Im introuble with an Ebay buyer

Lethagized · 21 Oct 2009 at 23:07

So i sell an item on ebay, and he paid via paypal. I later realised he didn't pay for the £6.50 postage costs. I did clearly state in big bold letters near the bottom of the page that the 'winning buyer should add the postage cost onto the sale price'.

I sent a request through paypal for him to pay me the £6.50 and i get this message..

Somewhat disappointed that the P & P was not enclosed in the main listing and only at the end of the items description. It took me some time to find it, so the disabled boy whom I had allowed to bid for this item was not aware as in the main advert text it says free P & P...totally disgusted as it is misleading. I will pay this for the child, but I WILL log a complaint. If you want P & P you should put it at the top with the description and not put FREE! He would not have bid to £16 had he known as this makes his purchase to £22.50.....not within his budget!

What's your thoughts? At the time of listing, ebay wouldn't let me choose a postage cost. It said 'specify the postage cost in the listing'

Tute · 21 Oct 2009 at 23:08

What did you put under the P&P part?

DB_SamX · 21 Oct 2009 at 23:13

If you put it as free on the P&P page, then buyer would be right. I've been guilty of this mistake before and I lost out on the sale after buyer had won it. He left neutral feedback.

Raikiri · 21 Oct 2009 at 23:15

Ah of course, it happened to be for poor little Timmy.

Can you link the auction?

KPeh · 21 Oct 2009 at 23:18

Let it go.

Although it wasn't cool to invoke the disabled boy.

gumbald · 21 Oct 2009 at 23:19

Why would eBay tell you to put it in the description not the P&P field?

SkeeterUK · 21 Oct 2009 at 23:20

Really should have been included in the price then if ebay was playing silly boogers about stating a price. Own fault really for not thinking of the best way to get around the problem with ebay to make it easier for the buyer.

I hate personally listings that do what you did i.e list price and what not in the listing description and not included in price IF and only IF you cant state a price in where it should go.

Lethagized · 21 Oct 2009 at 23:26

I do accept some responsibility as it does say Free P&P in the postage section, but on the other hand, the buyer should also take some responsibility for not reading the listing properly in the first place and missing the big bold letters asking for the extra postage.

I've purchased many an item off ebay before, and i've had to read the whole listing to get the correct postage costs , so i can't see this being any different. I think he's just playing the guilt trip with the disabled kid. IMO disabled people want to be treated equally, so that's what im going to do. Involving a disabled kid makes zero difference and it's pretty low actually.

Ebay have been messing around with postage costs lately to combat people listing something for 99p and charging £6 postage for it. Ebay were losing out big time because of the tiny final value fees, so they have clamped down on it which is only fair tbh. They do seem to have messed it up though. I tried a few different methods to get the postage costs to automatically be added to the sale fee, but it just wouldn't let me. I click on the option that states you must explain it in the description and that's what i did. I've sold stacks of stuff over the years, but i don't like what they have done with all this postage cost stuff. It's a right mess.

Item is here http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320432144932&ssPageName=STRK:MESOX:IT

Vonhelmet · 21 Oct 2009 at 23:33

So why wouldn't it let you put in a postage cost? Is it in one of the categories where you're not allowed to charge postage?

me227 · 21 Oct 2009 at 23:34

It said Free posting in the actual postage section and then you go and attempt to try and get the money from him after he's bought the item.

I'd have just accepted my mistake.

vincent1989 · 21 Oct 2009 at 23:36

perhaps it should have been written at the top of the listing in big bold letters with an explanation as opposed to appearing to act like every two bit con merchant out there who says free P&P and then adds a bit way down at the bottom going 'oh yeah, P&P is actually this much'?

to be fair to you, it is pretty hard to miss and what the disabled chap's guardians are playing at letting them bid on things without supervision is anyones guess(which leads me to believe they're playing the sympathy card).

to be honest the best thing to do is just reimburse them and re list saying they're welcome to bid for it again.

alex24 · 21 Oct 2009 at 23:36

Is your reputation on the site worth £6.50 to you? Just let it go.

Deadbeat · 21 Oct 2009 at 23:36

You were wrong. Learn from this, little tadpole.

[FnG]magnolia · 21 Oct 2009 at 23:37

You said it was free yet it wasn't. If Ebay don't allow you to add postage then I don't see you can then decide to add it to the overall cost as postage. If Ebay did allow you to add postage then why did you advertsise it as free? Am I missing something here?

Either way, the buyer sounds like he has a legitimate concern even though, for some reason, he appears to be willing to pay it.

randal · 21 Oct 2009 at 23:39

If the guy gives you too much stick, I'll have your Speccy off you for £22.50. Tell him that too, really wind him up.

AtreuS · 21 Oct 2009 at 23:51

randal24 said:
If the guy gives you too much stick, I'll have your Speccy off you for £22.50. Tell him that too, really wind him up.

hes not even selling a speccy... its a speccy BOX and a powerpack + a few tapes

[TW]Fox · 21 Oct 2009 at 23:53

It is absolutely your mistake. The postage section is where you add postage charges.

Xordium · 21 Oct 2009 at 23:54

At a glance I would to me that looks like you are footing the post and packaging. But I stress there at a glance.

randal · 21 Oct 2009 at 23:54

AtreuS said:
hes not even selling a speccy... its a speccy BOX and a powerpack + a few tapes

D'oh should have read instead of looking at the pictures... I mean that's just please out of order, buying that for a disabled child. Should be ashamed.

Lethagized · 21 Oct 2009 at 23:54

[FnG]magnolia;15146054 said:
You said it was free yet it wasn't. If Ebay don't allow you to add postage then I don't see you can then decide to add it to the overall cost as postage. If Ebay did allow you to add postage then why did you advertsise it as free? Am I missing something here?

I also said it was £6.50 which is much easier to see than the smaller FREE P&P writing

. The reason it wouldn't let me add a postage cost is because it was listed in the games section instead of the computer section. I take responsibility for that

vonhelmet said:
So why wouldn't it let you put in a postage cost? Is it in one of the categories where you're not allowed to charge postage?

Correct! It was in the wrong secion.

AtreuS said:
hes not even selling a speccy... its a speccy BOX and a powerpack + a few tapes

This is what im afraid of. If they are stupid enough to not read what they are buying, do they think it's the full computer system?