Coins arrived with postage due - what would you do?

dac076

I bought a few wheat rolls (~$50) from Ebay seller azestatesales on 3/27 and paid by check (seller doesn't take Paypal). The order showed up 4/29, and the P.O. notified me that there is $3.05 postage due. I emailed the seller and got no response. Should I refuse the package? Take delivery, bite the bullet, pay the postage and neg him? We're only talking about 3 bucks, but I've never had such lousy service before, and it's a matter of principal. If I refuse the package, I could be out the entire amount and I can't appeal through Paypal (for what that's worth). Not a huge deal, I'm just curious to hear the thoughts of the forum members. Thanks in advance.

Dave

TennesseeDave

How much did he charge for the postage?I would pay it and probably leave a neutral feedback if the seller didn't settle up.

fcloud

Give the seller a chance to make it right, then ask if he/she doesn't.

fc

first of all, did you pay shipping and handling or no?

maybe the invoice failed to contain it and he is simply doing what
seems right to him.

PerryHall

So, an eBay buyer is out three bucks. This should be good for at least 200+ posts.

adamlaneus

Pay the three bucks.

Wait until the new feedback policies kick in. Do not just assume they kick in on the first of May.

Before reporting a negative, contact the seller, explaining the situation, giving that seller one last chance to make it right. Otherwise...

Report a negative, indicating the uncommunicative seller and postage due.

Waiting for the policy change will hopefully avoid retaliatory feedback unless the policy only applies to listings made after the policy change.

This warrants more than a neutral in my opinion. You just paid an extra 6% that you should not have had to pay unexpectedly. Sellers should not hide shipping charges like this.

dac076

How much did he charge for the postage?

I paid $9.95 for 7 rolls.

dac076

So, an eBay buyer is out three bucks. This should be good for at least 200+ posts.

Just for the record I'm primarily a seller, since '99.

Rickyroooo

IMHO I would pay the overdue charge, obtain the coins then try to work it out with the seller. I do not believe $3 is worth the possible aggravation You could encounter down the road if You refused the package. How many rolls were in the package? How much did He charge for shipping and how much was actual shipping? Rick

lathmach

I just got hit twice by this.
The sellers are sending stuff with delivery confirmation, and the package has to be at least 3/4 in thick to qualify and if they aren't the Post Office either sends the package back or hits you for postage due.
I'm waiting for the Ebay policy to take effect on the sellers not being able to neg buyers myself.
After paying $4.60 for postage, I had to pay another $3.80 on a single coin, this last time.

Ray

blu62vette

Pay it not worth the hassle. I got that once from the BST. It was for 27 cents and I had to go to the post office to do it. Still never mentioned it to the seller. Not worth it.

fc

<< <i> How much did he charge for the postage?

I paid $9.95 for 7 rolls. >>



that is a lot of money. it sounds like this person knew exactly what
they were doing.

i would somehow pay for it and then neg him when they cannot retaliate.

9.95 is enough to send two bricks in a box let alone a few rolls of
wheaties.

doh

I'd pay the $3, just so I could be sure to get the coins. I'd write him a few nasty e-mails to see how he responds. Has he already left you a positive? If so, I'd leave him a neutral at the very least...

Rickyroooo

Maybe seller was a newbie or unfamiliar with flat rate boxes which He could have shipped for under $9

TwoSides2aCoin

I sent a package once and it made it all the way to the person's house. The postal carrier tried to get postage from my buyer, who promptly refused the package. I received an email from the buyer and waited for the package which had the usual eBay/PayPal printed shipping label as most of my items do.

When the package arrived, I took it to the Post Office near me. The Postmaster finally came out after realizing the line was getting longer, and tried to fix the problem. The only problem was there was no problem. So I asked him why I was standing there ... Everything checked out and they could only tell me that the Post Office at the buyer's end was wrong. They put it into another envelope and pushed a few buttons, printed their own label, attached it to their envelope which held my envelope, and a few days later the customer got their package on the second try. I would give your seller the benefit of the doubt.

tmcsr69

<< <i>I just got hit twice by this.
The sellers are sending stuff with delivery confirmation, and the package has to be at least 3/4 in thick to qualify and if they aren't the Post Office either sends the package back or hits you for postage due.

Ray >>



They have had this policy for a long time now, they only choose to enforce it now and then and just certain post offices. I wouldn't think this would be the case with rolls of pennies though.

greghansen

I'd pay it and ask for reimbursement from seller. If he didn't reimburse, I wouldn't do anymore business with him.

For what it's worth he could have sent it via Priority Flat Rate at much less than the postage he charged. You can send a bag of 5,000 wheat cents anywhere in the country for that price in a flat rate box. I've done it many times.

cinman14

<< <i>first of all, did you pay shipping and handling or no?

maybe the invoice failed to contain it and he is simply doing what
seems right to him. >>



You would have to be way off base to think it is alright to mail a coin with postage due on the other end.
It happened to me last year. It was only 1.50 I paid it sent the seller 3 messages to no avail...I paid his
overpriced 7 dollar shipping for 2 coins...he used one of the paypal mailing stickers. The lady said there was .41
cents paid on the package. So he knew what he was doing when he sent it...

seatedcoins

I would definitely pay it and take a copy of the front of the package that shows the postage due. I would then let the seller know and let him know that you can send a copy of the front of the package if he feels it is necessary. I'm sure he will agree to refund the $3 then.

dac076

Maybe seller was a newbie or unfamiliar with flat rate boxes which He could have shipped for under $9

No, he's been selling since '98 with 17,000+ feedbacks.

mrpotatoheadd

Obviously, I don't know all the details, but before you crucify the seller, you might want to consider something- it's possible that the seller's post office accepted the package as having the correct postage while another post office somewhere along the line interpreted USPS's rules differently and concluded that the postage wasn't sufficient.

TwoSides2aCoin

okay, now comes the evidence and exhibit A ...

I shoulda just keep sittin' on my fingers til the whole story comes out.

BECOKA

Seems like that would have fit into a flat rate box or envelope.

Anyhow the seller probably does not even know, I bet they thought they had enough postage on it and the post office just did a random verification and you got unlucky.

Connecticoin

<< <i> So, an eBay buyer is out three bucks. This should be good for at least 200+ posts.

Just for the record I'm primarily a seller, since '99. >>



Oh, well that makes all the difference in the world!! Carry on!!

dac076

Obviously, I don't know all the details, but before you crucify the seller, you might want to consider something- it's possible that the seller's post office accepted the package as having the correct postage while another post office somewhere along the line interpreted USPS's rules differently and concluded that the postage wasn't sufficient.

Interesting point that I hadn't thought of. I should have added that the seller's feedback is so-so, and that contributed to my skepticism at the beginning.

dac076

<< So, an eBay buyer is out three bucks. This should be good for at least 200+ posts.

Just for the record I'm primarily a seller, since '99. >>



Oh, well that makes all the difference in the world!! Carry on!!


My point was that I've shipped over 3000 packages myself and never run into this. And it's obviously not about the three bucks.

adamlaneus

Communication is key!!! Poor communication causes both parties to have half-truths and causes needless bad feelings on both sides.

Clear, precise communication can educate both folks if there is an unexpected issue and everyone should be happy! Or it will reveal the true problem.

mrpotatoheadd

Here's another thought... I've got about 600 items currently listed and I probably spend an hour or two a week dealing with emails about them. This guy's got nearly 12,000 items listed- maybe he gets lots of questions/comments?

fc

adamlaneus

Agree.

If you have communication and shipping problems because of your high volume, then you have problems with the way you do business that ought to be corrected and a negative is warranted. High volume is not an excuse for poor retail, but perhaps an explanation for slow communication.

mrpotatoheadd

<< <i>If you have communication and shipping problems because of your high volume... >>

I don't think anybody is excusing poor communication, but then...

<< <i>The order showed up 4/29 >>

the package only arrived yesterday. Is a lack of contact within one day of an email being sent poor communication?

cinman14

<< <i> Maybe seller was a newbie or unfamiliar with flat rate boxes which He could have shipped for under $9

No, he's been selling since '98 with 17,000+ feedbacks. >>



I would say with that feedback and selling history it was probably an honest mistake..

19Lyds

<< <i> How much did he charge for the postage?

I paid $9.95 for 7 rolls. >>



You paid the seller $9.95 for 7 rolls of cents and then will have to pay an additional $3.05 postage for a total of $14.00? That is a bit steep since Priority Mail Flat Rate is $8.95 for upto 70 lbs.

At least get your $3.05 back and then neg or neutral. Your choice but IMO to under pay on shipping where the buyer has to pay to receive is borderline fraud not to mention overcharging on shipping.

airplanenut

I'd check who screwed up.

I just had a package come back to me (made it to the buyer's post office--twice) because it was postage due. My clerk looked at it, confirmed I had paid proper postage, and turned it right around with a note that it wasn't in fact postage due. The problem was the post office read my package as Priority, even though it was clearly marked and paid for as 1st Class.

Also, check who made the error. If he printed an undervalued label on PayPal, it's worse than if the Post Office found a way to just screw up. Regardless, he should owe the difference, because somewhere along the line, he didn't pay enough.


How long ago did you email him?

dac076

<< Maybe seller was a newbie or unfamiliar with flat rate boxes which He could have shipped for under $9

No, he's been selling since '98 with 17,000+ feedbacks. >>



I would say with that feedback and selling history it was probably an honest mistake..


I never said it was 17, 000 POSITIVE feedbacks.

garsmith

Pay the extra $3.05 than neg the seller and tell why ie.

S/H/I paid, item recieved with postage due



<< So, an eBay buyer is out three bucks. This should be good for at least 200+ posts >>

I bet it doesn't go any higher than 199 posts

dac076

How long ago did you email him?

I emailed him Monday night. I said in the OP that the order arrived 4/29, but it was actually 4/28 (Monday). The notification from the P.O. said that I can pick it up on 4/29. Sorry for the error.

mrpotatoheadd

<< <i>At least get your $3.05 back and then neg or neutral.

Pay the extra $3.05 than neg the seller and tell why ie. >>

How about figuring out what's happened here (and where the responsibility for the screwup lies) before leaving feedback? Is that too much to ask?

SamByrd

First I want to mention it is perhaps simply a postal error. I had sent some ebay coins to a winning bidder and they arrived postage due to the buyer, I had bought and paid for postage through pay pal I knew the amount was right.

The buyer contacted me and I simply paid the postage due amount as it was a post office error not the buyers. Contact the seller and work it out is what I suggest. You could refuse it and have the sender resend the package as well though not the best option in my view.

nankraut

<< <i>Pay the three bucks.

Wait until the new feedback policies kick in. Do not just assume they kick in on the first of May.

Before reporting a negative, contact the seller, explaining the situation, giving that seller one last chance to make it right. Otherwise...

Report a negative, indicating the uncommunicative seller and postage due.

Waiting for the policy change will hopefully avoid retaliatory feedback unless the policy only applies to listings made after the policy change.

This warrants more than a neutral in my opinion. You just paid an extra 6% that you should not have had to pay unexpectedly. Sellers should not hide shipping charges like this. >>



The above sounds like a good idea to me.

BECOKA

<< <i><< So, an eBay buyer is out three bucks. This should be good for at least 200+ posts.

Just for the record I'm primarily a seller, since '99. >>



Oh, well that makes all the difference in the world!! Carry on!!


My point was that I've shipped over 3000 packages myself and never run into this. And it's obviously not about the three bucks. >>



I have had packages from forum members come with postage due. The post office is tricky especially when it comes to thickness rules. Sometimes two sheets of paper difference in thickness will cause a package to jump in price. If that package gets picked randomly to see if it has enough postage and the person checking interprets that thickness different than the originating postal worker than postage will be due.

I have also had it where packages I have sent came back to me and never made it to the end person because there was not enough postage.

Type2

I sent a member a free coin once and he let me know that he had to pay .20 cents I won't say hoo it was. But let them know and they should pay if not then do what you have to do.

Griv

<< <i> So, an eBay buyer is out three bucks. This should be good for at least 200+ posts.

Just for the record I'm primarily a seller, since '99. >>



Then move on. I'll shoot you the $3 if it means the whine fest is over.

ArizonaJack

To catch a high volume sellers attention, just report it to ebay, they will get an alert thay cannot ignore everytime they log on to Ebay.....I'm sure you can iron it out...

And the bubble mailer folks.....a cpl packing peanuts is all it takes.....no weight and the package meets the 3/4" requirement.

AU58WALKERS

Hmmmm....Sounds like a priority mail box got turned inside out.

johnsim03

I've never quite understood why sellers don't use priority mail boxes (up to 70 pounds, and the box is free)
for heavier stuff. Even with the newer, smaller, $8.95 box, the box is free, and you get free delivery confirmation
if you do the label via PayPal. 7 Rolls would fit easily, snug as a bug in rug if the box is properly packed and padded. In
addition, you can do the PayPal label thingy even if the buyer didn't pay by PayPal. The seller just has to have a PayPal
account to do the shipping labels.

Regarding this scenario, I would notify the seller and request the additional shipping expenses. As a buyer, my feedback
for the transaction would depend on the sellers response...

John

BAJJERFAN

Someone here with more time than money ought to set up a chart with what is the best option for shipping various quantities of rolled or slabbed coins and when one should use priority and flat rate etc. I remember CopperCoins had a way in which he shipped 20 rolls of cents in a flat rate envelope.
BTW I expect soon that I'll be shipping lots of lead bullets flat rate.

laserart

<< <i>

<< <i> How much did he charge for the postage?

I paid $9.95 for 7 rolls. >>



You paid the seller $9.95 for 7 rolls of cents and then will have to pay an additional $3.05 postage for a total of $14.00? That is a bit steep since Priority Mail Flat Rate is $8.95 for upto 70 lbs. >>



Math skills are so important,

zeus135

You say you paid $9-10 for postage for the rolls. So, how much did he pay the post office for postage? It will be interesting to see.

Just pay the $3, life's too short as it is.

TwoSides2aCoin

I would cherrypick the rolls with the hope of finding the diamond in the rough. It might be worth a whole lot more than all the opinions in this thread

dac076

Then move on. I'll shoot you the $3 if it means the whine fest is over.

Not a whine fest at all. As I said in my o.p., I'm just curious to hear the thoughts of forum members, and quite a few posted with suggestions based on their experience. Overall, a lot of constructive comments. Then there's yours, of course.