Extortion

holisticbirth
Community Member

In a previous thread I asked for help w/a buyer who had told me to bid on an item & she would "figure out" 1st class shipping for a 2 oz. item if I won. She claimed not to know how to do it, so I sent her the link to USPS w/directions I was given here once I won. Now she's demanding priority shipping despite her agreement to 1st class saying the cost is for a 4 lb package! I'm verbally disabled & can't call eBay. How do I report her? Am I allowed to mention her user ID here in the hope of getting eBay to help in the forum? Suggestions? Thank you!

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Extortion

You should never have placed a bid on a listing that didn't offer a firm shipping quote to your address. Unfortunately you may have no choice but to pay the shipping asked for,unless the seller is willing to offer you a Mutual cancelation request. This is the procedure the seller has to use to offer you a mutual cancelation request. Send this link to your seller if she is agreeable but doesn't know how to do it.
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Extortion

You cannot post the seller's ID.  There is no official policy prohibiting it, but there are a lot of people who will report the post if you do, and ebay simply removes to appease.  That is about the only time ebay will "help in the forum". 

I had a hunch that the seller would not actually send it First Class.  Her 'promise' to refund any difference in cost did not sound honest to me.  But I like to give people the benefit of any doubt, at least in the beginning. 

Since you bid on the item with the Priority fee, you may be held to either pay for the item, or get a strike when the seller files an Unpaid Item case against you. 

Does the item actually weigh 2 ounces, or could that be an exaggeration?  What about the packed weight? (Assuming she does not wrap it in a lead blanket, pack it in cement and mail it in a brick box).  It does not likely weigh 4 pounds, however.

Why have you not asked for a cancellation?  Have you tried that?  If it were me, I would sweetly ask for a Mutual Cancellation and send her the 'how to' link, explaining that it is best for both of us if we just cancel and move on:

http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/cancel-transaction-process.html

Then, given just how profoundly I despise lies, when the request came in my ebay messages to cancel, I would respond with a refusal.  Ebay then closes the case, the transaction is over, I do not have to pay, and she does not get her fees back.  Few things are as loathsome as a deceptive cheat.

She may, however, be anticipating such a manoeuvre, and will insist on payment or else she will file the Unpaid case.  You may have to pay or get a strike.  If you do not get a second one in the next year, you could be okay with it.  I have heard of people who will not acquiesce to these kinds of post-sale demands and choose a strike, - careful to not get a second one for the next 12 months.

She is obviously not going to ship it to you for First Class, and seems indifferent to getting a much-deserved negative.  I'd say see if she will go for a cancellation and that will get you out from under it.

And keep it sweet, - no matter how difficult that may be at times.  Snarly indignation will never work, so be as pleasant as you possibly can.

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Extortion

leb17
Community Member

Related thread:

http://community.ebay.ca/question/Buying-On-Ebay/Seller-Asking-For/3000006043

 

You can not force a seller to sell OR force a seller to alter their TOS (Terms Of Sale) .

Like you can not force a buyer to pay.

Ebay can and would put a black mark on ones record if they violate any guidelines/policies.

Since you DO NOT have a email stating a firm quote, again I say "you don't have a leg to stand on." Sorry don't want it to sound mean.

Best now is to go ahead and cough up and pay for the item BEFORE the black marks start to fly.

However you can give feedback and DSR ratings and the best feedback is a calm and factual one.

Sellers are not allowed to leave a negative feedback or a positive feedback with a negative statement, if so you can request from ebay to have it removed.

The most important thing here is to learn from your mistakes, ALWAYS ASK QUESTIONS AND GET FIRM QOTES AND ANSWERS BEFORE PLACING A BID.

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leb17
Community Member

Oooops...sorry forgot to add..

You can post the item number here, in the body of the post, NOT in the thread section.

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The doll would weigh more than 2 oz, more like 6 to 8. And packing such a fragile object would require care. Bubble wrap or peanuts are not weightless. Double boxing would also be sensible.

The cost of the package is for UP TO four pounds. She is not saying that this package would weigh that.much.

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