posted on September 19, 2000 02:08:33 PM
I recently had an auction end. I usually ship to the US and Canada only. I don't charge for shipping. I just had a bidder in the UK win my auction. The problem is that the shipping would cost me $12.00 to ship to the UK and that I would only charge him $10.00. When I told the bidder this he complained that this is too high. Do I cancel his bid and go to the next bidder, who is 1 cent under the high bidder, or argue with this guy?
posted on September 19, 2000 02:31:01 PM
Hmm! Did your auction specify that you only ship to US & Canada? Did he ask you prior to auction end if it was OK for him to bid and would you ship there? If so and if not (boy wasn't that clear..) then he has bid where he shouldn't and has not complied with your terms.. therefore I wouldn't think you're obligated to complete the transaction and would offer to the next highest bidder. Not sure if you can cancel his bid after the auction has already ended.. you may be at 'risk' for him leaving neg feedback to which you could easily respond that he shouldn't have bid in the first place as you do not ship to the UK and that should clear anything up for prospective bidders who may read your feedback. Did that help at all?
posted on September 19, 2000 03:02:35 PM
Marc....would you post the item number so we can look at the auction. It's kind of hard to make suggestions otherwise.
posted on September 19, 2000 04:03:50 PM
Sorry, desert, CGs forbid that as it'd identify the bidder in question.
What marc923 CAN do is email the bidder and invite him to this thread.
What's important, in any case, is what marc923's TOS are in his auction. Did the auction indicate that "international" bids were accepted?
If it did, than seller is SOL as far as shipping charges are concerned: he posted the shipping rate without an exception for outside US/CAN. He can't change the rules HE set once the game is over; he's got to complete the transaction at the stated shipping rate.
If OTOH there was no indication in the auction that outside US/CAN bids were accepted, or if the auction stated that overseas bidders should email first for shipping charges, or if some notice about shipping being higher outside US/CAN was posted in the TOS, then there's no reason seller needs to accommodate bidder (other than his own convenience), and he can offer to #2 or relist as he chooses.
posted on September 20, 2000 11:59:13 AM
I mentioned in the auction that I ship to USA and Canada only. I tried to keep the customer happy and would ship to him. But now he is complaining that the shipping rate, I got from www.usps.gov, is too high.
Basically if I go to the next bidder I lose 1 cent on the deal. But risk the neg. The response from macojero is the way to go for the potential neg.
