combined postage

[1800signshop]

I won two auctions from the one seller for similar items and both listed with 3kg satchel post of $14.90.  At checkout I requested a total with combined postage.  I know, I should have asked BEFORE I bid, but presumed (I know!) it would be no problem.  The postage turns out more expensive than the total for the 2 items I purchased.

I was almonst positive they would both fit into a 5kg satchel and save myself a bit of money.  I did not receive a response from seller, but both items were combined in the one invoice, but with two lots of postage. I did not receive a response to my request from the seller so I emailed seller again about the "combined" post price, only to be told "Sorry I don't combine postage".  Ok, no problem, it must be their system or whatever.  Only I now see in my Purchases that the items have been sent together in the one 5kg satchel.  

If a seller goes to post their items and sees they are from the one buyer and for delivery to the same address, I don't mind them combining into one satchel and them having a little win on the postage $.  However, is it petty of me to fthink the seller has done the wrong thing when combined postage was asked for; and what they have sent but not discounted for?  I feel a bit wronged by being potentially overcharged about $13 on postage.

[curraone]

Only I now see in my Purchases that the items have been sent together in the one 5kg satchel.

Can you really see that?   I have looked at my purchases and I can't see how they sent it - just says "parcel post"  even tho I know my seller used a satchel.  If you mean  you can only see one tracking no., may this not mean that in the end the seller couldn't fit it in the satchels and sent an ordinary parcel instead?  

I stand by waiting until you get the items and see what actually happened..

[k1ooo-slr-sales]

---

@springyzone wrote:

Seller should have sent both items separately.

---

not if the buyer hasn’t communicated their interest in combined shipping and postage discount beforehand, or at least before making payment.  In this thread, the OP presumed a discount would apply and expected it.  Doesn’t matter how the OP tries to rationalise what has happened, bottom line is that they didn’t ask before bidding/buying, and by their own admission they know they should have.

For those cases where a seller does refund excess postage, I think we will see more buyers coming to the boards with overcharged postage problems once the new PayPal policies take effect.  When they come in a seller will not get pro-rata fee refund on amounts refunded to a buyer. So, when a buyer messages a seller asking for a $13 refund of part postage paid then the seller would be within their rights to deduct the fees paid on that $13 requested.  Buyers will come here whinging that they overpaid postage by $13 and the seller refunded less that that.

[lyndal1838]

When I first joined ebay I was always told to ask if the seller gave combined postage discounts, with discounts being the important word.

It worked well and there were very few complaints on the boards about postage overcharging.  Over the years that important little word "discount" has gone missing and the complaints have multiplied.

There was a discussion last year and the general consensus was that sellers should "understand" the asking for combined postage should mean giving a discount.   Sorry, but I still disagree.   If you want a discount ask the seller if they give discounts for combined postage!

[springyzone]

---

@k1ooo-slr-sales wrote:

---

@springyzone wrote:

Seller should have sent both items separately.

---

not if the buyer hasn’t communicated their interest in combined shipping and postage discount beforehand, or at least before making payment.  In this thread, the OP presumed a discount would apply and expected it.  Doesn’t matter how the OP tries to rationalise what has happened, bottom line is that they didn’t ask before bidding/buying, and by their own admission they know they should have.

For those cases where a seller does refund excess postage, I think we will see more buyers coming to the boards with overcharged postage problems once the new PayPal policies take effect.  When they come in a seller will not get pro-rata fee refund on amounts refunded to a buyer. So, when a buyer messages a seller asking for a $13 refund of part postage paid then the seller would be within their rights to deduct the fees paid on that $13 requested.  Buyers will come here whinging that they overpaid postage by $13 and the seller refunded less that that.

---

I'm having trouble understanding the response.

I only said the seller should have sent both items separately because that is how they advertised them & that is how the buyer paid for them.
I am not suggesting the buyer deserved a discount or anything of that nature. Just that the seller should have followed through exactly as advertised.

If the seller combined the 2 separate purchases together though, after the buyer had paid for them separately, he was leaving himself open to the buyer feeling resentful.

I think the buyer expected to either get the items sent separately as paid for (with no discount) or else if they were combined into one 5kg parcel instead of 2 3kg ones, to get some sort of discount.

I have no trouble with the idea that a buyer would not get the full AP amount of discount, that there is a certain % coming out to cover expenses, fees etc.

[k1ooo-slr-sales]

---

@springyzone wrote:

---

@k1ooo-slr-sales wrote:

---

@springyzone wrote:

Seller should have sent both items separately.

---

not if the buyer hasn’t communicated their interest in combined shipping and postage discount beforehand, or at least before making payment.  In this thread, the OP presumed a discount would apply and expected it.  Doesn’t matter how the OP tries to rationalise what has happened, bottom line is that they didn’t ask before bidding/buying, and by their own admission they know they should have.

For those cases where a seller does refund excess postage, I think we will see more buyers coming to the boards with overcharged postage problems once the new PayPal policies take effect.  When they come in a seller will not get pro-rata fee refund on amounts refunded to a buyer. So, when a buyer messages a seller asking for a $13 refund of part postage paid then the seller would be within their rights to deduct the fees paid on that $13 requested.  Buyers will come here whinging that they overpaid postage by $13 and the seller refunded less that that.

---

I'm having trouble understanding the response.

I only said the seller should have sent both items separately because that is how they advertised them & that is how the buyer paid for them.
I am not suggesting the buyer deserved a discount or anything of that nature. Just that the seller should have followed through exactly as advertised.

If the seller combined the 2 separate purchases together though, after the buyer had paid for them separately, he was leaving himself open to the buyer feeling resentful.

I think the buyer expected to either get the items sent separately as paid for (with no discount) or else if they were combined into one 5kg parcel instead of 2 3kg ones, to get some sort of discount.

I have no trouble with the idea that a buyer would not get the full AP amount of discount, that there is a certain % coming out to cover expenses, fees etc.

---

springy, not sure what you don’t understand or why you don’t understand my response.

My reading of the OP’s posts indicates that they made one payment, not two.

They posted (in part) “but both items were combined in the one invoice, but with two lots of postage” and “I accepted their response that they would not combine postage and paid immediatly”

The remainder of my post deals with buyer presumptions and expectations and them not enquiring before bidding.  On that basis, I disagreed with your contention that the seller should have sent two packages.

My comment about upcoming PayPal changes was just an add-on to the subject of buyer expectations of overcharged postage refunds.

[springyzone]

---

@lyndal1838 wrote:

When I first joined ebay I was always told to ask if the seller gave combined postage discounts, with discounts being the important word.

It worked well and there were very few complaints on the boards about postage overcharging.  Over the years that important little word "discount" has gone missing and the complaints have multiplied.

There was a discussion last year and the general consensus was that sellers should "understand" the asking for combined postage should mean giving a discount.   Sorry, but I still disagree.   If you want a discount ask the seller if they give discounts for combined postage!

---

You are technically 100% correct. Combined postage does not mean the same thing as a discount for combined postage. It's a very sloppy use of English when a buyer simply asks a seller if they offer combined postage and expects the seller to understand they mean a discount on the postage price.

However, we live in an imperfect world and a lot of people express things poorly. 

In fact, it is also quite common to see ads where a seller has written something along the lines of 'Yes, I do combine postage for multiple purchases.' And they mean they combine for the purpose of a postage price discount.

So I think any seller who gets asked the question, 'Do you offer combined postage?" has to apply a bit of common sense and answer the sub text, not just the question as asked.

A seller could easily reply to a buyer that hey, they only asked for combined postage, they didn't ask about any discount price for combined postage, but if a seller does that, I think a lot of buyers will think they were underhand. No one likes being made a fool of.

I definitely don't think a seller has to offer combined postage at all. Someone else's wishes are not their command, especially after a sale. Just saying that if they do offer combined postage (either before or after a sale), it would be sensible of them to understand how most buyers are going to interpret it. Head off trouble at the pass that way.

[springyzone]

Ah, okay, I was thinking they made 2 payments.

[janeababe]

---

@springyzone wrote:

Ah, okay, I was thinking they made 2 payments.

---

My understanding is this :

-buyer bought two items from the one seller. 

- buyer then enquired about combined postage.... twice. Finally got a ‘no’ response from the seller.

- buyer receives one invoice with two items costs plus two postage costs. 

- buyer pays invoice. 

- buyer is notified that item has been sent..... combined. 

-buyer upset that has paid for 2 x 3kg satchel postage which totaled more than the purchase of the actual items being posted, to which is now being sent by a cheaper postage method.

I agree with Springy and the buyer here. 

Items should arrive separately because the buyer has pd for two lots of postage! 

😎😎

[curraone]

Thanks right.     Now we need to wait and see what actually happens.   I hope the OP will get back to us when he receives the items.

 If in fact the seller has sent one parcel and it is cheaper than what the buyer paid - and he asks the seller to refund some postage and is refused - well that's what the "postage costs" star is for - and the OP can ding them.

But in my opinion that's all that should happen.    It should not be the case for a negative feedback because the buyer did not ask about combined disounted postage before the sale, and in that respect the seller has done nothing wrong.    Sellers are not obliged to offer combined discounted postage   (although they are silly if they don't )

[tazzieterror]

You charge a buyer for express postage, you need to send it express postage.
You charge a buyer for signature on delivery, you need to send it with signature on delivery.
You charge a buyer two lots of postage to send them two satchels, you need to send it in the two satchels.
You don't charge buyers for services you don't provide.
It's incredibly simple.