Postage shortage at destination

[zenyatta6512]

Has anyone experienced shipping postage shortages from the seller? I bought an item recently and it was delivered to the house by a USPS guy and he needed additional postage fees before he can give me the product. In this case, the extra fee was $20.95 for the product (which I thought was way high).  But, thinking that the seller would surely reimburse me for it, I accepted the product and paid the USPS guy.  After that, I contacted the seller to let him know but he only wanted me to return the product so he could refund the original price and not for the extra fees I'd paid.  Next time, I definitely will not accept this kind of package anymore. Anyone ever run into this issue?  Or, know how to get your extra fees reimbursed? eBay's been contacted too but they couldn't help us out only to say they'll look into the seller from their end. Any advice? Thanks!

[little*blackdog]

NEVER pay the postal carrier the extra postage due.

Ask them to take the package back to the post office so you can contact the seller and get the extra funds FROM HIM/HER.  The post office should be able to hold the package a few days.  In the meantime get the seller to send you the extra money via PayPal friends and family (at no charge to either of you).

Some sellers aren't figuring the costs correctly on larger or heavier packages, and so a shortage occurs. 

[richard1rst]

Was there a prepaid online label such as you would get by shipping through eBay, Pirateship, Stamps etc?

If so then your postal carrier is ignorant of the rules.

I just had a case like this with a buyer and I brought the picture of the label (marked $4.45 COD) to my postmaster. (The buyer sent me a picture).

Without a moment's hesitation he said the other post office was wrong.

IF the postage had been underpaid then the APV system the post office uses should have caught it and back charged the seller's (me) credit card. EXCEPT that in this case he verified that I had indeed paid the right postage.

No idea why the buyer's post office tried to collect more. It was a 2 ounce paddded envelope (yes, over 1/4" thick) and the PO had circled "PKG" and wrote "NO!". Well if they didn't think it was a package then what did they think it was?

I told my postmaster that I was refunding the buyer and on the spot my postmaster refunded me the $4.45 even though it was an online label. That is how certain he was that it was wrong.

He told me in no uncertain terms that there is NEVER a situation in which the buyer's post office would EVER charge COD for an online postage label. If they do then either the postmaster or (more likely) the COD clerk is flat out incompetent. The rule is they should back charge the seller's credit card. All that information is in the scrambled egg pattern on the top right corner of the label.

[zenyatta6512]

Thank you very much for your advice!  I will certainly never pay extra postage fees again in the future.  Will have them take it back while I contact the seller.  Thank you!

[zenyatta6512]

Thank you so much for your advice!  I really appreciate the details of your situation. Will make a smarter move next time for sure.  Thanks again!

[kensgiftshop]

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@zenyatta6512 

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If you paid with Pay Pal, you can file a claim there for postage due.

[nuvistors]

It appears that you may have been scammed by the seller who  hoped the  package would go through the system without being caught.  You can  always give the appropriate feedback for the transaction.

[bbravo65]

...didn't mean to correct you but...COD is a different category with Postage Due base on shortage of postage from shippers...COD is a contract that the sellers/shippers give USPS an authorization on behalf of them to collect the cost of their merchandises plus the shipping and handling charge from buyers when delivery...

...some business signed-up an account with online shipping labels so when a shortage occurs, their account will be automatically reduced funds to cover...many sellers on eBay are individual/personal business, either buyers paid the postage due when package is delivered, or else it should be returned to senders/sellers...

...USPS tracking system is not really able to catch Postage Due...there are so many packages slip through the scanning system every single day...on top of that, their clerks can't keep up with the matter either, some even don't have enough acknowledgement about it...some senders when get caught of shortage postage were furious and claimed they have been doing that and never got any troubles...

...it's really unfair for everyone, USPS and receiver, when a package was more than 2lbs and online purchased postage was posted for only 10oz, or a padded envelope with evidently some ridged material and only a .50cents First-Class Mail Postage was provided, or using Priority shipping boxes or envelopes for First-Class package shipping labels...

...talking about conscience...

[computeraidllc]

If the seller used eBay to print off a label and it isn't enough, USPS will bill eBay and eBay will bill the seller for the extra. I have had this happen before.

If the seller used there local post office to buy a label and it isn't enough, then postage would be due on delivery and the buyer can refuse the delivery and the item goes back to the seller and the seller will have to pay the extra postage.

[lamber9347]

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@zenyatta6512 wrote:

Has anyone experienced shipping postage shortages from the seller? I bought an item recently and it was delivered to the house by a USPS guy and he needed additional postage fees before he can give me the product. In this case, the extra fee was $20.95 for the product (which I thought was way high).  But, thinking that the seller would surely reimburse me for it, I accepted the product and paid the USPS guy.  After that, I contacted the seller to let him know but he only wanted me to return the product so he could refund the original price and not for the extra fees I'd paid.  <snip> Any advice? Thanks!

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This seller scammed you and I say that because of their response back to you. If this had been an actual error they would have apologized and/or sent you the money for the shortage. It was easy for you to prove what you paid in postage for this package, so they knew what they were doing. If you haven't left feedback you should consider future buyers and how you could warn others so that they don't get caught out as well. I'm glad you reported the seller to eBay. Best of luck to you....