What feedback should this seller receive - Positive, Neutral, or Negative?

[eye_of_the_tiger]

Hello, 

I recently bought multiple items from a seller with 90 feedback, and 100% positive. Before the sale, I messaged the seller, asking if he would combine shipping if I bought two of his items listed. His response: "I sure can thank you!" So I buy the two items. The seller ships the items on December 29, and I see that he has combined shipping as both items have the same tracking number. However, I did not receive a refund for the shipping costs. I paid $10.00 for shipping, and the seller shipped the items in one package with USPS First-Class, so I'm expecting a $5 refund. I message the seller, asking to refund me the shipping cost. I get no response. 

After nearly a week of waiting, the items finally arrive. Blue tape covers half of the box, and the shipping label is just paper, taped on to the box. And the box, well, looks like it's been used previously. It's a USPS package. Anyway, I open the box and the two items are there. Great! The only catch is that there is barely any protection for the items. There is one piece of bubble wrap about one foot long and one foot wide. The bubble wrap is only wrapping one out of the two items. The other item is, literally, just inside the box, no bubble wrap around it or anything. It's a miracle that neither arrived damaged in any way. 

I did read one the positive feedback this seller got, saying: "Item was loose in package but luckily arrived without any damage." I did not understand what the feedback meant then. I do now. It looks like this seller has gotten lucky at least twice, but I do know that it won't last forever. 

This seller does sell really low priced items, which is why I bought from him. He has lots of items that I've been wanting for a long time. 

What do you think - should I leave this seller positive, neutral, or negative feedback? 

Thank you for your responses. 

[mtgraves7984]

This seller does sell really low priced items, which is why I bought from him. He has lots of items that I've been wanting for a long time. 

@eye_of_the_tiger 

If this ^^^ is true, then don't leave a negative feedback. You could be put on the seller's BBL. How about no feedback?

[7606dennis]

I'm assuming, from your statement that both of the items have arrived safely.  Although it sounds like the items could have been packaged for shipment more securely, they arrived safely so the packaging was adequate in this case.

Not knowing what the size and/or weight of the package was, nor how far it had to travel, it is not possible to determine if $10 was not a reasonable S&H cost.  Since you mentioned that the seller agreed to combine shipping but did not mention if he offered any discounted shipping, did you get a firm amount of how much the shipping would be for both items before making the purchase?

Frankly, I would recommend simply not leaving any feedback at all.

[noodlevette]

How heavy was the box and what zip code did it ship from and to?   

Anything in a box as opposed to a padded mailer usually just thanks to the weight of the box may have pushed it over 12 oz.    (And over 5 bucks) 

Also remember whatever the seller had for shipping they also paid the fees on, depending on category 5.00 plus 15%  plus the 30 cents.

  If it was over 12 oz depending on zone it could have cost 6.28 plus the 15% plus the 30 cents.  

Sometimes combining does not save as much as we hope.   If it really cost your seller 8 bucks after the fees to ship he or she probably can't refund you five bucks.    

[stainlessenginecovers]

If the 2 items weighed over 16 oz combined; it had to ship Priority and the price more than doubled. 

Is there a large F on the shipping label, or P ??

[noodlevette]

Jeepers I hit enter to fast.

You mention the seller has low priced items and it sounds like you wish to purchase more possibly in the future.    

Knowing they may come packaged in a crap shoot manner, only you can decide to chance it or not.

However, if you leave a neg or neutral, you probably will not have to worry about that since most sellers can't afford to have a repeat rating like that and will block you from future purchases.   

Not the answer you probably want, but that is the way it is. 

[downunder-61]

You asked them to combine - they did - you did not ask for a reduction in cost - nothing the seller did was wrong - perhaps they could pack better......

You got 2 undamaged items for $10 shipping, I would say that was a positive outcome.

Remember -  combined does not mean discounted.

[eye_of_the_tiger]

@stainlessenginecovers 

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@stainlessenginecovers wrote:

Is there a large F on the shipping label, or P ??

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There is a big “F” on the left side of the label.

And the labels says “14 ozs,” and shipped with USPS First-Class, which is $5. The seller does seem to have a slightly bad history of shipping. He recieved one negative feedback, saying: “HORRID! Sent postage due instead of free shipping and refused 2 refund.” But that was past 12 months, so it doesn’t count on his feedback percentage anymore. 

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[eye_of_the_tiger]

Hello, 

I did ask them to combine shipping and combine shipping prices as well. They said yes, but only combined shipping, not combine prices, and they pocketed the difference. As I said in my original post, I did message the seller, asking him to combine shipping prices, but got no response. 

[eye_of_the_tiger]

Aha! I do now understand why the seller might not want to combine shipping prices! Thank you for the information! 

[albertabrightalberta]

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@eye_of_the_tiger wrote:

 Before the sale, I messaged the seller, asking if he would combine shipping if I bought two of his items listed.  

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@eye_of_the_tiger wrote:

I did ask them to combine shipping and combine shipping prices as well. 

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Really? Did you honestly ask to combine shipping prices? 

In 20+ years of buying and selling on ebay, I've never seen a listing that states that they "combine shipping and prices" for multiple purchases. 

I've also never been asked (by a buyer) to "combine shipping and shipping prices." 

What I have offered and have seen offered is reduced shipping price for combined purchases shipped together but if I were a gambling gal, I'd bet your request was as in the OP and NOT as you claim in post #9. 

I can't see the listing or seller's experience but I suspect it might be a newish or inexperienced seller who may not realize you were looking for a reduction in the shipping price.

[mudshark61369]

@eye_of_the_tiger,

You wrote:  "I recently bought multiple items from a seller". If you bought the items before December 26, there was a USPS Holiday surcharge on the shipping. 

  "I messaged the seller, asking if he would combine shipping if I bought two of his items listed. His response: "I sure can thank you!... I see that he has combined shipping as both items have the same tracking number. However, I did not receive a refund for the shipping costs. I paid $10.00 for shipping, and the seller shipped the items in one package with USPS First-Class, so I'm expecting a $5 refund".

If the two items together weighed over 13 ounces, the shipping cost would increase to the 1-2 lb. rate, unless the seller has a commercial USPS account.  So if the seller was shipping for a fixed price of $5 each. it may have cost them more than $5 to ship the two items together.  I too wonder if the seller didn't understand that you wanted a combined shipping price, and not just the two items shipped together.

  You say the seller has 90 feedback, but how many of the 90 are for selling? If there was a fixed shipping price and you paid, instead of requesting a total, the seller was charged a fee on what you paid for shipping, which would not be returned to them if they refunded you the expected $5.  A more experienced seller would have asked you to wait until they, sent you a combined shipping invoice.

"After nearly a week of waiting, the items finally arrive. Blue tape covers half of the box, and the shipping label is just paper, taped on to the box. And the box, well, looks like it's been used previously... the two items are there. Great! The only catch is that there is barely any protection for the items. There is one piece of bubble wrap... only wrapping one out of the two items. The other item is, literally, just inside the box, no bubble wrap around it or anything. It's a miracle that neither arrived damaged in any way...  What do you think - should I leave this seller positive, neutral, or negative feedback?".

You say the seller has many items you want at low prices, If you want to be able to buy more items from the seller, I would leave them a positive feedback, after all the items did arrive intact and probably on time considering the Holiday return rush is probably still happening. Over the years I've received many items in beat up and somewhat dirty boxes, and as long as what was inside of them was in the correct condition SO WHAT, they received a positive feedback.

If what they are selling are fragile pieces that could be damaged in shipping, what you may want to do is contact the seller before buying any other items.  You might suggest that they do a google search for "How to send a combined postage invoice on ebay".  If the seller is giving a fixed shipping price, you might want to suggest that before sending an invoice that they pre-pack and weigh the order to get the shipping cost.

Also ask them if they would use more packing material to protect the items against shipping damage. 

[*madison]

 He has lots of items that I've been wanting for a long time. 

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If you want to buy more of his stuff, don't even think about leaving anything but positive feedback.

I deal with a seller who I can't stand, ( not on ebay ) but I want his stuff, so I have to keep my mouth shut.

[soh.maryl]

My suggestion would be no FB at all.

But you might PM that seller since you noticed that he's done this more than once that he may want to re-evaluate his packing procedure.  

[albertabrightalberta]

@eye_of_the_tiger 

I thought of another error in your thinking. 

You stated, "I paid $10.00 for shipping, and the seller shipped the items in one package with USPS First-Class, so I'm expecting a $5 refund."

It sounds as though you expected the seller to ship the second item free.

If the seller charges $5 for shipping one item, adding a second item to the same package adds more weight to the package, thus increasing the price. So expecting to pay shipping for just one item is expecting the seller to lose money. On a 14 oz. item, it costs more than $5 to ship an item next door! To ship across the country would be more. 

You stated: "Blue tape covers half of the box, and the shipping label is just paper, taped on to the box. And the box, well, looks like it's been used previously."

I personally don't see a problem with a seller who recycles perfectly good packaging, not only as a way to save YOU money (since her costs are going to be recouped through buyers) as well as being more environmentally friendly. 

Respectfully, complaining about "blue tape" and a paper shipping label taped on the box sounds just plain petty and gives the appearance of you being a nitpicker. 

I tape ALL labels, even self-stick because humidity, handling and other factors can loosen them and rather than have it fall off along the way, the tape makes it more secure. 

There are too many serious problems with sellers who don't ship at all, don't send what you ordered, bait and switch, and sell fakes so one would expect you to be happy with a purchase you received quickly (during the holiday season) and was as described.

Thank you for posting.