Shipping Method Bait and Switch
On several occasions the seller lists an item with USPS Priority Mail shipping method.
So I buy the item thinking I would receive it in a couple of days.
Later I find out the item was not shipped via USPS Priority Mail but by some other shipping method or shipper altogether.
I am grateful the seller shipped the item at all.
And that I didn't need the item urgently.
But what is up with this?
What are my rights as a buyer?
7 comments
trains23107
·4 months agoI usually list FREE Shipping items as Free USPS Ground Advantage. I ship most Free Shipping purchases by this method. There has been an occasion I have upgraded the shipment to Priority which the Buyer always appreciates.
However, I also add the following statement, "On Listings with Free Shipping - we reserve the right to choose any shipping method." A few occasions I have changed from Ground Advantage to UPS or FedEx on a free shipping item because it saved me money.
Lastly, I always add some PAID shipping options for the buyer to chose from, Priority UPS, etc. If they PAY and choose I always honor it because they are paying.
If it is free shipping I reserve the right to ship the best method for me.
mudshark61369
·5 months ago@buyersellerfinder ,
If this happened with the last two sellers you have received feedback from, You probably should not have bought from them in the first place. The most recent one, whose feedback we can check has a poor by ebay standards feedback percentage 98%. Their negative comments are full of complaints about shipping. Sellers who list common items as Private Listings, are trying to hide something. You should check both of their feedback profiles ASAP so you know what to expect.
You should never buy from any seller, no matter what their feedback percentage is without first checking their feedback profile for several reasons, but especially if they are a high volume seller with less than 98.6% rating.
bonanza125
·5 months agoIf you are continuing to have this issue what you can do is message the buyer before purchase and ask them do they plan to ship Priority mail. I get messages all the time buyers asking me if I plan to ship next business day and I say yes. Quick message gets quick results. If they don't respond then do not buy from them. As far as existing issues I would message the seller and ask for a refund of the difference you paid for Priority mail compared to the difference you received. If there wasn't a difference the just give the seller a warning that they need to ship the service they listed. As a buyer I never really pick Priority Mail cause of cost.
christworks
·5 months ago@buyersellerfinder What services have the sellers used? Sellers cannot downgrade services. It is debatable whether sellers can change carriers. I'm of the opinion they can. Priority Mail is an expedited service. The following is a list of all expedited services which are considered equilivent to Priority Mail. If your buyer shipped with one of these, I am of the opinion they did not violate policy as eBay policy does not directly state sellers cannot change shipping carriers, but it does specifically state servcies cannot be downgraded. Some will disagree with me and we will probably end up in a long-winded discussion as we did about six months ago.
As far as what you can do...not much unless you want to return the item. You can open an INAD return and claim the shipping the seller selected is not what you selected. eBay will allow you to return it for that reason just because their MBG is so strong for buyers. The flip side of the coin is that is the seller kept your service level the same, they may report you for return abuse and, if they have the ability to reduce refunds, they may "find" a reason to reduce your refund. Is it really worth the headache now that you have your items? Going forward I would message the seller to confirm how they will ship you order since this is a concern. If they do not respond, buy elsewhere.
Priority Mail no longer means you get it in a few days. If you live in Zones 5, 6, 7, or 8, Priority Mail can be faster. If you are in Zones 1-4, it will come at the same speed as Ground Advantage.
buyersellerfinder
OP5 months agoThank you for your reply.
In one case the seller shipped UPS Ground.
In the most recent case the seller shipped USPS Ground Advantage.
This has also happened in the past but I am only now asking about it.
As a buyer I am obsessed with the delivery date.
Usually I don't actually care if it takes 2 days or 5 days - I just want to know what date I can expect to look out for it and make sure we receive the item.
I usually want to keep the item so I would hesitate to claim INAD.
But to me - ebay rules or not - the entire listing with images, description, price and shipping method is a legal contract that I agree to as a buyer and expect the seller to comply with the terms they advertised.
Is there another thread that deals with this issue?
Thanks.
christworks
·5 months ago@buyersellerfinder In the two cases you cited, the seller downgraded you and that is a policy violation. Realistically unless you want to return the items, there is little you can do. If these are very recent purchases (last 30 days), you can message the sellers and ask them to refund you the price difference. If you can be a Big Bad Wolf like me, you may can spook them into doing that so you do not have to open a return. They could call your bluff though and tell you to open a return.
Your assessment is correct: It is a contract. Like all contracts, when a party fails to meet the terms there is a clause to rectify it. In this case, you have eBay's very buyer friendly Money Back Guarantee, meaning you can get a full refund for an item if it was not described accurately. eBay does consider a downgrade of shipping services as a wrong description. The catch is that the seller can force a return of the item in order for you to get a full refund. If you do not want to return the item, eBay considers that a forefit of your buyer rights. eBay does not force sellers to issue partial refunds, nor do they force sellers to issue full refunds and allow buyers to keep the item.
This subject comes up sometimes. The last time I remember it was maybe late summer? I remember writing several long posts defending the right of sellers to change the carrier as long as the service is the same or better. You would not want to go back too far if you search on the boards for this subject, because you will very likely find outdated info. If you post in it, the mods will lock it. It is honestly best to stick to this thread you've created. Believe me there will be people posting in it on Friday and you can hear their views.
lakefor94
·5 months agoYour option as a buyer is to return the item as Not as Described if the seller changed the advertised shipping service and you can report the seller. (Especially if the seller used calculated, buyer pays shipping on the listing rather than free shipping)
That may just about cover it.