$2 purchase with free S&H arrived with $5 postage due

[**chocolate]

I bought a widget for $2 with free shipping. I received a notice from the USPS stating that postage is short by $5. My post office is holding on to the item for now.

Even if the seller refunds me the $2, it is still not enough to cover the postage.

I do not want the item anymore because there are other eBay sellers offering it for less than $7 shipped.

What steps should I take to protect myself and get my refund?

[mtgraves7984]

If you have received w/postage due, you're shed of the transaction, if you want to be. Have your PO return it to the seller, who will have to pay the ransom to get the package back. You'll get a refund through the MBG. No worries!

[kathiec]

In almost every case coverage under the Money Back Guarantee is forfeited if you refuse delivery. Fortunately, one of the exceptions is if the package comes with postage due. So refuse delivery, then go to the item in your purchase history and select 'I didn't receive it' under More actions. You'll need some evidence of the postage due to show eBay.

I'm curious if you messaged the seller about the postage due? The seller could make you whole by paying the $5. Most sellers won't, but I always like to give the seller a chance to make things right before I move on to other methods.

[soh.maryl]

Was this by any chance a new seller who might have thought that free shipping meant no one had to pay for shipping?  

[**chocolate]

@mtgraves7984 Thank you, I'm glad to hear the MBG will cover me.

How should I proceed now on eBay? Am I supposed to file a claim in a specific way? How do I go about it?

[**chocolate]

@kathiec Thank you for the instructions. I do have the form indicating that postage is due.

I do not have a way to receive the seller's $5 even if they wanted to send it to me. Well, I suppose they could mail me cash but I'm not about the attempt that. That's why I mentioned in my post that even if they refunded me the $2, it would not make me whole. If the price of the item were greater than $5, the story would be different of course.

[**chocolate]

@soh.maryl No they're not a new seller. But your comment is very funny! I wonder how the package made it all the way to my post office with postage due in the first place.

[soh.maryl]

Don't know this for sure, but would assume that any stops along the way would presume that the Postage Due situation would be handled by the USPS facility at the destination.  

ETA:  Not sure why you found my comment "funny".  Believe me, it has happened.  

[buyselljack2016]

I wonder how the package made it all the way to my post office with postage due in the first place.

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Does the package have "tracking" ?

If not, seller may have tried to ship as an envelope, but the "package rate" is being charged by USPS.

If seller cancels, and refunds the $2 ,you would be made "whole". (package remains with USPS for their disposition)

[**chocolate]

@buyselljack2016 The package does have a "tracking number" but the number cannot be used for tracking when inputted into USPS's online tracking system. I guess it's a number that the USPS assigned to the package for their own internal use, not for customers to use. That's all right, I wasn't actually expecting a real answer when I wondered how the package made it all the way to my location. I was just shocked that a USPS computer didn't flag it somewhere along the way and direct it back to the sender.

You make a great point that the seller can simply refund me the $2. That is another option in addition to what mtgraves7984 and kathiec said about how I can use the MBC to get my money back. It's good to have 2 options.

I'll update this thread once this is resolved. Thanks, everyone!

[12345jamesstamps]

Sounds like seller used an eBay standard envelope which has tracking but will probably not show up in USPS.

Those kind of envelopes are usually "metered mail". Seller tried to see if it would work...nope...thus it became a parcel post package with postage due.  The thickness and rigid envelope of item inside thus has postage due. And its possible it might have been damaged trying to good through the mail system.

I wouldn't want it even if it was free. It could be damaged.

[buyselljack2016]

does have a "tracking number" but the number cannot be used for tracking 

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Sellers don't generally use a tracking service (starting online at $3.59) on a $2 item.

Sounds like you may have purchased something that was shipped with the eBay Standard Envelope.(ESE)

That is not "tracked", but is scanned along the way during processing as a "metered mail" envelope.

Sometimes when they do not qualify they are returned to the sender for postage.

Sometimes the "packaging" used does not meet the qualification for ESE may continue on.

Sometimes the office receiving an item that qualifys for ESE shipping/postage is confused, and flags the ESE as a "package", and charges accordingly.