Won auction but not receiving the combined shipping invoice

[chanyuc]

Hello,

I won several auctions from the same seller. 

I requested the total and haven't received the combined shipping invoice yet..

eBay is urging me to pay the items. Do I get strikes when I don't pay them in time?

Shouldn't eBay freeze the timer if the delay is on the seller's part?

I asked the seller last week that if she'd combine shipping.

She said she'd combine the shipping, but she took 3 days to reply to that simple question.

I'm worried that she'd pull the same thing again and have me get bid strikes.

It's really getting on my nerves. What do I do? 

[klhmdg]

Not much you can do.

You can pay and hope the seller does combine and will refund you the difference.

You can not pay and hope the seller doesnt have automatic unpaid item strikes and eventually gets back to you.

[terrycece62]

you can still get strikes PAY before time runs out.

Does the seller state in the listings that they combine shipping for multiple purchases?

How much of a savings are we talking about here?

Do not risk your buying power on eBay waiting for a cost reduction that may not come

[fab_finds4u]

The seller can ship the items together and discount the shipping or not.

Did you specifically ask if they combine shipping for a discount and what is the combined shipping cost?

If you didn't ask that way and get a firm quote then maybe they think you want them shipped in one box because one box is easier to retrieve than several boxes.

[chanyuc]

many years ago, I just paid before the time ran out and then messaged the seller for a partial refund and she said there is no such thing as partial refund.. ever since, I have been careful, and normally clear things up before I made the payment.

[chanyuc]

She didn't mention it in the description, but I sent her a direct message during the auction and she replied "of course, I'll combine the shipping".

I originally bid for only one item, but with that response, I increased that number to 6. 

It was a dollar start items. I thought I'd be stealing these, but on the last day, I had some bid competitions and some items ended up being $7-8. I mean if it ended $.99 I'd just pay it out of my sympathy.

She charges $5.40 for shipping. So shipping fee is more than the item prices. I wouldn't have bought 6 of these, if I considered these shipping fees in. $32.4 in shipping total, $25 in item. 

but now I'm paying a little below what other sellers sell their items at: $10 and some are free shipping.

I do expect her to give me $7-10 combined shipping, if she does it.

but if she doesn't by Aug 11th, I'd be paying $20-25 extra than my "expectation". 

[terrycece62]

@chanyuc 

I really hope seller comes through for you with discount in time or refunds you the shipping overage

Good Luck

[1tuna]

you failed to ask the seller about discounted shipping

you asked about combined shipping and assumed there would be a savings

its not a big deal but many a buyer has been left hanging waiting for a response such as yours

maybe the seller is wondering when you are going to pay and then maybe you will get a partial refund

@chanyuc 

[ajs_coins_and_alchemy]

Sorry, but I totally disagree with you @1tuna ... if we are playing semantics on ebay as sellers with "discounted" shipping and "combined" shipping we are going to be as hated as shiesty contract/corporate attornies.

Any buyer asks about combined shipping they mean combined for a discount. I think this buyer asked about combined shipping for a discount clearly enough and the seller should honor such. I mean, I agree, they didn't ask about a quote. I don't usually ask for a quote, I do ask about method of shipping since I can figure out the price myself based on weight and method. 

Unfortunately OP you have to be careful about that since your bid agrees to pay list price and list shipping, although you have verbal agreements for combined shipping.

My method is simple. Whenever I win one auction and plan to bid on/win more I message a seller immediately stating my intentions, and then upon completion of my bids/wins i message immediately saying "I'm 100% ready and able to pay as soon as I receive the combined shipping invoice from you, I will await that prior to payment" and make it clear, concise and direct that if they want their money they can have it as soon as they give me the discount.

I make sure to communicate in no uncertain terms, I think it avoids anyone thinking they can play games with me.

Good luck in your problem here... hopefully the seller is prompt and honest

[mudshark61369]

@chanyuc,

You replied to @terrycece62  saying in part,

"It was a dollar start items.  I had some bid competitions and some items ended up being $7-8...  She charges $5.40 for shipping... So shipping fee is more than the item prices". 

You seem to be under the impression that there is something wrong if the shipping costs are higher than the item cost if you win an item at the starting price.  Shipping costs are set by shippers not sellers, and just because an item can be won for $1 doesn't change what the shipping service charges, based on package size and weight.  In some cases depending on the weight and number of items, and/or the package size, combined shipping can end up being more than what the seller was charging for individual shipping.

  "now I'm paying a little below what other sellers sell their items at: $10 and some are free shipping".

There is no such thing as Free Shipping!!!!  The seller has to pay that cost and it is figured into the item price. Which is why you are paying only a little less.

Did You check the seller's feedback profile before buying from them?  From what you have written, your seller sounds like a new or very inexperienced one to me.  Taking 3 days to respond to a question (sometimes understandable on summer weekends) and not being ready to give combined shipping costs within a day are pretty good indicators of the seller being inexperienced.    If you only looked at the seller's number of feedback and their percentage, if you check their profile now, you might find it is all or mostly for buying.

If you do end up with unpaid item strikes.  Because they were caused by the seller, there is a way they should be able to be removed.  Come back to this board if that happens. 

[7606dennis]

---

@ajs_coins_and_alchemy wrote:

Sorry, but I totally disagree with you @1tuna ... if we are playing semantics on ebay as sellers with "discounted" shipping and "combined" shipping we are going to be as hated as shiesty contract/corporate attornies.

Any buyer asks about combined shipping they mean combined for a discount. I think this buyer asked about combined shipping for a discount clearly enough and the seller should honor such. I mean, I agree, they didn't ask about a quote. I don't usually ask for a quote, I do ask about method of shipping since I can figure out the price myself based on weight and method. 

Unfortunately OP you have to be careful about that since your bid agrees to pay list price and list shipping, although you have verbal agreements for combined shipping.

My method is simple. Whenever I win one auction and plan to bid on/win more I message a seller immediately stating my intentions, and then upon completion of my bids/wins i message immediately saying "I'm 100% ready and able to pay as soon as I receive the combined shipping invoice from you, I will await that prior to payment" and make it clear, concise and direct that if they want their money they can have it as soon as they give me the discount.

I make sure to communicate in no uncertain terms, I think it avoids anyone thinking they can play games with me.

Good luck in your problem here... hopefully the seller is prompt and honest

---

I'm afraid that you're incorrect ajszcz740.  Combined shipping is not the same as discounted shipping.  For a buyer to assume that they are is often a common mistake made by buyers.  Often the actual combining of items into a single shipment can increase the shipping costs.  When dealing with business communications it is important that one communicates correctly.  If one is asking if the seller offers discounted shipping for combined purchases, they need to be specific and not assume that which is not specifically spelled out. 

[chanyuc]

---

Did You check the seller's feedback profile before buying from them?  From what you have written, your seller sounds like a new or very inexperienced one to me.  Taking 3 days to respond to a question (sometimes understandable on summer weekends) and not being ready to give combined shipping costs within a day are pretty good indicators of the seller being inexperienced.    If you only looked at the seller's number of feedback and their percentage, if you check their profile now, you might find it is all or mostly for buying.

If you do end up with unpaid item strikes.  Because they were caused by the seller, there is a way they should be able to be removed.  Come back to this board if that happens. 

---

uhhh, yes she was. the seller sold like 4-5 items more than a year ago and received positive feedbacks from it. It seems like a person is trying to get rid of her household junks.

She didn't message me back to pay or anything yet. 

She had a large auctions (for a casual seller). Most of them were $.99 + $5.4 shipping and got sold.

[chanyuc]

interesting. Is it cause some people have inventories in different warehouses? 

Whenever I ask for a combined shipping. Sellers generally do give a shipping discount. 

When I press contact the seller, it just says "ask a question about combined shipping". So that thought never occurred to me. 

[albertabrightalberta]

@chanyuc 

@ajs_coins_and_alchemy 

Actually, for combined shipping, it's important to be specific in requesting discounted combined shipping. 

In fact, when a buyer purchases multiple items from a seller, the combined invoice takes each item's shipping cost and figures it into the total, showing the total item prices of the multiples + sales tax on the total + total shipping. 

Since that is the default of combined shipping, if the seller intends to discount the shipping price, she has to manually do it. 

IMO, discounted combined shipping should be what is requested. 

[chanyuc]

If you do end up with unpaid item strikes.  Because they were caused by the seller, there is a way they should be able to be removed.  Come back to this board if that happens. 

---

This is actually the response that I wanted to hear. I'm glad there is a way. 

I mean, sure I can just pay shipping and take the L. It's not gonna ruin my life, but it doesn't hurt to know my options.

I still have 2 more days. I'm hoping that she gets back to me before the timer runs out..