postage any further.

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And then the seller can open 5 UPI cases.

[gumardee_coins_and_banknotes]

For 5 coins $24 is way too much if posting cheap coins in Australia. I always combine postage. $3.5 is good tracked letter or $10 for a parcel.

[shoppingbag*]

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@ekrabappel wrote:

Hi

I recently purchased 5 items (coins). The seller had $8.90 postage per item.  I messaged and asked if he would do combined postage to which he replied yes.  I just got the invoice and he wants $24 postage.  Considering all 5 items would easily fit in a 5kg parcel or satchel with tracking for a flat rate of $10 I find $25 to be excessive. Even adding some extra $ for time and materials would not make it $25.  I purchase lots of coins and this is the first time someone has charged such an amount for combined shipping. They are not valuable coins (less than $100) so wouldn't be paying for insurance. Has anyone else had this experience.

Thanks

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I agree the amount they are asking is outrageous. I would tell them so and ask them to cancel the sale. I had one just like this a few years back, and that is what I did. They will most likely agree to a cancellation rather than risk getting a negative feedback from you. However, do not mention anything about a negative feedback, as this is regarded as blackmail and not allowed under eBay rules.

[4channel]

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@ekrabappel wrote:

Hi

I recently purchased 5 items (coins). The seller had $8.90 postage per item.  I messaged and asked if he would do combined postage to which he replied yes.  I just got the invoice and he wants $24 postage.  Considering all 5 items would easily fit in a 5kg parcel or satchel with tracking for a flat rate of $10 I find $25 to be excessive. Even adding some extra $ for time and materials would not make it $25.  I purchase lots of coins and this is the first time someone has charged such an amount for combined shipping. They are not valuable coins (less than $100) so wouldn't be paying for insurance. Has anyone else had this experience.

Thanks

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Still too much to pay. The seller can do better than that. I would write a very polite message to the seller asking that they please send them in the satchel and that you would like to deal with them again when you can afford it as they do have some nifty items.