Buyer asked for partial postage refund

perfect10

I have just sold an item which went rather cheap for what it was but that is the chance you take! The buyer contacted me today saying they are happy with purchase but noticed that the postage charges were less than what I charged him. He has worked out that he has been overcharged on postage by £1.40 and wants to reslove this eg by having a postage rebate!!

Really unsure how to respond (although I know how I would like to respond) the buyer knew the postage cost before making the purchase, I am gobsmacked that someone would think they are entitled to a refund on this!
(NB the postage charges should have been higher but the post office woman let it through for small parcel charges.)

The item bought was a bargain too - its not as if he overpaid in any way!

Brooker_Dave

perfect10 wrote: »

I have just sold an item which went rather cheap for what it was but that is the chance you take! The buyer contacted me today saying they are happy with purchase but noticed that the postage charges were less than what I charged him. He has worked out that he has been overcharged on postage by £1.40 and wants to reslove this eg by having a postage rebate!!

Really unsure how to respond (although I know how I would like to respond) the buyer knew the postage cost before making the purchase, I am gobsmacked that someone would think they are entitled to a refund on this!
(NB the postage charges should have been higher but the post office woman let it through for small parcel charges.)

The item bought was a bargain too - its not as if he overpaid in any way!

Remind him that it's P&P and not just P.

campdave

Up to you if you want to get low stars for postage or not. I've challenged sellers before who have sent via a cheaper method than described (not saying you have done this).

daveeeeed

I recently did a partial refund of 1GBP and left a note with the PP transaction to say it was to reflect the accurate postage costs (I had overestimated postage costs). It was still 20p more than I actually paid but the buyer left great FB thanking me in particular for the P&P rebate.

suburbanwifey

I think you should refund him. I am a long time seller on eBay (since eBay started) and I also buy a lot. I charge my buyers exactly what it costs me to post and my postage stars are 4.9 and I also have called a few sellers to task when they have overcharged me. One overcharged me by 1.40 and she refused to refund. I left neg feedback stating postage overcharge and how unhappy I was about that and also low stars. I don't like being ripped off for postage and I don't do it to my buyers. Regardless of sellers liking it or not, buyers on eBay expect to pay no more than the stamp/courier charges etc. and there are consequences which harm the seller if you don't note their stance on this.

eaglesrjh

suburbanwifey wrote: »

I think you should refund him. I am a long time seller on eBay (since eBay started) and I also buy a lot. I charge my buyers exactly what it costs me to post and my postage stars are 4.9 and I also have called a few sellers to task when they have overcharged me. One overcharged me by 1.40 and she refused to refund. I left neg feedback stating postage overcharge and how unhappy I was about that and also low stars. I don't like being ripped off for postage and I don't do it to my buyers. Regardless of sellers liking it or not, buyers on eBay expect to pay no more than the stamp/courier charges etc. and there are consequences which harm the seller if you don't note their stance on this.

Whilst I dont like postage overcharging, and personally sell 99% of my stuff with free delivery I do feel a NEG was very very harsh, You agreed a total price before hand, if the product was fine and dispatch fine etc then the overall transaction was still positive with lower stars for postage, a neg for £1.40 seems very hard to me.

oldone_2

The problem with charging for the exact stamp price is that you will then be making a loss as PayPal take a cut of the postage.

As a general rule envelopes and packing are not free, and again, if you charge the exact cost of packing material, you are making a loss as once again PayPal take a percentage.

My own charges are for the exact Pand P costs, plus a percentage to reflect the PayPal charges, so I neither lose or gain.
Any buyer who leaves me low stars in these circumstances is blocked.

suburbanwifey

eaglesrjh wrote: »

Whilst I dont like postage overcharging, and personally sell 99% of my stuff with free delivery I do feel a NEG was very very harsh, You agreed a total price before hand, if the product was fine and dispatch fine etc then the overall transaction was still positive with lower stars for postage, a neg for £1.40 seems very hard to me.

Yes, I saw the postage cost prior to bidding but I wanted the item and I didn't and don't feel I should miss out on a purchase I want just because a seller is trying to raise profit by overcharging postage. I also bid her item up to a huge level and without my bid she would have made a LOT less. When I want something I go all out and have a few times paid well over the odds but as they say, an item is worth what a buyer is prepared to pay. I am a good buyer in that way, I often bid things up and I expect to not overpay on postage. Whilst I appreciate your point, to me she deserved a neg, she refused me a refund when postage cost her less than she charged me.

gazzak_2

suburbanwifey wrote: »

I think you should refund him. I am a long time seller on eBay (since eBay started) and I also buy a lot. I charge my buyers exactly what it costs me to post and my postage stars are 4.9 and I also have called a few sellers to task when they have overcharged me. One overcharged me by 1.40 and she refused to refund. I left neg feedback stating postage overcharge and how unhappy I was about that and also low stars. I don't like being ripped off for postage and I don't do it to my buyers. Regardless of sellers liking it or not, buyers on eBay expect to pay no more than the stamp/courier charges etc. and there are consequences which harm the seller if you don't note their stance on this.

You left a neg? That's not right. Did you not read CLEARLY the postage costs and AGREE to them when you hit the buy button?

Let me know your ebay username so I can block you.

suburbanwifey

oldone wrote: »

The problem with charging for the exact stamp price is that you will then be making a loss as PayPal take a cut of the postage.

As a general rule envelopes and packing are not free, and again, if you charge the exact cost of packing material, you are making a loss as once again PayPal take a percentage.

My own charges are for the exact Pand P costs, plus a percentage to reflect the PayPal charges, so I neither lose or gain.
Any buyer who leaves me low stars in these circumstances is blocked.

I agree! I make a loss on all my postage as paypal take their cut but eBay point out and I also point out its not the buyers place to pay your paypal fees nor is it the buyers place to pay people to drive to a post office, walk to a post office or for wrapping when often sellers recycle wrapping. I am a big buyer on Amazon also and I use my Amazon packaging for sending my eBay stuff. I recycle and don't charge the buyer. A lot of sellers feel the buyers should pay every-which way for buying the sellers items. My feedback and stars are so good I sell my stuff at superb prices now and my feedback reflects my stance on not overcharging buyers and giving them the best service. Occasionally I undercharge but I make so much profit on my items its worth it to me. I get better prices because I am selling it so my method pays off in the end.

suburbanwifey

gazzak wrote: »

You left a neg? That's not right. Did you not read CLEARLY the postage costs and AGREE to them when you hit the buy button?

Let me know your ebay username so I can block you.

If reading the postage cost prior to bidding means the bidder is bound to be happy to pay that cost, then why do eBay allow bidders to mark us sellers down on stars for postage? a lot of people's stars are trashed on postage which has a lot of sellers on this board being advised to offer free P+P to recover their stars and stop their account being suspended for upsetting buyers! You fail to understand that a buyer may want the item and in that instance they will bid, buy and then complain about the postage, done it myself.