Why does eBay not combine purchases?

[charmony]

Can anyone explain why this happens? Someone buys two items from me, then pays for them, but eBay doesn't combine the purchase so I end up paying the Paypal transaction fee twice.

It never happens when I buy stuff - eBay always combines purchases from the same buyer so I only checkout once.

It just happened today with someone buying the SAME ITEM twice, then paying a few minutes later - but in two transactions. Why doesn't eBay combine the purchases?

(eBay customer service has given a couple of irrelevant answers when I queried them about it, eventually blaming Paypal.)

[patchoo78]

I am referring to a buyer who buys several items and THEN pays, not someone who buys and pays for each one in turn. eBay customer service had similar reading comprehension difficulties when I asked them about this.

Considering that some on here had the same problems as eBay, maybe it's you with the comprehension problem..

Maybe you need to re-read some of your OP

It just happened today with someone buying the SAME ITEM twice, then paying a few minutes later - but in two transactions. Why doesn't eBay combine the purchases?

This reads to me as the buyer bought two things from you and paying for them separately.

[patchoo78]

Maybe the buyer didn't tick the boxes to combine the items.. 

[lyndal1838]

I have had the same problem...paid for multiple items on the one invoice but received a paypal receipt for multiple payments AND had multiple payments taken from my bank account.

It has been happening for at least the last year and seems to be mainly when the seller has had all the information in the listing and there has been no need for me to wait for a combined invoice.

[charmony]

buying the SAME ITEM twice, then paying a few minutes later - but in two transactions

There were two transactions and they did pay separately - that's the point of my complaint. I said:

Someone buys two items from me, then pays for them

The "then" is the key word - they buy everything first, then pay for everything.

I only offer one postage service, so that's not it. Buyers could be choosing to split them but I don't know why they would - I haven't asked (yet).

A possible explanation is that eBay's computers are just too slow when the first purchase is a long time before the second. I haven't kept records because I didn't realize this would keep happening, but twice recently buyers have bought the first item hours before the second, then paid in two transactions because eBay didn't combine them. Maybe the purchase history needs time to refresh/sync them up?

[bf1952]

I have just sold two items to the same buyer. Both items were separate in my Sold list and I wasn't aware that the same buyer had bought them both until I went to the first item and clicked on Send Invoice.

The Invoice then came up with both items and doubled the postage.  I just changed the postage and sent the Invoice.

They are now both combined in my Sold list. Buyer will pay one amount.

This is how I have always found the process to be.

Will have to see whether Paypal splits it.

[digital*ghost]

I can't guarantee this will work, but if it's an invoice issue as it seems to be, and the following suggestion is workable for you, it stands a pretty decent chance of avoiding the multiple payments received when one was sent.

You can set up automatic postage discounts, thus easily eliminating the need for buyers to wait for a combined postage invoice. You can choose from several different options when it comes to applying discounts, for example each additional purchase is X amount after the first P&H cost, or even free.

Another is to subtract from additional postage costs (eg $1 of the P&H quote for each additional item - it can get a bit confusing for buyers trying to work out what the total might be, though). There's also a percentage discount option, and a postage cap option (eg pay no more than $5 P&H).

You're able to set up various postage rules under different profile names, then you can edit your listings in bulk via Selling Manager and add them to the listings that you want them to apply to. (Note: if you create a flat postage rule and a promotional postage rule, the promotional rule will always override the flat rule if they are applied to the same listings - that way, you can have it do something like this; Flat Rule - 50c per additional item, Promotional Rule: $5 postage cap, so if someone buys 5, they'll pay the $2.50 extra, but if someone buys 20, the most P&H they'll pay is $5). 

Make sure that, in your site preferences, you have it set up to allow combined purchases (you can set it to a variety of time frames, mine is currently set up so that purchases will combine automatically over a period of 7 days. You can include items purchased outside of that time frame, eg a buyer buys 1 item, then 8 days later another, they won't automatically combine but you can include them in a manual invoice). 

I hope all that makes sense. If you need anything clarified, or help on how to get everything set up if you want to try it, just let me know.

[charmony]

I went to the first item and clicked on Send Invoice.

The Invoice then came up with both items and doubled the postage.  I just changed the postage and sent the Invoice.

Yes, that's how it usually works for me too. Just not recently, at least not always.

If the buyer, for example, doesn't realize they bought two items from the same seller, eBay will nevertheless combine them (as well as summing the postage) when they try to pay for the first one. eBay actually says it will do this - that it combines items bought less than 3 days apart - but sometimes it just doesn't work.

[charmony]

Thanks for the info, digital*ghost. I had considered just having a flat shipping rate, as my items are tiny and would work well with, say, $1.50 max. postage. I have just been a bit nervous about changing 100 listings in bulk. (Not that doing so would solve the problem of eBay not combining items onto one invoice, as far as I can tell - because all this happens before any invoices have been sent, as far as I know.)

[sj.armstrong]

It's frustrating that you can't pay for multiple items using the mobile site or the phone app. I hope they fix this soon.

[phorum_junkie*]

To be honest I don't give it a thought, if a buyer makes separate payments I just post in separate parcels and look at it as if two different buyers had purchased.

So it may be costing me an extra 30c in Paypal fees but that is already built into the selling price so I am not going to go under just because I don't get an extra 30c I wasn't expecting anyway.