Why does eBay account seller to modify postage after accepting best offer?

[cupcake15]

I bought this bag from a 0 feedback seller, it was listed buy it now for 79.95, with free postage specified, so I offered $40 best offer, which is the max amount I want to spend on this bag. Then I received invoice of $53.5, the seller added $13.5 postage cost himself.  

I contacted the seller, his reply was 

Hi,

The postage is only free if you pay the full price of $79.95.

eBay's rules state that if you purchase by making an offer below that, then postage is payable.

I have to say that at $40 plus postage for this extremely well made bag you are getting a bargain.

I would not find that anywhere, and  eBay clearly states that

If the seller has specified postage costs for the item, it is not negotiable. If however, the seller has requested that the buyer contact the seller for postage costs, the buyer can offer the seller a price for the item plus postage costs in a single offer. The buyer would then simply add, Including postage to the message box.

From my understand, free postage is specified postage cost.

I spoke to ebay chat, and as usually, they does not know anything about ebay rules and just make up BS on the spot from his butt until I repeated asked him/her to show me the his BS on eBay rule. Transcript attached, read it to see how incompetent these eBay employees are.

Anyways, I think the community would probably know about eBay rule than eBay employees themselves. 

So, first why do eBay allow seller to change the postage cost if it it already specified after accepting the best offer? 

And second where should I go from here? The guy from the ebay chat asked me to file a case, where do I go to file the case?

linked to the transcript

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6DfW2X25tuNYTc0bTRmaWdvNEU/view?usp=sharing

[modestbods]

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@modestbods wrote:

@ $79.95 BIN with free postage (costing the seller $13.50) after postage + eBay fees +Paypal fees are deducted, the seller would be left with approximately $57.

@ $40 total, after postage + eBay fees +Paypal fees are deducted, the seller would be left with approximately $21.75 (= 62% less than via their BIN)

@ $40 + $13.50, after eBay fees + Paypal fees are deducted, the seller would be left with approximately $33.20 (= 42% less than via their BIN)

I think the seller has been very generous by being prepared to take approximately 42% less in their own pocket, whilst the buyer has been far from generous by asking & then demanding that the seller loses over 60% from his end.

OP, have you ever heard of the saying 'never look a gift-horse in the mouth' ?

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* edit: correction. I had forgot to deduct the ebay + paypal fees also applied to the $13.50 postage for the third calculation. 

[cupcake15]

@Mode

Three issues you failed to address. 

1. As a banker, I know the most important thing is due diligence, he should have read the terms and condition more carefully. What's more funny was his attempt at making BS ebay clauses. But I'm sure the seller will know this from now on.

2. You used the term "loss" wrong, loss happens when the expenses exceeds total renenue, or negative profit. If EBIT is positive, then it's profit, and if EBIT is negative, then it's a loss.

Therefore, unless you know the actual cost of the bag, you can not determine the net profit of the seller's position.

The way you used the term "loss" is absolutely wrong, you used the $57, which is original target EBIT + COGS as the basis for your loss/profit.

If the cost of the bag was $10 (which is the most like case considering how cheaply these bags are), the sellers still makes a healthy profit.

3. As a buyer, I simply couldn't careless what the seller's accounting position is? I mean, do you calculate JB hifi's EBIT when you buy a TV from them? Or do you try to get the lowest price? That is, you almost seek to maximum your utility, right? Of course you do. This is the primary assumption in Consumer Choice theory in Microeconomics and also one of the assumptions in MPT in finance. This is exactly what I have done, I seek to get the maximum utility from all possible sellers.

Fail, go get some education before try talk to me about finance and accounting.

[modestbods]

Ahhhh you're a banker, now that explains SO MUCH. Sorry to tell you, but I suspect any empathy you may have had from most others here you very probably just lost with that little admission.

LOL dude, stomp your foot and spout your economics 101 diatribe all you want... it won't get you the bag any cheaper, as the seller's care level will be the same as mine @ zero. Being a banker you do of course understand what zero is, so you might want to consider that before you waste any more of your time carrying on with any more such nonsense. 

Seriouisly though, I almost wet myself at due diligence. 

[digital*ghost]

kuromusha1 - A seller has always been able to reinvoice an item and alter postage costs in the process, and my guess is that they always will be able to as a matter of simple practicality. That is not to say that it's ok by eBay or anyone else to advertise one amount (even $0) and then invoice for more when it has not been negotiated or accepted, but the function itself is necessary to accomodate a broad range of things that can alter postage costs.

For example, combined postage quotes that change the amount due for multiple purchases; the request of additional or more expensive services (signature on delivery to the standard service, or an upgrade to express). 

eBay rarely (if ever) police or step in over postage disputes, before or after payment has been made, in so far as I have observed in the last few years, anyway, whether the seller was in breach of policy by invoicing for more or not, which should then provide or clarify the context of the responses you've been getting here, which are, in summary:

It's not ok for a seller to do that, but at the end of the day it is impractical and/or possibly futile to fight it out via eBay if the seller refuses to budge, because your only real recourse is to try to enforce the original contract via the courts (eBay pretty much can't and won't do that). 

[moller1313]

LOL would they like it gift wrapped too?

THIS IS WHAT EBAY CREATES AND THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS!

It seems to me the buyers want it all for nothing and Ebay has known full well their cut is getting less and less over the years hence why they  have hit the postal service costs and  encouraged sellers to give away postal costs in a country where these postal costs are   ridiculously  high and they don't even deliver,I have  posted several items to various places in one day and all were lost. you the Seller wears this loss, you loose your items plus the refunded cash plus the postage,which takes another 20 items to sell to recover these losses ,its a joke really. China has kill it for the local seller here who cannot compete against a half price or less and free post from China and delivered anywhere because their postal service is so cheap.

Sellers here can only sell items are are collectors or antiques items that cannot be China copied and buyers either buy it at their price or move on,this is the future Ebay.

Cheers all

Peter

[i-love-my-sheep]

Not replying to Moller, just hit reply on the last message.

It seems there are some people in this world that have a conscience and some that don't. I bought an item last week for $10.50. The seller, a new seller, charged $10.75 for postage with signature on delivery. When the package arrived, the postage was $16.75, plus what it costs for SOD.

I did the sums and by the time eBay took their fees, PayPal took theirs and the seller paid for the extra postage not charged out of her own pocket, she was running at a loss on that item. Even if she got it for free, she was still at a loss as she had gone below zero. I did what anyone with a conscience would do. I sent her the extra money to cover the postage deficit. 

I didn't have to do it, especially as it was her error. She never asked for it. But, I did what I felt was the right thing to do. I didn't want to feel like I'd ripped her off, even though I paid what was advertised. The postage wasn't advertised as it was listed as pick up, but after sending her a message, she said she was happy to post. My guess is, she pushed the wrong button in the AP postage calculator, or only weighed the item and didn't take into account the packaging.

I guess that's the difference between myself and the OP, I know what it's like to undercharge on postage and not even break even on a sale. I know what it's like to forget to account for the crippling eBay and PayPal fees and basically pay someone to take my items off me.

Who wants to bet that the OP leaves a neg for the seller, or at the very least, trashes their stars......??

[thingsmostneeded]

Hoy! l'm a banker too!!!

But l wouldn't of treated the seller the way the OP did.

l ain't a bully like.

[modestbods]

LOL I actually worked in a bank from age 17 until just after turning 18. I was on $135 per week at the bank but I then got offered a job elsewhere paying over 1k per week, needless to say I wasn't a 'banker' for long.

[cupcake15]

I have left the seller positive feedback. So all good, for those of you who accused of scamming or bullying or whatever, please think from buyers perspective wore next time.

[aps1080]

I find it hard to believe you guys are blaming the buyer / op.

If you don't want the sale, say no to the offer. Or come back to them with what might be acceptable.
I bought one item from a seller who had a 2nd similar item in almost new condition for sale but it finished 2 days later.
I asked if she would do a buy it now and end the listing early. She said yes and came back $4 more than i had bid.
I was stunned (it had quite a few watchers and bidders) and had expected another 20 - 40 dollars. What am i supposed to do,
tell her to put the price up ???? Get real, i had succeeded in knocking out the other bidders and watchers by having the item removed fom sale, getting it for peanuts was a bonus.

If you want postage paid on lower offers, say so in the description.

I as a seller said in the description i would modify the postage down if it was going to cost me less
And i did so.

You dont have to sell items if you don want to. He accepted an offer.