Posting items together - eBay rules

[cheekyrebels]

Hi

A customer purchased 2 items from me, so I posted together in 1 envelope, the buyer has advised I have broken eBay rules by putting both items in the 1 envelope as they did not ask for combined postage each item should have been posted separately and they are not happy receiving both together - the items came with free postage, they now want a refund of the extra postage paid. Is there a rule about sending items separately

[extra-keen]

Some great advice above.

Another example which I use myself as 90% of my customers make multiple purchases.

When free post is offered, (and I do include the full cost of postage and handling in the cost each individual item): I work out the actual cost of postage for all items being sent then deduct any over-paid postage and make a refund of that amount.

However, when each item is paid for with a separate paypal payment I do as above then reduce the refund by 30c for each payment, which is paypals transaction charge for each separate payment. I send a note to the buyer thanking them for their trade, then suggesting it may work out better if they await a combined invoice before paying.

If they are using an app on a mobile divice, I suggest they await payment until they can make it from a computer or use the "classic site" to make a combined payment.

I have not had any problems with this and I've done thousands of transactions that are for combined "free post" items.

[***super_nova***]

s.

When free post is offered, (and I do include the full cost of postage and handling in the cost each individual item): I work out the actual cost of postage for all items being sent then deduct any over-paid postage and make a refund of that amount.

the only problem is that when you offer free postage you are paying eBay fees on the total price, which is the reason eBay does not allow to reduce the price.  So you not only pay FVF on the postage, if you refund the postage you are paying FVF on money you did not get.  Of-course, it depends what you sell and whether your postage is 60c or $12. 

[extra-keen]

Hi Super nova, mostly it is 60c or $1.20 and fvf's are built into the purchase price anyway, so no great loss in the scheme of things.

[phorum_junkie*]

I have it showing in my store that there is no postage discount on free post items.

All items paid for on a single invoice are posted together, what you shouldn't do is combine them in one parcel if they are paid for individually.

[gec2002]

If you had sent them as separate items they would have complained that they should have been combined and they want a refund on the extra postage.

Send them an email thanking them for helping you to better understand the seller rules, and that you will sending them a cheque for $0.00 to cover the free postage cost of the second item. 

Get ebay to remove the neg when it happens, and don't forget to add them to your blocked list then move on.