dipmicrop Thank you for understanding.
A small buuble pack with a 50g rate FIRST CLASS Stamp is clearly NOT PARCEL POST!
I appreciate that errors do occur, and the seller may have overlooked the level of shipping when setting the auction's parameters.
So- I usually simply send an e-mail asking if something had been overlooked.
Here is the response from the vast majority of sellers-
"WELL- you should be happy you got your item !!!"
In this situation- I have NEGGED away!
Some sellers apologize- admit the error- and offer a rebate of the difference. We simply suggest that they drop the difference in local children's charity box, often found at supermarket checkouts.
It is not about the money. It's about the integrity of the seller, and their auctions description.
When eBay can't see that shipping an item by MEDIA Mail (not available within, or to Canada) for US$30- when the item weighs about an ounce- isn't FEE AVOIDANCE- I have little faith in eBay's ability to enforce their own rules.
I have complained to eBay about $25- clearly stated in the auction's description to ship an item by INSURED TRACKED MAIL (I bought a diamond pavé watch).
So- yes- I negged the seller, and at least it possibly served as a warning to others- but what is really needed is some enforcement from eBay!
When the item arrived without TRACKING- or INSURANCE- I complained. eBay did nothing! They said-
"Thank you for taking the time to report this listing for violation of
our Excessive Shipping Charges policy.
We are working hard to combat the practice of excessive shipping charges
on eBay and very much appreciate your help in identifying sellers who
you believe are charging excessively for shipping. Please continue to
report these types of listings to us. We can only clean up this problem
by working together.
Regards,
The eBay Community Watch Team
-----------------------------------
HERE IS ONE JUST FOR FUN (a real case)
Dear Value Customers,
If you want 5 sets at the same time, I will discount the cost of items including shipping cost to 22.00 each. And if you want 10 sets I will discount the cost of items including shipping cost to 20.00 each. So the total will be us$110 for 5 sets and us$200 for 10 sets.
Regards, XXXXXXX
NOTE- EACH SET weighs LESS THAN 10g! So- the seller wanted US$200 to ship items weighing LESS THAN 100g!
This was (in part) eBay's response:
"--------------------------
What is eBay's Current Policy Regarding Shipping?
--------------------------
eBay has recently begun taking measures to ensure that all concerns
about excessive shipping are addressed and any violations are remedied.
However, many of these steps will take some time to implement. In the
meantime the seller is responsible for determining the shipping and
handling charges. Although eBay encourages sellers to clearly describe
the charges in the listing, so that buyers understand the terms, they
are not required to do so. In every case buyers should confirm with the
seller what the total cost of shipping will amount to prior to bidding.
Also, sometimes additional services, such as signature or delivery
confirmation, may cost extra. There may also be additional expenses that
the seller incurs when selling their items. Please understand that
sellers must take this into account when determining shipping and
handling charges.
More information can be found here:
http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/shipping-faqs.html
Of particular interest is the subheading "Amounts Charged For Shipping"
as this will explain why the rates may vary.
Here's what you can do next:
You can contact the seller directly and try to work this out. Through
open communication, these situations can often be resolved. We recommend
that you send the seller an email, explaining the situation. For
instance, you could explain that you didn't realize the shipping charges
were not included. The seller might offer to give you a break on
shipping charges, but this is entirely up to the seller.
To contact the seller, follow these steps:
1. Go to the item page and click on the seller's name.
2. Then click on the "Contact Member" button on the Member Profile page.
3. Write a message to the seller explaining your issue and then click
"Send."
What happens if you do not come to an agreement with the seller?
If you do not resolve the issue and decide not to purchase the item, the
seller may leave negative Feedback and may file an Unpaid Item dispute.
In that case, you could receive an Unpaid Item strike on your account.
For more information about this dispute process, go to:
http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/unpaid-item.html
***Important***
For future reference, please be sure that you understand and agree to
the shipping charges before placing a bid on an auction. When you place
a bid, you enter into a binding agreement with the seller to purchase
the item.
Once again, I can truly understand the frustration caused by this type
of incident. However, I must inform you that eBay cannot be directly
involved in disputes between buyers and sellers. We simply offer our
site as a venue where buyers and sellers can meet and transact in an
organized setting. As a bidder involved in a transaction with a seller,
you also reserve the right to share your opinions about this member with
the rest of the community by leaving appropriate feedback. This will
allow everyone to get some input on your experience with the seller.
Listing items at a very low bidding price and high shipping price is
usually considered Fee Circumvention. However, in order to take action
against these reports, the auctions must be reported before they have
ended. Otherwise, we cannot take action against such a violation.
We always advise the bidders to be very careful when bidding on
auctions. It is important that they read the entire description so that
there are no surprises if the seller has listed a high shipping cost.
If you do not notice any specifics on shipping, you should always
contact the seller before placing a bid."
===============================
So- maybe it is time for eBay to REQUIRE that shipping charges be clearly stated, as a REQUIREMENT for listing in certain categories!
