cmslaughter
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posted on November 6, 2002 09:29:46 AM
Hello Everyone. I have a question. If a seller lists a large item on ebay, stating in the auction that it will be shipped via USPS for a flat fee (say $40), and at the end of the auction, finds out that USPS won't ship the item because it is too large and/or too heavy for their service - is the seller obligated to pay let's say, $200 more to send it via a freighter?
What do you think? I could use some advice on this subject.
Thank you.
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akmcmc1
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posted on November 6, 2002 09:35:06 AM
WOW! That is a HUGE difference. My (somewhat uneducated) guess would be to let the buyer know about the problem and the difference and if they are not willing to cough up the money (which I know I probably wouldn't), relist the auction with the proper shipping cost and file FVF saying both of you changed your mind.
Good luck!
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tooltimes
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posted on November 6, 2002 09:57:32 AM
The best thing to do is to come clean with the buyer and tell them of the shipping estimate error and see if they want to mutualing end the deal and let you get back your ebay fees and then possibly relist the item with the correct data.
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cmslaughter
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posted on November 6, 2002 10:03:03 AM
also, just to let everyone know, I did communicate with the buyer and he is claiming the auction
is a "legally binding transaction" and that is specifically the part that I am
worried about. He's saying the shipping problem is MINE not his.
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kiara
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posted on November 6, 2002 10:36:44 AM
Perhaps check out Greyhound for a shipping quote. Sometimes they are very reasonable.
As a seller I have always taken the responsibility of misquotes and eaten the cost though it has never been a huge amount.
As a buyer I have paid the extra when requested to do so, usually to a newbie who did not realize the exact cost.
If you back out of the sale I guess you may leave yourself open to a negative feedback but I doubt ebay would do anything about it.
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logansdad
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posted on November 6, 2002 10:47:13 AM
Tell the buyer the item was damaged and you will refund him the money he has paid, if any. The problem is then solved. You can then relist the item with the correct shipping but I would not do this right away.
"An Army of One"
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kiara
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posted on November 6, 2002 10:55:39 AM
Tell the buyer the item was damaged and you will refund him the money he has paid, if any.
Why complicate things further by lying to the buyer and risking the chance that he sees it on a relist, especially if that is something he really wants?
My advice is to be honest and admit you messed up with the shipping rate, that you can't afford to take that kind of a loss and perhaps try to work things out with him.
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dadofstickboy
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posted on November 6, 2002 11:25:02 AM
How far away are you?
Maybe you could deliver it yourself.
Call JACKSWEB, he has a truck and time on his hands!
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askdaruma
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posted on November 6, 2002 11:38:50 AM
the binding contract is always on the item,no the service such as shipping,packing,payment terms.
so your buyer will have to pay realistic shipping cost.
buyer can get out of the bidding contract if seller charges too much shipping,so why cant the buyer??
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rarriffle
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posted on November 6, 2002 12:05:35 PM
for that big a difference I would explain to the bidder and void the contract...do be ready for a neg feedback though and I don't believe you will get FVF back if the buyer does not agree...ebay frowns on this big time.
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dadofstickboy
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posted on November 6, 2002 12:12:33 PM
Did you make a BIG profit?
Eat it, and chalk it up as a lesson learned.
I've had to eat them even at a small or no profit.
That's why I sell large items customer pick up or customer responcible for delivery.
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tooltimes
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posted on November 6, 2002 12:40:13 PM
It sounds like the buyer is being very unreasonable. Tell him that you will not eat an honest $40 shipping mistake and that you are relisting the auction with the correct shipping data. Tell him that if he gives you an unwarrented negative feedback that you will return with like feedback. Ebay won't do squat about the matter as you may be eating the ebay fees. Be sure to block the bidder from bidding on your future auctions.
The only reason the buyer may be mad is that many sellers get far less than they expected for their auction item and they often try to cancel the sale with shipping misquotes.
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capotasto
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posted on November 6, 2002 04:48:08 PM
"honest $40 shipping mistake "
Seller should have checked before hand, instead of guessing.
Maybe seller should now check UPS.
Maybe seller shouldn't be a seller.
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dadofstickboy
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posted on November 6, 2002 05:23:17 PM
Honest $40.00 mistake?
This is more like a $160.00 or more mistake!
If a seller notified me at the end of auction and told me he'll need an extra $160.00 or more, I'd have to tell him to take a long walk off a short pier.
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Libra63
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posted on November 6, 2002 05:41:42 PM
Dad I agree with you. If the contract is binding then tell me why the S/H isn't. If I bid on an auction that I wanted and I saw a S/H of $40.00 that is what I expect to pay when I win the bid. If my seller said I miscalculated the postage and an additional $160.00 is wanted I would immediately end the transaction between myself and the seller. The seller can file mutually agree to not go through with the auction and then the seller can relist with the proper information. Very dishonest seller you can't be THAT wrong on postage.
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tooltimes
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posted on November 6, 2002 05:51:59 PM
What a bunch of unforgiving hypothetical buyers. 
The original poster never gave very much information but maybe they are newbies? The recent thread that had a person asking about blocking (0)feedback bidders had seemed to have nothing but " we were all new to ebay once " response. I'll give the poster the benefit of the doubt that they were new to online selling.
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sparkz
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posted on November 6, 2002 09:11:05 PM
You obviously has a basis for the $40.00 USPS shipping charge in the first place. From California to Chicago, that would be a 30 pound package. That is no where near the weight limit for the Postal Service. If they won't take it, it has to be oversize. I'm curious as to what type of 30 pound item you are shipping that would cost $200.00. Sounds to me like a canoe or a lot of bubblewrap or some other bulky item. If you can let us know what it is you want to ship, maybe someone on this board has a suggestion. BTW, you're not JACKSWEBB are you, and that wouldn't happen to be a coffin you're shipping would it?
The light at the end of the tunnel will turn out to be an oncoming train.
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tooltimes
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posted on November 6, 2002 09:45:26 PM
I was at the post office last month and a guy had a large package and the clerk was telling him that because of the country he was sending it to would cost a very large amount of money. The guy was expecting $50 but it was something like $200. The clerk told him to try FedEx and he said he already had and they wanted $200 as well. You could easily tell he was an ebay seller and he must have quoted the buyer $50 and now he was going to tell the buyer the sad news and look like an idiot for making the quote.
A tough way to learn a lesson.
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rocketguy
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posted on November 7, 2002 04:51:47 PM
askdaruma,
Sorry, you're wrong about the shipping being non-binding. The original poster said he (or she) quoted a flat shipping fee, and gave an example of $40. End of story, the honorable thing to do is ship the item and eat the loss.
Usually when a buyer posts here complaining about paying too much for shipping (the amount charged versus the postage on the package) they are told something along the lines of the following:
You must complete the transaction, it's a binding contract.
The shipping amount was in the auction.
Shipping costs are more than just postage.
Why didn't you ask about shipping before you made a bid?
It seems now the shoe is on the other foot and some of you are sounding like hypocrites. You're suggesting the seller void the transaction and relist. If a buyer wanted to void a transaction and told the seller to relist there would be hell to pay.
You can't have it both ways. The seller should honor the deal and chalk it up as an expensive lesson.
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austbounty
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posted on November 7, 2002 06:38:46 PM
I must agree with
rocketguy.
Just out of curiosity, how did you come up with $40,
& how much was the selling price?
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cmslaughter
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posted on November 7, 2002 07:13:28 PM
Well, thanks for all of your input,this was the final email that I got from the buyer. And it ended well! Honesty is ALWAYS the best policy:
Good Morning
Thanks for your prompt and through response. When I wrote yesterday, I was
unaware that you had explored all the other avenues for shipping. You have
done
a very through job and I agree there is no pratical solution to the shipping
problem. You seem like a very nice person and I apologize for the tone of my
writing.
While unfortunate, it is certainly not the end of the world for either of us.
I
wish you would not have refunded more than the amount I paid. That was
unnecessary.
I wish you well in both your personal and business endeavors.
Thanks for your input, but I am done with this.
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jrome
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posted on November 7, 2002 11:16:39 PM
Props to you for doing the right thing, and ignoring most of the advice given by sellers on this board. There are SOO many threads that seem to come down to, "The buyer is complaining about shipping costs AFTER he agreed to pay them. Too bad for her!" Now, the shoe's on the other foot, and these sellers suddenly think that it IS ok to change terms after the auction.
Obviously, this was an unusual case, but a negative would be warranted, eBay has no reason do a FVF refund, etc.
Just goes to show you that being honest and forthright instead of trying to weasel out of your mistake and shift the blame will work better, and with less stress, most of the time.
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