Refunding Excess Postage

[clarry100]

All of our listings are free postage but have express postage as an option buyers can choose during the checkout process.

Quite often when somebody chooses the express option when they have purchased multiple items (combined into a single payment by the buyer) the clever ebay system charges them for multiple lots of express postage. One lot of express for each item on their list.

Then we have to go into PayPal and refund the extra express postage fee as their order will be combined into the one satchel.

This then leaves us out of pocket for the FVF on the additional express fee of course.

Is there a better way to do such a refund such that we also recover the FVF on the additional express fee we are refunding?

[kopenhagen5]

If you can't get the eBay system to auto combine, perhaps send funds as gift in PayPal rather than part refund.

[clarry100]

Thanks Kopes.

I went to the PayPal transaction and did a partial refund for the express amount to the buyer.

Then went onto live chat and requested them to credit the FVF on the amount I had refunded.

They just checked that the refund had been done and then gave a credit of the FVF.

Was all too easy really.

There just should be some automatic way to do it.

I wondered if there might be something wrong with the way I have set up my postage otions that is casuing this to happen in the first place.

[digital*ghost · Accepted solution]

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@clarry100 wrote:

I wondered if there might be something wrong with the way I have set up my postage otions that is casuing this to happen in the first place.

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I only looked at two of your listings from this store, but there were no postage discounts showing other than the 'free per additional item' one, which only applies to a single listing (meaning if someone bought 10 of that one item, they'd only be charged for express once, but if they bought 1 of that item, and one of the other item, they'd be charged for express twice). 

To have postage discounts across multiple items that will automatically apply in the cart or post-sale, you need to set up a postage rule, and when in place it will show in green on the postage and payments tab of any listing where it's been implemented. Someone did mention in another thread recently that they weren't able to get a postage discount rule to work because their standard postage option is free, but I've just realised I've seen discounts showing in the P&P tab on other seller's listings where the first option is 'free', so it might be that you can only use a certain type of discount (there's flat, calculated and promotional - I use flat rate discounts to have free post on all additional items, no matter which service the buyer selects and that works perfectly, promotional postage rules are how you can implement a postage cap, or free post if X amount of items is bought, or $X is spent, but you can only use those if you already have combined postage rules (according to eBay). 

[clarry100]

Thanks DG....

I was blissfully unaware that the postage rules you mention even existed. Thanks.

So will have to try and study up on these to see if there is some way to implement what you speak of.

It's not that often this happens but now & again, enough to be annoying really.

The reason I brought it up today was that we had an express order last night where the buyer bought two separate items and then combined the payment into one, then chose express and paid. I guess they never twigged they had paid too much as there were no messages from them about it.

I have corrected that for the buyer and have managed to manually get my FVF back so all is good now. Except we can't mail their order until tomorrow due to the long weekend here, which I let them know about. A message to seller along with the order said they need it on or before Friday which should still be quite OK as they are inside the express network and so are we.

Funny... I sent a message to the buyer explaining what had happened and that I had refunded them the overcharged amount thru PayPal.

But have still heard ZIP back from them. Guess not everyone checks their messages often tho.

[digital*ghost]

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@clarry100 wrote:

Funny... I sent a message to the buyer explaining what had happened and that I had refunded them the overcharged amount thru PayPal.

But have still heard ZIP back from them. Guess not everyone checks their messages often tho.

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Some people never respond to messages like that, I think they just check the info and and consider no further input is required.

I actually get quite a few people - even with automated discounts - buying one item, paying for express, then buying other items and paying for standard. o.O Some times each purchase is a one-off, other times there's multiple items in one or the other purchase, so they can definitely use the cart / combine items, and I know the "free per additional item" is working on the express option because there's often multiple items in the order with express selected (and I do check everything is going to the same address.  ). T'is weird, but I just combine everything into the express post order and refund any excess. In my case the extra FVF usually amounts to less than 30c, which I'm too lazy to contact eBay about.  

No one ever questions it or sends me a message etc, I think it's just taken as part of the service or what have you (well, that's not quite true, I've had a couple of people query the refund, but it's usually because they didn't see that it was a partial refund or my note explaining it's for postage overage, so they're asking why I refunded their purchase, am I out of stock etc). 

[rocket2retro]

Just another way eBay profits even more on something they shouldn't be profitting on. Of course you can call them up every time (limit 3 per month I believe) and waste time with CS to get your minimal amount money back.

Most people (myself iincluded) don't bother.

When I did call them up about a year ago they said they were working on a way to automate these refunds. This made me laugh very heartily. In the interim they've pocketed millions no doubt.

It's no wonder more & more sellers are dtching Ebay & selling on FB with no fees!

[everard6920]

My listings state that refunds will be given for excess postage paid minus the fees, and that it is therefore cheaper for the buyer to wait for me to send an invoice.

In other words, if a buyer doesn't wait for an invoice and pays excess postage, then they get the excess refunded minus the FVF component.

I've never had a complaint.

I've tried playing around with postage rules but I must be daft because I was never able to work them out.

[davewil1964]

I don't warn them, except to ask for them to wait for an invoice. But I don't refund the FVF either.

[davidc4430]

what i really scratch my head over is, if i have a parcel, 30cm x 25cm x 15 cm, its weight is 4.9kg.

if i stick it on the scales on the post office counter he tells me it going to cost an arm and a leg to post.

but i can stick it inside a 5kg plastic bag and post it for $17.10.

why cant ya just charge me the $17.10?