Buyer Paying for Postage Twice

[vslice02]

I made a purchase 2 weeks ago that came with $5 shipping costs which I paid along with shipping and sales tax. Yesterday I received receipt on door from USPS that item was not delivered because additional $9 in "postage due" is required for receipt.

I messaged the seller who responded: "The box was very light....so its not because it was over weight....I would try contacting ebay customer service and explain how usps is giving you this trouble."

What would be the recommended action to take? I feel like at best, seller made honest mistake shipping but should be somewhat accountable for additional cost. I haven't requested redelivery yet so item is still with USPS until I figure out who will be accountable for extra shipping.

[reallynicestamps]

Parcel rates are based not on value but on weight PLUS DIMENSIONS.
It sounds as if the lightweight item was in a largish box- which pushed it into a higher rate category ($14 not $5).

This is the seller's error.

If you want the item, sorry to say, you will have to pay the extra shipping.

• For what it's worth, this is what the seller should have charged you and what you should have paid in the first place. Still annoying

What you MUST NOT do is refuse the package.

If you do, eBay will consider the package Undeliverable. It will return to the seller (eventually).

The seller will not be required to refund your payment BECAUSE THE PACKAGE WAS UNDELIVERABLE.

Oh what a tangled web we weave.....

So.
Pay the extra postage.

Open a Not As Described Dispute. Give the seller the choice of paying for a Return Shipping Label to get it back, or giving you a partial refund to make up for the unexpected charge.

Again, this is the seller's error. You are in the right.

You are still going to be doing the heavy lifting.

Try to do this through the automatic Resolution Centre at the bottom of this page.

If you talk to Customer Service , frankly, it won't go well. They are tired, undertrained, and underpaid. They will say anything to get you off the phone.

Stick with the robots.

If it looks as if you are going to have to return the item to get your money (and the seller does not agree to AND SEND a partial for the postage due which again is the seller's error)  do it.

And leave appropriate feedback.

Politely.--- Captain Malcolm Reynolds.

[kensgiftshop]

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@reallynicestamps wrote:

What you MUST NOT do is refuse the package.

If you do, eBay will consider the package Undeliverable. It will return to the seller (eventually).

The seller will not be required to refund your payment BECAUSE THE PACKAGE WAS UNDELIVERABLE.

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Isn't postage due one reason you can refuse a package?

[glyph01]

eBay MGB on refused packages

The buyer refused delivery of the item

Covered:

• The item arrived with shipping cost still owing because the seller didn't apply enough postage

Not covered:

• The buyer refused delivery for any other reason

( ! ) If a package arrives empty or was damaged in transit, the buyer should accept the delivery and report that the item doesn't match the listing

[adrhs-71]

Maybe the item is light but it's put in the big box, so that the postage cost is more higher than you thought.

[wastingtime101]

Can you find out from your post office why postage is due? Ask them if it's a weight issue, size issue, or perhaps class of mail (ie: shipped media but doesn't qualify)? Once you verify that it's legit and not a USPS error you can take that information to the seller and ask them to send you the postage due through PayPal before you accept the package.

[vslice02]

Thanks, that's good advice. I called post office and turns out seller shipped in priority mail box by mistake that resulted in the 3x postage charge. Messaged him and he responded "I APOLOGIZE wow I got all these small shipping boxes for free and didnt realize they were priority boxes" ... I figured it was honest mistake and offered to split additional postage with him but he refused and responded rudely lol some people just shouldn't be in sales if they have no idea how to treat a customer.

[pcobra93]

Why not just file an INR case since has not been delivered on time.....

[wastingtime101]

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@vslice02 wrote:

Thanks, that's good advice. I called post office and turns out seller shipped in priority mail box by mistake that resulted in the 3x postage charge. Messaged him and he responded "I APOLOGIZE wow I got all these small shipping boxes for free and didnt realize they were priority boxes" ... I figured it was honest mistake and offered to split additional postage with him but he refused and responded rudely lol some people just shouldn't be in sales if they have no idea how to treat a customer.

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So what are you going to do @vslice02? If you let the package be returned to the sender, you can file an item not received claim because of the underpaid postage issue. You should win the case, but if you don't then go to eBay FaceBook to appeal and they'll reverse the decision. You are protected in claims where a package was refused because of postage due. If you have the postage due notice from the PO that you can send a pic of, all the better, however the message from the seller confirming their error would be enough in this case. If the seller wants their package back when the PO returns it, they'll have to pay the postage due to retrieve it. Give your business to a seller that takes responsibility for their business.