GRRR.....so frustrated with a buyer......she keeps harrassing me over shipping costs

[lkw8595]

I had a listing for 2 womens tops....both for 8.99 which is a good deal.  They are long tops and a heavy polyester/spandex, so the weight of the package is 2-3 pounds

I get a message from a buyer that she would like to bid but doesn't want to pay what the calculated shipping will be to her in Florida from me near Chicago.

I used the Ebay calculator, from my zip to hers in FL for a 2-3 pound package, Priority Mail is about 12.00.

I explain to her that I didn't make up the number but it is based on weight and zip.  So, about 1 hour before the auction ends, she bids and wins for 8.99.

Fine...I send the invoice.  Now I get another message from her asking for a recalculated invoice with a better shipping rate.  So I re-invoiced and again, the calculator says about 12.00.  

So I messaged her and said, Sorry but when i try to print out the mailing label that is just about what it is costing me to ship.  I finally told her that if she doesn't want to pay the shipping just cancel the sale

IMHO, if she didn't like the shipping, then don't bid, especially after I explain it to you.  Instead, she keeps saying how much she likes them and wants them, but now AFTER the sale, is demanding that I come down on shipping.  I'm NOT going to lose money to ship to her.  I'm so frustrated.

[gabbycockatiel]

Okay, so obviously the buyer should not have purchased the items if she didn't agree to the shipping charge. But it also sounds like you don't actually KNOW the best shipping charge, as you keep saying the package weighs "2-3 pounds." You should package the two tops and then weigh the package, then use the actual weight to find the lowest-cost shipping method. I honestly can't imagine two polyester/spandex tops, even in a thick fabric, weighing two pounds or more. If they actually do weigh that much, though, there are flat-rate options that are likely cheaper.

[mistwomandancing]

Tell her you contacted the USPS on her behalf and asked them if they would be willing to take less than the stated price for postage at the packaged weight to her address..........  and they said NO!

[rainbowcolorz]

Oops, I didn't realize your buyer bid and won with the shipping you offered.    Too late now to change the shipping price so she will have no choice but to pay, otherwise as was suggested to you already, you can open an Unpaid Item Case.

I just hope that because you say No Returns in your listings, she doesn't decide after she receives it to say it wasn't as described because then I believe you will have no option but to accept the return and pay for the return shipping.  

Good luck. 

[copper.boom]

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@lkw8595 wrote:
They do not fit into a regional Rate A box and the Rate B box is even more. Believe me, I checked other options

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I looked at your listing. I have shipped items that size, that material, that length. I could definitely fit them into an RRA box - the square-ish one for sure, possibly even the skinny rectangle one, and possibly even a Padded FRE.

Perhaps try folding them differently.

[charlotteflair14x]

LOL.....now that's funny. I need to remember that

[stuff4divas]

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@lkw8595 wrote:

... but now AFTER the sale, is demanding that I come down on shipping.  I'm NOT going to lose money to ship to her.  I'm so frustrated.

HI neighbor, Tell her to go to the USPS website, enter the zip codes and pkg weight so she can see for herself, otherwise, UPI her or cancel per her request, since she is refusing to pay the listed shipping price.

[gabbycockatiel]

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@rainbowcolorz wrote:

Oops, I didn't realize your buyer bid and won with the shipping you offered.    Too late now to change the shipping price so she will have no choice but to pay, otherwise as was suggested to you already, you can open an Unpaid Item Case.

I just hope that because you say No Returns in your listings, she doesn't decide after she receives it to say it wasn't as described because then I believe you will have no option but to accept the return and pay for the return shipping.  

Good luck. 

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Well, if the seller does find a less expensive way to ship (which it seems likely she could), she could then invoice the buyer with an adjusted shipping charge.

If I were this seller, I would definitely work with the buyer to avoid winding up with a return, as you said. I would obtain the actual exact shipping weight of the package and then show the buyer that exact weight and what the shipping options/prices are at that weight (heck, sometimes it even works out cheaper to ship the two items separately). But that's me.

[rainbowcolorz]

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@gabbycockatiel wrote:

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@rainbowcolorz wrote:

Oops, I didn't realize your buyer bid and won with the shipping you offered.    Too late now to change the shipping price so she will have no choice but to pay, otherwise as was suggested to you already, you can open an Unpaid Item Case.

I just hope that because you say No Returns in your listings, she doesn't decide after she receives it to say it wasn't as described because then I believe you will have no option but to accept the return and pay for the return shipping.  

Good luck. 

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Well, if the seller does find a less expensive way to ship (which it seems likely she could), she could then invoice the buyer with an adjusted shipping charge.

If I were this seller, I would definitely work with the buyer to avoid winding up with a return, as you said. I would obtain the actual exact shipping weight of the package and then show the buyer that exact weight and what the shipping options/prices are at that weight (heck, sometimes it even works out cheaper to ship the two items separately). But that's me.

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Yes, I agree.   I can't understand why anyone would choose No Returns, especially a seasoned seller.  

[pingpong517]

well either cancel the sale, take the ding, or bite the bullet and reduce the shipping...it does sound a bit high...legal flate rate envelopes will fit a lot if needed.... but you fight too much  then you get a negative feedback.... so yes you may be right..BUT what are you going to live with?

[oaklandmaryland]

What I have done in the past is go to USPS.com and copy the actual rate charged by the post office. Then I send a message via the message system and say "here is exactly what the post office charges as I copied from their website. Then I paste in the charges and finally say that payment is expected within 3 days or a non payment claim will be opened. I also say that it is against Ebay's rules to demand a reduction in shipping rate after a sale is completed. Then say nothing else. Does the trick every time. Just be factual and non sarcastic.

[skatesave]

They will both fit into a Priority Mail Flat Rate  Legal Envelope for $5.75 or thereabouts.   They might also fit into a Priority Flat Rate Padded envelope for $6.30.

Do you not use those? Over $12.00 is unecessary.

[gabbycockatiel]

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@skatesave wrote:

They will both fit into a Priority Mail Flat Rate  Legal Envelope for $5.75 or thereabouts.   They might also fit into a Priority Flat Rate Padded envelope for $6.30.

Do you not use those? Over $12.00 is unecessary.

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Oh, this gives me an idea. You could also tell the buyer that squishing the tops into the flat-rate packaging will cause them to arrive deeply wrinkled, and ask if that's worth the savings in shipping to her. If so, you can put each top in a ziploc bag, squeeze all the air out as hard as you can, and then both tops should fit. Seriously, I ship jeans in the Flat-Rate Padded envelope.

[moo*cow*corner]

Trying to avoid a return with this buyer would be an exercise in futility. Return policies aren't going to mean jack to this person.

If she's not willing to pay clearly stated postage to get the items to her, why would anyone think she'd be willing to pay postage to return them? It would be straight up SNAD right off the bat.

[rainbowcolorz]

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@gabbycockatiel wrote:

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@skatesave wrote:

They will both fit into a Priority Mail Flat Rate  Legal Envelope for $5.75 or thereabouts.   They might also fit into a Priority Flat Rate Padded envelope for $6.30.

Do you not use those? Over $12.00 is unecessary.

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Oh, this gives me an idea. You could also tell the buyer that squishing the tops into the flat-rate packaging will cause them to arrive deeply wrinkled, and ask if that's worth the savings in shipping to her. If so, you can put each top in a ziploc bag, squeeze all the air out as hard as you can, and then both tops should fit. Seriously, I ship jeans in the Flat-Rate Padded envelope.

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I've purchased about 8 or 9 pair of jeans on eBay and most all have come in a PFR envelope.  Some even had Free Shipping and I purchased them for about $8-$10.     I'm always searching eBay for high-waisted blue jeans with pockets but have a very hard time finding them in my size (somewhere between 7 - 8).  

[gabbycockatiel]

Okay, I also just went through the steps to view the listing for these tops. I'm very familiar with that fabric, and while they are flowy 1X-size tops, they are not bulky. Folded neatly and flat with the air pushed out, yes, they will fit in a Regional Rate A box or a Padded Flat Rate envelope. I promise. You could even try folding them flat and then rolling them up, if that helps reduce the dimensions.

Btw, looking through your other items, you have unnecessarily high shipping charges on a lot of them. It might help your sales to find better, lower-cost shipping methods for them.