Seller charged for transport to/from Post Office

[3kidsnopets]

I received a pair of shorts today that I paid for on Paypal 19 days ago. It arrived in a paper envelope (torn and open at one end) with $3 worth of stamps on it. The seller charged me $8 postage. When I queried this she said that the remainder of the charge covered transport to/from the Post Office! What? Has anyone come across this type of thing before? 

Also..the item is not the same as in the photograph. It has subtle differences. It is a secondhand pair of shorts and the sizing does not match that in the description. The seller's answer was just that "yes it is that size 'cos, I'm a 10 and it's too big for me and they were my sister's and she is a 6 and they were too big for her, etc, etc". They are a definite 10 and even the conversion from the Euro sizes confirms this. So what should I do? I want a refund and the seller is basically saying no way. I think this is unfair as she is dishonest and shouldn't get away with it. Should I raise a case against her? If I give neg feedback, could she do the same to me out of spite?     

[peternt2001]

I dont know if this is a good idea, but maybe with some sellers having very different postage costs to what is actually charged, that they should have to say postage is X and handling costs is Y 

I just recently got a watch from a seller, postage cost was $10. I didnt mind the postage cost when i purchased the watch. But when it arrives just thrown loosely into the smallest thinnest padded envelope with 2 x 60 cent stamps on it. It does make you mad at postage costs.

When i purchased and was happy with the postage costs, you take it that they will use an overnight bag or pack it decently and spend money on maybe registering it or insurance or something. Not find out that they spent about $2 in all posting it and charge $10 

I wonder if some sellers use postage costs as a buffer for a low auction price. Someone could put down $10 postage costs and if the auction meets their expectations send it via overnight bag well packed. If the auction doesnt meet their expectations, they can send it for as low as $1.20 boosting their end result of their auction.

And yes i did mark down the seller on their stars for postage 

[***super_nova***]

I wonder if some sellers use postage costs as a buffer for a low auction price.

Yes, that is exactly what they are doing, and in the process are defrauding eBay because they do not pay FVF on the postage. 

I appreciate that it may be difficult for sellers who live a long way from the PO, but in that case they need to organise their life such a way that they post when they do their shopping, or combine with other things they have to do.  If they drive 30km + just to post a parcel, well, that is their problem, they cannot expect the buyer to pay for their petrol.  Nor can they say that because they drive some fuel guzzling motor, they have to put large surcharge.

[tradefactorygroup]

i just got back to melborne, living in china for the last 2 years, find the shipping costs here are just crazy, esp. the packing

padded bags $1.00 +

cut sheet of bubble wrap $1.20

[davewil1964]

I buy my bubble wrap in 100m rolls for $36 delivered (from Melbourne, coincidentally).

I don't think too many fair dinkum sellers would be using cut sheets of bubble wrap, unless they get them for nothing.

What sort of spell checker does this place use? Doesn't even know dinkum. :^O

[***super_nova***]

Nobody selling on eBay would be buying bubble wrap by sheet.  And of-course postal services cost more here, AP pays wages for workers to live on here in Australia.  In China the cost of living is lower, and the standard of living is far bellow ours.  Costs of shipping here and China cannot be compared.

[phorum_junkie*]

Once you agree to a postage cost by buying you cannot complain afterwards, if it is blatant postage piracy, $50 postage for a $2 lightweight item, and the listing is reported before it ends then ebay may remove it but they are not interested in what happens after you have both agreed to the cost.

Even if they did charge that much it would not be considered excessive by ebay, a handling charge would have to be a lot more than around $4.50 to qualify.

What is unacceptable is the fact the packaging was inadequate and that they were not as described. Unfortunately to win a Paypal dispute you would have to return them by trackable post at your own expense so I would just leave them the neg they deserve and one star for each DSR.

[peternt2001]

the trouble with that phorum_junkie , is a price is listed in an auction but not a description. So until an item arrives you do not know how they spend the postage costs.

As in someone could list $20 postage cost, and you think ok i am happy with that, and it arrives in a box hand made from oraganic cardboard lined with tissue paper and your item wrapped in silk and placed in bubble wrap, and you would think WOW thats amazing i am very happy.

Or for the same $20 it could turn up in dirty old box from coles that has been cut and mutlilated with your item inside with no packaging to protect it at all.

So even if you do agree with the postage costs, until it turns up, you can not be sure if it is good value or a wise investment for the price.

Like the watch i mentioned earlier, i was happy with $10 postage, thinking it would either be in an over night bag, or atleast come in a box with some protection, not in the smallest bubble wrap envelope you can buy just tossed inside with no protection with 2 x 60 cent stamps on it

[zenremix777]

I received a pair of shorts today that I paid for on Paypal 19 days ago. It arrived in a paper envelope (torn and open at one end) with $3 worth of stamps on it. The seller charged me $8 postage. When I queried this she said that the remainder of the charge covered transport to/from the Post Office! What? Has anyone come across this type of thing before? 

Also..the item is not the same as in the photograph. It has subtle differences. It is a secondhand pair of shorts and the sizing does not match that in the description. The seller's answer was just that "yes it is that size 'cos, I'm a 10 and it's too big for me and they were my sister's and she is a 6 and they were too big for her, etc, etc". They are a definite 10 and even the conversion from the Euro sizes confirms this. So what should I do? I want a refund and the seller is basically saying no way. I think this is unfair as she is dishonest and shouldn't get away with it. Should I raise a case against her? If I give neg feedback, could she do the same to me out of spite?     

The envelope may have cost $1.Petrol to and from may have been $1. PP fees are $.30c. Time and trouble, let's say another $1. That's $6.30. $8 is only slightly unreasonable but it's hardly the worst.

Dishonest people are everywhere. Generally, I've found eBay to actually be one of the least dishonest places. You do generally get what you pay for. Some people just don't care enough to be accurate in their listing.

[thecatspjs]

is a price is listed in an auction but not a description. So until an item arrives you do not know how they spend the postage costs.

...

So even if you do agree with the postage costs, until it turns up, you can not be sure if it is good value or a wise investment for the price.

Totally agree with you peternt ~ I expect post price paid to be very near to actual post and handling cost.