Ebays "auto-pay" is borderline criminal

Summary: nasam-9954 expressed concern about the "auto-pay" feature on eBay, mentioning that it charged $7-$13 for a $0.99 item. This issue was raised in the context of discussing multiple item bidding on the platform.

It's been a little over a year since I've used ebay (about 3 years since I used auction) but I was just introduced (and I'm using that in the most angriest way possible) and I'm extremely annoyed I ever came back. Can someone at ebay explain how screwing a buyer out of "shipping" costs because they automatically charge for purchases within an hour (which is a joke of a time limit) on shipments youve already discussed with the shipper about combining is not just blatantly criminal??? So now instead of a shipper not getting paid for an item they never shipped and are out no money, it's on the buyer to contact the shipper request a credit for combined shipping they offered but they are not obligated to refund it (according to the terms on ebay) and this is somehow a "better business strategy?? I had plans on spending thousands over the next few months and now I'm debating not spending any if this is how ebay is run now.

disneykat26

226 View listings

Posted 8 months ago·Last reply 1 month ago

9 comments

shado-x

·1 month ago

9567 View listings

8 days under "auto-pay" for auctions is too long. It should be 4 days like the Terms say for buyers. But no, it is 7 days now. Wait, an extra day is then given beyond that? Wait what?

kensgiftshop

·1 month ago

389 View listings

Where is the criminal part?

Each listing shows the shipping charge.

ryry-jj

·8 months ago

1913 View listings

If you and the seller had agreed to combine shipping, then the seller will refund you any difference, its not a hard thing to do. You can also place items your cart and request total with shipping. The auto pay is a feature eBay allows sellers to set up, nothing criminal about...and nothing criminal about sellers who wont combine shipping either.

nasam-9954

·1 month ago

1 View listings

its a proble if you want to bid multiple items. Auto pay chaarged me $7-$13 for a $0.99 item

njtoyreseller

·8 months ago

12197 View listings

Its a system eBay implemented for sellers that requires buyers to set up a payment option prior to bidding to limit the amount of non-paying buyers. It should give you 2 options as the buyer for either 1-hour or 7 days. The 1-hour option is best if you only plan to bid on one auction from a seller, and if you win will be paid automatically an hour after the auction ends. The 7 day option is best if you plan to bid on multiple auctions from one seller, and this way if you win multiple auctions, it gives the seller time to invoice you and combine shipping. With this option, you can pay before the 7 days are up incase you arent waiting for other auctions from that seller, but if you dont pay early will be charged exactly 7 days later. Also, sellers arent required to combine shipping, nor refund the difference if shipping is less then expected.

bonjourami

·8 months ago

2513 View listings

Sounds like your seller did not set up his combined shipping option at check out. The seller is not required by Ebay to refund the shipping fee, but its the right thing to do.

ccomic

·8 months ago

118 View listings

From my experience it defaults to an hour even if the seller enables combined shipping. If combined shipping is available, the bidder can change it when they place their bid, but they have to know about it.

Its fine now that I know how it works, a bidder can choose payment method and delivery address at time of bidding, but I also found it incredibly insulting the first time I experienced it.

ebay needs to make it much more obvious on the bid entry screen.

stainlessenginecovers

·8 months ago

5572 View listings

@ccomic wrote:
From my experience it defaults to an hour even if the seller enables combined shipping. If combined shipping is available, the bidder can change it when they place their bid, but they have to know about it.

Its fine now that I know how it works, a bidder can choose payment method and delivery address at time of bidding, but I also found it incredibly insulting the first time I experienced it.

ebay needs to make it much more obvious on the bid entry screen.

How is it insulting that you didn't pay attention to what is written/shown when you bid, when you really should have been like Homer Simpson..........'d'oh'

ccomic

·8 months ago

118 View listings

@stainlessenginecovers wrote:
@ccomic wrote:
From my experience it defaults to an hour even if the seller enables combined shipping. If combined shipping is available, the bidder can change it when they place their bid, but they have to know about it.

Its fine now that I know how it works, a bidder can choose payment method and delivery address at time of bidding, but I also found it incredibly insulting the first time I experienced it.

ebay needs to make it much more obvious on the bid entry screen.
How is it insulting that you didn't pay attention to what is written/shown when you bid, when you really should have been like Homer Simpson..........'d'oh'

When you make an offer on something, ebay makes it very obvious you will be charged immediately and to select your payment method and delivery address, but when you bid, its not obvious at all in my opinion, especially for someone used to the old method.

Edit: I just check them both, and the "offer" has a review dialog that has the look and feel of a normal cart check-out process, while the "bid" dialog has the look and feel of the "fire off bid quickly" traditional dialog. I understand people who bid at the last second can't afford a "review your bid" screen. I also said its no big deal now that I know its there, but I still maintain that its not at all obvious that its going to happen.