Seller Won't Let Me Pay

[thebarterersdog]

I've requested the cost of shipping five times and the seller responded with a Request to Cancel The Transaction. I do not want to cancel the transaction, I want the item I won honestly and expect the seller to invoice me showing shipping costs that are not over inflated to compensate for the low win. I expect  the cost for 2lbs of buttons shipped from the states to Canada should be somewhere around 20$ since that is what the seller quoted me,  and am fine with that amount even though I think it could be a bit high. Yet, the seller won't send me an invoice. It looks like I haven't or won't pay for my win but I'm quite willing to. 

Any ideas on how to proceed? 

Help please.

[pierrelebel]

"Any ideas on how to proceed? "

Simply do not accept the offer to cancel.  Wait for the seller to eventually offer you an acceptable shipping charge.

[recped]

Neg them into oblivion like the Wrath Of Khan and report them to eBay as a "non-performing seller" and don't agree to the cancellation.

If the seller was responding even with a feeble excuse for not following through I would not make this suggestion but to simply ignore you is unacceptable.

[recped]

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@pierrelebel wrote:

"Any ideas on how to proceed? "

Simply do not accept the offer to cancel.  Wait for the seller to eventually offer you an acceptable shipping charge.

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I don't think it's the shipping which is the issue, I'll guess it was an Auction and the seller was "underwhelmed" by the final price.

[mr.elmwood]

Took me a while, but, I think I figured out which one it was. Yeah, seller skunked themselves. Probably their first international sale and they are trying to send it with all the options and are finding it to be hideously expensive, that way.

Well? Too bad.

Three negs, a soft pos, probably DSR are going low. They oughta be trying a lot harder.

Man, I do not usually advocate for letting someone have it, but, this selelr is doing everything wrong and there needs to be accountability. They dug themselves into this hole, they should dig themselves out.

[pjcdn2005]

If you simply ignore the request to cancel, the seller can close the request in 7 days and get their fees back. If you still haven't heard from them by the 5th or 6th day, you might want to refuse the cancellation then and they won't get their fees back.

[i*m-still-here]

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@recped wrote:

Neg them into oblivion like the Wrath Of Khan and report them to eBay as a "non-performing seller" and don't agree to the cancellation.

If the seller was responding even with a feeble excuse for not following through I would not make this suggestion but to simply ignore you is unacceptable.

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I love that answer for the effect.  There's a such a satisfying smack to it...........

BUT...............  IMO leaving NFB is as bad for the buyer as it is for the seller, and perhaps even worse.

The reason I get sweet co-operation from sellers is because I never leave NFB.

It makes buying here so much easier.

Will a seller agree to ship to you if you revise NFB left?  Maybe and maybe not.

I've never used NFB to get the ball rolling, but in my experience when a seller refuses to plug in a shipping cost and blocks the transaction with that maneuver nothing is going to get him or her to budge.

Obviously, don't agree to cancel.

When you know for sure it's over, then leave wishy washy PFB (something like OK.)............ and trash DSRs.

That's much more effective.

It doesn't hurt you and the seller gets the message loud and clear.

[recped]

BUT...............  IMO leaving NFB is as bad for the buyer as it is for the seller, and perhaps even worse.

That's what buying id's are for (if you are a seller) and if you are only a buyer, well you can always start up a new id.

I've never left a neg for a seller, never a 1 or 2 either and I've had some "poor" experiences, the problem with the seller in this situation (if my guess is true as to their motivation) is that it's a real turn-off for buyers, enough to sour a buyer on eBay entirely.

Most of the ugliness that comes from buyers on eBay is the result of bad treatment by a minority of sellers, you email 5 times and get no answer, maybe the next situation you just email once and drop a neg if you don't get an immediate answer, after that....just stop buying which is not good for the majority of sellers who do provide good service.

[i*m-still-here]

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That's what buying id's are for (if you are a seller) and if you are only a buyer, well you can always start up a new id.

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Yes, I understand.  When I start a new id I baby it with the intention of eventually using it as a selling id ready to go with nice FB should I ever need it.

You're right though.  Other's may be more willing to trash ids and start new ones.   I value mine but that's a personal perspective which may not be true for everyone.

[thebarterersdog]

Okay, took the advice and refused to cancel transaction. Now, I wait. Shame really, I actually wanted the lot and would have paid a bit extra to get it, or worked something out with the seller. Haven't heard a thing at the time of this posting.  (sigh)

[rose-dee]

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@thebarterersdog wrote:

Okay, took the advice and refused to cancel transaction. Now, I wait. Shame really, I actually wanted the lot and would have paid a bit extra to get it, or worked something out with the seller. Haven't heard a thing at the time of this posting.  (sigh)

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I for one will be interested in knowing the outcome of all this -- keep us posted.  I think it's shameful behaviour on the part of this seller.  In my view, a seller shouldn't be listing (especially not at auction) if he/she isn't prepared to sell at whatever the final price is.  

[i*m-still-here]

This scenario is not unusual at all since eBay changed the way items get paid when no shipping cost has been plugged in by the seller.

It used to be that buyers could plug in a shipping cost if sellers hadn't done so prior to the sale, but that hole was plugged some time ago.

This is one issue that grew out of that change.

Quite common really.

There are a few odd repercussions.

EBay starts sending out messages to pay within a day or so even though you can't.

It's also possible that an unpaid item case can be opened, but I don't know that for sure.

[rose-dee]

The point here is that the OP has sent a number of requests directly to the seller, asking for an invoice.  

As I see it, the problem was created by the seller in the first place, either deliberately or accidentally, by not including automated shipping costs (either flat or calculated) in the listing.  If such costs are included, they go directly into an automated invoice/purchase record that the buyer can see almost immediately.  

I agree with some of the other posters that the real issue is likely that the seller didn't get the price he/she was expecting, and is hoping to get out of the transaction by ignoring the purchaser and/or trying to cancel the deal.  I still say shame on that seller. 

[i*m-still-here]

rose, yes.............. I've done that many times .............. sent out email after email and requested a total from the seller only to  be ignored.

The scenario described in the OP is not uncommon since they stopped allowing buyers to plug a shipping cost in.

The only thing that might get a response from the seller and it has worked for me in the past:

thebartersdog:  Call eBay and they will send out a formal notice to the seller to shape up.  It can be intimidating and "may" get a response.

Have you tried that yet?

[thebarterersdog]

No I haven't yet. I've put my situation on the weekly board discussion to see what Kalvin has to say about this. If I don't get anywhere with that, then I'll take your advice  and call eBay.  When I was new to the ways of eBay, as a seller I made a few mistakes here and there and even took a hit or loss and chucked it up as a learning experience, what else could I do? If the seller in this case were new, then maybe, just maybe I'd understand what was going on.... 

But I don't believe that is the case here. So we'll see where this goes today... 

[rose-dee]

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@i*m-still-here wrote:

rose, yes.............. I've done that many times .............. sent out email after email and requested a total from the seller only to  be ignored.

The scenario described in the OP is not uncommon since they stopped allowing buyers to plug a shipping cost in.

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 Maybe it's just the categories I've been purchasing in, but I have to say, in years of buying on eBay I've never had a seller ignore my request for an invoice.  I'd be as perplexed as the OP is.  Sometimes it takes a day or two to receive, but I can't recall any seller ignoring a request like this completely.  

I would think most sellers know by now that buyers can't edit their own shipping costs and may need help if shipping costs aren't stated in the listing.  Most sellers want to get paid!  No, I think the seller here has had "seller's remorse" after the fact and decided that ignoring the buyer is better than selling the item at the price the buyer bid.  

If I went into a department store, picked up an item with a fantastically low price that I really wanted, and let's say the store had made an error on the price tag, I would still expect them to sell it to me at the stated price.  I would also not expect the clerk to turn the other way and ignore me when I went to the counter to pay.  I certainly hope Kalvin can help the OP before the seller adds insult to injury (or rather, injury to insult) and starts a UID.  

[thebarterersdog]

Well, I got a lovely letter from eBay encouraging me to call the seller and work things out without leaving FB. And eBay stated they would be willing to remove any unpaid claim results... (sigh)

I've emailed and messaged and emailed and message... how is calling going to make a difference? It's clearly seller's remorse and I have no doubt once I fade into the woodwork, the seller will relist the item again at a higher price... 

How is this right? In my mind, this type of practice should warrant a suspension of selling rights. After all, people get penalized for a duplicate listing, or poor photos which is nothing compared to what this seller is doing, so why not go that route for this seller?

I can't do anything more... I've asked for an explanation, invoice, something... and received nothing. The seller is a jerk, plain and simple and no one should buy from this person if this is how they conduct business.

I no longer wish to receive anything from them and just want out of this nasty transaction but not without the seller being penalized. I'm certain, if I did this sort of thing, I'd get slammed and slammed but good. Shame on them.

[i*m-still-here]

I don't leave NFB so I've never put that to the test.............. (it could work too).............

BUT.........Have you called eBay and ask that they send the seller a reprimand?

That's the only thing that's worked for me in the past.

[thebarterersdog]

Basically, eBay's position on this is to work it out by calling the seller.

Why would I want to be screamed at over the phone and ignored by email.... I've checked their feedback and wonder how anyone like that is even allowed to sell on here.

....

[mr.elmwood]

eBay is wrong. It is NOT your job to phone the seller as you have not done anything wrong. There is nothing for you to "work out".

One thing I might do is to click the ask seller a question link in a listing. Use that to contact them. Minor thing, but, shows you are trying different ways to contact them. You are cutting the seller all kinds of slack. There should be a reward for that.

Got home yesterday and the Mrs tells me a customer phoned and that I had sent the wrong part. I investigate and phone them back. No big deal, I owe a return call. Customer was stunned that I called AND saying I had the right part and I would send it out.

Every sellers dream is to be contacted first before getting a neg-bomb. We would all be 100% now wouldn't we?

They are not answering emails? Report them for invalid contact info and then neg-bomb them.