Some buyers cannot get combined postage invoice. Why?!

[kustomizer99]

A buyer is trying to purchase three items from me, but ebay is forcing them to pay for each item with full postage without the ability to wait for my invoice on the lot. I told them to use the website instead of the app, but still no luck. They've given up now and I've lost the sales.

A couple of days ago, another buyer had no problem doing buy it now on several items WITHOUT have to pay for each one first. I was able to combine their postage for them easily.

This inconsistency has been going on forever, including when I'm a prospective buyer as well.

Anyone know why the system works for some and not others? Both buyers are in Australia.

No responses from the usual lurkers who want to call me an idiot for not already knowing the answer, please.

[kustomizer99]

The buyer tried the cart idea, but it said 'seller does not combine postage' or some nonsense. I've suggest they just pay for each one separately then I'll refund the excess postage. I don't like doing it that way as eBay immediately takes their 13%+ cut of the entire postage amount.

[lynne8221]

You can make a special listing for them, putting all the items into the listing with the correct combined postage.  You can use "special listing for whoever" in the heading.

I've done this for buyers & it's worked OK. 

I've also just changed the postage on the listings so it equals the combined total & request the buyer to buy ASAP so it's not sitting there for anyone else.

If buyer buys items separately without contacting me first,  I give them the combined postage rate & issue a refund for the excess postage, taking out Ebay fees first.

I've never had a problem with any of these methods.

 Hope this helps you.

[kustomizer99]

Unfortunately it tells the buyer 'the seller does not combine postage', so there's nothing we can do. Another lost sale.

[earthdreamer]

This is the same issue I have had with some of my buyers.

Until a couple of days ago, I thought they were doing something wrong, but I had the same problem as a buyer the other day.

Had two items in the cart from the same seller, both had identical postage costs, combined them into a single transaction and paid in a single transaction, but after I made the payment, the purchases separated out into two individual transactions.

Obviously there must be a glitch in the eBay system. It now also separates purchases if there is a difference in the item shipping costs, something it never used to do, though I am not sure if this happens with everyone. 

Very frustrating for the seller. There is the option to add the same tracking number to separate transactions to combine the shipping into a single parcel, but it is cumbersome and the postage refunds mess with my record keeping. 

[kustomizer99]

Good ideas there, thanks. I did consider doing the special listing thing, but in the end just with the 'buy each one and I'll refund the excess postage' routine. I actually rang up eBay about this a couple of years ago and they suggested I send the buyer an invoice through Paypal. I doubt they would allow that now, with their 'managed' payments scheme.

[kustomizer99]

It'll be nice if eBay ever starts running smoothly and consistently.