Seller Increased Shipping in Response to Combined Shipping Request

[greengorn]

I've thought I've seen it all in over 20 years of buying and selling on eBay.  I purchased three items from a seller.  I sent a combined shipping total request and instead of lowering it (or even leaving the shipping amount the same) the seller went and increased the amount I am supposed to pay for shipping substantially higher from what it would have costed by his amounts listed in the auctions to ship the items separately.  I didn't know sellers could do that and I feel as if that is not right and I shouldn't have to pay more than was in the listing (and yes I accounted for taxes being added on - this is separate from additional taxes which will also be then added on) 

[emerald_door]

I don't know why a seller would do that.  Can you buy the items individually and pay for each one separately?

[mudshark61369]

@greengorn,

Depending on the size and weight of the three items, the service used and distance, theUSPS' dimensional shipping system which assigns a weight to a package depending on how large it is. It is entirely possible that the combined shipping cost might be more than the cost of shipping each individually.  If the seller does not buy postage online but uses the USPS shipping calculator they are given retail shipping rates which will increase the cost of shipping. If there is a possibility of one or more of the items being damaged in shipping adding extra packing material may increase the package size by enough that the USPS's assigned weight is well over the actual weight, and using a USPS Special Handling Fragile sticker increases the postal cost as well.

[glenvonnie]

If the box required to ship multiple items goes over 1 Cu Foot, the shipping cost goes up dramatically, like from 8.99 to $30 in one case I had.

[dtexley3]

---

@mudshark61369 wrote:

@greengorn,

Depending on the size and weight of the three items, the service used and distance, theUSPS' dimensional shipping system which assigns a weight to a package depending on how large it is. It is entirely possible that the combined shipping cost might be more than the cost of shipping each individually.  If the seller does not buy postage online but uses the USPS shipping calculator they are given retail shipping rates which will increase the cost of shipping. If there is a possibility of one or more of the items being damaged in shipping adding extra packing material may increase the package size by enough that the USPS's assigned weight is well over the actual weight, and using a USPS Special Handling Fragile sticker increases the postal cost as well.

---

NONE of which allows the seller to INCREASE the shipping AFTER the sale.  

@greengorn Ask the seller why they increased the shipping.  Request a new invoice with the correct shipping not to exceed the orignal shipping on the three items.   At that point you can either pay or cancel the sale. 

[corvettestainless]

It does if the price to ship increases, as it has been explained. 

I have items that go 1st class for about $4. Buy 2 similar items and price goes to $11 (over 1 lb, now has to go Priority).

I solved this by giving 'free shipping' because that's how I roll.

I'm a giver. 

[dtexley3]

---

@corvettestainless wrote:

It does if the price to ship increases, as it has been explained. 

I have items that go 1st class for about $4. Buy 2 similar items and price goes to $11 (over 1 lb, now has to go Priority). I solved this by giving 'free shipping' because that's how I roll. I'm a giver. 

---

The cost to the seller may go up.  BUT the seller MAY NOT charge the buyer more on the invoice than the original shipping on the items.

[corvettestainless]

They can if you are asking for a revision- revisions don't have to go 'only down' (I know they can't change the shipping cost for 1 item, but when asking for combined it is just that.. "a request" and not required to be done)

Obviously, a seller should fix it/eat it if they are using calculated, or tell the buyer that it's simply 'cheaper' to ship separate due to size/weight etc. 

[dtexley3]

---

@corvettestainless wrote:

They can if you are asking for a revision- revisions don't have to go 'only down' (I know they can't change the shipping cost for 1 item, but when asking for combined it is just that.. "a request" and not required to be done)

Obviously, a seller should fix it/eat it if they are using calculated, or tell the buyer that it's simply 'cheaper' to ship separate due to size/weight etc. 

---

eBay broke the Invoice tool a few months back and now it will allow you to do things such as increase the total cost of the order.  The previous versions would not let you do that.  It also no longer pulls in the shipping from the indvidual order(s) which is probably why the limits are no longer in place.

[7606dennis]

---

@dtexley3 wrote:

---

@mudshark61369 wrote:

@greengorn,

Depending on the size and weight of the three items, the service used and distance, theUSPS' dimensional shipping system which assigns a weight to a package depending on how large it is. It is entirely possible that the combined shipping cost might be more than the cost of shipping each individually.  If the seller does not buy postage online but uses the USPS shipping calculator they are given retail shipping rates which will increase the cost of shipping. If there is a possibility of one or more of the items being damaged in shipping adding extra packing material may increase the package size by enough that the USPS's assigned weight is well over the actual weight, and using a USPS Special Handling Fragile sticker increases the postal cost as well.

---

NONE of which allows the seller to INCREASE the shipping AFTER the sale.  

@greengorn Ask the seller why they increased the shipping.  Request a new invoice with the correct shipping not to exceed the orignal shipping on the three items.   At that point you can either pay or cancel the sale. 

---

Actually, that is not quite true.  By asking the seller to combine shipping it makes it an open question.  A question which was raised by the buyer's request not the seller's.  Combined shipping doesn't automatically mean a discount since the combining of the items onto one shipment adds to the weight and size of the shipment which may easily result in an increase to the cost of shipping.

[7606dennis]

---

@dtexley3 wrote:

---

@corvettestainless wrote:

It does if the price to ship increases, as it has been explained. 

I have items that go 1st class for about $4. Buy 2 similar items and price goes to $11 (over 1 lb, now has to go Priority). I solved this by giving 'free shipping' because that's how I roll. I'm a giver. 

---

The cost to the seller may go up.  BUT the seller MAY NOT charge the buyer more on the invoice than the original shipping on the items.

---

The request was made by the buyer.  If the buyer requests an upgrade the cost is billable to the buyer.  Why would not the increase in cost resulting from the buyer's request to combine the items in one shipment be so also?

[airsheep]

Usually a buyer asks for combined shipping with the understanding that the shipping might decrease, not increase. If combining items might cause dimensional shipping to kick in, I would be ok with a seller telling me that. Upping the shipping cost without a good explanation does not get a free pass.

[7606dennis]

---

@airsheep wrote:
Usually a buyer asks for combined shipping with the understanding that the shipping might decrease, not increase. If combining items might cause dimensional shipping to kick in, I would be ok with a seller telling me that. Upping the shipping cost without a good explanation does not get a free pass.

---

Buyer's shouldn't assume that the costs will decrease.

[3eyedfishcatcher]

A lot of time combining items can save money on the shipping but if they are large and heavy items a large box could be required. With the larger box and weight of the multiple items this could raise the cost of shipping. USPS First Class Package & Priority mail are both using zone pricing. That and the weight increase possibly raised the shipping cost.

I my self sell model train buildings and for the most part individual buildings do not weigh much. Most of the weight comes from the box. However sometimes a buyer will want 3 to 5 of the large buildings I have for sale. In a few rare cases the larger box that would have been needed to ship the building all at once made the cost of shipping higher than shipping individually. In this cases like this if the buyer had requested a invoice before paying I usually message them back letting them know why the combined shipping would be higher and give them a choice of shipping in one box at the higher cost or individually at the lower cost.

Have you messaged the seller to see why the cost went up?