Ebay - "P&P costs as detailed in the listing and are only estimates"

Crowqueen

Even if you put that P&P is an estimate, you are still made to honour the price shown in the listing, assuming you upload international costs - so it's up to you to get it right.

I wouldn't bid on any listing that said postage was an estimate, because I want to know upfront what I'm paying and make my bid based on that. It's a pretty stupid handicap when most other sellers would put concrete costs on the listing. When you bid you are entering into a binding contract that can only be cancelled under certain conditions - so it's really up to you as a seller to make sure the buyer knows what they are paying before they sign on the dotted line.

You get out what you put in - so make the effort and you will usually get better results.

If it's worth doing, it's worth doing well. Making the effort now usually saves problems - cancelled sales, unhappy buyers, eBay policy violations - later.

George_Michael

Mindless_Clone wrote: »

Well that's entirely another issue (great detective work by the way, but you cleaned up the appalling typos I see!)

I didn't change any spelling or other errors. I think I must just have been lucky and picked a listing without any typos as I did a straight cut'n'paste of a bit of the T&C's.

As the seller is registered as a business, he should mention terms for return under distance selling regs, surely?

I don't think that the seller has to mention returns under the DSR's, but by not stating anything they are actually giving consumers more rights.

As there is nothing stated about the 7 day cancellation notice requirement, this period will be extended. (it can go up to a maximum of 3 months and 7 days), and by not stating anything about the DSR's and return postage, the seller is also liable for this as well. (but actually getting them to pay may not be easy).
Having rights and getting those rights enforced are two entirely different matters.

Mindless_Clone

George_Michael wrote: »

As there is nothing stated about the 7 day cancellation notice requirement, this period will be extended. (it can go up to a maximum of 3 months and 7 days), and by not stating anything about the DSR's and return postage, the seller is also liable for this as well. (but actually getting them to pay may not be easy).
Having rights and getting those rights enforced are two entirely different matters.

Thanks for that. Perhaps it's worth letting the seller know that at least?
I would think, having paid by paypal, I could probably manage to get my money back if I wanted to return it. A bit moot though because I doubt it will come to that... although I may need that information soon anyway; I have something else ordered that's not likely to arrive in time for me needing it (I need it tomorrow and seller has not dispatched it yet) so will probably be sending that back as a return.

shaun_from_Africa

I have something else ordered that's not likely to arrive in time for me needing it (I need it tomorrow and seller has not dispatched it yet) so will probably be sending that back as a return.

Instead of having the possible costs and hassle of sending something back there are two other options you have.

If the sale is covered by the DSR's the cancellation period starts as soon as the contract is made so you are perfectly entitled to contact the seller before they send the goods and inform them of your wish to cancel in accordance with the regulations.

If they can't shop the shipment, you are allowed to refuse to accept it from the delivery agent, in which case it should be returned to the seller. (only do this if it is a signed for and tracked service so that you have proof that you never received the item).

Mindless_Clone

Thanks for that.

As it happened, the soldering iron arrived yesterday, works perfectly and so all is well. Postage was only £2.36 but allowing for the fact I didn't contact them to check as requested, packaging costs and the thing as a bargain price anyway, I'm not about to complain about that.
As for the other thing, well yes that arrived as well. I needed it for today (a hat for a wedding) and it arrived first thing this morning. So all is well. I do have one other item outstanding that the seller hasn't yet dispatched (ordered Monday night, paid extra for a 2-3 days delivery because I need it for Saturday) so that might be another issue but I will jump off that bridge when I get there. I have a back up plan if it doesn't arrive so will just cancel the order and refuse delivery if it's not here by tomorrow.

soolin

I bought something early last week and it was marked as dispatched within 24 hours as per their listing (same or next day despatch). Arrived today and they have printed off a sort of rudimentary packing note with it asking for 5* feedback (blah blah blah), unfortunately their printer has printed a print date on the very bottom of the paper, which was yesterday, over a week after it was supposedly sent.

Amazing how they can post something and get a letter into the packaging that is dated over a week later.

Mindless_Clone

soolin wrote: »

I bought something early last week and it was marked as dispatched within 24 hours as per their listing (same or next day despatch). Arrived today and they have printed off a sort of rudimentary packing note with it asking for 5* feedback (blah blah blah), unfortunately their printer has printed a print date on the very bottom of the paper, which was yesterday, over a week after it was supposedly sent.

:rotfl:

I'm guessing that you're not leaving 5 stars across the board for that one then!

soolin

Mindless_Clone wrote: »

:rotfl:

I'm guessing that you're not leaving 5 stars across the board for that one then!

I'm feeling very mellow so have left no feedback at all and was not planning to do so as I feel I have been grumpy of late and don't want to do anything in haste. However, I suspect I may well get a request for feedback, as there is a brief mention in other feedback that suggests this might be a seller who will email asking me to leave feedback (they have not left any for me yet)- and if they do that then I will reconsider.

Also despacth star is currently at 4.6 so another low may push them over and I can live without the guilt. (it wasn't 4.6 when I bought last week, but 4.7 I htink as that tends to be about my limit without a bit more research.

Crowqueen

You have more forebearance than I do, Soo - that kind of lying would get a low from me. I'm in no hurry usually for things I buy from eBay (which are usually non-essentials) but I don't like being duped like that, particularly if the seller then tries to lecture me on what will be best for them, not best for their customer.

I gave less than perfect stars to someone last week - only a couple of 4s - because I was ignored when I asked them to honour their advert (each additional item free) and send me a combined invoice, then they combined anyway, delaying dispatch by several days afterwards.

People who have no idea how to please their customers and have to resort to begging letters are on their way out. Feedback should reflect what the buyer thinks of the transaction, not what the seller thinks the buyer should think - do things right and you'll survive, it's not that hard. The sad thing is that note probably compounds the problem rather than solves it - if they improved their dispatch time and didn't lie to people their stars would improve of their own accord.

soolin

Crowqueen, I may regret not leaving feedback but I think as this item was not an urgent one it doesn't seem quite so bad in my brain. Maybe if I had wanted it quickly I would be more inclined to leave a low star for despatch.

I am also aware that I bought from a seller I would not consider to be of the normal calibre I buy from, they are one of the 'I am not responsible for items lost in the post' and 'I wrap as best I can but even so the post office manage to breaks things sometimes and I cannot in all honesty be held responsible for their shortcomings;'. I bought very cheaply, paying £23 for something that many other sellers are getting over £30 for as I think the poor stars and the daft terms put a lot of people off.

I'll wait and see if they ask me for feedback as I rather suspect they might .