Archive for August, 2009
Seller Changes Shipping after the Item is Paid for..
August 20th, 2009 | 
Author:
Dear eBay Queen;
I just won an eBay auction for a handmade outfit for my daughter to wear at a talent show. The listing stated $6.50 for shipping. I usually pay as soon as an auction ends, and this one was no exception. I paid for the dress and no more than two hours later, I receive an invoice from PayPal saying this seller "wants to be paid". She claims she put the wrong email address in the listing and she can only get paid with this invoice! Do you think this is true? I contacted PayPal, and they issued a refund on the payment where the seller is not verified.
The seller’s new invoice included $1.30 for insurance but the auction listed none and her new invoice is now for $7.23 instead of $6.50 for shipping. She tells me she is being fair about this. It seems that shipping will cost her $7.23 to send instead. I guess she listed the wrong email address and the wrong shipping information. Now she tells me she is being fair to have me pay outside of the auction. She just sent me an ALL CAP email to either accept her changes or back out of the deal. When I told her earlier I would consult with eBay, she replied “they would understand her mistakes”.
Please tell me if she can make changes after a sale. Can she tell me to pay her by private invoice a higher amount than stated in the auction? Will eBay really understand? I don’t care much about the item, it wasn’t high value, but it’s the principle. I’m planning to start selling on eBay again and really want to know if eBay cares what their sellers do. Can she force me to back out for her convenience?
Thanks for any help. I’m steaming and I know it’s not worth it. It’s just her attitude that gets me.
Elizabeth, Gardner, KS
Dear Elizabeth;
Your seller seems to have all kinds of problems! The problems are legitimate, but she should not be passing them on to you.
I would contact eBay through this form: http://resolutioncenter.ebay.com/. Make sure you have the item number and the seller user name. Explain to eBay that the seller put the wrong email address in for her PayPal payment and wants you to pay a different email address. This is the most disturbing part about this sell. It should take eBay one or two days to get back to you.
Mistakes in shipping happen frequently. They are the cost of doing business, not for the buyer, but for the seller. She should not add money onto the shipping. If she had it calculated wrong, that’s her fault as a seller, especially if we are only talking about the difference of .73 cents.
I would email the seller and let her know that you just want to make sure there is not anything funny going on with this transaction, and that you don’t feel it is fair you have to pay the difference in shipping for her mistake. If she advertised shipping as $6.50 that is all you are willing to pay. Changing the shipping terms is definitely a deal breaker for me as a buyer. If you do decide to back out of the sale, and the seller turns you in to eBay as a non payer, you will have the record that you paid within minutes of the end of the auction, and the communication you had with eBay on how she put the wrong email address to pay by.
I am really sorry this happened to you. If you want the item, and do not want to back out of the sale, I also believe that it could work out too, just by paying the extra .73 cents.
Strange eBay item of the week: eBay item 280382295153 (enter this number in the eBay search box in the top right corner of the home page). Because of the new movie Julie & Julia, there has been a huge interest in all things Julia Child. Check out this first edition Master the Art of French Cooking book. SOLD:$2025.00 Before the movie it might have sold for $30.00 or $40.00 dollars! http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280382295153
Suzie Eads is a nationally known eBay marketer and eBay trained Education Specialist. She lives in Rantoul. Do you have a question for the eBay Queen? E-mail: questions@asktheebayqueen.com.
New eBay Layout Angers Buyers & Sellers
Dear eBay Queen;
I’ve read your column for quite awhile now, and I remember you giving the advice to include lots of photos in your listings. I am primarily a buyer, selling only a couple of things on eBay; I really like photos in the eBay ads. I’ve noticed a lot of auctions lately that are just including one photo – the gallery photo at the top of the auction listing, and no photos in the auction description. Most of these auctions also have very little text in the description.
Is there a reason for this? Is it the new page format, or listing process? Maybe it’s just the items I’m viewing. I find it quite annoying to click on an auction to check out an item and find only one photo. I find myself quickly leaving that auction and continuing on my search.
Have you noticed this also, or am I just too picky? Perhaps you could share with your readers that conforming to the ways the internet (only one photo) is not good. I know I am not the only eBay buyer that likes multiple photos in the listings, right?
Glassman67
Dear Glassman;
I have also noticed this disturbing trend, I’m not sure that it’s the seller’s fault though. eBay has been working on a new design change for quite awhile now. http://pages.ebay.com/sell/newitempage/ I don’t like the new item page, and one of the reasons is what they’ve done to the photos. eBay was trying to create a smoother, more simple look to the item pages.
If you would like more photos or a more detailed description, use can always you the “ask the seller a question” button, and let them know you need more information before you buy their item. I would also contact eBay, and let them know by taking the photos out of the ad and moving them to the top of the item page, they are making the buying experience challenging for you.
Dear eBay Queen;
I received this email the other day. It made me really curious, and part of me wants to respond. I don’t know if it’s real, and what exactly are they selling? It came in on my eBay email account. Here’s the email:
Greetings to you,
I am aware that the Internet has become very unsafe, but considering the situation I have no option other than to seek for foreign partnership through this medium.
For security reasons, I will not disclose my Identity until I am fully convinced you are the right person for this business deal. I have access to very vital information that can be used to move a huge amount of money to a secured account outside United Kingdom.
We can meet in any of these locations Dubai, Spain, UK, Canada. or South Africa. Full details /modalities will be disclosed on your expression of Interest to partner with me.
I am open for negotiation; importantly the funds to be transferred have nothing to do with drugs, terrorism or money laundering.
Thanks for your anticipated corporation.
Martel Paul
They don’t say exactly how much money is involved; do you think I should contact them back?
Mike; Ottawa
Dear Mike;
This is one of those Nigerian email scams, or something like it. What happens in these types of emails is a wealthy foreign person needs some kind of help moving millions of dollars from his homeland. He promises you a large percentage of his fortune has a reward for helping him. If you agree to help him, he will send you paperwork, and once it is sent in, it will be “delayed”. The scammer will ask you for money to get the paperwork you filled out, moving through the proper channels. All of the scamming will be done with money orders or Western Union. For more information on this scam go here: http://www.fbi.gov/cyberinvest/escams.htm
I get a couple of these a day, and I usually just delete them.
Strange eBay item of the week: eBay item 290334168983 (enter this number in the eBay search box in the top right corner of the home page). It’s back to school time! Have you ever wanted your own school bus? Check this one out. SOLD:$9750.00 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290334168983
Suzie Eads is a nationally known eBay marketer and eBay trained Education Specialist. She lives in Rantoul. Do you have a question for the eBay Queen? E-mail: questions@asktheebayqueen.com.
Posted in Auction, General eBay Help, unhappy buyer | 
Tags: ask seller a question, eBay Layout, foreigners offering money, nigerian email scam, photos | 
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When Your eBay Package Comes Postage Due Who is Responsible?
Dear eBay Queen;
This has never happened to me and I don't know what to do. Here is the story.
My brother-in-law does not have an eBay or PayPal account, and he wants me to order a computer part. I received the part today, but there is $2.03 postage due. The seller sent it out 1st Class Mail with delivery confirmation. I asked my post master what the problem was, and he said that the package didn't conform to the rule saying all first class packages must be at least ¾”.
I emailed the seller, and he is fussing with me because this part was inexpensive, (around 5.00) and he offered free shipping on it. To his credit, he did respond back to me. I have sent him a picture of the receipt for the postage and a close up of the package with the amount visible on it.
If the seller refuses to give me back the money that I paid in shipping, should I make my brother-in-law pay me since it’s his part? Isn’t there some kind of thing I can file with PayPal?
Thanks for any advice,
John G.
Dear John;
I would ask the seller to refund your money for the $2.03 postal mistake. If he refuses to pay for his error, I would contact eBay and let him know what happened. If the seller does not refund your money, you could contact eBay and let them know. If all else fails; you can give the seller a negative.
Dear eBay Queen;
I checked out the new requirements for eBay UK, and it looks like they are going to REQUIRE free shipping on media mail items. I have learned that eBay “tries” things out in other countries, before they do it in the USA. I would be so angry if I was a UK media seller. That's ridiculous!
Here’s what the new rule says: Free postage and packaging for more Media categories. Beginning October 19th, 2009, sellers listing in selected media categories will be required to offer free Post and Parcel as their first domestic postage option. To help you adapt listings quickly and easily, we're also introducing new bulk editing functionality in mid September.
Excessive P&P costs are often mentioned as a major reason for buyers spending less on eBay – especially in the very competitive media categories. Where eBay has tested making offering a free delivery service a requirement, we have seen buyers respond positively and conversion rates of listed items rise.
Media items are often impulse purchases and buyers perceive free P&P as a great deal. By making postage & packaging free we aim to attract more buyers to the media categories and increase sales for media sellers.
TAKE ACTION:
a.. Understand the Media categories where free P&P will be introduced (see above).
b.. Amend your listings with the new bulk editing functionality before 19th October, 2009.
c.. Take a look at our checklist to ensure your business is covered for these changes.
All I know is that EVERY TIME eBay takes it upon themselves to "improve" my sales, they never seem to improve. When do you think they are going to do this in the United States?
McKenzie; Lee’s Summit
Dear McKenzie;
I don’t know if eBay will do this. It’s really hard to predict what they will do next. Sometimes I am completely shocked at some of the changes they have made. If they do make this change it will be to compete with Amazon.
As a buyer, I think free shipping is nice, but I can’t imagine eBay requiring a seller to do this. As your grandmother probably told you, “Nothing in life is free”. Free shipping is the same. Either way you are going to pay for it.
You are right, about eBay trying out things in other countries before they implement them in the United States. If they do roll out this free shipping change in the US it won’t be for another six months to a year.
Strange eBay item of the week: eBay item 130320040053(enter this number in the eBay search box in the top right corner of the home page). Just in case you needed a new helicopter. Here’s one on eBay that didn’t sell. Bell 222A Helicopter VIP Reserve Not Met:$300,350.00 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280371986373
Suzie Eads is a nationally known eBay marketer and eBay trained Education Specialist. She lives in Rantoul. Do you have a question for the eBay Queen? E-mail: questions@asktheebayqueen.com.
Posted in General eBay Help, Shipping, unhappy buyer |
Tags: eBay help, eBay UK, free media shipping, Free shipping, New ebay rules, postal mistakes, seller mistake postage |
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