Postage and packaging and using pre-paid labels

tomkil

Sold a couple of books recently in auctions. They went for £1 each which was what I'd listed them for, so kind of disappointing, but I'd added £2.94 to each to pay for postage and packing. They both went to the same buyer and I printed off the pre-paid label and posted the package.

I expected to receive payment for the books plus £5.88 for the P&P minus the cost of the prepaid label which I imagined would be £3 or so. I've only received £2 whick means I have got nothing for the packaging or the trip to post the item.

Is that the way it works? Surely not.

MDMD

If you use simple delivery under the eBay policy then yes that’s how it works. You need to build the cost of the packaging into the start or BIN price (or reuse old envelopes).

tomkil

Ta. Does that mean the buyer paid £8.12 (the £2 for the items + 17p each for some kind of 'buyer protection' + £5.88 for p&p) while the seller (me) ended up with £2?

sammyjammy

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82018130#Comment_82018130

Yes thats how it works, you listed for £1 each, thats what they went for and thats what you received, not sure what you were expecting…

soolin

As above simple delivery came in about 18 months ago and as a private seller any parcel size book would be sent under the new system.

It works quite well once you get your head round it, the item price is the only thing you get, but you get a pre printed label and are covered for claims about non receipt or late items as soon as label scans as sent.

The rest of the buyer premium and postage goes to ebay. If you sold 2 did they show as a single transaction or two transactions? If one transaction then buyer should have paid for a single postage costs and you received one label, if sold as 2 lots not combined then buyer would have paid for postage on both and you would have received a label for both. Go and check your sold items, as if you got two labels but sent both together then the unused label will indicate item not sent and you won't get your money for that item.

eBay Customer Service

tomkil

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82018283#Comment_82018283

To end up with the £2 the items went for and not out of pocket for the packaging and visit to the post office to post them.

sammyjammy

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82018332#Comment_82018332

I'm not sure how much you think that would be but if you really feel you need recompense for this you need to factor that into the minimum amount you are willing to accept for what you are selling.