Guess-estimates on postage

top_drawer_2

hello,

I put a large amount of fabric for sale on Ebay guessing at the postage (using the website and my home scales), then editting in when I realised I should have made it clearer that I would charge the postage at whatever it actually was - I was hoping to take it up to get it weighed and then be able to state exactly what it would be but for one reason and another havent been able to do it (I dont drive or work anywhere near the post office and the Saturday I already had plans to be elsewhere).

The item has sold and the seller paid immediately, today I have been up to the post office (to post everything else) and the item is going to be £2-£3 more expensive to post as it has to go as a different type of delivery than what I thought it would.

I feel a little bad requesting that the buy pay the difference but frankly the person has got a bargain in paying only £12.50 (I paid £30 for it new and as its fabric, the condition hasnt changed etc) for it so Im not willing to cover the difference in postage.

Any advice.

TD

hermum

Yep, you'll no doubt get a neg low stars & a NPS strike, other than that a brilliant transaction.

JPS29

top_drawer wrote: »

and the item is going to be £2-£3 more expensive to post as it has to go as a different type of delivery than what I thought it would.

I feel a little bad requesting that the buy pay the difference but frankly the person has got a bargain in paying only £12.50 (I paid £30 for it new and as its fabric, the condition hasnt changed etc) for it so Im not willing to cover the difference in postage.

Any advice.

TD

Yes, kick your heels in, refuse to post.
The buyer will give you negative feedback, refuse to agree to a cancellation so you will still have your fees to pay (£1.20 ish) or do the right thing and post for the price you've quoted and take it on the chin.

Oliver14

Your buyer bid on your item partly because of your listed postage price. It is not there fault you were too lazy to calculate it properly. They do not have to pay more than you listed it for and there is no way you can force them.

If you ask them expect a refusal and to pay for it with your FB DSRs.

JPS29

Apologies, reading that back it came across hostile which wasnt intended. BAsically Im trying to say just grin and bear it, it will stop you making the same mistake again but at least you will get glowing positive from buyer and increase your future sales potentials

soolin

Advice- send it promptly without even mentioning it to the buyer at all. Anything else is just going to cause you more problems than it is worth.

sam.4000

I occasionally get postage wrong and end up paying more, but it is my mistake and I pay the difference. When selling on ebay it is your responsibility to work out the postage correctly and so you should pay the difference. We all make mistakes but learn very quickly from them.
Smile. Either send the item or don't and expect negative feedback. You can't expect someone to fork out more money because you did not do your homework.
Last week I actually managed to send someone a wrong item, which I did actually realise later that day. I then sent them the item they had won and told them to keep the other item. Result - one happy customer, and I got great feedback. But I will now always double check items before I send them in the future.

soolin

Anyway it can'r be as bad as my recent mistake when I transposed my European postage with my worldwide postage and ended up way out of pocket on a run of items

top_drawer_2

Did anyone read that I did edit in that postage was a guess and I would charge as whatever it was?

I resent the implication that I didnt bother to get the postage right because I am lazy. I work full-time, I live miles from a post office and I dare to spend my Saturday volunteering at a local event planned months in advance. Thanks for the advice.

macfly

You don't need to guess. We all mange to get it right without hopping to the PO to check it. Clear instructions on sizes are on the RM website.

hermum

top_drawer wrote: »

Did anyone read that I did edit in that postage was a guess and I would charge as whatever it was?

I resent the implication that I didnt bother to get the postage right because I am lazy. I work full-time, I live miles from a post office and I dare to spend my Saturday volunteering at a local event planned months in advance. Thanks for the advice.

I did read that you said you would charge the postage at cost, generally when sellers put that they will over estimate & then refund the difference.
A buyer isn't going to care that you work full time, the distance to the post office, your ingrowing toenail, etc.
They bid what they were happy to pay for the item, as it was an auction, then the price you got was what everyone interested in it thought it was worth.
You can refuse to sell it & then what we have all said above will come into play, by the time you lose your FVF's then you're only stumping out an extra couple of £.
It's your account though so only you can decide whether you will risk losing it for the sake of a couple of quid.