Did not offer Combined shipping discount buyer is requesting a refund if shipped combined or ship them seperately. What can I do?
Summary: tigerbaye questioned whether they need to offer a combined shipping discount or refund if they ship items together after an auction. Several participants, including caldreamer and duffy4444, clarified that eBay does not require combined shipping but suggested that offering refunds for overpaid shipping costs could improve customer satisfaction and prevent negative feedback. tigerbaye acknowledged the feedback and decided to offer free shipping on items over $20 to simplify future transactions. Participants also discussed the potential impact on sales and feedback if combined shipping discounts are not provided.
So I do not offer combined shipping discount if a buyer bought multiple items, the buyer is saying I have to ship them seperately then or ship them togather but I am required to issue a refund of the shipping fees. ebay uses the word "should" so I am not sure since these items are at auction not buy it now and I don't see the point of offering combined shipping or not if I have to refund but ebay is saying I "should". I am totally ok with being wrong but just want to make sure of the rules
squinkercat59
·2 weeks agoI usually combine separate sales and refund the buyer the difference, if they buy more than one item and they can fit in the same package. Even if they don't ask. It saves me money on packaging materials. It also earns good will from the buyer, especially now with the postage price increases. The only time it isn't possible is when they are buying two things that can't be combined, like a media mail and non-media mail item (even then, they can sometimes both go Ground Advantage for a savings) or, for example, a large heavy vase and a rolled poster.
golfingaddict
·2 weeks agoYou are not required to combine shipping.
You are not required to refund the buyer any amount of the shipping.
Should you? That is something you should decide when you list items and before you sell items.
As to the rest, I'll leave that up to others to argue about.
For some reason, it has become the "norm" for the eBay community to suggest to sellers that they do things like refund them some money.
I have many years on eBay and I truly believe that babying buyers and coddling them and kowtowing their demands with shipping refunds and holding off shipping and any of the other silly things buyers ask for only make them more demanding and needy.
My motto
I list, you buy, you pay, I ship.
No need for coddling, babying, or even any emailing back and forth. If you don't like the shipping costs, don't buy. If you want to put it all in the cart and don't like the totals, don't buy. If you want a discount, go buy somewhere else.
tigerbaye
OP2 weeks agoThank you for taking the time to respond and providing your advice through experience.
stuff4divas
·2 weeks ago · Edited@tigerbaye if the buyer paid shipping for each item, u r required to purchase separate shipping labels, one for each package. why? bc the buyer paid for that
if the buyer requests combined shipping to save on shipping cost, then u can do that but will then have to refund some, if not all, of the difference. why? bc the buyer requested it
sellers can upgrade shipping for buyers but they are not allowed to downgrade
tigerbaye
OP2 weeks agosure
mam98031
·2 weeks agoSeems like you came here asking the Community about your situation and you said you were OK with being wrong, but as some have responded to your situation you seem to be dismissing what they are saying, which is your right of course, but then why did you come here if your mind was already set on how to handle this situation??? That doesn't make sense.
tigerbaye
OP2 weeks agoNot sure if I made myself celar Im literally changing my policy going forward due to your guys advice.
mam98031
·2 weeks agoYou didn't, but it is good to hear. I think you will be happier as will your buyers.
powell-collectibles
·2 weeks agoYou did make yourself clear. The confusion is likely due to the odd board layout – it really is more difficult to see the flow of a conversation than it was before.
tobaccocardyahoo
·2 weeks agoIf you combine the orders into one shipment and do not refund some or all of the excess shipping charge, the buyer can leave negative FB and probably will.
You can stand on your "principles" and not refund. The buyer can express his displeasure with a negative feedback.
It is likely that some auction buyer(s) will be deterred from bidding on your auctions. Is it worth that cost to you? Your behavior is likely to upset many buyers and potential buyers.
The negative will probably not be removed by Ebay.
As for damage to your Karma, that is for others to speculate.
tigerbaye
OP2 weeks agoGotcha it seems like as a seller you are required to offer combined shipping when shipped all in one package to make sure I get you don't get Negative feedback. If that is the case I will 100% I refund the difference going forward. if ebay is not going to remove negative feedback dispite terms and conditions clearly being laid out how much shipping they have to pay. No need to debate if ebay is not going to enforce there own policy just going to list as free shipping for now on on $20+ items in TCG.
Thanks for the information.
duffy4444
·2 weeks ago · EditedYou are not required by either eBay or the buyer to offer combined shipping. It is an option, not a requirement, and you make the choice and value judgment, negotiating with the buyer if they bring up the subject.
You also do not have to refund 100% of the difference. The refund amount is your choice, and should also be affected by the cost of your shipping supplies.
If you want happy buyers and to encourage them to become repeat customers, it's good business practice to refund a portion of the buyer's overpaid shipping cost, determined by YOU, and not by some nonexistent eBay requirement or by the buyer.
Stop unnecessarily shorting yourself, and don't put too much emphasis on worrying about potential negative feedback.
Cheers, Duffy
tigerbaye
OP2 weeks agoThank you for taking the time to respond and providing some great advice
tobaccocardyahoo
·2 weeks agoIt would be better for your buyers, this marketplace, and every other seller on Ebay, as well as yourself if you did not feel coerced to do what is fair. When your shipping cost goes down, you share the saving with your buyer.
If would be better to do what is fair than to only do what Ebay requires of you.
When we talk about the US as a country of laws we often miss the point that doing what is legally required is often not enough to have a successful business.
There are punishment for some types of legal behavior which one will suffer if you ignore the interests of people you are doing business with.
mam98031
·2 weeks agoBy not offering Combined shipping savings to the buyer when you CAN ship the items together is likely costing you some nice sales. You may want to reconsider this position.
As for the buyer, if you are unwilling to give them a refund for overpayment of shipping, yet you are more than willing to ship all the items together and POCKET the savings on shipping, why are you surprised that the buyer doesn't like this. It is very logical why.
As a buyer, I'd likely respond in the same way. If you are not willing to combine shipping for a savings on the shipping and give the buyer a refund, the WHY should you be able to ship all the items together, pay a lower shipping fee and pocket the additional profit for yourself. As a buyer, if you don't want to give me the benefit of combining the shipping and give me a discount, then I too would insist that you ship everything separately as THEY PAID FOR IT.
tigerbaye
OP2 weeks agoRight that is queston what is ebays policy Im not asking right or wrong or business practices. thanks for your opinon though probably I will probably just adjust to free shipping in the future or any item over $20.
The issue is run into when combined shipping with any TCG over $20 requires shipping that is around $6+ vs 1.07 when it is under so when combined is offered then it may cost me more out of pocket. everything I sell it is at auction not buy it now so I dont know how it will end nor who wins what. so I appreciate your opinion and going forward will most likley change the policy for anything over $20 going forward.
mam98031
·2 weeks agoEbay does not require sellers to offer combined shipping. As I stated before, offering combined shipping will likely increase your sales. But it is totally up to you.
kandf_vintage_finds
·2 weeks agoHere's what I would do and have done:
Ship all together . Issue the buyer the difference back.
This seems like the right thing to do No?
tigerbaye
OP2 weeks agoNo, requesting a shipping discount after winning a auction when terms and conditions were set is not the "right thing to do". Will I bend and adjust if they ask yes, is it the right thing to do no. The question is not about the right thing to do it was about ebay policy.
shire123
·2 weeks ago@tigerbaye Ebay policy does not require you to combine shipping for buyer savings. So ebay will do nothing to you if you don't.
But, it's kind of like the golden rule. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
Your choice.
tigerbaye
OP2 weeks agoBased on the responses that seems to be the case to refund shipping difference as it is assumed by most buyers dispite not a "rule"and that is what I am going to do going forward. I appreciate your reply.
kandf_vintage_finds
·2 weeks agoWell IMO if If a buyer decides to give me their money out of the billions of online choices I am going to do whatever it takes to give my buyer the best buying experience possible. Regardless what eBay policy is.
shire123
·2 weeks agoIf I get a buyer that buys multiple items whether by auction or buy it now, if I can ship them safely together I do that and refund a portion of their total paid for shipping. It doesn't usually work out that the cost for one is the same as the cost for two or more items so that's why I say a PORTION of the total paid.
Buyer's really appreciate it when you do that even if it's only a few dollars.
tigerbaye
OP2 weeks ago · EditedThank you again for information and advice
krazzykats
·2 weeks agoShip them separate and be done with this.
shado-x
·2 weeks agoYou're question is totally confusing. Just make the buyer pay for everything, combine the shipping afterward, and then refund then difference.
fern*wood
·2 weeks agoIf I was not willing to offer discounted combined postage for my items, I would add that to my descriptions and pray they read it, because most will expect that discount.
luckythewinner
·2 weeks ago · EditedIMHO, the "rules" are that sellers should treat their customers fairly and earn their repeat business.
And IMHO, the sellers who don't are often the ones who come back here later asking how they can get a negative removed, or to report a return they felt was unfair.
There is an old acronym "FAFO" which stands for "fool around and find out".
ryry-jj
·2 weeks agoThe only thing you are required to do is ship the items according to your listings. If you want to combine them in one shipment and then refund the shipping difference between what it cost and what the buyer paid you can. And at this point part of the cost is the box and FVF's on shipping, so don't refund the entire difference.
The refund approach is what I have done in the past, but if I have that first item boxed, labeled and ready to go, then no combined shipping is available from me
If you already printed a label for the first item, you would need to cancel that as well, if you plan to combine shipping in a new box & label. Add the tracking manually to the second item.
duffy4444
·2 weeks agoThe buyer is not the one who has control over shipping fees. YOU have that control. The buyer only has control over whether to buy your item or not and pay the shipping YOU specify in the listing. If the buyer doesn't like the terms set down in your listing, he/she doesn't have to bid or buy in the first place.
That being said, it's courtesy to give a buyer a refund of whatever overpayment YOU determine is appropriate. It has a tendency to make a buyer happy to see a little refund for overpayment, and encourages repeat buyers. I have years of repeat buyers by using this principle of a surprise courtesy refund.
Cheers, Duffy
caldreamer
·2 weeks agoYou are not required to offer combined shipping or refund overage paid in postage. But it is bad for business is you don't and this customer can leave you negative feedback.