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Do you ever feel guilty?
Feb 22, 2012 12:25 PM
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I had mentioned on a previous thread of a seller who initally did not want to honour their listed shipping price then relented, apoligized & shipped the item. Recieved the shipment yesterday, seven shirts for 38.74 including shipping. Postal label states 33.45 for shipping.This seller obviously lost money on this transaction.
Bought eight shirts for .99 each the other day on auction from the same seller for the total of 27.62 including shipping. This person will obviously lose money again on this transaction as the postage will be in the mid thirties again.
Mentioned to my wife that i feel like a predator for watching these auctions & then winning the items at such a low price. She mentioned i have nothing to feel guilty about as you were the only one that bid on the auctions.
I know its business but do you ever feel sorry for the seller with low, obviously newbie feedbacks in this case?
BTW the last auction i won from the same seller was four days ago. Paid immediately but have not heard from the seller. Sent a polite message today inquiring if the items shipped. I have them losing 11.12 before fees & cost of items on this transaction.
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(1 of 14)
Re: Do you ever feel guilty?
Feb 22, 2012 12:33 PM
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I have received items from new sellers who lost money on the postage and I have sent them the extra money without them asking for any,
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(2 of 14)
Re: Do you ever feel guilty?
Feb 22, 2012 12:53 PM
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YES! All the time...... sure do.
....... and excuse me ahead of time for seeing things from both sides.......... but here I go again...........
As a seller: Do you ever feel guilty when an item sells for 10 times the amount that you thought it should sell for?
I do.
and that happens all the time as well.
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(3 of 14)
Re: Do you ever feel guilty?
Feb 22, 2012 12:56 PM
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My motto is always "don't do to others what you would not want others do to you". As toby mentioned, when the same situation happened to me, I always sent the difference without the seller asking for it. That is the right thing to do.
After all, I'm a seller too and I understand that mistakes can happen. If I make a mistake and do not charge enough for shipping, I will just ship without saying anything to the buyer. But if the buyer sees that I lost money and pay me the difference, I'm always really grateful and will probably throw a few gifts in the next package if they buy other items.
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(4 of 14)
Re: Do you ever feel guilty?
Feb 22, 2012 01:09 PM
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I had someone send me the difference and I have sent the difference to another seller without being asked. It is the right thing to do as a member of this community.
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(5 of 14)
Re: Do you ever feel guilty?
Feb 22, 2012 02:41 PM
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Not to mention... The postage price that prints (in our set-up, I don't know about others) is very rarely anything close to the actually shipping cost, which is almost always much higher!!
I forget offhand what they leave out of the price printed on the label, but am pretty sure they don't even include the fuel surcharge, and several other amounts - which is ridiculous and misleading, so I never show the postage price, which is also a poor option, I know, but since we ship "free" might as well maintain the illusion all the way !
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(6 of 14)
Re: Do you ever feel guilty?
Feb 22, 2012 06:24 PM
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The labels only have the actual postage, no GST, no fuel surcharge, no bubble wrap, no poly envelopes, no stiffeners, no labour, no shipping FVF.
Which is why as a seller I prefer the Paypal label with "stealth postage". The postage amount isonly part what I am actually spending on shipping and packaging.
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(7 of 14)
Re: Do you ever feel guilty?
Feb 23, 2012 12:31 AM
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Yes, would agree with you all. We were all newbies at one time & will send them the 15.70 they lost on shipping. That is just too steep an amount to lose.
I would have to agree with my wife as to not feel guilty about the low prices that won the auctions. As she said " You won them fair & square.", but sending them the money they lost on shipping will just add a deposit in my Karma Bank.
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(8 of 14)
Re: Do you ever feel guilty?
Feb 23, 2012 06:03 AM
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I also will send sellers the postage they are out. Recently, I had a HUGE box delivered, and remembered the seller sent me a $12.50 refund on postage the day he mailed it. I figured out what postage was supposed to be and emailed him that I thought I owed him about $30. He messaged me back right away saying don't worry about it, just enjoy my purchase. Nice! (he is a HUGE seller, so I didn't feel so bad)
I remember when I started on ebay, I lost money on postage each and every time (never did anyone send me the difference!). But I still think it's only right to send sellers any shortfall. Karma, for sure!
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(9 of 14)
Re: Do you ever feel guilty?
Feb 23, 2012 10:41 AM
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"I remember when I first started on ebay, I lost money on postage each and every time (never did anyone send me the difference!)."
I would concur. Of all I the Items I have sold, only once has a buyer sent me the difference.
On my part Its just the correct thing to do.
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(10 of 14)
Re: Do you ever feel guilty?
Feb 23, 2012 11:00 AM
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One thing about sending refunds ........ as a seller for shipping overpayments .........
or as a buyer for shiipping underpayments.........
(Sorry to point out both sides if that's confusing........  .
Is that the person getting the refund usually has no idea where it's coming from.
Most don't bother to add a note.
I guess they aassume the recipient will know............ NOT.
It takes a little detective work to figure it out and many or most don't bother to go to Paypal and follow it up for the few dollars that it usually is........
........ unless they're very small or very bored sellers.
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(11 of 14)
Re: Do you ever feel guilty?
Feb 23, 2012 01:36 PM
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its-not - seriously, have you ever received a refund or a partial refund without getting a note about what it's for?
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(12 of 14)
Re: Do you ever feel guilty?
Feb 23, 2012 03:34 PM
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"""its-not - seriously, have you ever received a refund or a partial refund without getting a note about what it's for?"""
Yes. All the time. I get quite a few small payments under $10.
I know that they're refunds of one sort or another because my items are more expensvie.
No one has ever included a note........... or at the very least notes are rare.
In fact....... I'm surprised that you'd ask.
I thought that happened to everyone???
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(13 of 14)
Re: Do you ever feel guilty?
Feb 23, 2012 06:10 PM
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Yes, I feel guilty. I list my auctions at a starting price that guarantees me a profit. If it doesn't sell, it will be in the next free listing.
I regularly offer advice to new sellers who over-package. In the last 13 years, I have learned a lot about the cheapest methods of shipping MY items. I offer that advice in a friendly manner. I send a message: if you would like to learn how to save money on shipping, just ask. One recent seller spent over $11 shipping an item to me - one that I could ship for about $3.50. I offered him my advice and he took it. He was very happy.
And, the important thing - he was directly competing with me. I may be crazy, but if I can help a newbie, I will.
“I have decided to stick to love...Hate is too great a burden to bear.”
― Martin Luther King Jr.
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(14 of 14)
Re: Do you ever feel guilty?
Feb 24, 2012 07:02 AM
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I've only ever had one partial refund received and it included a note. I often give out small partial refunds and a note is ALWAYS included.
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Must use Buy It Now and PayPal.
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