Combined shipping rebates for buyers when shipping is "Free".
I have been buying and selling collectible coins on eBay for almost two decades. Often I purchase multiple items, which can be shipped together to save on shipping. When shipping is extra, it is easy to request an invoice for a reduced amout reflecting the savings. However, when sellers are using the "Free Shipping" platform, this becomes more difficult, and many will argue that shipping is "Free". Huh? The USPS has never delivered packages free for me.
Plain and simple, one package containing two similar items going to the same buyer, costs half as much to ship as two packages going to two different buyers. The USPS doesn't care if the seller offered free shipping or shipping was additional. It costs the same. Moreover, whenever a buyer enables a shipping savings by purchasing multiple items that can be shipped together, THAT SAVINGS BELONGS TO THE BUYER FOR MAKING IT POSSIBLE.
Buyers will unwittingly buy multiple items from sellers offering "Free Shipping" without ever realizing that those sellers are pocketing a shipping windfall that can be substantial.
I always request a rebate. Some sellers agree and some don't. Who else has experienced the same circumstances? How did you resolve it?
ryry-jj
·4 months agoBuying and selling is a game...buyers want the lowest price, sellers want the highest price...buyers have all the power by purchasing or not, once they purchase, the power flips to the seller. A buyer can try to leverage the quantity purchase to get some power back, but the seller can say no.
This entire thread is about "how do I as a buyer retain power after I have purchased?" In my eyes, you have very little...
gurlcat
·4 months ago@ryry-jj If only that were true. If anything, the buyer has MORE power after they have paid. You know all the things they can do after that. And those things are what a seller has to consider (whether the buyer mentions them or not) when the buyer starts making post-payment demands. Er sorry, "requests" as this OP insists on calling them.
ryry-jj
·4 months agoVery true...but I'm referring to the ability to cut deals on price after they have purchased. That's not happening, nor will I do any special packing request or shipments not offered.
The OP had said the reason they dont ask before buying is they don't want to bombard the seller with question, its more likely they want the buyer to know what they could miss out on if they don't agree to their "request". Just my read...
gurlcat
·4 months ago@ryry-jj Exactly. They could cancel them all and make the seller have to start the auctions all over again, or they could give them negative feedback (they did mention "should have combined shipping" in at least one positive feedback I found, but who knows if they've done some negs too, but they got removed). And of course there are plenty more evil punishments they could bestow upon the seller, but I'm not going to mention them in case they're still lurking the thread. -Don't want to give them any ideas, LOL.
gone.c-33
·4 months agoI’m going to try and ask target to discount my purchases since I buy for much more than $35 at once and they advertise free 2-day shipping.
gurlcat
·4 months ago@gone.c-33 OMG, awesome point, can't believe nobody else has brought it up yet. -Yeah, what other online platforms would a buyer think they are owed money back for multiple items with free shipping?
To me this OP's attitude reeks of BULLY behavior. They wouldn't think of trying to ask Target, Amazon, Walmart for this, because they know they'd just get a scripted version of "no" if any response at all. But a private one-on-one email with a seller who knows they are vulnerable to buyers' whims if they get angry ... that's a whole other thing.
adamcartwright
·4 months ago@gone.c-33
That was my first thought, as well.
OP has spoken -- All the retailers who offer free shipping need to hup two.
krazzykats
·4 months agoI’m starting to offer volume discounts—if you buy more than one, shipping is just $0.50 or $1.00 for each additional item, but only for similar items. Or a buy one get one sale.
It’s still a work in progress as I try to clear out more stock while keeping postage fair and to avoid the doubled-up shipping charges.
But for mixed items, I still need a list before purchase to figure out best way shipping.
ᓚᘏᗢ
adamcartwright
·4 months ago@onecylinderbob
You've gotta be kidding.
campanaelia
·4 months agoI assume you're talking about BIN items, when I want multiple BIN items w/free shipping I normally just message the seller with all the item numbers I want. In return they usually either send special offers to me for each item and I pay them all together at checkout or the sellers creates a separate listing for me that includes my user id in the title as shown below...
gurlcat
·4 months ago@campanaelia No, the OP has mentioned "bid" and "won" numerous times, so he is talking about auctions. He is literally naming his own prices on multiple items and then expecting a refund. 🤣
Funny thing about that. I have been "anti" free shipping for years, but just recently I've begun using it on auctions with certain qualities: where the starting bid is more than enough to cover shipping, but I also know the item is desirable enough to get lots of attention and lots of bids, and so the reason I offer free shipping is sort of a "concierge" service, so the bidders don't have to bother with math while trying to decide how much they want to bid. It's having great results so far.
But the idea of someone writing to me to request a partial refund after they've already won -that's a very uncomfortable feeling that has less to do with money than 'what else is this person going to do?' If you haven't sold here before you wouldn't know this feeling, but I guarantee just about all sellers have felt it many times.
stephenmorgan
·4 months ago.................................
worldcoinauctions
·4 months agoYou are correct that shipping can often be less, and yes, if you don't ask I'm just gonna take the windfall. In this ID I run auctions exclusively but if you ask and buy at least 5 items that you can pay for in 1 week (8 days really) I will combine them in a ground advantage package and only charge you for that.
On my other ID I sell fixed price and some things are free shipping while others have shipping charges as I'm currently moving from free shipping to charging again. All those items are immediate payment too. If you were to buy several I'd probably refund you the difference without asking as long as they were all bought before I started shipping. If you bought a "free shipping" item and a paid shipping item I'd again probably just refund the excess.
One thing to keep in mind, I'm incorporating the cost of my envelope, label, paper, toner and ebay's 13.5% fee on the shipping in my shipping cost, not just the postage. People who don't do that are nuts!
onecylinderbob
OP4 months agoGood for you. You have my highest respect for upholding such a high standard of ethics!
tobaccocardyahoo
·4 months ago@onecylinderbob
Asking for combined shipping when shipping is "free" will get you blocked by many sellers. It won't get you blocked by me because I never offer "free" shipping.
Your request is an immediate money loser for any seller who values his time. There is a cost to your frugality which many sellers will not accept.
kensgiftshop
·4 months agoWhat is there to resolve, you already get free shipping.
Why do you think you need another discount?
albertabrightalberta
·4 months agoI've read EVERY reply to and from the community members.
I'm also very familiar with ebay policy and I recommend you familiarize yourself with what it says in this link:
https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/rules-policies-buyers/abusive-buyer-policy?id=4374&st=3&pos=1&query=Abusive%20buyer%20policy&intent=abusive%20buyer%20policy&lucenceai=lucenceai&docId=HELP1318
You don't seem to understand that you are "kindly" asking for something that isn't in the listing.
and this is the specific section of the policy I linked above. The help make it crystal clear to you, I've bold-faced and colored the font. (Requesting a shipping discount when it's not part of the listing is NOT allowed.)
What should I do if I think a buyer is making an unreasonable demand?
You're not required to agree to any extras or changes from the terms of your listing. If a buyer is making demands that are not a part of your original listing, you will be protected from negative feedback and defects when you either deliver the item purchased by the buyer according to the original terms of your listing, or cancel the transaction.
To help us identify buyers who are engaging in unacceptable buying behaviors, please report the abusive behavior.
We encourage you to communicate politely and professionally with the buyer.
onecylinderbob
OP4 months agoEBay Policy Verbatum, "You're not required to agree to any extras or changes from the terms of your listing. If a buyer is making demands that are not a part of your original listing, you will be protected from negative feedback".
1. "You're not required to agree" does not make it wrong or against eBay policy for a buyer to make a friendly and logical request.
2. There is a world of difference between a friendly request and "making demands". Would you like a Merriam-Webster definition of each?
Throw away the colored hand lens and read the EXACT words of the governing eBay policy. You are clearly incorrect.
albertabrightalberta
·4 months ago@onecylinderbob
It's irrelevant whether a seller has free shipping or charges separately for shipping. No seller is required to charge less for shipping additional items in the same package. Many sellers do reduce the price when there's a savings but there's no ebay policy requiring it.
But for you to expect a shipping credit from a seller who has free shipping is the height of entitlement and arrogance and if a buyer asked me that question, they'd be blocked and ignored.
(FWIW, I don't do free shipping and I do offer a reduced price for multiple purchases shipped together but that's my choice, not a buyer's choice.)
onecylinderbob
OP4 months agoYou need to read my replies to other eBay community members this evening. Kindly requesting a shipping refund where justified is far from entitlement or arrogance. At worst, it would be correctly considered savvy buying.
I didn't post this issue to rant, but rather to invite the input of intelligent people on a matter that has been smoke screened too long. I have enjoyed many of the responses, but yours was inappropriate.
The claim is legitimate and backed by the math, but it has never been addressed directly by eBay or the eBay community, to my knowledge. I haven't drawn any conclusions or assumed a posture as you would suggest. I would like to think that I could reach out to others without them biting my head off!
Please don't read words into my messages that were clearly not mentioned or intended.
kensgiftshop
·4 months agoWhen the seller offers free shipping, there is no shipping refund because you didn't pay any shipping.
onecylinderbob
OP4 months agoRead the other replies. When I charge you $30.00, including free shipping, for an item that other eBay sellers are offering for $25.00 plus $5.00 shipping, you certainly ARE paying for shipping. If you buy six items from me, I just pocketed $30.00 of your money for a combined shipment that costed me only slightly more, if any, than the $5.00 charged for the single item. Why do so many viewers have trouble seeing the obvious?
That's OK. I'm now convinced that I need to join the ranks and offer "Free Shipping'' as well. Why not? I can go out to dinner from time to time...........a free gift from my multiple item buyers who fail to see the windfall.
kensgiftshop
·4 months agoRight, most know when a seller offers free shipping, the shipping charge is included in the price.
Does the seller always come out ahead, not all the time.
Depending on where the buyer is, the seller might be losing on the shipping side.
A few years ago, had a buyer buy a couple things that were set for First Class, so I thought I'd toss booth in one box and ship that way.
It would have cost more to ship in one box then it did two boxes.
Combining shipping doesn't always mean it'll be cheaper.
onecylinderbob
OP4 months agoKen,
Yes, that does occasionally happen with bulkier items, but almost never with coins. The average coin weighs four to ten grams, so even six to eight coins in flips can come in under four ounces, and one shipping label covers the shipping. Adding another four ounces is less than fifty cents, so there's another six to ten coins. As long as the value stays under $500.00 or so, nothing changes. Over that amount, I usually upgrade to Priority Flat Rate Envelope, so my shipping cost doubles. But if sixteen coins are enclosed, fourteen shipping charges are still saved, even with the Priority upgrade. Bear in mind that when a seller underestimates his shipping costs in the worst case scenario, there is the same loss whether shipping is free or a la carte, because the TOTAL collected is still the same and sellers with a la carte shipping are unable to request additional funds from their buyers the same as sellers offering free shipping. Both take the same hit.
With small, lightweight and inexpensive items, combined shipping is always cheaper. As for location, shipments across the country, AK & HI, will only cost a buck or so more when the packet is kept to four ounces, even eight. Priority Flat Rate is the same everywhere in the US if under 70 lbs. The problem arises when bulky items are shipped. Closer to home is much cheaper than across the US.
house*of*paws
·4 months agoHi @onecylinderbob
In the decades I've been buying stuff on eBay ... it's never occurred to me to request a discount when purchasing multiple items from a seller with free shipping. The fact that you are a SELLER who is recommending that we do so leaves me speechless. 🤐
onecylinderbob
OP4 months agoNo, I am speaking as a buyer, not a seller. I can see why you used the term "speechless". Please read my other replies. This subject has been tucked under the rug too long.
Admittedly, my argument is the most valid where size and weight of individual items is very minimal and the value low. But six $20.00 items being shipped with tracking will obligate a seller to $30.00 to $36.00 in eBay shipping label costs if shipped separately. $25.00 to $30.00 is saved by shipping these $120.00 worth of goods together. That is not chicken feed.
Thank-you for your reply.
house*of*paws
·4 months ago@onecylinderbob
I referred to you as a ‘seller’ because of the thousands of feedback for selling on your account. 🙂 I realize you’re also a buyer.
Despite the perk of being able to set one’s own hours … I consider selling one of the most difficult jobs one could have. No paid sick leave, holidays or vacations. No help towards retirement and having to spend much of one’s earnings into buying more ‘stock’ so as to have items to sell in the future.
The act of asking a seller to share some of the extra money they might make from combining several sold items into a single package (when they offer free shipping) would use up a lifetime’s worth of ‘chutzpah’ IMHO. I just couldn’t do it. 🤷
onecylinderbob
OP4 months agoI don't have a choice with a la carte shipping. I am fully transparent and considered a crook if I don't remit excess shipping charges to my buyers. It doesn't take any "chutzpah" to ask a seller to adhere to the same fair business practices and level of transparency that you do regardless of the method of shipping offered. However, I have learned from this post that you will be tarred and feathered if you do.
I'm convinced that I need to stop fighting the current and offer Free Shipping as well. However, in doing so, I will have to decide how I will react when rightfully approached for a shipping rebate by a savvy buyer of multiple items.
kensgiftshop
·4 months agoIf you offer free shipping, tell buyer they are not paying shipping so there isn't any discount.
kibble-net
·4 months agoOdd thing for a buyer to say, usually it's the sellers pointing this tidbit out.
That being said... if you disagree with a seller's shipping policy, vote with your wallet.
ryry-jj
·4 months agoWhen offering free shipping, then there is no additional charge...that also means there is no additional discount. I would not back out any of the cost to satisfy any buyer's preconceived idea of what shipping should cost. Matter of fact, combining shipping cost is when I will charge for the box and packing material before giving a shipping discount. The buyer still receives a break, it's just now they pay 100% of the total cost of that package, FVF and all
bonanza125
·4 months agoThere is nothing to resolve. The seller has the right to the money cause the shipping cost is included in with the price. Free shipping eliminates the problem with calculation of combine shipping. If you feel you want to get a discount on multiple purchases with free shipping then contact the seller to work things out. In my case I usually have to upgrade to a box and add additional insurance so there is a cost to that. However I always listen to buyers thoughts and all the time its not an issue where things are worked out. Talking things out before purchasing gets things done.
onecylinderbob
OP4 months agoSome good thoughts in your reply, but you overlooked one very important point. When a seller uses the "Free Shipping" method, they are responsible for purchasing the same number of shipping labels as the number of items sold. But if one buyer purchases four items, and the actual shipping cost does not go up due to substantially increased weight or value, then three shipping labels are saved. Who allowed that savings to be possible? The buyer, not the seller.
There is a moreover to this. If the buyer who purchased four items had only purchased one, then three more shipping labels would have to be purchased by the seller AND the other three items would have sold for the second highest bid. It's a double loss for the seller.
Perhaps this seems Penny Annie to many viewers. But with collectible coins, often the purchase price is only $20.00 to $30.00 per coin, but a shipping label for one coin is roughly $5.00 to $6.00 with tracking, depending on location. If a buyer like myself buys six coins, the savings on shipping can amount to 20% of the total price when orders are combined. Ten typical coins can still come in under four ounces shipping weight.
Sure, free shipping makes the math easier, and sellers can use it as a smokescreen to make some extra money on shipping in cases like mine, but some of us are not unwitting buyers. The subject needed to be brought to light.
I want to thank everyone for their input.
powell-collectibles
·4 months agoReally, nothing to resolve. If you ask about a shipping discount after the sale, the seller isn’t required to give it. He probably should – and there is absolutely no harm in asking.
Many will inquire with the seller about combined shipping before any purchases made. Then, at least you know. Wow, that’s if the seller is honest. Plenty of stories on here about a seller promising combine shipping, but never following through with any sort of refund.
I almost always use free shipping. If a buyer inquires about a discount for command shipping, I would give it. If he doesn’t, I’m keeping the overage. Usually – I reserve the right to change my mind on a case by case basis.
onecylinderbob
OP4 months agoExcellent and very grounded input. Please read my other replies as it is too time consuming to reply to everyone.
This subject needed to be brought to light.
Many thanks!
christworks
·4 months agoSure there is. That is a violation of eBay policy! Buyers can - and should - be reported for that.
onecylinderbob
OP4 months agoKindly requesting a shipping rebate, particularly where the savings is substantial, is not harrassment, nor a violation of eBay policy. Besides, in the case of auctions, how do you know that you are going to have multiple wins beforehand? You don't.
Seller #1 charges $25.00 for an item plus $5.00 shipping. Seller #2 charges $30.00 for the same item but offers free shipping. Both sellers net the same for single sales of the same item. John Doe buys five of the same items from seller #1. Seller #1 is considered a crook if he doesn't offer a combined shipping discount. However, if he buys those same five items from seller #2, then asking for the same discount from seller #2 is considered outrageous and possible harrassment. What's wrong with this picture?
The real world is guided by logic, not technicalities. A "by the book" law enforcement officer or building inspector could write any of us up on some violation if we were observed long enough. What is legitimate and ethically correct doesn't always run in the same circles as the "rules". There are always exceptions and omissions.
Not all buyers are unwitting. A few even have math skills.
Thank-you for you input.
albertabrightalberta
·4 months agoIt doesn't matter if you "kindly" request a "rebate" or if you demand it. It's NOT allowed per ebay policy.
onecylinderbob
OP4 months agoYou've drawn a conclusion without thorough consideration or reading the input of other members or my responses. Friendly requests are part of the negotiation process. It is not a violation of policy. I have spent countless hours on the phone with eBay over 20 years. I know how they think and where the fine line is between negotiating and harrassment.
I will not be responding to you again.
ed8108
·4 months agoA interesting solution
The buyer simply decides to limit their purchase to just one item 😊 When there is no shipping rebate incentive to purchase more than one item at this time.
onecylinderbob
OP4 months agoThe purpose of the eBay Community platform is to help one another through non-judgemental dialogue. But even more importantly, IT IS OFTEN THE FOUNDATION FOR NECESSARY CHANGES IN RULES AND EBAY PROTOCOL. Inasmuch as rules are subject to personal interpretation, even within eBay itself, any argument concerning rules is more easily substantiated when common sense and good ethical practice are the guiding forces. Negotiating shipping costs is no different than negotiating selling prices. Anyone who considers a friendly request the same as extortion or harrassment needs to go back to school and learn the difference.
Sellers offering "Free Shipping" have been able to pocket combined shipping windfalls with impunity and without question until now, while sellers with "a la carte" shipping will often receive negative feedback from indignant buyers for doing the same thing. This inequity needed to be addressed.
bonanza125
·4 months ago"IT IS OFTEN THE FOUNDATION FOR NECESSARY CHANGES IN RULES AND EBAY PROTOCOL"
Yes this is an honest discussion community to better educate and understand protocol of Ebay however Ebay makes it's own decisions. Ebay will not make a change to "Free Shipping" anytime soon to where you would like it to be.
Sellers offering "Free Shipping" have been able to pocket combined shipping windfalls with impunity and without question until now, while sellers with "a la carte" shipping will often receive negative feedback from indignant buyers for doing the same thing. This inequity needed to be addressed.
You brought up an excellent reason why sellers should change to "Free Shipping" and why Ebay will not make this change anytime soon. It eliminates bad feedback for shipping cost from buyers who believe they are being overcharged on shipping. Just image being a seller who has to always calculate combine shipping charges for buyers. It can be time consuming. So this is easier. Buyer agrees to pay exact total which includes shipping, Seller has less to worry about with multiple purchases and Ebay gets there money through fees anyway.
christworks
·4 months agoI never mentioned anything about harassment, so do not put words into your response that I never referenced. This misleads those who are reading this thread.
With all due respect, it is a violation of eBay policy to ask for changes after you have agreed to the sale. If you want a shipping discount, ask before you buy. That is 100% allowable. When you buy, you enter into a contract, and you are expected by eBay and the seller to adhere to it. It does not matter how "kind" you are—simply asking after the purchase is a policy violation, as you can see from the report form sellers can use to report buyers who do it.
You keep trying to make your argument to me about why you feel it is unfair. It is no different than if I sell a hat for $80 that all other sellers have listed for $50, and then, after a buyer purchases it, they message asking for a $30 discount because others have it priced lower. You keep talking about logic—let me tell you what is illogical: it is completely illogical not to clear up any issues you have about price before you buy. You act as if sellers must price items the same as their competition. Worse, you come across as quite entitled. That attitude is shameful, frankly.
If you want a discount, ask before you buy. That’s all you have to do. Instead, it seems you want to buy and then ask for a discount. That’s wrong. You can think differently, but that does not change the rules. Eventually, if enough sellers report you, you may find your buying privileges suspended.
onecylinderbob
OP4 months agoThe only reason that you view my attitude as "shameful and entitled" is because I am sitting on the stool that you are accustomed to occupying. You obviously didn't read my response to another commentator about the precise eBay language governing this topic. Friendly inquiries and requests are always acceptable, and the tone of the presentation is everything. DEMANDS are what eBay prohibits. Do you understand the difference between a friendly request and a demand? Apparently not.
In the case of auctions, you cannot know ahead of time how many wins you will have, so you are unable to work the shipping out in advance. And the example you cited was irrelevant as well. Of course, you don't attempt to extort money from a seller when you find a cheaper item on eBay! This is about excess shipping that the BUYER earned by buying multiple items that could be shipped together. You weren't paying attention to the examples that I cited. I make it my business to understand english........the way a judge and eBay staff view it, not with your slant.
This is the second time that you have appeared on one of my posts with your holier than thou attitude. I strongly suggest that you set the stone tablets aside and pay better attention to the exact points that are being made. Otherwise, you have no business to mingle your opinions into the other intelligent responses that I have received concerning this matter.
......and no, defending oneself from unfair and inappropriate comments is not arrogance!
campanaelia
·4 months ago@christworks
Many times it is offered in the original listing
What about with listings that state "saved with combined shipping" and have free shipping.
I won the auction below and normally buy at least 2 auctions that always ship together from this seller , and not once did he refund me anything.
I see no violation in policy in the buyer asking for the shipping discount when it has that statement whether it has free shipping or not.
christworks
·4 months agoThe OP did not say anything about a listing stating the seller offered combined listing. Obvoiusly if the listing mentioned combined shipping, there would be no policy violation - as the policy I posted clearly states.
The only way a listing will mention combined shipping is if a seller has it enabled. Otherwise, buyers won't see it. If a seller does not offer it, it would be a policy violation to then demand it after you've already bought the item. When you buy an item, you agree to the price and the terms of the sale. I report buyers and cancel sales at the fault of the buyer when they ask for anything that isn't in the listing after they already agreed to the purchase terms.
campanaelia
·4 months agoI've never asked the seller I mentioned above for the combined shipping savings before now, but I think I will ask when this situation happens again.
jonathanbrightlight
·4 months agoYou're not entitled to a discount for purchasing multiple items from the same seller, unless they offer it. Yes, it saves them some money usually, though not in every case, but if you purchase it at the price shown, you have agreed to purchase it at the price shown, period. Some sellers barely make anything on a single sale, and make up for it with the occasional extra profit from situations like that.
If you don't like the terms of sale as shown, move on to a different seller. Trying to strongarm sellers into giving you a discount that was not advertised is a quick way to end up on many seller's block lists.
onecylinderbob
OP4 months agoPlease read my reply to bonanza125. I like your comments, but consider this. Yes, in purchasing an item, a buyer has in fact agreed to the price and terms of sale, but the seller has agreed to provide a shipping label for EVERY item sold, because most sales are single purchases. Any savings on shipping is only made possible through combined shipping. The BUYER made that possible, not the seller. Technically, a nasty buyer could demand a separate shipping label for each item purchased and the seller would be obligated to incur that cost. I would never do this to a seller, but it is technically my right as a buyer.
I agree with you that a buyer is on thin ice arguing this point with a seller, but that doesn't invalidate the claim. Where size and weight are minimal, and values low compared to actual shipping costs, the savings (or loss) is substantial.
I also agree with you that combined shipping windfalls give a seller a chance to make up for low profit sales, but whose money are they pocketing? Also consider that there is rarely any difference in the TOTAL price of an item sold on eBay with free shipping versus the same item with "a la carte" shipping. Yet sellers with "a la carte" shipping are considered thieves if they don't offer combined shipping discounts. Why should sellers offering free shipping get to rake in shipping windfalls uncontested, while the other sellers can rarely do the same?
My best to you!
farnorthsid
·4 months agoSince the day I started selling on Ebay, I have always said, "I am not selling postage, I am selling merchandise."
I try to offer a shipping rate for my buyers as close to the actual cost as possible and (sometimes extra for special handling, packing, etc. ), and my quoted shipping charge is usually pretty close to what the label actually costs. I have underestimated and have "eaten plenty of extra postage", lol, and on the other hand there have been plenty of times a buyer has paid for ground advantage shipping, and when I go to create a label, if I see it is only a few more dollars to ship it Priority, I will spend the extra cost to get it to my buyers as fast as possible.
If I offer to combine shipping, that is sort of a promise to only charge the buyer for the actual cost of shipping those multiple items, and refunding any additional postage they may have paid. To me that is not just fair, it's just plain ole good business.
I realize there are sellers who don't agree with this philosophy and do things differently, but, that's on them, it's their business, they can do as they like, as for me, I appreciate my customers and work hard to make sure they are happy in all aspects of our transaction, and that includes getting their items to them as cheaply as possible.
I buy alot on Ebay as well, and am still shocked by some of the shipping charges some of these sellers have on their items. out of this world charges, and even more shocked that some people actually paid these exorbenant charges.
I am not selling postage, i am selling merchandise, as we all should be doing.
onecylinderbob
OP4 months agoGood reply. My experiences exactly.
gurlcat
·4 months ago@onecylinderbob Read what he said more carefully. He talked about sellers offering combined shipping. You're talking about buyers requesting it.
Granted some sellers are happy to combine shipping but it doesn't occur to them to state that explicitly in their item descriptions. So there's no foul in buyers asking ... but it depends on WHEN they do that.
When you see a seller with a bunch of auctions for coins you want, are you asking before you bid, or after you've already gotten the wins?
onecylinderbob
OP4 months agoIf everyone bidding on a seller's items asked ahead of time, a seller would be plagued with inquiries. Plus, you don't want to waste a seller's time unless you win. So the answer to your question is "both". Obviously, I would be on shaky ground asking after multiple auction wins, but you can always ask in the spirit of appreciation. You certainly cannot demand and the seller is not required to combine shipping, but the fact remains that you have enabled a seller to save on shipping by buying multiple items.
This will be my last response. The comments that I have received have been very diverse, from total agreement to disagreement, even condemnation. I didn't intend for this to get so intense. I will not be posting again on this platform. It is too time consuming. M
My Best to Everyone,
Thank-you!
gurlcat
·4 months ago@onecylinderbob I saw no "total agreement" replies, but hang onto that if you need to.