Ebay sale, not enough money received?

Percy1983

After selling just short of 200 items recently I knew I would have a problem.

Basically I sold an item for £7.00 + 96p postage so thats £7.96.

I get nothing from the buyer and after chasing them, the buyer has feedback of 2 so start preparing for a none paying bidder. 2 weeks after the auction end I received £7.10 in an envelope with the worse note I have ever seen from an adult (literally I have seen better form a 4 year old).

Anyway, the £7 was actually a best offer and the bottom end of what I wanted to accept so I am not going to give a further discount.

Problem number 2 is I ge a feeling this person has no idea what they have bought, its a bleemcast disc, basically it lets you play a PS1 game on a dreamcast. I have a feeling that if this person can hardly write and is incapable of putting £7.96 in an evelope there is little chance they know how to work a breamcast boot disc.

The cash received wasn't recorded or special delivery so the fact I am even admitting getting £7.10 from him shows a level of honesty.

My instinct says to just return the money to them and file a none paying bidder, can I do this?

I don't want any bad feedback but what else can I do?

soolin

I think I would keep it honest here and just email back and say you have received a part payment that basically excludes the postage element. You therefore assume that buyer is planning to collect and they can do so at 5pm on the 2nd June (or whatever). If they are unable to make that time then you will wait for the postage element to follow and you will then post it out.

They can't do an item not received claim and if they go down the ebay route for seller non performance you can respond honestly to say that item is still available for collection or for posting if buyer pays in full.

The problem with returning it is that you will incur more expense, I owuldn't trust cash to an envelope so you'd pay a fortune either buying a PO or using tracked post to return it. Tell buyer to come and get his money or the goods, his choice.

I know many people will think this is harsh but we did have a thread well over a year ago about underpaid items. It seemed to be more common than I for one had imagined and in fact when I checked back at that time I realised I had been underpaid on at least one occasion and had not noticed due to the volume I used to sell. It was suggested that this is actually a tactic designed to shave costs, always pay a little less than charged, most sellers will just send regardless and the more sellers that won't ask for the extra the more some buyers may well see this is a business model.

Percy1983

I sent a message stating this and I just got a short replay saying.

"I am sure I put more in the envelope"

Nothing more nothing less.

Looking at there postcode they aren't that far away, I thought they would collect anyway.

As always I am keeping communications friendly but they are not helping me to help them right now.

appleblossom

I would reply stating that if they are sure of that then they need to take the issue up with royal mail (maybe he thought he had put a £1 coin in and put a 10p instead?) - ask him what denominations he put in. State however, that regardless of that, could he confirm if he is going to collect the disc and if so when - and lastly, please don't assume that because he had poor writing that he would be incapable of running your disc - a lot of adults are unable to write or spell clearly but that does not effect their capabilities -

Hintza

I don't normally advocate this but in the circumstances but I think I would just post it out. I think there is going to be potentially huge hassle with this, especially if they are perhaps not with the programme. How much time and effort is going to be required to sort it out otherwise.

Who sends cash through the post nowdays?

Percy1983

It shouldn't affect there ability to find a clean piece of paper to write it on either, I don't want to touch it again unless I have to.

This may make me look a bit 'snobish' as such but I really can say that most normal people would think the same if they received this.

The fact its took 2 weeks to get to this point aswell really isn't helping.

Maybe I should just go and post the item myself and cut my losses.

gismo1554

I would assume he's probably put 10p in instead of £1. I would send him another note just saying "oh perhaps you put the wrong money in. Any idea what you sent me?" That way he can come back to you with a response. If he doesn't in a few days then cut your losses and post it.

Percy1983

If it comes to cutting losses, I would rathe not post it and send the cash back, I had the item at £8.99 and I accepted the offer of £7.00 as I thought it would be an easy sale with them being quite local etc.

So to drop £1.99 off the price is enough already, to then give them another 12% discount, due to them not sending enough money is not acceptable. I would rather relist it.

I am basically giving them 3 options now.
1, pay the rest
2, collect the item
3, cancel the transaction and I send the money back.

It may seem like a hard line to take, but I am don't feel I am out of order, as said it has taken over 2 weeks to get this far and I just feel I am being messed about now.

Yasmine1984

I would just probably send the item also,because it's just about a small amount of money.

And if they had paid by Paypal you would have to pay Paypal fees also?

Also relisting the item will cost you money and it's possibly they won't accept a mutual and it's possible they will end up giving you negative feedback.

So all in all,i'd say it's not worth it for 86p.

Still tell them they didn't send enough money though and that it's 86p short and that they send you 7 pounds and 10 pence not £7.96 as the total was.

And do mention it in the feedback you give to them.

Percy1983

It’s more about principle than the actual amounts involved, to take so long and then not pay the full amount is not acceptable, if I post it now I will sending the message out that it is fine to act like that as a buyer.

In short they haven’t paid so I am not sending the item, it seems I am getting nowhere in trying to short this out.

Bongedone

If you send the money back they may deny receiving it.

Not that it matters as they did not use Paypal.