posted on August 21, 2002 02:05:48 AM new
An inexpensive item of ours, ended having had 2 bidders. ... 'winner' of item writes to me after i invoice him: "Is the cost you incur for weight/mailing $4.49? Thank you" ... I replied, "It is if it's a pre-stated s/h charge [within our auction description] and there is more than one bidder involved in the auction, lest that would have affected most bidders decision on exactly what amount bid they would place. ... in contrast, most of the smalls that we sell, if there is only one bidder, we adjust the 'stated' s/h in their favor.
Thanks much" ........... today he replies by saying, "Please charge your actual costs for mailing as your profit should be in your antique {widget}, thank you. I await same in order to pay what is the sum total. Paul"
........ so i basically told him he has to pay the amount i invoiced him [to be fair to underbidder] and he basically comes back with 'i demand you change your rules for me'... this dude has only 10 Feedback ... consarnit, i am tempted to just offer it to the underbidder [or throw it away] and neg this guy for bucking my TOS .... but before i do that, i know i need to reply to this pain-in-the-neck's email of this morning. ... please help me "word" my next email to him ... i'm having trouble devising a concise "polite" answer, 'cuz i hate these time-wasting pennypinchers. ... thanks for those of you that will help me ponder this ... go get a cuppacoffee and i'll be back a little later to see if you all have a good idea for me ... - Ain't Rich Yet in Ohio
posted on August 21, 2002 02:27:03 AM new
This would be my last email to him before filing NPB,
"Dear Sir,
Your bid, which was based on the description including shipping charges, is a binding contract. Your total for this item is xx.xx.
Adjustments and discounts are not an option and will not be given.
I will expect your payment of xx.xx within 7 seven working days from today.
Thank you again for your bid.
Sincerely,
xxxxxxxxx"
On the 8th day I would file NPB and put it up for sale again.
If you receive a neg from this newbie power tripper, just respond with "demands discounts after completion of auction"
posted on August 21, 2002 07:48:40 AM new
Also report him to eBay for refusing to abide by our TOS. If he negs you for it, report THAT to eBay and get his smelly butt kicked off eBay before he bids on something of mine
posted on August 21, 2002 07:53:12 AM new
Interestly, I had one of those too on one of my auctions that ended last Sunday! It sounds like the exact same person!
posted on August 21, 2002 08:40:38 AM new
As I have said before. Ebay needs to do something about new (or old) bidders who don't know what they are doing. He is more than a "pain in the neck". It is his fault that he bid not yours. I would tell him to move on, as you don't need that kind of harrassment.
Find the area where eBay states something about bidding and being a binding contract. Cut and paste that into your email to him, and tell him that your TOS will not be changed. Then block him so he can't bid on your items again and then tell us so we can block him. I don't know what your selling but the S/H sounds reasonable to me.
posted on August 21, 2002 08:44:40 AM new
Thank you, rariffle, et al. ... I used your email model and yeah, i like that at that point, it is a no-nonsense businesslike reply ... why did i worry about being 'polite' to someone who was pickin' on me like that anyway? ... it's not as if i haven't answered this type of question before to bidders over the years, but it's NOT often that their 'comeback' is so terse and contrary to what i'd just explained to them ... and i couldn't formulate the words on my own this morning LOL ... thanks for your input. ---
Ain't Rich Yet in Ohio [and if i was, i'd give free shipping to everyone]
posted on August 21, 2002 09:05:51 AM new
DON'T FORGET TO MENTION THAT FEED BACK IS A "TWO" WAY STREET. YOU NEG ME,I NEG YOU. AND DO "NOT" GIVE THEM FEED BACK 1 ST. 2 CENTS.
OH,BTW,SAME THING WITH ME THIS MORNING, I TOLD HIM FORGET IT AND GO TO K MART AND BUY IT.
I WRITE WHIF A KRAYON, I AM ALMOST 5.
[ edited by JACKSWEBB on Aug 21, 2002 09:07 AM ]
posted on August 21, 2002 09:10:00 AM new
Thanks JACKSWEBB ... that's how I'm definitely going to handle this one! ... no FB 'til he leaves FB ... i normally leave feedback as soon as we're ready to place the "item" in the shipping/receiving dept. AKA living room. ...
got Items?
Ain't Rich Yet in Ohio
p.s. of course at the rate this person is misbehavin', he'll probably become a non-pay LOL
posted on August 21, 2002 09:20:55 AM new
Hello
I too have cases like this. I always sent a second repeat e-mail and that is all. I do not get involved in e-mail wars. I wait appropriate time and file for ebay fees back with the no payment reason. I block bidder from my ebay listings. I had one case where they Pay Pal'd me but was short. You have a choice here. I chose to return funds as incorrect amount. If nothing happens payment wise I then file for fees back (Final). That does more harm to them than a Negative. The trick if there is one, is to be in control. We all have bad bidders. Work you plan and move on. Don’t waist your time.
Good selling to you....
posted on August 21, 2002 09:40:05 AM new
I usually reply, "Shipping and handling fees are plainly stated in the ad." I wouldn't push or threaten the bidder though. Just wait a week and then file NPB alert. Then you have the weight of eBay behind you. For many bidders, that helps put things in perspective.
posted on August 21, 2002 09:48:23 AM new
aintrichyet: I agree with all of the above & think the letter was perfect. I have one question, why would you change the S & H if only one bidder? That statement puzzled me. The cost of shipping is the same for one bidder or for forty bidders.
posted on August 21, 2002 10:30:07 AM new
Hi sanmar ... sure, the cost of shipping is the same if there is one bidder [compared to ten or twenty people vying for the same item] ... but the over-all 'big picture' "handling charges" ARE more on items that get a lot of bids ... i am one of those ebay sellers that deems X$ for s/h has to "go toward" many incidentals [paypal fees, ebay fees, billpoint fees, being-self-employed-mom-and-pop biz also puts us in a position of paying private health insurance, utilities and insurance and taxes on our building that houses our antiques inventory,] and Lord knows the amount that goes toward the 'handling' sure doesn't come close to covering all that. ... so you can hardly call it fee avoidance [unless you feel like it] ... ... if a 'small' or not-heavy item only ends up with one interested bidder/buyer [rather than the many we hoped for ], then the ebay FVF is lower, the paypal/billpoint fee is lower, the 'income' on which we pay Uncle Sam is lower, so i feel like if i decrease the s/h just a tad in my end-of-auction invoice, it just might make the buyer a teensy bit happy to shop thru our listings often. ...
posted on August 21, 2002 10:41:59 AM new
aintrichyet --
Best to just state a flat-rate shipping and handling fee in the auction and NOT adjust it when there is only one bidder. Why would you do that anyway?
Shipping and handling, as we've covered here MANY times, includes more than just the actual postage price. It includes your time, delivery of the item to the point of shipping, packaging, etc. You don't have to itemize it and you CERTAINLY aren't making a profit off the few pennies difference.
Simply hold your ground and explain that this is a shipping and handling fee and it was stated up front as part of the auction and he agreed to it.
Quit wasting your time with him. If he doesn't pay, handle that accordingly.
posted on August 21, 2002 11:05:57 AM new
To me, legitimate handling fees are those fees associated with the shipping of the item. For example, If someone questions my fees, I offer them the chance to pay for each item I include as a separate item. Paypal, auction watch, and ebay fees are mine because they are part of the expense of doing business. S&H include postage (obviously), packaging, time ($40 an hour), car fare ($.40 a mile), Insurance fund (Money to pay for all Lost packages), parking, and what ever else I can think of. In the end, if comes out to be more then the $3 I ask for...
posted on August 21, 2002 11:23:56 AM new
peiklk: "Best to just state a flat-rate shipping and handling fee in the auction and NOT adjust it when there is only one bidder. Why would you do that anyway?"
Because I want to?
Dejapooh: "To me, legitimate handling fees are ...."
posted on August 21, 2002 11:58:59 AM new
sn0bbish .. not 'shipping'. "shipping/handling" - this is how we do our figuring too - it depends on the specific item involved. - things that end high with a lot of bids do cost more to actually 'sell' out of your "stuff" that you are trying to sell.
[ edited by estatesalestuff on Aug 21, 2002 12:00 PM ]
[ edited by estatesalestuff on Aug 21, 2002 12:15 PM ]
posted on August 21, 2002 04:11:08 PM new
Just went through this!
Tell him he owes XX.XX for item & XX.XX for S&H Fee. Total is:$XX.XX PERIOD!!
If he don't pay file NPB.
If he still don't pay file FVF & Neg. him!!!!
You'll get one back but such is life!
DON'T GIVE IN TO HIM!!!!
posted on August 21, 2002 04:45:22 PM new
thanks Dadofstickfellow ... i haven't heard back via email from this buyer today ... really don't care if i do or not ... he just made a REAL "ghrrrr.unghh!!!!!" start to my day at the wee hours of the morning ... truly dreadful. ...
i could barely function at that hour much less reply to emails. .....
... it's not as if i haven't answered this type of question before to bidders over the years, but it's NOT often that their 'comeback' is so terse and contrary to what i'd just explained to them ... and i couldn't formulate the words on my own this morning LOL ... thanks for your input. ---