Ebay problem seller... what would you do?

[Iron Patch]

Read my post again.... I said I thought the rating came from rude and unprofessional behavior and not the shipping charge and to say eBay POLICY is just a guideline is crazy... After each guideline as you call it there is a little note saying if you don't go by these policies you can be suspended or kicked off of the site completely. That doesn't sound like a guideline to me. TNet's policy is that if you cuss someone out on Tnet you could be kicked off the site. If the admins suspend you or kick you off the site is that wrong? No, it isn't wrong you are just lucky if they just warn you but you can't blame them if you get kicked off. I also said I would have handled it differently too but Cheese isn't me and if I treat someone rudely I would expect a negative rating.

So given you have admitted you charge more on shipping than the actual cost should you be reported to ebay and have your accounted terminated? That is what you're saying, is it not? Key words, "can be suspended" ...meaning like I said in some cases it's just a guideline for common sense. Ebay purpostely makes a lot of policy vague, and they do so because it allows them to use common sense and look at things on a case by case basis. If every policy was a line drawn in the sand the site couldn't exist because it can never be that perfect.

 

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[biggmike]

I couldn't blame them if they did. LOL. I guess we can agree to disagree on this one.

 

[redfish76]

Can this please be moved to the shipwreck forum? J/k btw

 

[GibH]

In regards to shipping, you cannot know actual shipping on many items until you ship it. Not everything is going to fit in a flat rate box and not everything is going to be shipped priority. Ebay's calculator isn't always correct and you can't calculate all buyers locations prior to the sale. If someone has to wait for an unkown shipping charge to be invoiced, they aren't going to bid. Quit saying this is policy because it is not. Ebay policy is against excessive shipping charges.

Again, if you don't like the shipping charges listed, JUST DON'T BID. Anything that came after the bid is at partially the responsibility of the buyer. Oh wait, I forgot. Nobody takes responsibility for their own actions anymore.

 

[stonehenge]

Ebay has shipping limits for specific categories and you CANNOT overcharge for shipping. It is eBay's responsibility to police their own shipping charge app and they found no problem with his rates.
You read it. You bid on it. You need to pay it.

 

[biggmike]

I agree that this was a train wreck from the beginning. Both parties are somewhat at fault but when you know that eBay is geared around the buyer and the wheels come off during a transaction you probably shouldn't tell the buyer to go their self. That's all.

 

[cheese]

I can't believe these folks aren't reading before they post.

Let me put this in bold. I am not shouting, I am making this easy for the non-readers to see:

I told him I would pay his shipping EITHER WAY! I never threatened to welch on the deal or leave bad feedback. I was polite and told him thanks no matter which shipping I had to pay.

This was not a buy it now, I was the highest bidder. The auction was ending, I wanted it, so I bid. I did not haggle on shipping, I requested DIFFERENT shipping. There is nothing wrong with that. Ebay is not in a "grey area" position about shipping. It is not a "suggestion" or guideline, it is clearly stated in their policy that ACTUAL SHIPPING is what you can charge. We are talking about flat rate boxes here. Plus ebay has a shipping calculator, so actual shipping may be calculated any time to any place. If you as a seller don't know how to do that, that's your ignorance, not mine and not my fault. I don't make money on shipping, policy says not to, but you folks say I should assume the seller wants to make money on shipping in every transaction and I am wrong to think otherwise?

Did I get what I ordered and am I happy with it? Sure, but I am not happy with a spiteful attitude and threats in my message box. I also wouldn't be happy with my purchase being broken when it arrived if it had been (the box wasn't closed all the way, the sides and top were pushing on the product, and this is not how you pack electronics). If it arrived broken and this guy acts like this, imagine how I would have been stuck with a broken meter and have to open a case to get my money back. If you guys think that kind of behavior constitutes good service and deserves good feedback, you won't be in business long. I can't and won't treat my customers that way and I suspect you don't really, either. I wish I could copy a transcript of our messages here, but they were sent privately and even though I don't like him or what he said, I respect that his words weren't meant for the public to read, they were sent privately and will remain so.

If you reply about how I bought it knowing the shipping charges and I threatened to welch on the purchase, It will be obvious that you have not read or can't comprehend the situation and I am frankly tired of explaining it over and over. I am not going to defend myself to someone who doesn't even read my post. If you have a reason I was wrong, post it and explain with a reason that makes sense. Otherwise you are wasting my time. It's over and done now, feedback left, yesterday's news, so might as well forget about it anyway.

 

[stonehenge]

I read your post.

From what I see, most others also read your post.

My opinion is that you are wrong to ask for shipping to be changed. Wrong to complain about it if it arrived undamaged. Wrong to consider negative feedback because you didn't like the way the box looked when it arrived.

This type of buyer behavior Is exactly why most sellers lose when it comes to eBay and their policies regarding feedback and cases.

If you got what you wanted to buy at a reasonable rate and it arrived in good working condition at a price you were willing to pay, you are being irrational and effectively extorting a seller. I don't blame him or wanting his item back and wanting to cancel the transaction because regardless, he loses out here.

 

[buttonfinder48]

We understand that you never threatened to leave him a bad feedback but I think you and I both know that there are some shady people on Ebay that would leave negatives and low dsrs just becuase they can. I had a guy tell me once he was going to leave me a neutral if I didnt leave him feedback. Sellers rarely have any protection against anything. Was the guy a jerk, I am sure he was, but Ebay honestly is frustrating sometimes because you feel you are damned if you do and damned if you don't. All I am saying is you should work out any extra details BEFORE you bid not after you win. Trust me I do not think that you would have given him that negative if you knew that he could do the same to you but ebay does not let sellers do so. I mean if i was a seller and I had someone ask me to change the price of shipping afterwards and I was allowed you would have a least gotten a neutral as a buyer to warn other sellers that you do that so they could make the choice to sell to you or not. It sounds more now like you saw the item was cheap and you saw the shipping was expensive and you said well I will bid and then try to get him lower shipping so I can get an even better price.

 

[cheese]

No, I paid a bit more than several of the last ones in completed listings. I just wanted one soon. Another reason I asked for priority shipping. Faster, cheaper, than what he offered. I never asked for a refund of the shipping difference. I only asked why he sent it in a small box and charged me for a medium as we agreed. That was when the excrement hit the proverbial fan. Out of years of buying on ebay, I have never left a negative or even a neutral feedback until now.

I say again, it should not matter that I asked for different shipping. There is no money to be made or lost in shipping. I get requests to change shipping terms all the time when I sell things and I don't mind... I will ship whatever way the customer wants. I do ebay by the rules.

 

[buttonfinder48]

Here's some information that might help






If you think shipping costs are too high, contact the seller before
you bid on or buy an item. View our selling
practices policy for more details.

You can also use our Shipping
Calculator for an estimate on shipping costs.




From ebay....you did not do the right thing.

It doesnt matter what you do in your own auctions. You were not the seller. Why even put this out there if everyone here is telling you the same thing. It is your fault. If you would have just bought and paid then this would have never been a problem.

 

[diggummup]

ebay shipping and handling costs rules-

Be sure to specify shipping costs and related service charges in your listings. It's against our rules to provide unclear or misleading shipping information or to charge unreasonable fees for shipping and related services.

[TABLE="width: 0"]
[TR]
[TD="class: tCell"]What you can charge
[/TD]
[TD="class: tCell"]Actual shipping cost: This is the amount for shipping the item. It should be what you paid the carrier.

Handling cost: This can include the cost of packaging materials and insurance cost, if any.

Delivery Confirmation and extra services: If you choose to use these options, you must add them to your shipping and handling costs, and you can only charge what they actually cost. Examples of services include:

• Certificate of Mailing
  
  
• Certified Mail
  
  
• Collect on Delivery
  
  
• Delivery Confirmation - free with Priority Mail and discounted with some other services when you print shipping labels on eBay
  
  
• Registered Mail
  
  
• Restricted Delivery
  
  
• Return Receipt
  
  
• Signature Confirmation
  
  
• Special Handling
  

Tax and government imposed fees: Only applicable federal, state, country, city, Value Added Tax (VAT), or equivalent taxes may be charged.
Tip: If your shipping and handling costs are higher than average, consider explaining in your listing what the shipping and handling costs include.
Tip: Using tracking information, Delivery Confirmation, or Signature Confirmation protects you if a buyer claims that they didn't receive an item and is one of the qualifications for getting an automatic 5-star rating for shipping time.
[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

 

[calisdad]

So what it boils down to is the OP is sore because the seller didn't categorize his fees correctly? (I suppose percieved rudeness weighs in here as well)

Seems to me Ebays rules are intentionally vague, as suggested, or how would you deliver an item that sold for 'Free Shipping'?

There's a lesson to be learned here folks. Several actually.

 

[Iron Patch]

weighs in here as well)

or how would you deliver an item that sold for 'Free Shipping'?

Easy, you just steal $5 from the previous buyer.

 

[digdug813]

That's the problem with ebay nowadays when it comes to selling. I've been a seller since 2000. As a seller you pretty much give stuff away if you auction it off and lose money but I know it's the chance you take. That's why I always do "buy it now or make offers" in my store. I wouldn't leave negative feedback because the item wasn't damaged. Just be happy you got it at a great price and chalk it up as a learning experience for you. I'm not a greedy person, but the real ripoff is ebay and paypal! They overcharge sellers, want you to give the item away and then they have the balls to tell you that you should offer free shipping ! They don't give anything away for free ! Just my opinion though.

 

[Tater Ball]

If you underpaid on the shipping and he was out money because of it , would you send him the difference? I think if you bid on it and it had a shipping cost that is on you.

 

[digdug813]

Nice comment ! Not to go too deep into this but what about the time, fuel, supplies that's being spent to get it to the buyers. Nooo that doesn't even matter to the buyers or ebay. I really think ebay BLOWS when it comes to sellers. That has happened to me plenty of times when I sell items that are different sizes, weights, etc. I never ask for extra money after the fact. If it works and is not damaged, either leave positive feedback or no feedback at all !

 

[cheese]

There used to be a horse here somewhere, but all I can find now is a bloody pulp.

The feedback wasn't left because of his shipping charges, it was because of his rude and bad attitude. If he just replied nicely instead of acting like a jerk, I would have just overlooked it. He could have said, "well, I saw it fit in a small flat rate box instead of a medium, so I sent it that way to make a few extra dollars to help cover expenses". If he did, I probably would have said, "ok, just so you know, ebay policy states that you can't make money on the shipping (something to remember in future sales)". Instead, he decided to go toe to toe and get nasty. That deserves bad feedback in my opinion, and in the end, my opinion is all that matters.

 

[Iron Patch]

There used to be a horse here somewhere, but all I can find now is a bloody pulp.

The feedback wasn't left because of his shipping charges, it was because of his rude and bad attitude. If he just replied nicely instead of acting like a jerk, I would have just overlooked it. He could have said, "well, I saw it fit in a small flat rate box instead of a medium, so I sent it that way to make a few extra dollars to help cover expenses". If he did, I probably would have said, "ok, just so you know, ebay policy states that you can't make money on the shipping (something to remember in future sales)". Instead, he decided to go toe to toe and get nasty. That deserves bad feedback in my opinion, and in the end, my opinion is all that matters.

You're really losing credibility with suggesting you would probably have let it slide considering this was your initial post. I don't see anything about leaving negative for acting like a jerk, more for the $5.

"The guy has 38 feedbacks, all but 4 or 5 as a buyer, not a seller, and I hate to give a bad feedback, but this guy ripped me off. The meter could have arrived broken because it was in an insufficient box, and the only reason it was in a poor box was because he was trying to milk me. Would you leave negative feedback at this point. I might even report him. Do you guys try to make money off of shipping against ebay policy?"

 

[buttonfinder48]

If your opinion is the only one that matters why did you even bother with all of this.