I refuse to make offers or purchases under the new immediate payment system!

[madcs]

Just my opinion.

Under the prior system, (or I suppose when a seller explicitly deselects the immediate payment option) an accepted offer or Buy it Now commitment would 1) add the item to your cart to pay like any other item won 2) allow you to request a total for multiple best offer, BIN, or bid win items from the same seller 3) allow you true freedom of choice in your payment including CC, Paypal, Pay in 4, and Paypal Credit.

Under the new scheme, BO (and BIN) requiring immediate payment eliminates any reasonable functions as follows: 1) accommodate buyers' request or obtain reasonably expected combined shipping 2) permit true payment choice 3) increase fee costs to sellers when shipping multiple items to the same buyer, even if they manually combine shipping through reasonable refunds.

I also hate how buyers have used this excuse to arbitrarily collect exorbitant amounts for shipping because "the system".   Bullsnot.  If I buy 4 items you can put in one box but you charged me 10 each under BO, BIN, or Bid to Win, that's exorbitant and you're taking advantage of the system to shirk your customer for the profits.  And also, I'll blacklist you as a seller to me (I keep a list. Don't get me started on thinking eBay should offer the same blacklist capability for buyers as they do sellers.)

Until this design decision is reversed, or a "best offer for all items added to the cart from the same seller" (like "request total", but with a "total best offer request") I will not make any further offers on items that have removed bidding and are now designed to artificially inflate buyers costs, increase seller profits through shipping costs, remove buyers payment choices, and pad eBay's corporate pockets in collected seller fees from overall higher shipping and handling.  My only exception is if a seller offers free shipping across the board on items I want and I decide not to use Pay in 4 or PayPal credit options at the time of checkout.  But I've removed all my payment methods until I find that unicorn.

Shame on you eBay for not thinking this one through for all the customers (buyers and sellers alike)

[ed8108]

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@doc-holmes wrote:

 I'll just refuse to buy more than one item from a seller. This plan will eliminate non-payers,

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A money saving plan worthy of buyer consideration.

[madcs]

@mtgraves7984 @monica-sells  Thanks for the update on the FVF after issuing partial refunds.  Obviously been a while since I've sold; more often bought in general and this kind of thing makes me want to do neither on this platform anymore.

[madcs]

@ajs_coins_and_alchemy Thanks for that response.   You are absolutely right that it does appear to be pushing buyers toward sellers that offer free shipping.   It certainly will me.

Regarding the payment choice, my example is the default is my credit card but today I'd rather use PayPal to dip into my other checking account, or perhaps use some of my PayPal balance.  Also, for example, if I'm looking to buy 3 or 4 higher dollar items, I might want to spread that payment with Pay in 4 to take advantage of 0% interest, but I can't do that either because this BIN/BO defaults to immediate payment on my CC.   So instead, I'm gonna walk and not buy any of it.

[ajs_coins_and_alchemy]

@madcs 

I have very little to no experience with the payment methods you listed other than CC. I think I used PayPal once. I also do most of my purchasing via BIN or Auction. I make offers on rare occasion but have never faced the payment method up front requirement.

Depending on how much effort you want to put in, what it's worth to you, and how bad you want it (and I suppose what methods are available to you) you can quick go in and change default payment method if the payment methods you want are available for default before purchasing.

I've had to do that before with addresses, my default address is PO Box but when someone doesnt ship to PO Box I used to go in and switch it quick. Actually now I use my "street address" for my PO Box as my default so I don't get screwed in the last few seconds of an auction if seller doesnt ship to PO Box...but I digress.

Basically, you have some agency over default payment methods, may be a little more work, I don't know if all are available as defaults... However in today's day in age of internet and instant gratification, buyers want it now so any extra steps are a turn off and someone will go somewhere else (like you are saying).

Many kinks to work out, people complain about EBay's processes and systems, they do update things and change things often, some small and some major, they work out most of their kinks eventually. I suppose EBay won't care though because this isn't driving buyers away from EBay, just to other sellers. EBay wins regardless, it's the one seller that loses and the other seller wins. Survival of the Fittest?

[madcs]

@ms.rodriguez* 

That is an unnecessary extra step that is going to hurt sellers and buyers.   I think it's one eBay can fix, if they create a "Request Best Offer for Cart" type of solution where all the Best Offer items can be requested together with the cumulative sum of what BIN would have been (and the calculated combined shipping discounts if there are any) and then make a final Best Offer (perhaps even shipping inclusive) and then allow someone a chance to choose an alternate payment method and only use the default payment if an alternate isn't selected within the prescribed timeframe.   

Realistically, it seems reasonable to me to use the default payment method for any purchase or invoice if someone doesn't select an alternate payment method (or make a combined shipping invoice request) within the 4-day payment grace period.   It seems if they had instituted this kind of policy instead of creating a new immediate payment for BIN/BO scheme it would resolve both issues* across all forms including Bid to Win auctions. (*sellers not getting paid and buyers getting shafted on overcharged shipping and not having payment choices).

[madcs]

@ed8108 @doc-holmes   If they really wanted to "protect sellers" and eliminate non-paying anyone they would just require a default method after the 4-day grace period and not come up with stupid schemes.   I tend to think more like @ajs_coins_and_alchemy that somehow they are pushing sellers toward "free shipping" and pushing buyers away from using payment choices like "Pay in 4" options.  I've noticed a couple of times when I used it on bigger cart purchases that eBay conveniently "lost" the payment information on the return from completing PayPal and I had to go in and redo it all.

[ajs_coins_and_alchemy]

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@madcs wrote:

@ed8108 @doc-holmes   If they really wanted to "protect sellers" and eliminate non-paying anyone they would just require a default method after the 4-day grace period and not come up with stupid schemes.   I tend to think more like @ajs_coins_and_alchemy that somehow they are pushing sellers toward "free shipping" and pushing buyers away from using payment choices like "Pay in 4" options.  I've noticed a couple of times when I used it on bigger cart purchases that eBay conveniently "lost" the payment information on the return from completing PayPal and I had to go in and redo it all.

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I think this is the best idea yet. Maybe I'm naive and overlooking logistics, but I don't think so.

Hotels, Rental Car companies, and the like place holds on cards. You may have a $200 hold on your card for incidentals or damages that is released after you check out or complete your rental.

In this case, EBay could place a hold on a default payment method for a set period of time (like the 4 day window, or maybe sellers could opt into a longer window like those who offer 7 or 10 days to combine shipping on multiple items/auctions etc.) That way, by the end of the time frame, the default method will be charged, but in the interim, the buyer can complete the payment with the default method (use the "hold" as payment) or an alternate method (release the "hold" on default).

This does sound kind of logistically crazy maybe. It does go against the agenda of EBay. If we're being honest, EBay still wants free shipping across the board (along with same/1-day handling & free returns, like the TRS+ incentives of 10% off FVF & ability for up to 50% reduction in refunds etc etc etc). But if EBay was inclined to accomodate those who wanted to combine shipping or wanted to delay payment or have payment autonomy, then this would be the most logical move. Hotels & car rentals figured it out, why cant ebay? (Lack of desire)

[ittybitnot]

So how could a seller arbitrarily collect exorbitant amounts for shipping?  

@soh.maryl 

Not only has eBay set a "default/yes" for requiring buyers to put up a payment source for making offers,  last week eBay dropped a new one, also set to default/yes in order for a buyer to BID ON AN AUCTION they need the payment source upfront.  Did eBay tell the sellers?  NO, they did not. 

For years I have always bid on more than one thing from the same seller.  I might win six or seven during a set 5 day period.  As my win is recorded, the sale is run through and paid for.  If I win all seven that have a shipping charge posted at $5 each, I am paying $35 for shipping (think seven pairs of earrings) that could easily be combined in a 4 ounce parcel.   I pay more, the seller pays more since these are now individual transactions (already paid for) @30 cents each instead of 30 cents for one.  Each will require a separate tracking number, shipping fees, and fees on what I, the buyer has to pay. 

As stated upthread, the buyer cannot select to use paypal credit, paypal pay in 4, googlepay, apple pay, spendable funds, coupons from the seller, coupons from eBay.

The result as I see it is that the buyer pays more, the seller pays more, and eBay makes more money.  To discourage or eliminate multiple accepted offers or auctions in not providing a good buyer experience.  If non-payers are such a problem, why not get rid of the non-payers instead of requiring this most annoying dance routine for everyone else.     Why not?  eBay makes more money this way.

Yes, NPBs may decline, but also so will sales when buyers balk at this requirement and don't bid at all. 

[12345jamesstamps]

I have International Shipping where I charge for shipping.

If a buyer ask for a total with maybe a shipping discount....and seller ignores email for total shipping with a possible discount....buyer will get charged automatically if they don't pay. I have it for 3 days and it can be adjusted for so many days per the seller.

A buyer is committed if they like put 4 items in a cart and ask seller for shipping discount.

One item for me is $1.30 shipping...if they buy 10 items it is 10 times $1.30. If seller does nothing buyer is charged after so many days without the discount.

[mtgraves7984]

Regarding the payment choice, my example is the default is my credit card but today I'd rather use PayPal to dip into my other checking account, or perhaps use some of my PayPal balance.  Also, for example, if I'm looking to buy 3 or 4 higher dollar items, I might want to spread that payment with Pay in 4 to take advantage of 0% interest, but I can't do that either because this BIN/BO defaults to immediate payment on my CC.   So instead, I'm gonna walk and not buy any of it.

@madcs 

I'll tell you how I work around this ^^^ issue. Go to your PayPal Wallet and make your other checking account  the 'Preferred method of payment while shopping online' and Save the choice. Then, when you go to checkout here, select 'PayPal' as your method of payment.

When I do that... I'm transferred to PayPal and it immediately defaults to my 'Preferred' method (my other checking account), but still allows that I choose anything in my Wallet before paying, if I'd prefer. I've never used the Pay In 4, so I can't address if that option is available.

I prefer the extra layer of PayPal protection, so my payment methods are all in my PayPal wallet, with one 'Preferred'.

[ed8108]

With respect to multiple item purchases having free shipping from a single seller, when shipped in a single envelope or package at little additional cost to the seller, does ebay permit a request for a combined shipping discount on free shipping?

free shipping, Is not free

The reality of Free shipping is that the

  individual shipping cost has already been applied on every item you purchase.

[mudshark61369]

@madcs,

You replied to @atlasesattic  asking:

"However, how do I as a buyer know that you are one of the good ones and aren't going to require this and will combine shipping for BIN/BO or even B2W items?  Especially if all I get is the description of the item and your basic calculated shipping rate".

First if you go to make an offer and are asked to fill in the payment info, you know the seller is requiring it, or doesn't even know they were opted into the requirement.  Most sellers who will combine shipping on multiple item purchases, state that on their listings someplace.

There is one exception to the combined shipping system and that is, when a seller lists several similar size/weight items that have Buy 1 pay $X. Each additional add $Y.  If you buy from more than 1 of those listings you will be charged the $X price for each, since each is a separate listing. That is done automatically, and all the seller can do is issue a refund if asked.

[steve_stuff]

As we don't take less for our items the offer part doesn't affect us - but with the bid one we have a question -

Has anybody filled out the 'provide a payment method before they place a bid' deal for seller 'A', then tried to make a bid with seller B' to see if asked for what would be the same info twice?

Maybe it's asked for once and the info is then kept on file.

[followthedragon92]

I had a seller that had multiple items ending today that I wanted to bid on. I got the message that I had to add an automatic payment method BEFORE bidding. That pretty much killed the option for me to request a total if I were to bid and win multiple items from this seller that were all ending pretty close together. I absolutely will not pay separate shipping for winning multiple items from a seller when combined shipping makes more sense and should and has been an option previously.

[ajs_coins_and_alchemy]

Why don't you simply message the seller? Ask them to deselect that function or ask them if they will send you a partial refund for combined shipping on multiple items?

Yes, this is a hurdle and may steer buyers away as its more work and not an upfront guarantee... but depends how bad you wanted the sellers items.