eBay

isisilk · ‎12-23-2020

I purchased four items with a shipping cost of $8 and foolishly assumed that shipping would be combined. It wasn't and I'm being changed $32 to ship a package with a total weight of less than two ounces. Their description doesn't mention combined shipping. I've asked them for an invoice combining shipping and they aren't responding.

EBay's shipping policy requires that sellers:

"Only include shipping charges that are actually incurred and are related to the cost of shipping and handling the items being delivered
· Actual cost paid to the shipping service
· Handling costs, including the cost of packaging materials and insurance."

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/default/shipping-policy?id=5035

If a seller won't combine shipping costs for the buyer but combines shipping costs on their end by shipping multiple items in the same package doesn't this conflict with eBay policy?

fab_finds4u · ‎12-23-2020

Each listing is in compliance. The seller doesn't have to discount shipping if you buy more. The seller can combine shipping without discounting the shipping cost. Some sellers will discount if you ask and some don't. If their listing doesn't give a shipping cost for each additional item or say see my other listings happy to combine shipping costs don't assume they do. Some sellers might be using a dropshipper who might ship orders as they come in.

Sorry. I know this isn't what you wanted to hear.

isisilk · ‎12-23-2020

I can see your point that each listing is in itself compliant but there's a gray area there because when a buyer pays shipping for each item and the seller combines shipping on their end the buyer had paid for shipping costs that were not actually incurred. Also most sellers who generally sell multiple items will combine shipping - it is after all a way of increasing sales as well as something eBay encourages so there is a general assumption of combined shipping. To clarify things policy should require that the seller discloses that shipping costs are not combined rather than the relying on the buyer's due diligence.