Three Separate Transactions - Buyer demanding that I separate packages
Hi, I could use my advice here
I sell VERY LOW MARGIN items on my page - some as low as ONE PENNY. I make it VERY CLEAR in my posts that I do NOT COMBINE SHIPPING. In some cases, the ONLY PROFIT I make on a low margin auction is a few cents on the shipping.
The winning bidder on THREE of my auctions - a grand total of 2 dollars or so - obviously did not read my ad, and
a. First asked if we combined shipping - we said NO; and
b. Upon payment, is now DEMANDING that I send in "Three specific packages" - in other words, they WANT to see me take a loss.
I have two choices here - cancel the three auctions (and impact my rating,) OR, send as is - in ONE package, and risk getting THREE negative feedbacks.
What's the least worst option here? I Refuse to give my product away to vindictive buyers looking to game the system for free items.
loveapug2011
·2 years ago1st off, feedback is a tool for the thief on ebay. ignore your fb and do what is best for your profit. we do not open ourselves up to the public to make them happy. we do it to make us profit/happiness. you control shipping, do it the way it makes you the most. if anyone has as a seller a 100%, thats a sure sign they have no clue how to run a business. if fb mattered, why do you think ebay or any other fortune 500 companies doesn't have a place for fb on their websites.
albertabrightalberta
·2 years agoI understand why you aren't a fan of feedback but personally, I think feedback is a wonderful tool that gives an indication of whether buyers OR sellers are among those we want to do business with.
Another great tool that helps us weed out sellers we might avoid is the ability of members to respond to feedback. Often those responses are far worse for the recipient than the neg to which they're responding!
mam98031
·2 years ago@loveapug2011
Did you even read this thread or are you just assuming the buyer is at fault here? If so, then you have the story wrong.
It is a very bad business practice to price the items the OP is selling in the way they do. Coupled with telling the buyer they will not Combine shipping for their multiple purchases, they will have to pay the entire shipping as stated in the listings, while they as the seller WILL take advantage of combined shipping and ship everything together, keeping the funds saved by doing so.
Some sellers do actually misbehave as is going on here. It isn't always the buyer's fault.
dhbookds
·2 years ago@ittybitnot
it's my understanding that sellers can opt out of that........?
ittybitnot
·2 years agoit's my understanding that sellers can opt out of that........?
@dhbookds
Of course, so long as they know that they were AUTO ENROLLED. "Opted in" suggests they actually had a choice in he matter and selected it all on their own. LOL.
It takes two things to be in place in order to function as designed. First, the seller must retain the preferences in the Default to YES. Second, the Buyer ID must be enrolled into forced compliance. All buyer IDs are now enrolled in the forced compliance to make offers. Now eBay is working on the forced compliance in order for the buyers to proceed to make a bid.
For those sellers that do not wish to encourage multiple sales by auctions and provide combined shipping invoices will have to wait until more (all) buyers are forced to comply in order to bid. If they start getting red donuts for combining anyway and not discounting will be interesting.
As someone said upthread, the willingness to be buyer friendly and encourage multiple sales most assuredly will increase business. Though I don't agree with the OP's chosen procedure, it is just interesting to me why everyone is so down on the OP, when eBay themselves are instituting the same format. eBay, however, is not requiring that a seller ship each auto billed transaction separately with individual tracking numbers for each. There is no provision that the seller must do so, nor comply with a discount when it is an eBay sanctioned procedure.
Apparently, the need for a separate tracking number for each individually paid item is not required.
https://www.ebay.com/bmgt/buyerrequirements
Buyer Payment Requirements
*Require buyers to provide a payment method before they place a bid.
*Require buyers to provide a payment method before they make an offer.
Click submit.
djvp53
·2 years agoThat's what I can't figure out. Where does eBay say that you can't combine multiple purchases into one box? Or, where do they say that if you combine multiple shipments into one box, you must refund the excess shipping charges? I agree that the best business practice is the refund excess shipping charges for multiple purchases. I do it all the time. I don't see where in the policies it says that I must do that.
a_c_green
·2 years agoThere are several points to be clarified here, IMHO:
In the case of the OP, he is apparently (as someone else mentioned) trying to have his cake and eat it too, charging separate Shipping fees and then combining the shipment anyway. That's probably the worst way to approach this, and all but guarantees an unhappy buyer.
djvp53
·2 years agoThis is all consistent with my understanding. Thanks.
mam98031
·2 years agoHere are some things that may help you better understand.
https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/default/shipping-policy?id=5035
Sellers must ship items within the handling time stated in their listing, using the shipping service the buyer selected at checkout. They must:
Sellers must not:
toomuchstuffagain35
·2 years agobut buyers can't.
mam98031
·2 years agoIf they could that would defeat the point of the program.
toomuchstuffagain35
·2 years agoThe alleged point of the program at any rate.
mam98031
·2 years agoIDK, it is the intent of the program to assist sellers in getting payment as it has been a real issue for many sellers over the years. Lots of complaints on these threads. It is a reasonable program IMHO and sellers can CHOOSE to participate or not. You seem to want to make more out of this than there is.
1786davycrockett
·2 years agoWhat is involved here is a very simple and elemental business theory: "Making the buyer whole."
Each purchase made by the buyer included not just a single item, but also the shipping charge for that single item.
The buyer made three purchases.
Thus, to make the buyer "whole," the seller is obliged to send three single packages, including three separate shipping charges.
BUT -- if the seller wishes to promote a buyer-friendly site, the seller may choose to ship all three items together, and refund most of the excess shipping charges to the buyer.
The latter method is elemental to successful sales processes, and is implemented by many major and minor retailers, not just on eBay, but also in regular retail operations.
I learned about "making the buyer whole" over 70 years ago. Why is this now seemingly an inconceivable concept?
ittybitnot
·2 years agoEach purchase made by the buyer included not just a single item, but also the shipping charge for that single item.
It seems to me, that as soon as eBay forces all Buyer IDs into putting up a payment source in order to bid, either the OPs (seller's) problem will dissipate or get worse so long he/she retains that preference on their account that eBay awarded them.
All auction wins will be individually billed at the full shipping price as soon as they end. eBay thinks this is a grand idea to cut down on non-payers, and are diligently at work enrolling more buyer IDs every day. Sellers are not required to provide a discount if they choose to ship in one box.
Of course, it is really NOT good business if a seller wishes to encourage multiple sales, it is a buyer turn off, but they can always pay to promote to get those views up. An interesting question will be if eBay will remove the red donut reviews that sellers are likely to start racking up as a result.
toomuchstuffagain35
·2 years agoauto pay was a solution looking for a problem (that didn't exist for the most part if sellers used the tools they were given).
edit/loose apostrophe
mam98031
·2 years agoWhy is that? What sites can you purchase stuff on without paying for it at the time of purchase???
toomuchstuffagain35
·2 years agoWhat other sites can you combine shipping?
mam98031
·2 years agoI handle it just like I do here on Ebay. If a buyer pays for full shipping on multiple purchases, I refund them the overpayment of shipping. It is that simple and has served me well for years. I suppose some sellers might not want to go through the effort, but for me it has helped me gain many repeat customers over the years.
We each need to make our own choices as to what is most important.
stephenmorgan
·2 years agoI purchase stuff from Staples and I am never charged until a few days after delivery.
I purchase International Shipping from eBay and I am not charged for shipping until after eBay has accepted and processed the shipment for international delivery.
mam98031
·2 years agoThen you are special. Unless you are talking about some delay on the charges showing on your credit card for Staples. I bought from there and I had to submit payment when I purchased the item.
As for International shipping, that is all going to depend on what program you are talking about. If you self ship to the international address, then you pay for the shipping when you create the label in Ebay.
If you are using EIS, you don't pay for international shipping, you pay for US shipping to the Ebay processing center, buyers pay Ebay for the international shipping portion.
stephenmorgan
·2 years agoYes, I suppose I am "Special" with Staples. I am not talking about the date appearing on statement, I am talking about date billed to me. I am not billed until after delivery, not the date of order. But it all depends on who you are and how you have conducted your financial obligations as to whether a person would be extended these benefits.
In the past when I ordered Music or Coins there were no requirements to pay for anything until after I received the items and examined them. I would be allowed a set time to make payment. This has happened with many assorted companies and persons I have delt with in the past.
eBay providing shipping labels and then billing later is in their policy. I suppose if a person has had financial difficulties or are not on the best of terms with eBay, then this policy may not be extended to them, but it has always been extended to myself.
https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/shipping-items/setting-shipping-options/ebay-international-standard-delivery?id=5011&st=3&pos=1&query=eBay%20international%20standard%20delivery&intent=inteernational%20shipping&lucenceai=lucenceai&docId=HELP1570
Billing
eBay international standard delivery charges will appear on your eBay financial statement as eBay Delivery Services.
You’ll only be charged for a shipping label once your parcel has been received at our consolidation center. If you don’t use a label, you won’t be charged for it so there's no need to void labels, simply discard them.
worldcoinauctions
·2 years agoWow, this thread is full of folks who want to nickel and dime on shipping. I post this in all my auctions:
kenneth686321
·2 years agoIf you are not going to offer combined shipping and if I was a vindictive potential buyer here is what I would do to make sure I get exactly what I paid for as a form of buyer protest.
Buy one item wait till there is an acceptance scan at the post office then buy my second item wait for an acceptance scan then buy my third item. I will make you do 3 trips to the post office.
the_fancy_fox
·2 years agoSo what do you do when a buyer buys just one item?
mam98031
·2 years agoWhy would that be important @the_fancy_fox ? Combined shipping wouldn't be at issue for a buyer just purchasing one item. I'm sorry I'm missing your point.
the_fancy_fox
·2 years agoIt’s important because the buyer holds all the power.
When you play the game the OP is playing you can expect some buyers will take offense.
Offended buyers leave negative feedback and force returns.
If the OP sells one item they pack and ship even though they barely make any profit. They are counting on multiple sales so they can charge more shipping so they can keep the overage as their profit. It’s not a healthy business model.
I really have to wonder if the OP has ever done an analysis on how much it actually costs from the time they list sometime till it’s packed and out the door.
2011jleach31
·2 years agoI always refund additional shipping cost as that is the honest thing to do.
jerseyboymusic
·2 years agosaw this thread yesterday.. I'm STILL scratching my head... the OP doesn't do combined shipping, but upset that they have to send the items separately? Am I missing something here?
iamalwaysright
·2 years ago🙂I sold something to a buyer that I advertised having a discount of 20% off. The buyer hasn’t paid yet and I tell him I don’t want to give him the 20% off and send him an invoice for the full price. Then that clown demands I give him the 20% off. It’s obvious that I will lose money if I give him 20% off. Can you believe that clown?!
mam98031
·2 years agoDid you qualify in your listing that if the buyer didn't pay by a certain time they would lose the discount???
doc-holmes
·2 years agoMethinks that post was meant as sarcasm.
jerseyboymusic
·2 years agoSee... still not getting it.
I think if I was the buyer, I would ask if the seller COULD combine shipping. If they said no, I would be feeling like I'm paying three shipping charges, so you better ship separately.
So I'm STILL not understanding why the OP is complaining
dhbookds
·2 years agoOP depends on buyer to do multiple purchases and pay full shipping for each......he then combines the items into one package which costs him less than the buyer paid for shipping. That's how he makes his "profit"........ If he actually has to ship each separately, he makes much less profit.....
The buyer asked for combined shipping, which seller refused to do.... buyer then "demanded" separate shipping which is how he paid.... Seller considers that "vindictive"....... and will not do it......
mam98031
·2 years agoI think all of that is perfectly clear. But still a good recap. The seller doesn't want to offer a combined shipping discount to their buyers, but are more than willing to take that savings and ship as if combined.
The OP has a pretty business practice and it is so one sided. They don't seem to realize with proper pricing of their items and offering combined shipping would likely increase their sales a good deal.
jerseyboymusic
·2 years agoThen if that's the case, the OP (seller) has no right to complain. The buyer WANTS combined shipping. The seller DOESN'T want to do that, but will combine anyway? To make a profit off of the buyer? That's so wrong and crooked and deceitful. in my opinion
mam98031
·2 years ago@jerseyboymusic
That is what the OP has been saying all along and insulting the buyer because the buyer doesn't like it. You may want to read the opening statement a bit closer.
jerseyboymusic
·2 years agoI read and re-read that initial post so many times.. I read it again several times just now... I still don't quite get the complaint, but I don't see anything where he says he wants to make money off of the shipping, but I don't read between the lines to well 🤔😥
albertabrightalberta
·2 years agoJoke, right?
gail5176
·2 years agoIf u don’t combine- they r correct you ship it in separate packages because it’s 3 separate transactions-and you will still probably get negative feedback-because who doesn’t combine shipping?
farmalljr
·2 years agoLol. This thread was hilarious. The OP has completely off their rocker. My bet is, they will end up ruining their account here and end up not even having eBay as a selling option much longer. All it's gonna take is a buyer or two to file a case, and the seller will be done.
deltilogical
·2 years agoIf you offered "free" shipping, with it built into the item price, there would be no discussion. They would be paying $15 for 3 CDs, and not 3 cents + $4.99x3 shipping. (or whatever the actual spend is)
Sometimes, to run a business, we lose money.
I would provide buyer with 3 packages done exceptionally. You will lose money on the transactions. You will not get any feedback (at best, buyer may still neg you). But you will not suffer under the ebay software.
The last thing we need is the gub'mont regulating shipping costs, other than the costs must be stated up front, with no fees.
retro_entertainment_collectibles
·2 years agoNow in business "Proper" per se it'd go like this:
"I bought this for $30, You charged me another $30 when actual shipping was $10. I want a refund of the $20 for the overpaid shipping."
Now lets say I say, "Nope..."
They do a chargeback which as they provide proof to their banks I cannot defend, its not defensible. Loose every single time. So now the chargeback be $60, value of the entire order. Atop that my bank through my merchant account will assess a $25 fee to put that $60 on reserve from my balance in said account. My merchant account will charge me $25 processing fee of the chargeback. So at this point I'm out $110 dollars.
Now I write back to my account provider, "The buyer agreed to the terms and was shown the shipping amount prior to completing their order."
My merchant account processor assess another $25 as each response to the chargeback costs $25.
Now like I said, its not defensible, Visa/Mastercard will always 100% of the time side with cardholder for ANY overcharge of shipping, just a fact. So now I'm out $135 dollars but EVEN if Visa/Mastercard found me to be right (which they wont) but say they did. The $60 is released but the $75 assessed fee's due to chargeback are irrecoverable, cant get those back.
So chargeback sticks, now I have to ASK the consumer to authorize a NEW $40 charge ($30 product + $10 Shipping) to be processed. I CANNOT automatically just go, "Oh well... Lost, but it did cost $40 so I am going recharge the customers card for $40..." Nope. Have to have the customer AUTHORIZE it or NOW I am not only open to yet another chargeback but I broke terms of Card Processing and in fact law.
fern*wood
·2 years agoI see you picked my post as the answer, but to be honest, it's not a good answer. Technically, it might better explain to your buyers what you will or won't do, but just to be clear, I do not personally feel that is a good way to sell. Many good suggestions have been offered to help. Good luck.
buyselljack2016
·2 years agoAs an aside:
I see a listing with 4 CD jewel cases. Only photo.
When they arrive I would find only one jewel case. (per the fine print)
tobaccocardyahoo
·2 years agoI don't want to read all the posts, I can see most sensible posters have taken the position, that your listing says you do not combine shipping, and you should not.
The answer you marked correct is correct, but your Ebay strategy of selling some mostly worthless items is significantly flawed.
You take the risks of jeopardizing your account when you sell items which do not even cover your labor at the minimum wage.
Relying on the shipping fee for potential profit is recognition of the lack of value in those items.
Either find items with more value or find a more financially rewarding form of activity.
This cannot end well for you.
williazwer_0
OP2 years agoI'm still waiting for someone to tell me what is the LEAST WORST option here.
Cancelling all three transactions or getting three negative feedbacks.
On PRINCIPLE, I am not sending three separate packages to this CLOWN , who literally is asking TWO FREE CD's.
so, the group can debate as to whether my practice (of GIVING FREE THINGS AWAY) is good or bad, but that's NOT why I posted.
I've been on ebay selling for 20 plus years, and NEVER had an issue with this practice until NOW. This person is a unicorn and , as one person pointed out , seems to have CHOSEN me to pick on .
I want to know WHICH PRACTICE will LEAST IMPACT MY ACCOUNT - three negatives or three cancellations?
kensgiftshop
·2 years agoHow are they asking for 2 free CDs, they won the auctions and paid.
You said your self, you don't combine shipping, so stick to that and ship their 3 different orders.
I would ship, then think about the way I run my business so you're not loosing money.
wheelworkzmurfreesboro
·2 years agoWhat if it were 3 different buyers? SHIP THEM 3 packages or get 3 dings or 3 negative feedbacks and learn to list for profit, not ripping a customer off. Or Combine shipping and discount it with the buyers permission. There's no way to win in your situation. This situatuin and the way you are treating it is why sellers get a bad name on here. Its not the buyers fault that you did not list your items to make profit.
mtgraves7984
·2 years agoI want to know WHICH PRACTICE will LEAST IMPACT MY ACCOUNT - three negatives or three cancellations?
@williazwer_0
I think (ultimately) that three negatives will impact your account the least.
Here's how I see it... the three OOS cancellations would hurt you with eBay. Conversely, three negatives will hurt with buyers.
So you can play in eBay's playground, if only with a smaller group of buddies. Does that make sense?
wastingtime101
·2 years agoThree cancellations will impact your account status with eBay. That's by far worse than 3 negs which may impact your future sales if a prospective buyer reads them, but your account with eBay will still be active so you can keep selling.
mtgraves7984
·2 years ago@wastingtime101
I stand with you. But you know what just hit me? Might the OP also suffer 3 INRs? But then, if the INRs are refunded by the OP, eBay still won't have to touch it... so I still think the negatives would be the lesser of the two evils. Don't you?
stainlessenginecovers
·2 years ago@mtgraves7984
Curious, are we assuming they will be shipped with no tracking?
mtgraves7984
·2 years ago@stainlessenginecovers
Well, I was assuming that without OOS cancellations, they'd still be expected to ship... 🤔
fern*wood
·2 years agonevermind.
mtgraves7984
·2 years agoI got you. 😉
stainlessenginecovers
·2 years agoThe 100% CLEAR answer is- take the 3 Negs.
Feedback doesn't hurt you in the eyes of eBay. Cancellations DO (as you will either lie about why or etc. and THAT can get you Permabanned from selling here at all)
albertabrightalberta
·2 years agoAs far as ebay is concerned, canceling 3 transactions is a death sentence for your account.
As far as buyers are concerned, 3 negs will turn off future buyers who read the comments from the buyer as to why you rightly earned those negs.
IMO, both options would effectively end your ebay career and impact your reputation.
mam98031
·2 years ago@williazwer_0
I would say you have been VERY lucky that this hasn't come up before.
This buyer is NOT being a "clown", they are going by what you say your shipping terms are. No Combined Shipping. All they are asking of you is to abide by that. Meaning you have to abide by it as well as they do and you should ship three packages to them. You say in your listings no combined shipping discounts, so you need to ship the way you advertise. That would be three separate packages.
The cancellations would be harmful to the health of your selling account and the negative FB would be harmful to potential buyers, but do not harm the health of your selling account. No one can make this decision for you, you need to do that yourself.
If you want to stand on "principle", you should be shipping in three separate packages. If you want to be unfair to your buyers and do the OPPOSITE of what you say in your listings, then you ship them all in one package and bank the combined shipping discount that you refuse to extend to your buyer.
iamalwaysright
·2 years agoHonestly if I was your buyer and you tried to pull this on me, I’d also choose you to pick on and force you to abide by your words. You tried to bluff with the “No combined shipping†statement, then got your bluff called when a buyer demands you not combine shipping.
buyselljack2016
·2 years agolooking to game the system for
----------------------------------
Have not read all the way, but my 1st reaction (although I do understand what you are thinking) to the statement is........................
pot meet kettle. Kettle meet pot
tdl_collectibles
·2 years agoHonestly if he wants to run this business, I think his only option is to start every lot at $4.99 and then offer free shipping. It's not a good look to say "does not combine shipping" and then he combines it all in a box. Either way he's paying eBay the fees so why not just be transparent about it up front.
albertabrightalberta
·2 years agoAnd as we see so frequently, the OP hasn't returned to his/her thread.
I'd be interested in whether @williazwer_0 has learned anything and if they're going to change the way they do business.
@williazwer_0 Even though you aren't hearing the "supportive" attaboys you were hoping for, the constructive criticism you've received is to help you be a better seller and to have happy buyers.
ed8108
·2 years agoThe correct choice is ship 3 separate packages
itsjustasprain
·2 years agoNonsense. They want to see you follow through on your own shipping terms.
You can avoid digging yourself into a contradictory hole by setting your opening auction price to the minimum that you would accept if you only ever get one bid. Then you can charge a fair price for shipping - combine shipments if you get more than one sale - ect.
If you are planning to combine the shipment anyway then take out that declaration that you do not combine shipping. Lets skip all the clever wordplay about whether you mean no shipping DISCOUNT and just be clear about what you will or will not do.
Right now you are just coming off as a slippery seller who will charge the buyer for multiple shipments and then combine them into one and pocket the difference. Later on you will then be surprised by feedback from unhappy buyers but you can raise that discussion in a separate thread next week.
kensgiftshop
·2 years agoYou said yourself, you don't combine shipping.
The buyer made three different purchases, so ship that way.
How is the buyer gaming the system, it sounds like you are?
gamersbaystore
·2 years agoYou sold entire lots of 6 CD's for a penny a piece? You're essentially gambling, and its clear from your solds you're losing money left and right. Even the costs you charged for shipping don't really make up for the losses.
Some things are just better off not being auctioned and simply using BIN instead.
djvp53
·2 years agoBuyers don't like sellers profiting from shipping charges. It feels scammy to a lot of people. You found a buyer who wants to hurt a seller that they think is scammy and they picked you. I agree with everyone else who says change your business practices so you don't seem like a scammy seller.
I happily offer combined shipping even when customers do things like place four separate orders and I have to issue four separate partial refunds. My hope is that customers are more willing to add an extra item or two to their order so I sell a bit more stuff. I think it's working well enough for me.
At the very least, you could revise your listings to say something like, "I may combine shipments but I don't offer combined shipping discounts." Then, buyers are on notice about how you treat your customers.
My view is that you could cancel the order because the buyer asked for something after the purchase that you didn't offer in your listing (combined shipping). I would report the buyer for that to protect against negative feedback, which you will almost certainly get otherwise. But this will probably be a recurring issue for you so I agree that the long term solution is to change your business practices.
retro_entertainment_collectibles
·2 years agoActually not all too far back in time in the USA the Fed was looking to legislate about inflated shipping costs online. Now that all said I know certain states do take issue with it. California is one under Unfair Competition Laws and consumer remedy acts.
I can also tell you that "Matter of Fact" significant overcharging in shipping can be claimed as a reason for Chargeback and in that instance whereby the consumer provides the qualifying information to their bankcard provider it is indefensible. The seller will loose 100% of the time.
mr_lincoln
·2 years agoHi @williazwer_0
You need an option "C" per your list ... sell items with higher prices and bigger profit margins. You will spend just about as much time creating listings, packing and shipping a $ 1 item as you will a $ 10 or $ 100 item.
fern*wood
·2 years agoMaybe you should state no combined shipping discount, but I may combine into one shipment if I want to.
williazwer_0
OP2 years agoYES! thank you. I will do this going forward. Because, the way my ads read, it's misleading.
Your description says “No combined Shipping†so why would you put all of the buyers items into one package? Then you do combine shipping. If you don’t go by what your buyer asked that was to ship according to your terms of sale , then you are setting yourself up for negative feedback as well as Not as described cases.
albertabrightalberta
·2 years agoAnd in a case such as this, @williazwer_0 , the negative feedback(s) would be rightfully earned.
If you don't want to offer a DISCOUNT for combined shipping, you should have told the buyer, "I combine shipping for multiple items but full shipping charges are charged. I don't offer a discount for combined shipping."
luckythewinner
·2 years agoYou are the one looking to game the system by taking a 1 penny margin on the item and expecting to make a profit on shipping.
If this was three separate buyers, you would end up sending three separate packages.
Combined shipping is now commonplace on eBay. The flaw here is in your business plan, not the buyer's expectations.
inhawaii
·2 years agoMy advice: Re-think your business plan.
stephenmorgan
·2 years agoI once asked for combined shipping for three of the same items. The seller said that the shipping is the same because they had to ship separately. I ordered one item and when I received it, I ordered the second one and did the same for the third one. The seller chewed me out stating how he could have sent them all in one package. I did not need all three at the same time and I would not save anything ordering them all together so I do not understand why it is was problem to order them one at a time and besides he already stated items would be shipped separately.
mam98031
·2 years agoWell you kind of boxed the buyer into making that statement. Put yourself in their place.
You won't give them a combined shipping break with purchasing multiple items, you are requiring that they pay the full shipping fee stated on the listing. OK I get that, I don't agree with it, but I understand.
So the buyers reaction is OK since I can't get a combined shipping discount I want each of my items shipped separately. I'm unsure as to why you find that surprising or an unfair request. It appears that you were planning to ship all the items together but NOT give the buyer ANY benefit to the money you saved in the shipping, it was all going to your pocket. And you somehow think that is fair.
The buyer didn't set your pricing. Starting ANY auction off for below what your costs are is not a good thing to do. At a minimum your auctions should start off at a break even price.
Shipping charges are NOT a profit center and should NEVER be treated as one in the way you are doing it. It is unfair to the buyers.
If the buyer were to give you 3 negative FBs because you shipped all three items in one package, charged them full shipping on all three times and then shipped the items TOGETHER and pocketed the money you saved in shipping. You betcha that buyer is going to hit your FB. Why in the world would you think they wouldn't????
On a separate note, you have some Magazines for sale and oddly enough you have the shipping charge a bit low. Magazines are NOT eligible for Media Mail, so you will have to send them Ground Advantage, so you should check your costs again.
stephenmorgan
·2 years agoCan you combine the items into one package and offer a $2 or $3 discount on shipping?
Is shipping the items separately cheaper than discounting the shipping a little?
If the items were sold on different days or to different buyers you would be shipping them separately, correct?
chapeau-noir
·2 years agoYou are fighting over crumbs. My advice is to change how you are selling.
I would suggest taking door #2 of @kenneth686321 options.
kenneth686321
·2 years agoForgot to add. Ship your items out 3 packages since you stated in your listing that you do not combine shipping.
In the future I'll give you 2 options
1. If you don't want to combine shipping, charge a shipping cost that allows you to make a profit on every item shipped separately, even if a buyer buyer more than one.
2. Change your auctions to fixed price. Charge a higher BIN price, lower the shipping cost and offer combined shipping like everybody else.
gamersbaystore
·2 years agoThe OP has no obligation to offer combined shipping. I do not offer it on every product I sell either. For instance, I don't combine shipping on movies and video games, as the movies ship media mail, and the video games ship ground advantage, 2 completely different methods of shipping.
mam98031
·2 years agoThat is completely different than what the OP is doing. They are not allowing the BUYER combined shipping, but the Seller is willing to ship doing combined shipping and pocketing the extra money.