Question on a Postage request from highest bidder

Fiasco55

I'm very new to eBay and I am decluttering just now and have been selling some things online. So I'm not too sure about a message I just received from a buyer. I was selling a pair of shoes, up until 3 minutes before the end of the auction I had no bids. I then receive one. At 1 minute left I receive a message from this bidder asking if they win can I send the item 1st class and they will pay.

The auction closed and they are the sole bidder and they immediately pay. My postage was for 2nd class signed for. What am I supposed to do? I feel that if they wanted it quicker they should have contacted me before bidding and certainly with less that a minute on the auction.

Pierre_De_Grenoble

I would send them a paypal gift request for the upgrade to 1st class.


and suggest in a polite way that if I hadn't heard from them by so-o-clock tomorrow that their item will be posted by 2nd as they have payed for.

soolin

I think this is becoming a bit of a 'thing' on eBay, it's been mentioned a few times recently on the community boards. Buyers know how much power they have, so asking for 1st class and making a notional suggestion that they will pay the extra might persuade a fair percentage of sellers to just upgrade and waive any extra payment. I've done it myself as a seller, but having seen this mentioned so often I have now stopped doing that and if they want an upgrade they pay.

As per Pierre send them your PayPal ID and tell them they need to pay X amount as a gift by 9am tomorrow if they want it upgraded, or offer a bank transfer with the same timescale.

I would have been sympathetic except for the fact they rushed to pay when the obvious option would have been to email the seller first so that the invoice could be adjusted and avoid seller paying the additional PayPal fee.

bxboards

I've mentioned here a few times I think this is a deliberate buyer tactic most of the time hoping for free postage upgrades.

I've had this 3 times just over this weekend, buyers paying then sending a message asking for next day delivery. 1 out of 3 did pay the extra. The buyers always seem to pay quickly, then message seconds after paying. As my Express options are shown the listing and final invoice, I assume this is a deliberate tactic. Doesn't work with me, but I guess enough sellers upgrade for free to make it worthwhile.

I no longer do 'free' shipping as a TRS as I don't want to offer 30 day returns, so I have an economy chargeable postage option then an Express option, so I think folks pay for economy service and hope for express service...

campdave

I offer first and second class on my listings, so I refuse to send first class unless it's selected.

I send a paypal invoice for the difference, and a polite note saying payment must be received by 9pm on the day they have bought or it will be sent via the second class they have selected. Most don't pay the difference, and I've not had anyone complaining that I posted second class yet.

The difference in price is 33% of my profit on a single item I sell, I'm not upgrading for free.