What would you do in this ebay buying situation?

[jesseix]

I recently purchased a pair of new shoes on ebay. The shipping cost was listed as $25 for priority shipping, which seems really high for US shipping. I sent the seller a message before bidding asking about it and pointing out that the largest flat rate priority box at the post office is around $16 and includes the box; he responded saying that the last time he sent shoes they were over $20 to ship not including materials. Didn't respond when I reiterated my point about the flat rate priority...
So anyways, I ended up bidding and getting the shoes for pretty cheap, and messaged him again about the shipping costs before paying. I got a response basically saying, I told you what it costs, let me know if you want them or not. I figured ok, if its a couple bucks too much I'll live, so I paid the $25 shipping fee and waited.
Sure enough, a week later I get the shoes: shipped to an incorrect address, not showing any priority shipping labels, and a shipping cost of $12.77 clearly marked. Now I'm pretty pissed, as the seller essentially lied about the costs, his shipping method, and I end up paying double. So I opened up an ebay dispute case to try to get a refund for the difference, and of course am not caught up in back & forth with the seller and his side of the story.
Am I out of line here? If it was a few bucks I wouldn't mind, but being charged double to the tune of an extra $12 pisses me off. Should I be doing anything other than the ebay dispute case at this point?

 

[Toothpick]

I would have opened a dispute and gave negative feedback just because it wasn't shipped priority.

I always assumed that sellers can charge what ever they want for shipping though. When you win the auction you win the shipping costs too. But the fact that the auction stated priority shipping and it was shipping parcel post (most likely) is the main issue.

When I sell something and don't offer free shipping I add a few extra bucks to the shipping cost to cover the price of the shipping supplies. But I always ship it the way I described it in the listing: parcel post or priority.

 

[ras120]

You have every right to be upset. Not only was he not willing to ship in the less expensive flat Rate Priority box to save you a few bucks (poor customer service), he didn't even ship Priority period (dishonest customer service). The sellers are responsible for the accuracy of their listings, and I'm pretty sure that includes the shipping method.

He's scamming on the shipping cost plain and simple. I'd let him have it with both barrels.

 

[Rockminer]

I believe you're both partially to blame. Shipping is what it is. The seller can charge more ( although I believe ebay is trying to crack down on extreme cases ). Some people charge more in case rates go up or they want to make sure they have enough to cover their expenses. Others may not know how much it will cost and put up a rate that they know will cover it.

Messaging him about shipping is IMO the mistake you made. You did it more than once. I know you feel like if it costs $10 to ship something then the seller should charge $10. Sometimes people factor in their time or gas money etc. The bottom line is you knew how much shipping was when you bid, and as such you should bid accordingly. You said that you got the shoes for cheap so you should feel like you got a deal.

The mistake the seller made was saying priority shipping and not doing it ( and not shipping to the correct address ). If they would just say this is what shipping is and not specify a specific way, then it would be up to us to decide to bid or not.

I believe you're justified to leave negative feedback for the incorrect address and not getting it priority. I believe you will probably get the difference between the priority and ground ( or whatever he used ). However if the seller wouldn't have specified priority and left the shipping at $25 you wouldn't be entitled to a dime.

 

[cb91710]

That's life on eBay.

The shipping charges were indicated up front. You questioned them, and were told "that's what they are".
A lot of sellers use shipping as a way to ensure a sale price. Try buying auto lighting accessories. Shipping will be listed as $30+. Contact a seller that is located 10 miles away and see if you can will-call? Sure... $30 handling charge.
This is a holdover from when eBay only charged fees on the actual sale amount. A $20 item would sell for $5, with $15 shipping. The price was not out of line, and it screwed eBay out of $1.50/saved the seller $1.50.
eBay now charges fees on the total amount, so it doesn't matter anymore, but history has "set" the practice, and buyers will typically buy from the seller with the lower price, even if his shipping is higher and the total price is the same.

You were completely out of line in attempting to reduce the shipping charges AFTER bidding on the item, and eBay will not rule in your favor if you dispute it other than perhaps the fact that it did not ship priority.
Bidding on an item indicates that you have accepted the item, terms, and conditions, as presented in the auction.

You would have a case if the auction did not indicate what the shipping charge was and were then charged 200% of actual shipping.

Also, where was the seller? If he was local, there would have been no difference in your delivery time had he shipped it priority or parcel post.

 

[DC_MPA]

He's a blatant liar and not to be rude, but from his first reply I would have immediately walked away from that train wreck. After reading that you bid and won I found myself asking "why bother?" He's additional charge could have been his handling fee. People do make a business out of eBay and gotta make money somehow. If we don't like it, we don't do business with them.

I would leave negative feedback and move on.

 

[Rockminer]

He's a blatant liar and not to be rude,1. but from his first reply I would have immediately walked away from that train wreck. 2. After reading that you bid and won I found myself asking "why bother?" 3. He's additional charge could have been his handling fee. People do make a business out of eBay and gotta make money somehow. If we don't like it, we don't do business with them.

I would leave negative feedback and move on.

see bolded above

1. The seller said shipping was what it was. How does that equal train wreck? As far as the buyer knew the seller was sending it priority.

2. Because he received an admitted deal, ( cheap as he put it ) even after the shipping cost was factored in.

3. Other factors come into play besides buying a box and dropping something in it. Materials and time cost money and some people like to try and defer the cost.

Again if the seller wouldn't have stated priority and sent another way, I would be on the sellers side. Also, if the seller would have shipped priority and it only cost $12 instead of $25 I would be on the sellers side.

The OP is in the wrong, IMO, for trying to reduce shipping charges after the sale. He asked more than once about shipping ( before and after ). It's possible, to me, that he wouldn't have been satisfied if the package would have been sent priority at $16.

I don't get why people get so bent out of shape about shipping. If someone gets an item for the price they want, what does it matter what shipping costs are?

ex. A razor is bought for $35. If it's $20 + $15 shipping or $30 + $5shipping, it's still arriving at your door for $35. Why is one a great deal and the other one is described as a rip off ?

 

[DC_MPA]

Buyer did his own research, seller clearly told him what shipping would cost, clearly something was not clearly in his favor. End result is the purpose of those post which I see as a train wreck.

End of story.

 

[brucered]

Don't contact him, leave negative feedback on the very last day possible (so they can't post a lame excuse) and be done.

it's $12, chalk it up to lesson learned.

 

[Rockminer]

Buyer did his own research, seller clearly told him what shipping would cost, clearly something was not clearly in his favor. End result is the purpose of those post which I see as a train wreck.

End of story.

If you're saying that the end result was a "train wreck" then I can accept that (I don't agree but I accept it ). What you said in your Original post was " From his first reply I would have immediately walked away from that train wreck " which, to me, implies that you're talking about when the buyer inquired about shipping the first time. I just don't see asking what shipping is and being told equals a train wreck. Lest we forget the OP is in possession of shoes that he got for "pretty cheap".

 

[Doc4]

You were completely out of line in attempting to reduce the shipping charges AFTER bidding on the item, and eBay will not rule in your favor if you dispute it other than perhaps the fact that it did not ship priority.
Bidding on an item indicates that you have accepted the item, terms, and conditions, as presented in the auction.

You would have a case if the auction did not indicate what the shipping charge was and were then charged 200% of actual shipping.

This sums it up for me.

IF ... and only if ... his auction page and/or communications with you before the sale clearly stated the method of delivery (not your assumption based on the price) and you were given a lesser form of delivery ... only then IMHO would you have an issue to push.



Look at it this way. You won the auction with a $22 shipping cost included. That's a "binding contract". If the seller contacted you later and said "um, I decided to courier them, which was $40, so please paypal me the extra $18" you'd be equally in your rights to say "tough noggies."

... or is that "tough noogies".

 

[jesseix]

I fully recognize that I could have avoided this whole situation and maybe just should have, main reason that I mentioned in my original post about if I was being out of line. I've done ebay for a long time, had some good experiences and bad like probably all of us, so a good part of my frustration is me venting about if I should have done anything additionally or differently ahead of time. It happens, and if he had shipped me something with priority shipping as specified in the auction and I could see that it cost him $20, I wouldn't care at all.
The fact though that it was listed as priority and then shipped regular, with a shipping charge clearly listed for 60% of what he said was his cost, that's what ticks me off. The other thing that was ridiculous about his communication after I sent the dispute was that when I pointed out he mailed it to the wrong address, he said I changed my ebay shipping address after paying for the item. The address I selected (where 99% of anything I order anywhere is sent) is my office address, and my billing address, which is one of my shipping address options, is my home address. My paypal and ebay order confirmations clearly list the office address that I selected as the shipping address, so for him to say that he shipped it to the right place and I changed my preferences later is just ludicrous...

 

[Go West Young Man]

I think its "nougies" in Canada and the UK.

 

[Crixus]

double post

 

[Mick]

That's why there is the negative feedback option and why eBay now has a seller rating system.

Mentioning outrageously high shipping charges in a negative feedback is justified if the shipping charge is double the actual cost of shipping

sellers with a high percentage of negatives or an unacceptable seller rating pay more in ebay fees.

 

[Crixus]

It's annoying that some sellers make their money on excessive shipping charges (even after taking into account materials, time, gas, etc.), but you knew what those charges were going to be before you put your bid in and you still chose to do so.

Although you have a right to be pissed because the item wasn't shipped in the manner advertised in the auction, your dwelling on that is probably misplaced personal annoyance with yourself for not heeding the red flags in the first place. I don't mean that harshly...we've all been there.

I hope you like the shoes. I do think it prudent to at least mention the exceedingly steep shipping fees this fellow charged when you leave your feedback. Don't bring up the priority ad/non-priority ship part though. That would sound petty.

 

[Rockminer]

and if he had shipped me something with priority shipping as specified in the auction and I could see that it cost him $20, I wouldn't care at all.
The fact though that it was listed as priority and then shipped regular, with a shipping charge clearly listed for 60% of what he said was his cost, that's what ticks me off.

Why does it matter what it costs him to ship it? With all do respect, you had a problem with the shipping from the start. You admitted to trying to negotiate the shipping price after you won the shoes and before the seller shipped them. You decided, based on your figures, that the shipping price was wrong and you've been bitter ever since. If the seller decides to charge $35 for shipping and the exact cost is $16 for him to ship, what does it matter? It's not like he isn't up front with the charge and you can adjust your bid accordingly.

I will agree that he should have shipped priority but it's pretty obvious that you would've had a problem if the seller would've shipped priority to the correct address and you found out that it wasn't exactly $25. And i'm guessing if you win your dispute, you're going to get the difference between the $12.77 and the priority rate ( which according to you shouldn't be more than $16, netting you a $3.23 return )

People can charge whatever they want for shipping. It's up to us to decide if we want to bid. I always factor shipping costs into anything I bid on. If my high bid on something is $50 and shipping is $20, then my high bid is $30. If I bid on the same item and shipping is $10, then my high bid is $40. Either way it cost me the same thing.

 

[franz]

Look at it this way. You won the auction with a $22 shipping cost included. That's a "binding contract". If the seller contacted you later and said "um, I decided to courier them, which was $40, so please paypal me the extra $18" you'd be equally in your rights to say "tough noggies."

... or is that "tough noogies".

I believe it's "tough poutine."

And I agree.

 

[DonN]

you have a very short list of options ! there's only 1 - move on , you'll have other experiences in life that will negate this very minor bad experience , trust me !!!!

 

[purerockfury]

you did what you could. he posted the shipping charges whether you agree or not it is his choice what to charge not yours. your only complaint after winning the item was they type of shipping. there should be some kind of recompense for that but nothing else.

as a seller what would you have done if someone contacted you and said your shipping was too costly? dropped your price? or tell them it is what it is?