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Stupid buyer now wants to negotiate P&P.

MORPH3US
Posts: 4,906 Forumite

Hi guys,
Sold some golfclubs on ebay last night, they are Ping irons and so there are 8 clubs in total and I put the p&p @ £12 - didn't have a clue how much it would be really but thats what others had theirs at.
This guy won the auction and I sent him the invoice.
This morning I get the following e-mail:
Dear XXXXXXX,
Please can you post the clubs Royal Mail Standard Parcels through your local Post Office? This will only cost £8 (including insurance) as opposed to the £15 you are charging. It will take 3 days to reach me and will save us both money.
Please confirm that this will be OK and I will proceed with payment?
If this is not possible, please can I arrange my own collection with a courier that I can get preferential rates from?
All I require from you is the parcel dimensions (lxhxw in cm), the parcel weight (kg) and an address and date that I can arrange collection between the hours of 09.00-17.30 (this can be a work address if required).
Additionally, please send me a revised invoice excluding postage costs and I will arrange the rest.
I look forward to your response.
Many thanks,
XXXXXXXXXXXX
Now the rules may have changed, but last time I checked I am sure that postage cost didn't just include actual stamps, but could also include packaging and also my time and costs travelling to the PO.
It is very annoying though though that he wins the auction and THEN starts trying to negotiate.
Also the fact that he realises that postage will be £8, plus the packaging and everything else, I think £12 is very fair.
Anyone got an idea what I could do?
M
Sold some golfclubs on ebay last night, they are Ping irons and so there are 8 clubs in total and I put the p&p @ £12 - didn't have a clue how much it would be really but thats what others had theirs at.
This guy won the auction and I sent him the invoice.
This morning I get the following e-mail:
Dear XXXXXXX,
Please can you post the clubs Royal Mail Standard Parcels through your local Post Office? This will only cost £8 (including insurance) as opposed to the £15 you are charging. It will take 3 days to reach me and will save us both money.
Please confirm that this will be OK and I will proceed with payment?
If this is not possible, please can I arrange my own collection with a courier that I can get preferential rates from?
All I require from you is the parcel dimensions (lxhxw in cm), the parcel weight (kg) and an address and date that I can arrange collection between the hours of 09.00-17.30 (this can be a work address if required).
Additionally, please send me a revised invoice excluding postage costs and I will arrange the rest.
I look forward to your response.
Many thanks,
XXXXXXXXXXXX
Now the rules may have changed, but last time I checked I am sure that postage cost didn't just include actual stamps, but could also include packaging and also my time and costs travelling to the PO.
It is very annoying though though that he wins the auction and THEN starts trying to negotiate.
Also the fact that he realises that postage will be £8, plus the packaging and everything else, I think £12 is very fair.
Anyone got an idea what I could do?
M
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Comments
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2things..either do the £8 delivery as requested but charge him£10 and explain its to cover packaging as it IS p&p not just "p".....but were you sending it recorded or special? because that will cover you more for loss in post,he is prob trying to get you to do it a different way so he can claim it didnt arrive.TO FINISH LAST, FIRST YOU HAVE TO FINISH....0
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It was going to be posted either standard parcels with additional insurance, or recorded delivery.
Special delivery for this parcel would be £20+ just for the postage never mind anything else.0 -
I agree it is a bit annoying that he's trying to renegotiate after winning the items -- he should've raised this before. That happened to me too on a much smaller scale -- the buyer asked me if I'd change the postage to second class (from first class) -- I had no option but to refund her 50p on Paypal and do as she suggested. You could charge him a bit for packing and let him send his own courier? Appreciate they will be heavy but £12 does add significantly to the cost.0
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pixelchick10 wrote: »I agree it is a bit annoying that he's trying to renegotiate after winning the items -- he should've raised this before. That happened to me too on a much smaller scale -- the buyer asked me if I'd change the postage to second class (from first class) -- I had no option but to refund her 50p on Paypal and do as she suggested. You could charge him a bit for packing and let him send his own courier? Appreciate they will be heavy but £12 does add significantly to the cost.
The one thing I would definitely not be doing here is allowing a buyer to send a courier. The seller loses all their protection, has to pack the item to a standard that the buyer agrees and which the seller might not have any knowledge of (and maybe lose claimable insurance benefits) plus the seller then has to wait in all day.
Frankly I am now getting much mor ehard line with my buyers, asusming I am happy with the level of post and packing I have charged I would merely respond and just explain that post and packing is as charged and once payment has been received the buyer will get notification when item is shipped. Obviously if postage is a bit high I might be a bit worried about my stars, but as long as I am confident that th ep and p is fair I would just stop the conversation before it even starts.
If at all possible though I would put some tracking on the item (which might not be possible of course) as in my experience once a buyer shows as a problem he will remain a problem and I would feel I would need protection against him.I’m a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the eBay, Auctions, Car Boot & Jumble Sales, Boost Your Income, Praise, Vents & Warnings, Overseas Holidays & Travel Planning , UK Holidays, Days Out & Entertainments boards. If you need any help on these boards, do let me know.. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com.All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.0 -
Thanks Soolin, so if the postage is £8, do you think an extra £4 for packing and time/cost to the PO as reasonable?
Thing is, I expect that they will give me one star for p&p whatever happens now, but there is nothing I can do about that.
Is standard parcels tracked?
If I send standard parcels (and it is not tracked but is insured), obviously if it got lost then the buyer would reclaim paypal, but then could I not just do likewise from Royal Mail?
M0 -
Where do they get £8 from? Just looking at the standard parcels prices, even with the enhanced compensation options, I can't get it to £8. How much do they weigh and what are they worth?0
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I think packaged up they will come in about 4 - 6kg's which will put them at £9.30
If I can squeeze them in under 4kgs then £6.85
The additional insurance (up to £100) would be £1
So maybe he is thinking £6.85 + £1 = £7.85 and 15p towards my packing costs.... very generous.
However I don't know if I can get them under 4kgs.0 -
Jasmine's right, ther eis no standard parcels at £8. Morpheus, go and recheck your weights and dimensions and work out exactly what it will cost and then you will be better placed to know what to do.
I have no idea how much golf clubs weigh, but up to 6KG is £9.30 so post of £13 woul dnot be too unreasonable, but if they are lighter up to 4kg is only £6.88 and I think then that charging £12 would be a bit much.I’m a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the eBay, Auctions, Car Boot & Jumble Sales, Boost Your Income, Praise, Vents & Warnings, Overseas Holidays & Travel Planning , UK Holidays, Days Out & Entertainments boards. If you need any help on these boards, do let me know.. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com.All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.0 -
I think packaged up they will come in about 4 - 6kg's which will put them at £9.30
If I can squeeze them in under 4kgs then £6.85
The additional insurance (up to £100) would be £1
So maybe he is thinking £6.85 + £1 = £7.85 and 15p towards my packing costs.... very generous.
However I don't know if I can get them under 4kgs.
Don't scrimp on the packaging to get them under 4kgs. Work on £9.30 + £1 compensation - £10.30. Depending what you pack them in (that amount of bubblewrap doesn't come cheaply) I don't see that £12 is questionable. Stand firm!0 -
Your buyer is being unreasonable in attempting to re-negotiate after agreeing to buy, your problem is unlikely to go away even if you agree to his requests, as soo says he will most certainly have something else to say once the goods are received, the clubs aren't shiny, heavy, light enough, the grips are green I thought they would be black, no golf balls enclosed how can I try out the clubs etc etc etc, withdraw from the sale giving the re-negotiation of the price as the reason if you can. Your almost certainly going to pick up some kind of neg from the buyer whatever the outcome so I'd advise cut your losses now.Four guns yet only one trigger prepare for a volley.Together we can make a difference.0
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