posted on October 7, 2004 08:16:04 AM
Let me start by saying this isn't a huge issue or anything but I'm wondering what others would say in terms of leaving fdeedback in this situation.
I recently won an auction where the shipping rate was listed in the auction along with a further description that the item would be shipped Priority Mail. This seller also required insurance be paid for the item. Ok, so far, so good. I had no problem with the shipping fees and paid for the auction via Paypal as soon as it ended.
A couple of days later I get an automated response from the Seller which sets forth that my item has been shipped and can be tracked by clicking on the link in the email. I clicked on the link and noticed that the item had indeed been shipped although it was coming via UPS Ground and would be arriving in approximately 7 days. I was puzzled by that since I thought that the item was to be shipped via Priority Mail so I went back to the auction listing to verify. Sure enough, the auction stated Priority Mail with insurance required.
So I sent an email to the seller, just politely inquiring why the item was shipped UPS Ground when it had been listed to be shipped Priority Mail. The seller did not respond.
Ok, so I have now received the item and its as described and I'm now thinking about what kind feedback I should leave here. I'm not inclined to leave a negative as I have received the item as described. But the shipping thing (and lack of response to me email) is a lilttle annoying. I am not upset about the actual cost of shipping, but its a little annoying to think you;re getting an item shipped Priority Mail only to have it come UPS Ground. The other issue is that I shouldn't really be required to pay for insurance if it is being sent UPS. Correct me if I'm wrong but the $1.30 I paid for insurance is the cost of insuring a USPS package, NOT a UPS package.
Anyway, this isn't a huge deal or anything, I'm just looking for opinions about feedback. I'm thinking at worst a neutral but more likely a positive with something about the shipping. Thoughts?
posted on October 7, 2004 08:31:41 AM
Flat out Theif! UPS insures auto up to $100.00...They ripped you for the insurance. and you paid the higher price for the Post Office rate and they sent it slow boat. They know what their doing an ignoring you proves that.
posted on October 7, 2004 08:54:53 AM
Yeah, I know that I paid a higher rate than I should of given how the item was shipped but since the exact amount of the shipping was listed, I don't have a huge problem with what I paid. The charge for insurance is a problem since, as you pointed out, I should not have been charged additional monies for insurance when the package was not being insured through the USPS.
As for leaving a negative, the thought has crossed my mind. This is sort of a grey area for me though. On the one hand, I received the item exactly as described. On the other, the item wasn't shipped as described and I was charged for insurance when I shouldn't have been. But maybe you're right and a negative is the proper feedback here.
posted on October 7, 2004 09:00:32 AM
Should you leave them a negative, they might leave you a nasty retaliatory one in return. Is it worth it? Just don't buy from them again and don't leave feedback either. If they ask, ignore them as well.
[ edited by mamachia on Oct 7, 2004 09:56 AM ]
posted on October 7, 2004 09:03:32 AM
In reality, leave it alone, go on and forget about it. They WILL return what they get. E bay is no Community anyway. Dog eat Dog.
posted on October 7, 2004 09:05:07 AM
I'm not worried about retalitory feedback as the seller has left feedback for me already. But even if they hadn't, if a negative is warranted, I have no problem leaving one.
posted on October 7, 2004 09:07:33 AM
Yehaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!! Nail 'em. Don't ya just love those feed back beggars! They do it BEFORE the transaction is COMPLETED.
posted on October 7, 2004 10:32:08 AM
I would Neg them, for two reasons.
1. They shipped it via UPS rather then USPS with out notifying you first, or once it was shipped for not replying to your email concerning the change. This may not be that big of a deal you or them, because the auction listed a flat rate for shipping charges. But it would be to me because after a certain weight and size is reached UPS becomes much cheaper then USPS.
I would also consider the experience of the seller as well, there are many valid reasons possible why they shipped it UPS. Perhaps the package was to large for the Postal Service to handle and the seller was unaware of this until they went to ship it. Whatever the reason they should have notified you prior to shipping it.
2. The main reason a Neg is deserved:
If the item's value was over $100.00 then the insurance charge could be viewed as valid. If the item's value was under $100.00 then they charged you extra for the insurance that is free to them. The $1.30 should be returned without question. Had they shipped it via USPS then the charge could be viewed as fair.
You didn't say if the insurance was mandated in the auction description or not. If the required purchase of insurance was not mentioned in the auction and became a requirement only after the auction ended, this would lead me to believe that the seller is clearly trying to increase his over all profits.
A $1.30 may not seem like a lot, but if I was to this to my buyers, I could easily increase my monthly income by $400.00 or $500.00.
Also by them not replying to your emails indicates to me that they know what they are doing and I think others should be warned. Why should they continue to profit from thievery?
A community is the total sum value of the individuals with in it.
Thanks for the response. I mentioned that the insurance was required, although it kinda gets lost in my original post. The more I think about this, the more I'm beginning to agree with the negative feedback answer. As you mentioned, the overall shipping cost isn't an issue for me since it was clearly stated in the auction. The shipping rate that was listed was a little on the high side for Priority Mail (given the size of this item) but I have no problems paying a slightly higher shipping fee to get an item at a good price. And since I knew the exact amount of the shipping, I could figure out my bid accordingly.
The first annoyance in this transaction for me was the fact that it was coming UPS Ground - not because the seller weasled a cheaper way to ship the item then they listed but because I would not be getting the item nearly as fast as I thought I would since I expected the item to be shipped Priority.
The seller then not responding to my email (and I sent only one email) was predictable as I didn't threaten the seller or rant and rave, I simply asked for an explaination for the switch of shipping methods. Maybe I should rant and rave, lol. But not getting a response does weigh in to my decision here.
And of course, as you and Jack correctly pointed out, the mandatory insurance requirement is a real bad thing. Its pretty clear that I should not have been charged for insurance I did not receive. Thats part of why I emailed the seller. This is a powerseller that has many auctions going all the time and I think it was it least possible that this was an honest mistake where they are using several shipping methods for different auctions and could have mixed up my item with another, etc. A response from them to that effect might have been acceptable to me. But no response seems to indicate that they knew what they were doing.
So now I'm leaning towards leaving a neg. Anybody else think a neg isn't warranted here?
posted on October 7, 2004 07:19:23 PM
This does in no way what so ever deserve a negative. You paid for your item. The costs were known up front and they shipped in an extremely timely manner. You received it undamaged. Which is the whole point. If you use that idiot Jack's advise, you still set yourself up for a retalitory feedback because they can still leave a follow-up remark.
The only bad thing is the non-response thing. But this still warrants a positive with a remark of "does not return e-mails, but item did arrive timely."
posted on October 8, 2004 05:59:47 AMthey shipped in an extremely timely manner.
Thats actually not true. The auction stated the item was to be shipped via Priority Mail. The seller then shipped it via UPS Ground which resulted in my receiving the item more than two weeks after it was paid for. I have no problem with waiting two weeks to receive something but when I'm told the item will be shipped Priority Mail, I expect it to be shipped Priority Mail.
And what about the seller's mandatory insurance policy? Again, if the item had been shipped and insured in the manner described in the auction, we've got no problems here. But I paid for insurance that was never actually purchased.
Not responding to me email is actually the least of the problems with this auction. And retalitory feedback is never a valid reason for me to let someone off the hook. If someone deserves a neg, I'll give them one. How they choose to respond to it isn't my concern. Although in this case, the seller has already left feedback for me.
I still haven't left my feedback for this transaction but am still leaning towards a negative. I disagree that the item was received timely given my reasonable expectations to have it shipped Priority Mail (their terms, not mine) and the bogus insurance charge (remember, it was required, not optional) also is wrong.
posted on October 8, 2004 10:58:09 AM
Sellers sometimes make mistakes...I know I have...especially when mailing a bunch of packages. Granted, we should be more careful but stuff happens. I've overlooked the "I" I put on packages I meant to insure. However, when I've caught it, I do always inform the buyer and offer to refund them $1.50 (payment for the insurance plus a little extra to compensate for my error). So, I don't think a neg is warranted...however, the seller IS to be faulted for not responding! Perhaps a positve with comments or, at worst, a neutral with comment about shipping error. As a sometime-buyer, I'm always delighted when I receive what I've bought...and that hasn't always happened!
posted on October 8, 2004 11:45:08 AM
Yeah, I hear ya about mistakes happening. I'm also an occasional seller so I know that stuff happens. I decided to email the seller one more time and give them a chance to respond one way or the other before I leave feedback. I don't generally email a seller more than once when I have a question as its generally easier to just move on when I don't get a response. But for some reason, I'm interested in their response here. Its not the money that irks me on this one (we're really talking about just a few bucks), its more the sense of being scammed. When I bid on (and win) an auction, I abide by the terms of the auction as listed. Obviously, I expect a seller to also abide by the terms they have presented. So we'll see what, if anything, they say.
posted on October 8, 2004 12:37:39 PM
Is it possible that the package they have 3rd Party insurance that they purchased?
It is disappointed to get the package later than expected -- and delivered by a different carrier (especially when it's UPS),
but perhaps you've wasted enough energy on this transaction already.
....as someone far more wise than I once said "choose your battles."
That said, good luck. I hope that the seller responds.
*************
Resentment is like taking poison and expecting the other person to die.
[ edited by jvj24601 on Oct 8, 2004 12:41 PM ]
posted on October 8, 2004 12:55:22 PM
I guess anything's possible but there was nothing to indicate that the package was insured by a third party insurer. As for picking battles, etc. this is hardly taking any significant time. I guess my responses to this thread have taken a few minutes but thats no biggie.
posted on October 8, 2004 01:46:26 PMAs for picking battles, etc. this is hardly taking any significant time.
I was thinking more along the lines of emotional spenditure, but to each his own.
I must admit that sometimes (very rarely, but sometimes) it is interesting to pursue such things to their ultimate end, just for the fun of observing human nature.
Generally speaking, third party insurance doesn't show up anywhere on the package. At least I don't think so.
******************
They gave themselves up wholly to their sorrow, seeking increase of wretchedness in every reflection that could afford it, and resolved against ever admitting consolation in future. --Jane Austen "Sense and Sensibility"
