eBay

moondogblues · ‎07-04-2023

I bought 7 ACEO's from a seller, actually won them at auction for .99 each. Seller had 2.35 each for s/h so I of course messaged first to ask if she offered combined shipping. She said yes so I bid on them.

I won them and asked for a request total through the cart. Got the dreaded 'seller does not offer combined shipping'. I messaged seller and asked for a revised invoice. Got a message back that the cards would be shipped together in one envelope. Which they were. Is she being deliberately obtuse? I paid 23.38 for the cards and 6.93 was cards and the rest shipping.

I was reminded by eBay to pay, and it was clear to me that the seller was just messing with me and not going to refund anything so I paid the whole thing. I did make it clear to her that I was not happy. This is her final message to me from a few days ago.

"I know you liked my art, but I think it would be best if you no longer purchase any of it.
You will never be a happy camper. I don't like being put in the position I am in. We are done!"

I soooooooooo wanted to reply with something on the order of..."We are NOT done, I still have feedback to leave." But my better sense told me to come here and seek advice. She has perfect feedback, mostly from buying. The cards are nice and I would have cheerfully paid the exorbitant shipping if I had known up front. The total for shipping was 5.10 and it had tracking number which she didn't include in eBay. She also didn't add stiffener or write please do not bend on the envelope. Just threw the cards in willy nilly.

I am not sure what to do. I feel that she deliberately jerked me around and that she makes money off the shipping. Help.

sin-n-dex · ‎07-06-2023

@house*of*paws wrote:
@moondogblues wrote:
Orangehound...I just don't like being lied to, or jerked around.

Hi @moondogblues

I’m very sorry this happened … but you weren’t really lied to. However, you did ask the wrong question.

’Combining shipping’ technically means shipping more than one item in the same package. What you needed to ask was whether shipping was discounted if you win more than one item … OR, better yet, ask for the specific shipping cost to your ZIP Code for each additional item you win.

When an item is listed as an auction … a seller would lose money if you win multiple items at 99 cents each and expect to pay shipping cost for one.

[I believe you would hurt yourself with future sellers if you leave the seller a string of negs or neutrals for what sounds like miscommunication.]

As a seller, I get asked in all different forms about a shipping discount... combined shipping, discounted shipping, reduction on shipping for more than one, how much if I buy 3... I know what they are asking when they ask, I'm experienced at selling things. Anyone who is experienced at selling things knows what the question means.

If the seller in question wasn't completely obtuse, then they were nit picking word by word to ensure they answered correctly to the question asked, but ignored what was really being asked by the buyer.

Not related to a shipping price... one buyer messaged me a laundry list of instructions on how to ship a Plug-in Module (industrial computer part). I said "if you're worried about static, it goes in a non static bag inside a box". The response I got was that I answered correctly, but few sellers know how to properly pack them, so he gives instructions instead of asking questions. I knew what he was getting at, and answered what he really wanted to know.

If someone is telling me they want combined shipping, I am taking that to mean "combined shipping costs", and I'm also expecting to be charged relatively close to the cost of shipping plus a couple dollars or so for handling. (The handling I expect to pay goes up when things require lots of time packing, like the giant stamp albums I order).

C.

house*of*paws · ‎07-06-2023

@sin-n-dex wrote:
As a seller, I get asked in all different forms about a shipping discount... combined shipping, discounted shipping, reduction on shipping for more than one, how much if I buy 3... I know what they are asking when they ask, I'm experienced at selling things. Anyone who is experienced at selling things knows what the question means.

If the seller in question wasn't completely obtuse, then they were nit picking word by word to ensure they answered correctly to the question asked, but ignored what was really being asked by the buyer.

I replied to the OP's post which was Msg. #9 ... and read the subsequent posts afterwards, which contained additional information. I probably wouldn't have responded as such had I read the whole thread.

That said, we really don't know the seller's selling experience ... so I think there really could have been an initial miscommunication. Clues to the seller being fairly new:

Starting auctions at 99 cents.
Answering question about 'combining shipping' by stating that 5 cards would fit in one envelope.

Anyway, I'm still unclear about whether the seller actually understood what was being asked. Good artists and good sellers rarely share the same DNA. They are very incompatible traits. 😉

house*of*paws · ‎07-06-2023

[Ran out of editing time.]

The ONLY way I would approach a seller about combining shipping is to ask: I am interested in buying the following items from you: (list Item Numbers). What would be the total shipping cost to ZIP Code 12345?

kalyoth · ‎07-06-2023

in regards to the combined shipping - any chance it can be flagged for ebay to alter so that that flag is not able to catch anymore for sellers? I hate to make sellers combine shipping, but those buying larger amounts tend to be smaller sized more than not.