Buyer Demanded I Combine Shipping After One of Items was Paid For

[vtgjewelrygenie]

A buyer sent me a low offer on a buy it now necklace and I accepted it immediately but it’s been two days and they haven’t paid. I sent them a message asking when I can expect payment, and letting them know I want to visit the post office as little as possible, so I asked if she could make the payment by noon tomorrow so I can’t drop it off with my other buyers packages. 

The buyer m back

“You have written that you do not combine the parcels and therefore I paid for one product.
But since you wrote that you want to combine and send in one shipment, then remove the postage and I will immediately pay you for the necklace.”

i had no idea this buyer had more than one listing. She already paid for the other listing she’s referring to from days before (over the weekend) that she won in an auction. 

She apparently tried to generate her own invoice in the shopping cart and a generic message came up that says I don’t offer combined shipping. She didn’t ask me to combine shipping for her, and she must have read in my listings that I DO offer combined. 

The next message she sends me is:

“Natalie, when you buy several goods from one seller, there is such a request for an invoice. I clicked it and the seller is indicated there does not do combined delivery.
And now you can fix it, while it is not open, delivery is free.”

Basically demanding I fix the necklace she has yet to pay for by giving her free shipping on it. 

I’ve never had to chase a buyer down for payment, only to find that they weren’t planning on paying For it until I gave them free shipping-but they weren’t going to let me know themselves?! How would I’ve known this was the situation If she never planned on contacting me? 

Heres my question: I know combined shipping is a privilege, not a right imposed on every seller to offer their buyers. I really feel like someone like this doesn’t deserve to have their shipping combined: they blamed me for not waiting to pay for their items so they could get a discount, and then they didn’t even contact me about their problem. Once I had to go looking for their payment, they told me I needed to give them a discount before they pay it. 

What should i do? 

I almost don’t want to sell anything to this user anymore because I’m worried They’ll leave bad feedback. 

Please help

[cynthealee2]

Have you shipped her first item?  If not can they ship together?

If they can ship together what would be the combined shipping cost?

Take the combined shipping cost deduct the first amount already paid, then bill them for the balance on the second order.

Tell her she has X days to pay the new balance and if not you will be shipping the first item as it's past your handling time, and she will have to pay the full shipping on the second order as it will now be it's own shipment.

If the first item has already shipped tell her that since they were NOT paid for at the same time combined shipping can not happen as the first item was mailed on X day.

Let her know that the 'glitch' is in eBay's cart and wasn't on your end, and that in the future is she wants combined shipping she needs to wait to pay for both items at the same time as the cart won't let anyone combine shipping on paid for and non paid for items at the same time.

People are stuck at home, and they are getting cranky...  you got two/three options 2 I listed above, or you can cancel BOTH orders from the buyer (if you haven't mailed the first one) 'problem with buyers addy' or something and block the buyer.

[jame234]

@cynthealee2 , @vtgjewelrygenie I agree except I would not cancel the first transaction that she paid for.  She could leave negative feedback.

[vtgjewelrygenie]

Once she paid for the first necklace, I put it in it’s nice organza bag, tied a thank you note, addressed the bubble mailer, and sealed it up. For me to combine shipping, I’ll have to tear that open and redo all of it, ultimately costing me more money in the end.
Do you think I should just let it sit there until eBay opens a ticket for unpaid item? I explained to her that I didn’t adjust shipping after there’s nothing to combine. Since she paid for one of the two items, I cant adjust the price of a single item as a combined shipping discount. And she kept arguing with me that I could, and then directing me how to do it. She said to give her free shipping and she’ll pay for it right away!

[fashunu4eeuh · Accepted solution]

A buyer cannot ask for a change in your terms after the sale has taken place. It is against eBay policy. See link below. Your buyer cannot demand free shipping on the second purchase. She already has bought the second item (even tho it is not paid for yet). Since she did not inform you of her desire to buy multiple items, you are under no obligation to give her combined shipping now.

However, it is totally up to you if you want to accommodate her at this point to keep her happy. I don't know what the value of your items are but that might make a difference in whether or not to go ahead and eat the cost of the envelope etc. Also, she is mistaken that you are going to combine the two shipments into one package for mailing. I would inform her that these items will be shipped separately and that it is too late to combine shipping for her. If it were me, I might give her the option of canceling the sales if she is unhappy with the outcome.

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/rules-policies-buyers/abusive-buyer-policy?id=4374

"You're not required to agree to any extras or changes from the terms of your listing. If a buyer is making demands that are not a part of your original listing, you will be protected from negative feedback and defects when you either deliver the item purchased by the buyer according to the original terms of your listing, or cancel the transaction."

To clarify, eBay will not open the Unpaid Item Dispute for you; it is the seller that must initiate that process in the resolution center. Here is the link on how to open the case:

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/getting-paid/resolving-unpaid-items?id=4137

By the way, why hasn't the first package been shipped? Have you already bought postage for it?

[inhawaii]

You have the right to deny her request. The first order was already packed up and postage/label already printed.  The second purchase should be treated as a SEPARATE order, packaged and shipped separately.  

What would i do?  I would go ahead and grant her request and not charge her shipping for the second item and pack the second item with the first item. It will be more hassle.  It will cost you a little more money, but you'll have a happy customer in the end.  That's just what i would do.  Others will disagree. 

Whatever you decide to do, good luck!

[webwanna]

So this buyer got a discount on a fixed priced item from you and now they want to make sure that if you don't give them FREE Shipping on that item too  that you will have to pay for shipping for both and go to the post office multiple times during the Coronovirus National Emergency....

Nice.  I agree, not someone I would want to do business with again.  

Give them the FREE Shipping and tell them it must be paid by tomorrow. Then, block that buyer.

[webwanna]

Keep in mind, this is the type of person that even if you give them a revised invoice, they still might not pay for it promptly and you will end up having to go to the post office multiple times anyway.  

[terrycece62]

BLOCK THIS BUYER BLOCK HER NOW so u don't have to deal with this person again

[cynthealee2]

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@vtgjewelrygenie wrote:
Once she paid for the first necklace, I put it in it’s nice organza bag, tied a thank you note, addressed the bubble mailer, and sealed it up. For me to combine shipping, I’ll have to tear that open and redo all of it, ultimately costing me more money in the end.
Do you think I should just let it sit there until eBay opens a ticket for unpaid item? I explained to her that I didn’t adjust shipping after there’s nothing to combine. Since she paid for one of the two items, I cant adjust the price of a single item as a combined shipping discount. And she kept arguing with me that I could, and then directing me how to do it. She said to give her free shipping and she’ll pay for it right away!

---

While I agree with the rest, she technically isn't supposed to changes things after the fact, order you around ect. as a buyer she can make your life a lot harder until these 2 transactions are done.

I would simply figure out what the shipping weight is with BOTH of the items and then proceed as I outlined above... don't undo anything until she pays for the second one though or passes your deadline.   That way if she simply doesn't pay for the second item OR requests you to cancel it because she gets in a bigger snit, you aren't out the packaging you have already used.

[new_england_tales_retold]

This buyer has 'trouble' written all over her. Give her what she is asking for then block her from further sales. I learned the hard way to be ruthless in blocking people who seem demanding and unreasonable. You have lovely items for sale at fair prices and shouldn't have to compromise to meet unreasonable demands.

[2015mhfashions]

She's not actually asking for combined shipping she now wants free shipping, against E Bay policy by the way.

Tell her to pay and you will refund the difference from the actual cost to what she paid minus your seller / ebay fees of course.

Ignore another reply saying to do wants she wants, this seller also freely gives away free money with partial refunds to keep them happy, of course their happy, it's free money.

This is why this rubbish continues based on advice like that.