Low stars for postage - can I do anything?

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

Regarding contacting buyers, you may contact them to discuss the problem but not the star ratings. If you was able to resolve the issue and the customer was then happy you could ask them to post a follow up asking for eBay to remove the comment (again no mention of DSR scores here). The idea is you care about the buyer experience rather then your feedback profile.

In this case it's difficult as you either have to buy the buyer with a part refund or tell them why they are wrong (not really a good idea unless you are extremely tactful).

Froggitt

hermum wrote: »

Until an item arrives you don't know how much the postage would be, a lot of things you could have a fair idea but not how it will be packaged, so I don't think the "don't bid if you don't like the p&p costs" is a good argument.
Unless every seller has to state the packed weight & price they're charging for the packaging.

Until I pack the items, I dont know how much the postage would be. Also until the auctions are over, I dont know which two or more items they might want to combine postage for.

So the seller is probably unable to state packed weight and price before they bid.

hermum

Froggitt wrote: »

Until I pack the items, I dont know how much the postage would be. Also until the auctions are over, I dont know which two or more items they might want to combine postage for.

So the seller is probably unable to state packed weight and price before they bid.

So if you don't know as the seller, the buyer doesn't either, until it's delivered & they take a look at the stamp price.
So saying that they bid knowing what the postage charge will be means nothing to them.
Most buyers don't think about whether they still got a bargain, they seem to look at the stamp price & think the seller charged a lot more then they paid for that & then your p&p stars suffer.

soolin

Froggitt wrote: »

Until I pack the items, I dont know how much the postage would be. Also until the auctions are over, I dont know which two or more items they might want to combine postage for.

So the seller is probably unable to state packed weight and price before they bid.

Yet you expect your buyers to know whether you are charging the correct amount or not?

The point is being missed that buyers are asked to rate the post and packing - and that's a very open question. So they may be delighted with the item but when specifically asked about post and packing consider themselves over charged so unable to leave an excellent rating.

Froggitt

hermum wrote: »

So saying that they bid knowing what the postage charge will be means nothing to them.

Let me rephrase.....the buyer knows exactly what the P&P is before they bid.

They also know what their maximum bid price is.

If they dont like either, they shouldnt bid.

Whether I decide to deliver personally using my car, use Royal Mail, or teleport the item there should be irrelevant.

You dont buy something from ASOS or John Lewis with P&P of £4.99, and then complain because the stamps on the parcel were only £3.99. You accept that there is packaging overheads to pay, and if you dont like them, you dont buy.

Froggitt

soolin wrote: »

Yet you expect your buyers to know whether you are charging the correct amount or not?

I dont expect them to know anything other than have I charged them what I said I would charge them for P&P.

How are they meant to know whether I buy bubble wrap in 100m rolls for 30p a metre, or in 7.5 metre rolls at £1.00 a metre? I have included my costs of bubble wrap in my P&P, and if Im charging more than a big seller because he buys bubblewrap in bulk, so be it......buy from him with pleasure. But if you buy from me, you should accept my costs and my charges.

hermum

Froggitt wrote: »

Let me rephrase.....the buyer knows exactly what the P&P is before they bid.

They also know what their maximum bid price is.

If they dont like either, they shouldnt bid.

Whether I decide to deliver personally using my car, use Royal Mail, or teleport the item there should be irrelevant.

You dont buy something from ASOS or John Lewis with P&P of £4.99, and then complain because the stamps on the parcel were only £3.99. You accept that there is packaging overheads to pay, and if you dont like them, you dont buy.

Asos and John Lewis though aren't asking me to rate them on their p&p charges, ebay do.
I'm not saying that it's fair but as buyers have the power to get your account suspended if they think they're over paying on the p&p charges, then you have to keep your prices as low as possible. That often means starting your item a little higher then you would like & charging the stamp price & just a few pence for packaging.

sam.4000

I would reccommend the OP finds a cheaper source of bubble wrap e.g. I get mine from the fruit and vegetable section in my local supermarket or on parcels I receive. I very rarely buy it.
When I bid on an item I do not know what the P&P costs are going to be and then ebay ask for feedback.
I only charge the actual postage cost and still don't always get 5* feedback for postage.
I choose not to buy from sellers if I think their P&P charges are too high.

techspec

Froggitt wrote: »

Let me rephrase.....the buyer knows exactly what the P&P is before they bid.

They also know what their maximum bid price is.

If they dont like either, they shouldnt bid.

Whether I decide to deliver personally using my car, use Royal Mail, or teleport the item there should be irrelevant.

You dont buy something from ASOS or John Lewis with P&P of £4.99, and then complain because the stamps on the parcel were only £3.99. You accept that there is packaging overheads to pay, and if you dont like them, you dont buy.

Exactly - blackmailing sellers over postage is just the latest Ebay scam.

Froggitt

All now sorted. DSR and dashboard back to zero 1 and 2 stars. Buyer showed me the email he had from ebay......said "As the Feedback you identified fits one of ourFeedback removal criteria, I have removed it". I assume he used the wording I gave him for this i.e. "The feedback given was incorrect".

Just sold a folding table on ebay with £15.00 P&P - made sure when I told the buyer the tracking number that I told him that the Parcelforce cost was £14.25, and I used half a roll of parcel tape.