eBay

n-20160401 · ‎06-04-2020

So I bought a set of books for studying the 23rd, it was buy it now so I paid using my cc and not PayPal. It was memorial day weekend so the seller messaged me back saying they were off to the postal office the 26th, great and I got the update saying my item shipped the 28th. It was originally sceduled to arrive the 3rd but ended up being pushed and I am currently waiting (the 4th was the latest that ebay had estimated). I don't mind it being late a bit as I understand shipping is kinda slow due to COVID.

when I checked the tracking on the USPS website, I noticed it said media mail but when I rechecked the listing it said priority mail. Could it due to being media mail that it has been kinda slow? could I ask for a refund for the difference if the shipping happened to be cheaper than what I originally paid for? Or can I only leave a FB?

n-20160401 · ‎06-04-2020

Also i had bought another item the 31st using standard shipping that was coming from florida and it has already arrived. The books I ordered memorial weekend was shipped from georgia

orangehound · ‎06-04-2020

@n-20160401 wrote:
Could it due to being media mail that it has been kinda slow? could I ask for a refund for the difference if the shipping happened to be cheaper than what I originally paid for? Or can I only leave a FB?

Media mail in some places is getting delayed by weeks.

There are two ways you can proceed. First, understand that the seller likely just made a mistake when listing the item ... it happens because eBay defaults certain fields in the listing form, usually to correspond to the last item that was listed. So, if the seller listed something with priority mail shipping right before listing these books, then the listing will have priority mail as the default.

Second, what to do will depend on how quickly you need the books. If getting them in 2-3 weeks is OK, then I would just roll with it ... COVID-19 is disrupting a lot of things, and people need to be understanding.

But, if getting the books in 2-3 weeks is going to be useless to you, then you can open up an Item Not Received claim to get a refund ... this will allow you to purchase it elsewhere so that the second shipment gets to you on time. Then, you can offer to ship the books back to the seller once they eventually arrive if the seller provides you with a return shipping label.

fab_finds4u · ‎06-04-2020

Did you buy the Kaplan home study kit that weighs 18 lbs the seller charged 8 something for shipping? It would cost over $15 to over $88 depending where it's delivered to ship it Priority Mail. Even media mail costs over $11. I believe the seller made a mistake to charge $8.25 shipping. Either method will be slow because mail delivery is taking longer than the estimate.

n-20160401 · ‎06-04-2020

I did get the kaplan set but I am not sure how much it weighs and the shipping was about 11$. I don't mind waiting a bit, I was just expecting it to arrive before or on the 4th since that was the estimate.

ed8108 · ‎06-04-2020

If you paid the appropriate cost for priority shipping, also allowing something extra for packaging & handling, but media mail was substituted, address the matter with your seller.

1786davycrockett · ‎06-04-2020

You actually have at least one other option -- if you, indeed, paid for USPS Priority Shipping, and the seller instead shipped your item via USPS Media shipping, then the seller is pocketing an extra profit from you, by falsely advertising the method of shipping.

When the item arrives, check the mailing label: if it reads "Media Rate," immediately contact the seller, and advise the seller that you demand a refund for excess shipping charges, since there is a dollar difference between Priority and Media, and you had paid for Priority -- the shipping charges are ALSO a portion of the item description.

If the seller refuses to refund you the excess shipping charges, you may open up a "not as described" case against the seller, since the seller chose to change the shipping circumstances after the fact of the sale, in order to disadvantage the buyer (you).

This seems to be happening more and more lately, and it gives honest sellers a bad name. A few "not as described" cases may eliminate some of the bad apples.

Good luck.

fab_finds4u · ‎06-04-2020

There was no extra profit to be made by changing methods. The books weighed 18 lbs. The seller went in the hole when they shipped it media mail. It was an obvious mistake in the shipping cost. The buyer was charged $8.25 retail postage for a 1 lb package going to zone 5. 18 lbs cost $46.00, a hella lot more to ship than 1 lb.

nobody*s_perfect · ‎06-04-2020

@fab_finds4u wrote: ... . The buyer was charged $8.25 retail postage for a 1 lb package going to zone 5. 18 lbs cost $46.00, a hella lot more to ship than 1 lb.

The OP says that the postage was "about $11." The shipping calculator for the Kaplan set is set up to charge for a 2-pound Priority Mail package; it shows $10.90 shipping from GA to me here in MA.

But the principle is the same: The seller offered Priority Mail, but undercharged for it, and so he sent the package via Media Mail instead. And even MM cost him more than he had charged the buyer, so there is no postage overpayment.

n-20160401 · ‎06-04-2020

Thank you for the replies. I will just wait for my books to arrive, hopefully within the next few days. I am happy with my purchase and will use the advice given here in the future purchases, if I happen to need it.

mtgraves7984 · ‎06-04-2020

@n-20160401

@n-20160401 wrote:
Thank you for the replies. I will just wait for my books to arrive, hopefully within the next few days. I am happy with my purchase and will use the advice given here in the future purchases, if I happen to need it.

^^^ The voice of Reason. ^^^

Wow... what a breath of fresh air! Thank you from sellers everywhere!