Would you leave a neutral for overcharging on shipping?

[Topnotchman]

Need opinions on this. Ebay auction, $15 shipping charge but when I got the package I see that he only paid $6.50. My first instinct was to leave a neutral. Too harsh? Clear case of shipping profiteering.

 

Yes, I knew the shipping charge would be $15 before I bid. I don't have a problem with the $15 charge if it actually cost him close to $15 to ship it. It didn't, it cost him less than half of that.

 

Be blunt and ask for a partial refund on the shipping overcharge.

 

Leave feedback based on his response.

 

I ordered 1000 comic bags one time, the shipping was off by around $10.00. I emailed the seller and he promptly gave me a refund for my requested amount. Maybe the zone was close and his pre auction estimate was set up for the maximum or farthest zone.

[bababooey]

If the listing showed $15.00 then the math could have been done prior to buying and you could have walked away then. Sure he's making a few bucks (likely to cover his time, ebay costs etc..) but it's what you agreed to when you bought.

[CR]

I don't understand this question at all. He did not overcharge you for shipping because you agreed to pay that much for him to get the package to you.

 

There's all sorts of reasons why the seller might charge more than the price paid to the post office/carrier. Maybe the seller lives 20 miles from the nearest post office? Maybe he uses top notch packing materials (although not the case here)? Maybe he's physically disabled and it takes him an hour to package your item? The point is the circumstances shouldn't really matter.

 

You were willing to pay that much to receive the item. You received the item. The seller did nothing inappropriate or shady.

 

This is also why I leave the shipping cost off packages.

[asr0462]

eBay is wicked expensive to sell on, but it's really the best choice to sell with. But yeah, I would send a polite e-mail and see what he/she says.

[Bosco685]

Positive with a note about the shipping overcharge.

 

You did it to yourself by playing the eBay game.

 

Everyone gets nailed at least once with a shipping overcharge. Don't hate the playa...

 

 

Roy mentioned it a moment ago, but you do realize Ebay charges fees on any shipping charge paid, right? Not 57% above the actual cost, but they are now taking a cut of even that charge to "protect buyers from overcharging."

 

So how does a seller post on their listings the need to charge over the shipping amount to cover this cost without it sounding like overcharging to cover the Ebay overcharging?

 

C'mon now, seriously? You do realize that you're talking about a 30-50 CENT charge and he overcharged by $8+?

 

Did I not say it was not a 57% markup?

 

The charges are a little interesting though. I just sold someone 5 Amazing Spider-Man slabbed books, charged $14.50 for Priority Shipping with insurance, and Ebay took $1.30 off the top. If you paid him $15, that means he still had to pay more than a $1.30, but if he had charged the correct amount - $6.50 - then it would have been much less.

 

But don't play the "Jumping To Conclusions" game here - I wasn't defending his overcharging.

[chrisco37]

Said it before, and I'll say it again...

 

Just say NO to eBay.

 

Every week (day) there's a post (or 10) about problems on eBay.

 

If it's not the buyer, it's the seller. If it's not either of them, it's something else.

 

It's always something. More trouble than it's worth.

 

 

[towards2112]

Or you could look at it like I do.

Book + shipping = most I'm going to pay.

If the two combined are more than I want to pay, no sale.

[VintageComics]

Or you could look at it like I do.

Book + shipping = most I'm going to pay.

If the two combined are more than I want to pay, no sale.

 

That's how i look at it.

 

(thumbs u

[Bosco685]

Said it before, and I'll say it again...

 

Just say NO to eBay.

 

Every week (day) there's a post (or 10) about problems on eBay.

 

If it's not the buyer, it's the seller. If it's not either of them, it's something else.

 

It's always something. More trouble than it's worth.

 

 

I'm getting there real quick with this feeling. And that's a shame!

[dupont2005]

It really depends on a lot of things. Quality of packaging, amount of purchase. I know it doesn't cost more to ship a $500 comic, but if I buy a $10 comic and get hosed on shipping it would make much more of a difference.

 

As far as packaging materials goes, it is illegal to use Priority flat rate boxes to ship through First Class (or Media ). If someone charges me $6 for shipping and the postage reads $3 I'm totally going to let it slide.

[This is water]

Said it before, and I'll say it again...

 

Just say NO to eBay.

 

Every week (day) there's a post (or 10) about problems on eBay.

 

If it's not the buyer, it's the seller. If it's not either of them, it's something else.

 

It's always something. More trouble than it's worth.

 

 

+1.That's why haven't used it in along time. If you not willing to pay their costs, then don't buy it.

[CR]

Said it before, and I'll say it again...

 

Just say NO to eBay.

 

Every week (day) there's a post (or 10) about problems on eBay.

 

If it's not the buyer, it's the seller. If it's not either of them, it's something else.

 

It's always something. More trouble than it's worth.

 

 

I hear you. It's like a bad relationship. I can't stay away even though it treats me so poorly.

 

My daily gripe:

I was watching an item that was supposed to end on Sunday. I check my watch list today and the auction's vanished. I didn't even know you could end an auction early once bids were placed. Got me again, eBay.

[rodan57]

I don't understand this question at all. He did not overcharge you for shipping because you agreed to pay that much for him to get the package to you.

 

There's all sorts of reasons why the seller might charge more than the price paid to the post office/carrier. Maybe the seller lives 20 miles from the nearest post office? Maybe he uses top notch packing materials (although not the case here)? Maybe he's physically disabled and it takes him an hour to package your item? The point is the circumstances shouldn't really matter.

 

You were willing to pay that much to receive the item. You received the item. The seller did nothing inappropriate or shady.

 

These things do happen.

[DrWatson]

I didn't even know you could end an auction early once bids were placed. Got me again, eBay.

You have to cancel all the bids that have been placed first and then cancel the auction.

[Conan_Aficionado]

I don't know what the problem is with paying the shipping, isn't it well know that sellers do or did this to circumvent fees. As long as the shipping is disclosed upfront and is not thrown in after the purchase surprising the buyer, I'd have no problem.

 

I bid according to the max that I'm willing to pay for a book taking into account the shipping. For example, 2 competing auctions for the same item at the same price. If one seller is charging $20 for shipping on a book with $50 MV, my max bid would be $30, if the another seller has the same item but is charging $10 for shipping, my max bid would be $40. In either case I secure myself from overpaying for the book.

 

All I'm concern with is the total cost, irrespective of shipping cost, I have no problem someone trying to cheat Ebay out of fees as long as they are not trying to cheat me.

[LordRahl]

I don't understand this question at all. He did not overcharge you for shipping because you agreed to pay that much for him to get the package to you.

 

There's all sorts of reasons why the seller might charge more than the price paid to the post office/carrier. Maybe the seller lives 20 miles from the nearest post office? Maybe he uses top notch packing materials (although not the case here)? Maybe he's physically disabled and it takes him an hour to package your item? The point is the circumstances shouldn't really matter.

 

You were willing to pay that much to receive the item. You received the item. The seller did nothing inappropriate or shady.

 

This is also why I leave the shipping cost off packages.

 

None of which are my problem. If I pay $15 for shipping, I expect that the ACTUAL cost for him to ship would be at least close to that amount, not less than half of it. Again, it is not the cost of $15 that bothers me. If he had used FedEx, or insured the package or used premium shipping materials or whatever so that his cost would be at least close to $15, I would have no problem. It's the fact that his cost was literally less than $7 inclusive of shipping materials. Am I crazy for expecting the shipping charge to be close to what it costs to actually ship the item? It is called a SHIPPING charge after all

[DrWatson]

I don't understand this question at all. He did not overcharge you for shipping because you agreed to pay that much for him to get the package to you.

 

There's all sorts of reasons why the seller might charge more than the price paid to the post office/carrier. Maybe the seller lives 20 miles from the nearest post office? Maybe he uses top notch packing materials (although not the case here)? Maybe he's physically disabled and it takes him an hour to package your item? The point is the circumstances shouldn't really matter.

 

You were willing to pay that much to receive the item. You received the item. The seller did nothing inappropriate or shady.

 

This is also why I leave the shipping cost off packages.

 

None of which are my problem. If I pay $15 for shipping, I expect that the ACTUAL cost for him to ship would be at least close to that amount, not less than half of it. Again, it is not the cost of $15 that bothers me. If he had used FedEx, or insured the package or used premium shipping materials or whatever so that his cost would be at least close to $15, I would have no problem. It's the fact that his cost was literally less than $7 inclusive of shipping materials. Am I crazy for expecting the shipping charge to be close to what it costs to actually ship the item? It is called a SHIPPING charge after all

It is your problem as you're the one complaining. Not all expenses are evidenced by the amount of postage on the label. If you feel that strongly about it, email him. If the explanation is not to your satisfaction, then leave him a neutral and move on.

[CR]

If I pay $15 for shipping, I expect that the ACTUAL cost for him to ship would be at least close to that amount, not less than half of it.

 

I just don't think that's a reasonable expectation. You honestly feel that packaging, handling, time, and similar burdens do not factor into the ACTUAL cost of shipping? Those are all real costs to me. The fee to the carrier is just one part of the the total shipping cost.

[chrisco37]

Said it before, and I'll say it again...

 

Just say NO to eBay.

 

Every week (day) there's a post (or 10) about problems on eBay.

 

If it's not the buyer, it's the seller. If it's not either of them, it's something else.

 

It's always something. More trouble than it's worth.

 

 

I'm getting there real quick with this feeling. And that's a shame!

 

It is a shame, but it's the reality.

 

I basically quit it years ago (when I had more discretionary income than I do today; even though I make more now).

 

Yep. You'll find a diamond in the rough. There's no doubt. But there seems to be more bad than good. Actually, alot more bad than good.

 

Heck, 4 years ago boardies were lamenting how bad things had become. We know they haven't gotten any better.

 

I don't buy very much right now. And if I do buy something, I'm very monetarily concious (I've bought 1 book all year). I don't even bother with eBay. Do I miss out on a steal? Sure I do (witness Fuelman's Action 10 jackpot). But alot more misses than hits.

 

I collect common SA books (ASM and FF). I'd rather give my money to someone I know and trust as opposed to some eBay seller.

[LordRahl]

I don't understand this question at all. He did not overcharge you for shipping because you agreed to pay that much for him to get the package to you.

 

There's all sorts of reasons why the seller might charge more than the price paid to the post office/carrier. Maybe the seller lives 20 miles from the nearest post office? Maybe he uses top notch packing materials (although not the case here)? Maybe he's physically disabled and it takes him an hour to package your item? The point is the circumstances shouldn't really matter.

 

You were willing to pay that much to receive the item. You received the item. The seller did nothing inappropriate or shady.

 

This is also why I leave the shipping cost off packages.

 

None of which are my problem. If I pay $15 for shipping, I expect that the ACTUAL cost for him to ship would be at least close to that amount, not less than half of it. Again, it is not the cost of $15 that bothers me. If he had used FedEx, or insured the package or used premium shipping materials or whatever so that his cost would be at least close to $15, I would have no problem. It's the fact that his cost was literally less than $7 inclusive of shipping materials. Am I crazy for expecting the shipping charge to be close to what it costs to actually ship the item? It is called a SHIPPING charge after all

It is your problem as you're the one complaining. Not all expenses are evidenced by the amount of postage on the label. If you feel that strongly about it, email him. If the explanation is not to your satisfaction, then leave him a neutral and move on.

 

Succinct and to the point as always Doc. However, my intention was not to complain but rather to get opinions on whether or not leaving a neutral was too harsh or not. That has been accomplished. When I see responses that question why I would even ask the question to begin with, implying that I'm being unreasonable to the point of stupidity, I feel I should defend my initial question. But clearly that is an exercise in futility here which I should know by now given how long I've been here.