Buyer asking for postage refund

martindow

quidsy wrote: »

refund 50p as a good will gesture.

If you're going to refund do it properly. A seller returning a trivial amount like this is likely to provoke even worse feedback and stars.

Brooker_Dave

techspec wrote: »

Now Ebay charge on postage - theres no reason for anyone to put postage beyond cost.

Why?

If you value your time at nothing and sellotape and jiffybags are free fair enough, but given you are providing a service, why do it for nothing?

Plus given ebay charge commission on postage, and force sellers to use Paypal, surely sellers have to add a % to their shipping cost?

quidsy

the cost of packaging has to be taken into account, the op has overcharged by 2.20. 50p is a reasonable refund especially as the buyer bought with full knowledge of the postage costs.

Brooker_Dave

campdave wrote: »

You overcharged £2.20.

OP did not overcharge, the bidder saw the item, saw the shipping costs and went through with the purchase.

Why should ebay sellers be forced to work at a loss???

campdave

Brooker_Dave wrote: »

OP did not overcharge, the bidder saw the item, saw the shipping costs and went through with the purchase.

Why should ebay sellers be forced to work at a loss???

No one's asking anyone to work at a loss. The OP admitted overestimating the cost of postage. There's adding on materials and ebay fees, and then there's a 200% mark up through the seller's inability to estimate postage properly in this case.

I've received an item marked as first class recorded delivery on the listing, which was sent as second class standard post. By your reckoning, as I saw and bought the item, I should accept the seller sending by a cheaper service?

Would you rather be left low DSR or a buyer to get in touch to query the postage cost?

Regardless of the rights or wrongs of marking up postage, as that's been covered in tedious detail in this and several other threads, it's the buyer that holds the power, and the sellers who add a 200% markup are the ones that are more likely to get marked down than those who charge cost (and by cost, I mean the cost of postage and packing, which is what I charge). Other sellers are free to charge whatever they like, but it's always those who overcharge that seem to be starting threads that this.

ballisticbrian

Sorry but when the buyer is being picky over a few pence or even a couple of quid when the sender has gone to all the trouble involved in sending them the item, I just think they should get a life. If they went down the road to buy the item, in some towns and cities, the parking meter would have cost them 2 quid and the petrol a fiver.

burnleymik

PErsonally, just estimate the cost of the packaging and the time to package and post and then refund them the difference after that, showing them a breakdown of how you came to that cost.

Hopefully they will then see beyond the end of their nose and realise it's not just about the postage stamp cost on the item.....

Be polite and courteous, you will find most people are reasonable.

techspec

appleblossom wrote: »

I think the answer to your question is put the shoe on the other foot- if you paid £3.50 and it only cost £1.20 would you let it go or would you query it and ask for a bit back? Yes the buyer paid £3.50 but that could be because that is what she expected it to cost (as you did else you wouldn't have charged that) - the fact that it came up cheaper is therefore questionable.

I would't ask anything, as i have a brain - and i know that had postage been lower - the price would have gone higher. People bid on the TOTAL they are willing to pay, and don't give a crap how much is postage, VAT, staff wages, blah blah blah.

FACT is - scammers see cheap item with higher postage. Buy it ON PURPOSE with the intention of scamming the seller via feedback extorsion.

And if i am not mistaken - its highly likely the scam started on MSE, or similar forum.

Some of you are turning it into Money Scamming Expert - and robbing small sellers who probably made a loss in the first place.

techspec

Brooker_Dave wrote: »

Why?

If you value your time at nothing and sellotape and jiffybags are free fair enough, but given you are providing a service, why do it for nothing?

Plus given ebay charge commission on postage, and force sellers to use Paypal, surely sellers have to add a % to their shipping cost?

My point was there is no insentive to charge high postage and low item price now - as both are subject to fees. May aswell add it to the price.

Personally, although i defend sellers rights to charge what they want - i will be glad to see the Ipads listed at 99p with £300 postage etc disappear from the search results.

techspec

quidsy wrote: »

refund 50p as a good will gesture.

Tell em you didnt charge enough - and ask for another quid