Irritated with seller hiking up postage charge

[scarletrubies]

I found an iPhone 3GS (8gb) which had a $60 shipping fee. Pretty nuts, I thought, but assumed it was courier/insurance etc. before the auction ended, I wrote and asked about local postage/pick up (I chose that phone because of it's location; I wanted it for a friend in Darwin). I didn't hear back before the auction closed, but bid anyway.
The auction ends at $101, with me winning. I'm pleased; I reckon it's a fair and reasonable price for a 3+ year old phone, but I've got what I wanted for a mate, and we're both chuffed.
After a day and a half, the seller tells me that she inflated the postage to get more for the phone & avoid eBay fees. Sigh. Of course she did. I knew it was a possibility; I just hoped it wasn't. Naturally, I can still pick up the phone, but only if I pay the full amount - to which I reply with a link to eBay's excessive postage policy.
Now she's revised the postage costs in the original auction (same price, but identifying the costs as standard postage or $70 for express, which wasn't in the original listing) - and she's relisted the item, even though our transaction hasn't been cancelled etc.
I'm so flipping irritated. No idea what I want eBay to do (a smack is probably out of the question), but I still want some sort of action.
How did the seller change the postage details after the auction was over? How did they relist the phone when the sale is not completed or closed?

[davewil1964]

Go to the listing through your bought page, then up the top click on 'see original listing'. That will show the listing as it was when you bought. 

If they relist, then as it's the same item number, the new details show unless you look at the original.

I would normally suggest paying, then opening a INR, but that might not be wise in this case if you no longer want it, as you would have to pay the $60 postage. I would leave them a neg, but I'm not sure it would stick if you haven't paid. You could try reporting them for postage piracy, especially as they can't legally send it express - anything with a lithium battery has to go by road, express goes by air. And I'm pretty sure you can't just take the battery out of an iPhone, like you can a normal phone.

You could get your mate to look on the Australian tree (owned by eBay). That's a classified site, so he should be able to find something local. And a better option, imo. You have no idea what a used phone is going to be like, sight unseen.

[*new2vintage]

Negative feedback can't be removed unless it's defamatory, it mentions a Paypal dispute or a seller opens and closes a non paying bidder dispute and you receive a strike. If that happens appeal the strike and send copies of emails from the seller. When you see a ridiculously high postage cost don't bid.

[*new2vintage]

" How did the seller change the postage details after the auction was over? How did they relist the phone when the sale is not completed or closed? "

An auction can be relisted just after it ends. If you've received an invoice with different postage details from the auction that's how it's done - by the seller issuing an invoice.

[***super_nova***]

the seller tells me that she inflated the postage to get more for the phone & avoid eBay fees.

Somewhere on that message she sent is a link to report it.  Fee avoidance is against the rules 🙂

maybe also call eBay and tell them what has happened, she cannot charge $60 for pick up, not to mention $70 she did not quote for. 

Could she have 2 of these phones?

I would also leave negative FB saying:

"wants $70 for pick up, admits OTT postage to avoid FVF"

[phorum_junkie*]

The seller is a numpty, for a start it is against AP's dangerous goods legislation to post a mobile phone, or anything else with a lithium battery by express post, they have to go ordinary parcel with a road only sticker.

Realistically although the seller has done the wrong thing by inflating the postage to reduce their fees it would not have made any difference to you, it is only ebay who are missing out on 7.9% of the extra fifty bucks or so after a reasonable postage, packaging and handling charge. They can charge for a pick up item but only if the cost is stated in the listing.

I think it would be worth phoning ebay and tell them the seller has said in an email that they inflated the postage to avoid ebay fees and, if they did not say there was a charge for pick up tell them that too. Also inform them that the seller has relisted the item, give the item number, with the same charges.

[jensmanchester-australia]

Although I totally disagree with the excessive postage costs the mistake the buyer has made here is to assume that pick up is an option.

There was no pick up option on the listing and the seller didn't confirm that pick up was available prior to the auction ending. If the seller chooses they can refuse to allow pick up if it is not offered.

Also the postage costs have not changed since the auction ended. The original listing is showing the two postage options of standard or express.

[patchoo78]

The seller told the OP that they could pick the phone up, as long as they paid the full amount (which I'm assuming means the cost of the phone plus the exorbitant postage) 

The seller admitted to postage gouging to get more for the phone, so why should the buyer have to pay the amount including postage for a pick up item?

As for the postage options, as Pj has said above, in compliance with Australia Post's dangerous goods policy, you can't send anything with a lithium battery in it using express postage, and it isn't wise to send anything over $50 as regular post

[pj*bear]

I check postage price before bidding as I efuse to support postage pirates..buyers should only pay what it costs to send the item& for the pckaging, its not up to the buyer to pay for petrol to get to the PO..I looked at a Nintendo DS game postage cost was $10.00, past experience when I have sold one is a grand total of $2.80..postage pirates often jack up the price ,just in case they don't get what they wanted for the item & /or to cover the costs of eby/paypal fees,,,I will pay what I deem a fair cost but to  ask a buyer to pay for more than 10 times more what it cost the seller to send is postage piracy and highway robbery & IMO dishonest & greedy.

[nonny_muss]

Well said pj*bear.  This seller definitely should be reported.