Real Life MMD: Should I refund the postage cost?

BarntheBarn

I find all this jumping up and down about Postage costs so annoying. The phrase is actually 'Postage and Packing'. Thus should cover the cost of sending the item, the materials used to wrap it and possibly a few pennies to cover 'staff' time.

Particularly with the 99 pence sales on Ebay if the P&P charge is too low the whole purpose of selling stuff becomes pointless. No large company charges P&P that has any bearing on the actual costs (e.g. order something small like a keyring and the P&P will cost the same as ordering a large wardrobe).

Ultimately if the costs are clearly displayed then the buyer has no obligation to buy your item.

BarntheBarn

Also, I am a Director of a small business and we always hand deliver items locally and never engage in conversation with customers about this. We turn up and deliver the item - much like any 'proper' courier.

We have also never received any complaints about this

hermione987uk

I wouldnt bother now you have the neg feedback (unless they say they are claiming through paypal).
Ive had buyers up the road from me and I will refund postage if I deliver personally, had one with a delivery within the hour of auction ending.
You choose to personally deliver so it was your choice to use your petrol not the buyers, gernerally if you pay 'postage' you expect the item to come in the post, not hand delivered.

Next time ask the buyer what they would prefer.

redram52

The buyer paid for delivery, they got delivery end of problem. How it gets there isn't at issue here. It was faster and safer than any postal service so if they've negged you ask ebay to remove it. Under no circumstances refund them now they've done that nothing will change. Terms were stated on the auction page and they were willing to buy at the total final price.

If they wanted it post free as it was so close by they should have contacted you to see if it was ok for them to collect it before bidding and paying.

I've been in the exact same situation but my buyer was over the moon we delivered it by hand as it was a fragile item. Also I've contacted sellers and cleared the free to collect issue first before the end.

Do not refund.

CutTheJargon

wrafter2 wrote: »

no i dont think you should give refund--your charge was for postage and in this case .you were the delivery man --in addition i assume you also used packaging for item so contract fullfilled--end of story.What an ungrateful customer--doesnt he know the price of petrol !!!

I have occasionally delivered goods I sold on ebay, but never mentioned I was the seller - just said 'I have a delivery for you'. Never had any bad feedback. As you say I am the delivery person and sometimes I have struggled to find the address, so it wasn't always the easiest option! I have bought lots of stuff on ebay but don't care if they want to hand deliver. If the buyer is happy with postage initially, I don't understand why they complain because you deliver it. Moaning Minnies

silverswan

Electron1944 wrote: »

" dvases), Mail.

I reckon he got good service for the £5 he clearly accepted as charge for delivery. He got the goods, unlike me, who hasn't always rec'd anything which I have paid for. I am still waiting for two microphone stands from Scotland which I paid for 6 years ago.

Hey, they're on their way.I'm walking to your house to deliver them in person!

fatal1955

To be blunt, you lied when you said it cost you the same and you lost the moral high ground by doing so . It was your choice to drive there so you can't claim for the time and your car probably doesn't do 4.72576 miles to the gallon (assuming £1.30/litre). I would recommend apologising for not checking if they would accept personal delivery, in order to get it more quickly, and offering a partial refund (as has been suggested elsewhere). Maybe next time you sell on ebay, factor-in a delivery cost in the ebay minimum price and set the p&p to free, that way no-one could complain about choice of delivery method.

squidworth

I live just down the road from one of Amazon's main centres, it wouldn't be the first time an order has been dropped off by someone in a car on they're way home! So long as it arrives safely then fine, delivery is delivery. The only exception of course being when proof is needed...

Annette_Jones

emidee - he cannot really claim "item not received" as he is complaining about being charged for an item personally delivered!

I wouldn't refund. He accepted payment terms, he received the goods, deal with it mate, I would tell him. And give him negative feedback, it works both ways.

Annette_Jones

walking from scotland...via which continent? ha!ha!