How should I handle this eBay seller?
gregmo32
Posts: 2,648 ✭✭✭
I won an auction from this guy for a group of about 25 Larry Bird and Magic Johnson cards. The total was a little over five bucks, which was a good deal for me. He did not list shipping charges in his auction. He then sends me an invoice with $8 shipping added. I email him and ask how he is planning to ship the item since he is charging $8. He says "Have you been to the Post Office lately? Their rates went up and are not sky high!" I respond that I go to the PO several times a week and that Priority Mail is still under $5 and that this lot could easily fit in a Priority Mail box. I drop it...
Today the item arrives in a USED bubble mailer (with the address of the original sender still on the package under a piece of paper with my address on it), taped together, with a postage charge of $1.68 on it.
I email the guy saying that I can't believe that even after I inquired about the $8 shipping charge he would mail the cards in a used bubble mailer that cost under $2 to ship. I say why don't you refund me $5 and we will consider it even. Of course, he refuses, and says if I didn't want the cards he would have gladly sold them to the underbidder.
By the way, this guy has 22 negative feedbacks in his history...
I am trying to decide if there is something I should report to eBay just so this guy can't keep hosing people on shipping again and again. I know I sound like a pro athlete stating "It is not about the money!" but it really isn't...
What do you think?
Today the item arrives in a USED bubble mailer (with the address of the original sender still on the package under a piece of paper with my address on it), taped together, with a postage charge of $1.68 on it.
I email the guy saying that I can't believe that even after I inquired about the $8 shipping charge he would mail the cards in a used bubble mailer that cost under $2 to ship. I say why don't you refund me $5 and we will consider it even. Of course, he refuses, and says if I didn't want the cards he would have gladly sold them to the underbidder.
By the way, this guy has 22 negative feedbacks in his history...
I am trying to decide if there is something I should report to eBay just so this guy can't keep hosing people on shipping again and again. I know I sound like a pro athlete stating "It is not about the money!" but it really isn't...
What do you think?
I am buying and trading for RC's of Wilt Chamberlain, George Mikan, Bill Russell, Oscar Robertson, Jerry West, and Bob Cousy!
Don't waste your time and fees listing on ebay before getting in touch me by PM or at gregmo32@aol.com !
Don't waste your time and fees listing on ebay before getting in touch me by PM or at gregmo32@aol.com !
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Successful transactions on the BST boards with rtimmer, coincoins, gerard, tincup, tjm965, MMR, mission16, dirtygoldman, AUandAG, deadmunny, thedutymon, leadoff4, Kid4HOF03, BRI2327, colebear, mcholke, rpcolettrane, rockdjrw, publius, quik, kalinefan, Allen, JackWESQ, CON40, Griffeyfan2430, blue227, Tiggs2012, ndleo, CDsNuts, ve3rules, doh, MurphDawg, tennessebanker, and gene1978.
ALL of my listings - in stores and CORE - offer
"free" S+H; the cost is included in the price.
More and more sellers of low-priced/low-demand
collectibles are finding that EBAY is no longer a
viable venue for them. They are bailing out in large
numbers. Many are simply putting their inventories
in storage, and waiting for the market to improve.
If buyers want to continue to buy collectibles at
bargain prices, they are probably going to have to
get used to allowing sellers to make a few extra
bucks on S+H.
MANY buyers now expect sellers to give items away,
and pay for the privilege. Sellers are tired of counting
their time (and gas) at "zero-dollars."
Obviously, at $5.00+ for the subject cards (+ a
proposed S+H fee of $3.00) it is not worth a
seller's time to list the items (and pay EBAY/PP
fees). When such sellers flee, there will be no
more "good deals."
MANY sellers have LOTS of money. They are on
EBAY to make more money; if they cannot make
money, they will simply stop selling, and relax.
NOTE: In the first week of the new postage scheme,
my total mailing costs nearly doubled. I have closed
all my collectible ops down for the summer. Sales in
fashion categories are still VERY brisk, and the margins
are MUCH better than they are in collectibles.
Did the cards come ok? that is all that matters.
I too am starting to get hosed on certain priorty mailings and may have to raise rates a lil.
last week I charged 7.95 figuring that should cover it, Nope 12.60 was the final charge, and that was w/o insurance and del. conf.
Steve
Shipping has gone up and not insignificantly. Remember, that shipping charges just are not USPS postage but shipping and handling. When I ship using paypal, it clearly states that the shipping charges paid by the buyer include all seller's handling charges. It is not an ebay violation to charge for "handling". That being said, reasonableness is still the name of the game.
The shipping debate (debacle) is often rehashed on these boards. "Fair" pricing is expected, not gouging, but nor is the seller supposed to take a loss. I see too often buyers admonish a seller for charging X dollars for a service and then when the logical explanation is offered, the seller is crucifies with a "I don't wanna hear about gas, materials, time, etc." It is supposed to be a win-win for both parties.
Greg,
In your instance, the seller did not disclose his charges - that's wrong. Cutting corners and not providing service while charging for it, is wrong, too.
Just my .02.
john
HOF SIGNED FOOTBALL RCS
<< <i>Today the item arrives in a USED bubble mailer (with the address of the original sender still on the package under a piece of paper with my address on it), taped together, with a postage charge of $1.68 on it. >>
I think I bought from this guy last year!
Go Phillies
Further more, the 22 negitives would normally raise a mental red flag , at least to me. Nothing like getting ready to be # 23. We generally reap what we sow in life. If we allow a seller to take a dump on us, and they do, just remember that one has to put oneself in that position. As an ebay buyer over the last 2-1/2 years, I've had many seller that have crapped on me. I now can spot most of these moral bozo's , a mile away. Honest sellers act and do like honest sellers. Dishonest and moral low lifes, act just they are suppose to act like.
The moral of the story is " If someone borrows $20 dollars from you and you never see them again, it was probably worth every penny. " To learn something from this(as a buyer ) and never deal with this toad again, priceless. Move on.
Not sure i understand that. So basically if he had sent the cards in a brand new bubble mailer you would have no problem? How did he steal this money? Greg sent him what he asked for.
The cards arrived ok. what else matters?
Steve
I do not know how much you can do at this point since the seller did not list shipping and handling charges and you did not inquire before bidding. I think there are some sellers out there who intentionally do not list shipping so they can decide what to charge after auction end depending on the closing bid. Obviously this is a sneaky and bad way to do business, but it is not against eBay rules that I am aware of.
As you have no doubt concluded having gone through this cruddy experience, as I think most of us who use eBay have, it is best not to bid on such items until you know the shipping charge. Never assume it will be reasonable as it rarely is when a experienced seller especially "forgets" to include it. Myself, I not only never bid on such items, but I typically will not even take the time to e-mail the seller and ask. It tells me something about their attention to detail or their business ethics when they "forget" to include this... and it is not flattering to them either way.
Yes, you got taken, but you share some of the blame along with the seller. Chalk it up as a lesson, never give this seller any more business, and leave it at that without any further hassle or expense of your time.
As a side note, let us remember there are some excellent dealers on eBay. I just won a couple of Bo Jackson signed SLUs authenticated by JSA. The seller had listed them as two separate auctions with $10.00 for shipping and no mention of combined shipping. When I bid, I did so with the assumption I would have to pay $20.00 shipping, but hoping the seller would see fit to provide a discount. They ended up charging me just $10.00 to deliver them both... I would have been happy with $15.00, again I assumed I would pay the full $20.00. So not everyone out there is on the take, in fact, I know some sellers lose money on shipping, especially with regards to combined shipping discounts.
Snorto~
Steve
<< <i>I do not know how much you can do at this point since the seller did not list shipping and handling charges and you did not inquire before bidding. I think there are some sellers out there who intentionally do not list shipping so they can decide what to charge after auction end depending on the closing bid. Obviously this is a sneaky and bad way to do business, but it is not against eBay rules that I am aware of.
As you have no doubt concluded having gone through this cruddy experience, as I think most of us who use eBay have, it is best not to bid on such items until you know the shipping charge. Never assume it will be reasonable as it rarely is when a experienced seller especially "forgets" to include it. Myself, I not only never bid on such items, but I typically will not even take the time to e-mail the seller and ask. It tells me something about their attention to detail or their business ethics when they "forget" to include this... and it is not flattering to them either way.
Yes, you got taken, but you share some of the blame along with the seller. Chalk it up as a lesson, never give this seller any more business, and leave it at that without any further hassle or expense of your time.
As a side note, let us remember there are some excellent dealers on eBay. I just won a couple of Bo Jackson signed SLUs authenticated by JSA. The seller had listed them as two separate auctions with $10.00 for shipping and no mention of combined shipping. When I bid, I did so with the assumption I would have to pay $20.00 shipping, but hoping the seller would see fit to provide a discount. They ended up charging me just $10.00 to deliver them both... I would have been happy with $15.00, again I assumed I would pay the full $20.00. So not everyone out there is on the take, in fact, I know some sellers lose money on shipping, especially with regards to combined shipping discounts.
Snorto~ >>
Agreed. Shady seller. Lessoned learned, time to move on.
I wouldn't bid on auctions from a seller with 22 negs myself. He/she received those for a reason. Not stating shipping charges in the auction listing is the first sign of a crook. Unless they're selling odd-size items and ship internationally and don't exactly know the rates, then that's another story. For cards, it's pretty simple to break down shipping costs.
Sorry you got swindled out of some money on this deal.