posted on November 3, 2005 03:05:46 PM new
I bid on an item after emailing the seller and asking how much would shipping be as it is a larger item. I gave him my zip code and he told me shipping would be 13.00. I said fine, I bid and ended up winning the item (after several people tried to outbid me). He sent me an invoice and I paid through paypal. Now he is emailing me telling me it is going to cost him 30.00 to ship this item. I feel bad for him but don't think it is fair for him to expect to add charges after the auction is over. What would you do????
posted on November 3, 2005 03:48:05 PM new
This has happened to me a couple of times on larger items. Weigh the item, add a couple pounds for packing material, look up the rate and email a shipping cost. After the auction, pack the item and take it to FedEx. They weigh it 12 lbs, great!!! exactly what I quoted on. Then they bring out the tape measure and measure the box. BINGO!!! OVERSIZE 1, and they calculate the shipping on 30 pounds, instead of 12. I have eaten my mistake on these occasions and would never try to get a customer to subsidize my learning experience. He needs to learn the pitfalls of shipping, and be able to spot them before he starts quoting shipping charges. You relied on the figure he gave you when you bid. He's out of line to request more money at this point.
A $75.00 solid state device will always blow first to protect a 25 cent fuse ~ Murphy's Law
posted on November 3, 2005 05:00:18 PM new
I made a big goof back in my early days. I had a customer custom order a cat bed in the shape of a great big mouse. I quoted her a price with shipping not realizing exactly how BIG this thing was. Although it was light (filled with fiberfill), it was really big. (I think it measured 3 ft x 4 ft. x 3 1/2 ft.) I charged only $5 for shipping that turned out to be $25.00 with insurance. OUCH! I think that after three weeks of crocheting this thing, I ended up with $2.00. Boy, did I learn my lesson!
posted on November 3, 2005 05:35:41 PM new
The following story just proves that Ralphie has NO art sense...
A few months ago one of his hydrant buds talked him into selling some HUGE nature prints -- really pretty & signed & numbered by the artist (bunch of nekkid dogs playing poker...seemed pretty tacky to me, but Ralphie INSISTED that there was GOLD in POKER-PLAYING CANINES).
Anyhoo, I thought I'd ship it rolled & put $9.99 as a flat-rate Priority mail shipping fee in the auction.
Guy wins -- I go to roll the print only to realize that, due to the very heavy quality stock, the print CANNOT be rolled without ruining it
So, we shipped it FLAT -- &, due to the OVERSIZE charges, the postage came to...$25.00...
The buyer gets the print & loves it, but notes the $15 difference, &, like a really NICE & WONDERFUL GUY he PayPal's it to us...
Oi! When it comes to ART, do NOT listen to Ralph! He may be an expert on doodoo or bunny plates, but he don't know squat about ART!
posted on November 3, 2005 05:38:48 PM new
The oversize thing has happened to me, too. As the seller, I have always eaten the cost - would never expect the buyer to pay for my mistake.
posted on November 4, 2005 04:26:03 AM new
I appreciate all the help. I am still not sure what to do. He kept emailing me asking "What should we do?". I finally emailed him back and told him the ball was in his court...that I had sent the amount of money he invoiced and wouldn't have bid if I had know the shipping was going to be that high. I think it is one of two things...he is being honest and just goofed on the shipping (he is fairly new) or he didn't get as much as he had hoped and wanted another chance to sell it.
Ordinarily, you should not be responsible for this fellow's learning experience. But if you accepted his incorrect quote, knowing that it was significantly wrong and then refused to pay the corrected balance, you would be taking unfair advantage of an inexperienced seller.
posted on November 4, 2005 08:11:53 AM new
I had no idea what the shipping would be which is why I asked ahead of time. I was not taking advantage of him.
posted on November 4, 2005 08:25:45 AM new
Good, I added that because most experienced buyers know the prevailing rate but check to avoid being overcharged.
Since you didn't know the rate and based your bid on his shipping quote, you are right in not paying for this seller's mistake.
posted on November 4, 2005 09:03:10 AM new
I just received an email from him stating he has realized that it was his error and he will be shipping at the price he quoted. Now I feel so bad that I am going to send him 1/2 the difference so at least I can split it with him.
