Using multiple "Sell Offers" means No Combined Shipping?

[erikstuff]

Yesterday about 10 items showed up as eligible for a "Make Offer."  So, I cut the prices made the offers.  About 30 minutes later I got a note asking if I combined postage.  I replied "Yes, Just use the "Add to Cart" feature and request an invoice.   A short time later I got a note from the guy that he was trying to order but wasn't getting the "Add To Cart" feature as an option... just "Accept Offer" and "Confirm" and a note to go to offer 2.

So, there 10 would be considered separate deals... with no opportunity to combine postage.  So... he could save about $10 on the prices... and pay an extra $40.50 in postage.  We went back and forth a bit, but couldn't figure out how to make this happen.  Now he seems to have given up and that's that.

Is there something I'm missing?  Losing the "Combine Postage" will ruin every multi-order "Make Offer" deal.

As slow as things have been, this would have doubled this months sales.

[safetyfirst5-91 · Accepted solution]

I had the same issue and agreed to refund the savings after purchase. The buyer was satisfied with this option.

[tobaccocardyahoo]

Combined shipping with accepted offers has always been a mess when I tried it.

I usually can get the buyer to agree on the amount I will refund on combined shipping, if he/she does not want to agree, I thank my stars that I will not have to complete the order for that person.

[kickin.assets]

@erikstuff 

Sounds like under your selling preferences, manage who can buy from you, you have “require buyers to provide payment method before sending offers” checked. That will prevent buyers to accept multiple offers and for you to send a combined invoice.

This just happened to me yesterday so this is the work around I used … when buyer asked if I combine, I said yes, went in and un-checked this option. Buyer then was able to accept offers, add to cart and receive the combined shipping discount.

Hope this helps! 😁

Happy Sales!

Kiks

[erikstuff]

I suggested it.  He just makes the purchases without taking the "offers" and use the "Add To Cart" and I would combine the postage and refund the "deal portion."  I think he was leery because it's something that hadn't ever come up before.

[stephenmorgan]

List all the items together with the agreed upon price and correct shipping and the see if they will purchase the items.

[hartungcards]

"Sounds like under your selling preferences, manage who can buy from you, you have “require buyers to provide payment method before sending offers” checked."

Yeah, no, that has nothing to do with it.  The OP is right about this disaster, and it's been screwed up like this for over 6 months now.  Half the time, the buyer gets the "Accept Offer" option and half the time they get the "Go to Checkout" option, no matter what your selling preferences are set to.  I know I've lost more than a few potential combined shipping sales because buyers are seemingly forced to pay for everything separately, and I don't have any of that "provide payment method" or "immediate payment required" mumbo jumbo enabled.

Of course, if your buyer goes through with the separate payments and you refund the excess shipping, then eBay gets a bunch of additional per-order fees.  Go figure why they haven't bothered to fix this.

[ittybitnot]

Sounds like under your selling preferences, manage who can buy from you, you have “require buyers to provide payment method before sending offers” checked. That will prevent buyers to accept multiple offers and for you to send a combined invoice.

@kickin.assets  @erikstuff 

While those preferences you mention are certainly "combined shipping killers" it has little to do with offers that a seller sends. 

eBay is rolling out a new feature which makes all offers that a seller SENDs to buyers "immediate payment required" whether they want it or not.  So basically, there is no "acceptance" button for the buyer, they can't put them in the cart and request a total.  Its been over three years now, and mobile users still do not have a request total feature anyway for any activity. These seller sent offers  are IPR, and must be paid separately at full shipping price for each. ( This is still rolling out, and if you happen to send offers for multiple items to the same buyer, there is a chance they can accept one and still have to pay separately for the others. ) 

Yes, you can tell the buyer you combine shipping, but you can't send an invoice for IPR listings.  The buyer will have to trust you, and wait until the clunky managed payments sends back individual  refunds for the multiple transactions.  There is no seller requirement that they do this, and it seems if you don't trust the buyer to pay, they are not going to trust you to refund the excess either.  In this case, however, it is eBay directing the show, not the seller.  

This is another action designed to supposedly  cut down on non-paying buyers.  This is another action that in reality makes more money for eBay. 

[hartungcards]

"This is still rolling out, and if you happen to send offers for multiple items to the same buyer, there is a chance they can accept one and still have to pay separately for the others."

This is absolutely true and correct, and is absolutely complete bull**** on eBay's part.

[ittybitnot]

So... he could save about $10 on the prices... and pay an extra $40.50 in postage.  

@erikstuff 

Very good point, and why those who require the payment source upfront for offers, didn't get offers anymore for multiple items.  Sales down?  Enroll in promoted listings (but keep those combined shipping killer preferences in case a non-paying buyer should show up).   

You forgot to mention, that you pay the non-refundable 40 cents for EACH of those transactions, instead of 40 cents for a combined order.  All this is NOT Really  about non-payers.  If it were, ebay would select YES to the 2 in 12 block in your preferences, sanction the buyers who don't follow the rules and there would be no excuse for combined shipping killer policies and procedures. 

[hartungcards]

"So... he could save about $10 on the prices... and pay an extra $40.50 in postage."

I had a potential customer tell me almost exactly this after I sent her numerous discount offers.  I messaged her back apologizing for eBay's incredible ineptitude and explained the various workarounds, as mentioned above, that we could use.  And guess what?  I never heard from her again.  And I can't say I blame her.  Thanks again, eBay.

[hartungcards]

"List all the items together with the agreed upon price and correct shipping and the see if they will purchase the items."

Yeah, no, no seller (or buyer) should have to go through all this extra legwork to work around the astonishing incompetence of whoever is reponsible for this situation.

[simply-the-best-for-you]

It's never worked, I always just do it manually for them via a refund.  But, I rarely get multiple purchases, so it's a lot easier than for those who have frequent multiple purchases.   It's ridiculous. 

[alboxman]

eBay customer support it telling me this is a deliberate change - that there is no combined shipping or invoicing on "make offers".    

[alboxman]

I agree.  Ebay works on the squeaky wheel principle, so they won't fix this unless they get enough complaints.