Buyer Accepts A Best Offer & Assumes Free Shipping To Be Included

[2nd-time-around-jewelry]

I have been sending best offers to all my watchers for awhile now.  Had a few good sales. So I just sold an item that way to a US buyer, but I got an angry e-mail stating that they assumed shipping was included & didn't find out till checkout that it wasn't . Blamed me & said that wasn't fair. I told him that shipping is never included in best offers, but I would cancel if he wanted. So that is what I did & then placed him on my blocked list.

Also mentioned that I am selling in Canadian dollars & with the exchange rate it was really cheap for US buyers as our dollar is really bad right now. Can't believe how many buyers from the US have no idea about Canadian dollars & the exchange rate.  They assume the price they see is in US dollars.

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

@2nd-time-around-jewelry 

The buyer should see this when they read/accept your offer. 

I have heard that too, with best offers, especially customers in Canada when they realize shipping is quite often going to be more than the item they are putting low-ball offers on, I manually add the note Plus Shipping Costs as Per Calculator. Several times, because the item is small but unfortunately not small enough they have this thought in their head shipping should be pennies.  Sometimes they understand when you break it down for them  but most often they just go away. Sadly, one of the perks/frustrations with Canadapost and its limited options. (They feel the same way if its heavy with a low value.)

-Lotz

[femmefan1946]

Buyers Don't Read.

The shipping cost is right there on the Offer.  I think it even specifically says  that shipping is not part of the offer.

Calculated Shipping might be a little harder to notice, but when we are using Flat Rate (not always possible) the numbers are right there.

And your buyer should have been seeing her price in US dollars as well as in loonies.

But.

Buyers Don't Read.

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

Or there are buyers that just can't rationalize when a seller does not have to accept their offer. See customer message below.

I don't care for how much is similar item sold You can ask $1000 , but what I want pay $5 thank You

Original $5.00 offer included: With free shipping.

My counter offer note included: Cost and a small amount to cover fees + Calculated Shipping as noted. (Shipping is approx. 15.00)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbVdqrAlzmg

Very true. Buyers don't read AND they also don't understand, sellers do this to pay the bills. End of story!!!

-Lotz

[tryubik-useonlyasdirected]

It is difficult for buyers to sometimes understand the costs associated with an item for the seller. I've attempted to explain the costs involved from auction buyers premiums, to ebay fees, to ebay fees on our charged shipping amounts etc and sometimes they get it (usually they do), sometimes they don't.

The basic psychology of $50 with Free Shipping vs. $30 w/ $20 Shipping - it is the same thing folks! The filter prices including shipping is there for a reason. How folks think they can demand $30 with free shipping *shrugs*

Has anyone else seen an uptick in the past month of strange buyer practices: Best Offer free shipping extortion attempts (send a best offer then refuse to pay if free shipping isn't included)? Can't return item due to COVID so give it to me for free? Or offers that are good then for some unknown reason near immediately retracted?

@lotzofuniquegoodies love the sound effects.

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

@tryubik-useonlyasdirected 

A major concern of mine, as of late, based on messages I've viewed here & dot com and messages I've received from buyers is there are no guarantees that a buyer is seeing what they should be seeing. This is what has been causing the bulk of confusion for eBay buyers & sellers. Gets even more muddled with the different PC & APP views. Buyers thinking that shipping is free (Assuming, not reading, inaccurate displays...I am not going to even try to guess which applies.) I had 2 buyers for 1 item try to arrange pickup of a larger item. They were both in Toronto. I am in Calgary. They told me they found my listing via an App. This is why it is so critical everything in eBay works the same. That includes calculated shipping. 

The shipping included method does not work for all sellers and definitely does not work for lower valued items that cannot be posted by letter mail. Especially when most Canadian sellers are limited to Canadapost for their mailing needs. Let them see what the shipping is and then they can be the judge as best rate for their needs. 

As eBay becomes more App centric it will become even more critical everyone sees the same thing.  Will that happen?I'm running out of optimism.

-Lotz

PS#1 I thought the sound affects were applicable. 

PS#2 On a happier note.

https://london.ctvnews.ca/ontario-kids-say-thanks-to-front-line-workers-in-video-1.4871478

[femmefan1946]

There do seem to be a lot of misunderstandings with app-based selling.

tyler@ebay 

This needs to be looked at by an expert commission. There may be some underlying problem.

[rosscd57]

---

@2nd-time-around-jewelry wrote:

.

Also mentioned that I am selling in Canadian dollars & with the exchange rate it was really cheap for US buyers as our dollar is really bad right now. Can't believe how many buyers from the US have no idea about Canadian dollars & the exchange rate.  They assume the price they see is in US dollars.

---

Ya - that's why you can list a $100 CND item and sell it in the States for $100 US and yr up $25 CND.