posted on January 19, 2001 09:11:33 AM
Bought 3 widgets on 1/10. Paid immediately using Billpoint on 1/10. Her ad said "Will ship within 24-48 hours of receiving payment".
I was charged $4.50 for shipping.
Item arrived today. Seller paid $1.81 for 1st class mail. It was wrapped in an INSIDE-OUT video Priority Box, wrapped in brown paper. It also had a "Priority Mail" label on it with the "Priority Mail" part cut out. Package was postmarked 1/16. (6 days after I paid).
What kind of feedback does she deserve? Your thoughts?
[ edited by ExecutiveGirl on Jan 19, 2001 09:31 AM ]
posted on January 19, 2001 09:57:06 AM
"Promised shipping w/in 48 hrs; postmark shows she waited 6 days."
I think it was incredibly cheesy (and quite in character, apparently) for seller to misuse Priority materials, but you can only complain so much in 85 (? 88?) characters - and the slow ship comment will do her more damage with other bidders than the Priority stuff.
posted on January 19, 2001 09:58:10 AM
Hey Exec Girl!
IMO, before I left any feedback, I think I personally would email the person and point out these things just as you have here. Not necessarily to ask for a refund or anything in particular, but more to confront her and ask WHY. Ya know, to call her on it and make her face it. Maybe other buyers have not confronted her and so she thinks she can keep pulling this stuff. I would come right out and say "Why do you say you will ship with 24-48 hours, and then ship 6 days later? Why did you charge me $4.50 to ship when the shipping cost was $1.81?" (I personally have no problem with a small handling fee and sometimes I charge a tiny one myself, but come on, $2.69 extra on the shipping??? Grrr!) I would be curious to see her answer, and I also think, depending on the attitude in her response, that might help me decide how to leave my feedback. I'm not sure exactly what I'd do, I'm kinda thinking out loud here as I'm writing this... but I think maybe if she owns up to it, shows concern about it, etc., maybe I would give her a neutral. If her response shows more of an I DON'T CARE attitude, that would be the deciding factor for me: NEG!!!
It's just something I do in general, I try to confront every situation. It helps me to: A. Not fly off the handle in a rage without thinking first, or B. Go to the other extreme and sweep things under the carpet, "let it go", and then end up with a "Hey I got ripped off!" resentment.
I hope this helps somewhat??....
I'm curious to see how other people would handle this too.
Rocker
posted on January 19, 2001 10:03:39 AMRocker: We think very much alike! I already did email her - right after posting here. I emailed her (Calmly) and called her on everything - the 6 day wait to ship, the illegal packaging, and the excessive handling fee.
I have not left her any feedback yet and will definitely wait until I hear back from her (if I even do) and also wanted to see how everyone else here would leave her feedback.
posted on January 19, 2001 10:17:15 AM
While I certainly don't agree with this sellers tactics I don't think it has anything to do with postal rates rising. If the USPS does a good job keeping overhead down this year can we expect a drop in rates next year?
posted on January 19, 2001 12:09:05 PM
Its certainly not the traits of a good seller nor one I would buy from again. It is possible she had a very good reason for late shipment. The Priority box thing, well thats another thing, but from what I hear some Post Offices actually dont care about how the boxes are used.
Wait for her reply, she may not know about the priorty box rules and could have possibily estimated the shipping before packaging. However thats no excuse for not refunding the extra. Her reply would definatley make the difference in whether I would neg or neutral. I think neutral would be my responce with a comment about slow shipment. It was delivered, I got what I paid for, and the item was as described. It's just my opinion
posted on January 19, 2001 12:14:53 PM
You paid on the 10th. If the auction ended in the evening and the seller was several time zones away from you, she may not even have seen your payment until the morning of the 11th. 48 hours puts it the morning of the 13th (a saturday). If something happened on Saturday that prevented the seller from shipping, the next day they could ship was the 16th (the 15th was a holiday). Or maybe her post office isn't open on Saturday (the one near me isn't)
I think when a seller says they will ship within 24-48 hours of recieving the payment they are not expecting the buyer to start counting minutes.
If the item was as described I would leave positive feedback.
On the priority material issue...if it makes you feel good to report her to the post office, go for it. I wouldn't do it though. I also wouldn't say anything in her feedback about it.
posted on January 19, 2001 12:42:00 PM
"Will ship within 24-48 hours of receiving payment"
Perhaps this seller considers the day the money is received into their bank account rather than the day they get an IOU via email from Billpoint. In which case, Friday the 12th it would have hit their bank account, and payment would have been officially made.
That takes us to Saturday. Most post offices have very limited hours on Saturday. It is not considered a business day, so that day doesn't count. Sunday, Closed. Monday, Closed (MLK Day) Tuesday was the next available day to ship. That was the 16th, and the day it was shipped.
"I was charged $4.50 for shipping"
Was the shipping stated as "$2.50 for the first item, and $1.00 for each additional item?" Or was it $4.50 for the first item and seller shipped the other two for free?
As for the inside-out box...
That is between the seller, the post office, and God.
posted on January 19, 2001 12:42:39 PM
If you get a refund of the excess shipping charge then I wouldn't leave feedback. Otherwise, I'd leave a neutral. I see nothing in this deal that deserves a positive or negative.
posted on January 19, 2001 12:46:27 PM
If the seller did not say "exact postage" and the shipping was noted in the auction, there was NO excess shipping charges to refund.
posted on January 19, 2001 12:49:17 PM
The auction just said Shipping: $1.50
I figured since I was buying 3 of these widgets, maybe she would combine them for me. But no, she said shipping would be $4.50. ($1.50 shipping & handling on each one). She never mentioned "handling", however. And she never said how these would be shipped. So, since I bid on and won 3 of these widgets, I paid the Billpoint invoice. She could have sent all 3 for $3.50 Priority Mail and still made money on the shipping and "handling". I know when I have customers who purchase multiple items, I always combine them to save them shipping costs.
Maybe she covers all her boxes in brown paper...some people do
If this was the case, why bother to turn the Priority Box inside out before covering it with brown paper?? Makes no sense.
posted on January 19, 2001 01:02:41 PM
If it was 3 separate auctions and each was $1.50 shipping that's $4.50 on my calculator. Some sellers will do you a favor and reduce shipping charges. Some don't and that seems to be within the eBay rules and the terms of the auction.
I certainly don't leave negative feedback when a seller doesn't do me a favor.
posted on January 19, 2001 01:03:23 PM
There is no rule that says a seller must combine purchases to give a reduced shipping amount. If her auctions didn't state she combined purchases you have no right to expect her to conduct her auctions they way you do. If this is an important point for you then you should only bid on those auctions where the seller states they give reduced shipping for multiple purchases.
If the seller does not mention HOW they ship, you cannot expect them to ship in any special way. If the seller does not state they charge "exact postage" you have no right to complain when their "shipping charge" is MORE than the postage. As long as they charged you the amount stated in the auction and no more they have lived up to their TOS.
As for the priority box, I fail to see how that is relevant to what type of feedback you give.
posted on January 19, 2001 01:09:35 PMcdnbooks: I never said that $1.50 x 3 didn't equal $4.50. I also never said that I was going to NEG her for not "doing me a favor".
cdnbooks & amy: I never said *ever* what kind of feedback I was going to leave. Take a look at the thread's title again. I was simply asking for everyone else's opinions.
posted on January 19, 2001 01:10:50 PMI figured since I was buying 3 of these widgets, maybe she would combine them for me. But no, she said shipping would be $4.50. ($1.50 shipping & handling on each one). She never mentioned "handling", however. And she never said how these would be shipped.
I know it's too late here, but I have found that it is never safe to assume that a seller is going to do (or agree to do)something they do not specifically state in their listing or in an email response to a question. Also, if the method of shipping is important to you, you might want to think about asking before you bid, if it is not specified.
I know when I have customers who purchase multiple items, I always combine them to save them shipping costs.
A lot of sellers do, but not all. It is hardly fair to expect another seller to abide by your TOS.
You must have been satisfied with the price of the widgets, since your bid determined what that price would be. When you received them, were you disappointed with them (not the package or the shipping charge- the widgets themselves)?
posted on January 19, 2001 01:19:03 PM
Executivegirl..please go back and reread my posts. I never even as much suggested that you had stated what type of feedback you were going to give. I HAVE given you my OPINION as to what type of feedback to give (if you look, you will see I suggested a positive feedback).
The rest of my posts were my opinion why a negative would be wrong...but I wasn't saying you had stated you were going to neg. You asked for opinions and I gave mine and my arguments backing up why I felt a positive was the way to go.
posted on January 19, 2001 01:24:33 PM
I would say chalk it up to experience and the next time as stated before, "don't assume" anything prior to bidding, always ask questions before you place a bid. Whether it pertains to combined shipping, handling fee's, how an items is being shipped..........these are the things I ask about prior to placing my bid if they are not stated clearly enough within the auction. As for misusing the Priority Mail supplies, I think that if you email and let her know (even thought she probably already knows) that this is illegal to use them for any other packaging purpose, just the thought that someone out there is aware of her misuse could be enough to make her think twice about packaging using priorities supplies for any other use. Just my opinion as a seller and as a buyer.
posted on January 19, 2001 01:29:44 PM
Go ahead and neg the seller into the middle of next week, ruin her reputation, she deserves it.
When are sellers going to realize that us buyer are not going to put up with the seller's published TOS and their diabolical adherence to them. Sure, it promotes consistency of service and performance but it is absolutely dastardly when the buyer assumed something else. It is the buyer who should call the shots, even if it takes a reading of the mind.....
posted on January 19, 2001 01:34:14 PM
To be honest, the thing that irritated me most about this transaction, was the fact that she charged me $2.69 for "stolen" supplies.
I ship out hundreds of packages every week and if I need packing supplies I BUY them.
posted on January 19, 2001 01:40:41 PM
Yeah, her handling fee was to cover all the time and effort she spent turning that box inside out and wrapping it to hide the Priority markings.
posted on January 19, 2001 02:04:03 PM
You know, the more I think about this, the more ticked off I get.
This seller could have easily put the widgets in a priority box, sealed up the sides and sent it out. But noooooooo, she takes the box, flips it inside out, wraps it up in brown paper, and then tapes it all nice and neat...And then, she takes a priority label and cuts out the priority part......All this trouble just so she gets a little extra cash. Talk about a tight wad! Is it really worth all the trouble that this seller went to.
Whatever the case, I would not leave positive feedback.. She went thru all this trouble just to get to get an extra buck. People like that bug me.......
[ edited by pumpkinhead on Jan 19, 2001 02:05 PM ]
posted on January 19, 2001 02:06:48 PM
So in the add, this seller indicates that the item will be shipped within 24-48 hours. Seems pretty clear to me. Its been suggested that buyers shouldn't start counting minutes. I have a different position. Sellers shouldn't tie themselves to a time frame they cannot meet. Stating that the item will be sent as opposed to something like "usually will be shipped" or "most likely will be sent" creates a TOS that the buyer is justified in relying on. Weekends, holidays and anything else which can affect the shipping date should be considered by the seller when they create their TOS. In this case, I feel a neutral is perfectly justified. Some buyers (myself included) may bid on items specifically because the stated shipping time. So if a seller cannot meet their stated shipping time, they shouldn't have stated it so precisely in their TOS.
[ edited by fiset on Jan 19, 2001 02:07 PM ]
[ edited by fiset on Jan 19, 2001 02:11 PM ]
posted on January 19, 2001 02:36:38 PM
She responded!
First, let me post what I emailed her:
Regarding item #xxxxxxxxxxxx I bought 3 of these from you on 1/10. I immediately paid you via Billpoint on 1/10. I paid $4.50 for shipping 3 of these. You state in your ad that you ship within 24-48 hours of receiving payment.
Well, the package arrived today. I must say I'm disappointed. You only paid $1.81 for 1st class shipping, the package was shipped in an illegal box (USPS Priority Boxes turned inside out is very much illegal) and it was wrapped in brown paper (to hide what you did was illegal). Also, you used a Priority Mail label that had the "Priority Mail" cut out - which is also illegal. On top of that, the package was not postmarked until 1/16 - 6 days after I paid immediately on 1/10.
I do think I at least deserve positive feedback for paying immediately. I held up my part of the transaction. So if you could, please leave me a positive feedback. And in the future, you might reconsider your shipping & selling practices. All you need is one person to report you and you could be in some very serious trouble.
*****************************************
Her response:
I will leave you your positive feedback like you asked. I was going to anyways. Give me a break though. No it is not illegal to turn the USPS boxes inside out. The post office person is the one who told me to wrap it in brown paper in the first place. Secondly I dont care too much for your snide comments and your rude remarks. I urge you to be careful who you speak to in that tone. I apologize for the late shipment, but I do not apologize for the packaging. How dare you act as if I owe you an apology. Not only was it packaged carefully, but I also took the time to wrap it. As for the shipping cost. Its a business. If you would look at other people selling xxxxxxxxxx, they have the same shipping methods and charges. Did I state that it would be priority mail..no...so what exactly is your problem....
I would have apologized if you would have addressed this matter in a more fashionable way, but you didnt, so have your feedback....I did nothing to wrong you in any way...product is as stated and so is everything else. Calm down....I am not a professional...I am a student trying to support myself through school. SO give me a break lady.....
[ edited by ExecutiveGirl on Jan 19, 2001 02:43 PM ]
posted on January 19, 2001 02:37:40 PM
Exec Girl - GMTA
Fiset, my thoughts exactly:
Sellers shouldn't tie themselves to a time frame they cannot meet.
If she won't ship within 24-48 hours, she should not say she does! She did not stick to her own TOS. "Counting minutes"?? Uhhh NO. Just expecting her to stick to her end of the bargain!
Rocker
Rocker
