Ridiculous P+P request

Aquatronixjenny

Hi all,
I've recently sold a car brochure on ebay for 99p and I added £1 P+P. This doesn't even cover my postage costs, I think I make about 50p out of the whole transaction.

The buyer has left a note with his payment requesting the following

Pack between 2 sheets of wood (not cardboard)
wrap with plastic, DO NOT put in a jiffy bag. Please use specialist packing

Now I'm a bit hacked off with this as its going to cost me a small fortune. Not only in the extra packing costs but the weight is going to send the package into at least the next price bracket. My head is telling me that I set the price, I choose the packing (which will be a board backed envelope with 'please do not bend', but I can see a neg and low stars heading my way if I don't follow his requests. He won't pay any extra towards the P+P as he says 'that's how much I won it for'.

Any suggestions?

bruticus

Aquatronixjenny wrote: »

Hi all,
I've recently sold a Ford imported cars brochure on ebay for 99p and I added £1 P+P. This doesn't even cover my postage costs, I think I make about 50p out of the whole transaction.

The buyer has left a note with his payment requesting the following

Pack between 2 sheets of wood (not cardboard)
wrap with plastic, DO NOT put in a jiffy bag. Please use specialist packing

Now I'm a bit hacked off with this as its going to cost me a small fortune. Not only in the extra packing costs but the weight is going to send the package into at least the next price bracket. My head is telling me that I set the price, I choose the packing (which will be a board backed envelope with 'please do not bend', but I can see a neg and low stars heading my way if I don't follow his requests. He won't pay any extra towards the P+P as he says 'that's how much I won it for'.

Any suggestions?

I'd post it how you were going to, it's sufficient. Tell him he needs to pay more if he wants it posted that way, it will cost you more for a shipping method you weren't going to use, it's like buying something 2nd class and then asking for it recorded first class.

Looks like it might end up being a bad transaction though

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

Depends how important your feedback is. In a way they are right to expect it to be sent so that it arrives safely but asking for it to be sent between wood seems extreme, who has some wood lying around that that can use to make a box for a book?

Me personally I'd refund and politely tell them to get stuffed as unless you do exactly as they asked they will be trouble and no doubt is a fanatical collector so may question the goods anyway when they arrive (not that all fanatical collector do but expecting such specialist packaging at no extra cost is unreasonable and suggests they may be unreasonable in other ways such as having a different opinion of the term 'very good' as an example).

freddysmith

Ask him to supply the wood for packing!
I would just politely ask that you would need to increase the P&P to accommodate his strict requirements as the size and weight will increase the postage cost dramitically. Then see what his answer is for your next move.

paulofessex

l would just check with Ebays help service in respect of how it would be if you were to cancel the sale, its wrong buyers can hold sellers to ransom like this.
I agree with Bruticus. I would hope that Ebay would say that as long as you send it in appropriate packaging which complys to Royal Mails policies i.e. the boarded envelope you should be alright. Keep copies of all messages and perhaps go as far as taking a photo of the addressed envelope.

Be sure to block him/her afterwards

steveo3002

think id not send it and refund him when it doesnt show up

cant be packing stuff between wood and posting for £1 lol

harveybobbles

I'd just say "Thankyou for the request. However the £1.00 P&P I quoted was for a standard jiffy envelope. If you require me to package it up including items such as wood, then the postage price will increase due to the extra size and weight. I'd be looking for a bit more money to cover the extra cost involved. I trust this is satisfactory. If not then you are welcome to a full refund..."

I don't mind taking a 50p hit on postage if I weighed/guessed wrong, but when someone comes asking for special postage instructions then thats another matter...

pendulum

!!!!!!. I've had this a few times. People winning and then giving me a list of demands. It's up to you how you send it. Refund him or send it your way.

PasturesNew

On the envelope: PHOTOGRAPHS DO NOT BEND

Handwritten by postman: OH YES THEY DO!!

Obviously_the_best

Aquatronixjenny wrote: »

Hi all,
I've recently sold a Ford imported cars brochure on ebay for 99p and I added £1 P+P. This doesn't even cover my postage costs, I think I make about 50p out of the whole transaction.

The buyer has left a note with his payment requesting the following

Pack between 2 sheets of wood (not cardboard)
wrap with plastic, DO NOT put in a jiffy bag. Please use specialist packing

Now I'm a bit hacked off with this as its going to cost me a small fortune. Not only in the extra packing costs but the weight is going to send the package into at least the next price bracket. My head is telling me that I set the price, I choose the packing (which will be a board backed envelope with 'please do not bend', but I can see a neg and low stars heading my way if I don't follow his requests. He won't pay any extra towards the P+P as he says 'that's how much I won it for'.

Any suggestions?

Tell him that due to his requests the P&P charge will be £1 000 000, then tell him to stick his requests where the sun don't shine

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

Perhaps the buyer is building a book case and hopes to get enough free wood from buying books on eBay?