Potential Nightmare Situation

[007steveb16]

Ugh!! Why do people have to be like this!!

I have a nOOb Canadian buyer who started bidding on a bunch of my .99 cent auctions. After bidding on about 6 or 7 and even though my combined shipping information is stated in every ad, he messages me to ask me if I combine shipping. I give him the info and he proceeds to go on bidding on more items. He's now at 20 items.

He hasn't bid on anything in 6 days, still hasn't paid and had not responded to multiple messages for a week, until today. FYI, he bid on his first item Jan 21 so I have been incredibly accommodating with him.

So now after a week of not communicating with me and not bidding on anything else, he's now accusing me of overcharging on shipping and is threatening that when he gets the package he's going to have Canada Post give him the exact quote.

Now I admit I don't charge EXACT shipping on my combined deals and see it as a combined deal, as a whole. He's going to be getting 90% of his items for $2.00 each! Oh yeah, shame on me for being so GREEDY! I sell hundreds of combined deals a year and have never had anyone do this. I feel that my prices are incredibly reasonable.

I want so bad to open UIDs on this guy because right now all of his items apply for it. I've been so lenient and accommodating with him.  I mean this is going on 12 days since his first bid.

A part of me says to just give in and give him an EXACT shipping cost but another part of me just says to go ahead with it the way it is because my prices are so CHEAP!!!...like he is....I also feel like just taking the potential negs so that I can respond to them with the facts. Although that would be a lot of negs!

I know in a way I've made my bed on this because the shipping will not be exact but I also feel that this buyer is being unreasonable and cheap. Like I said, no one has ever done this to me before.

What would you guys do in this situation?

[dutchman48]

Get used to this. It is not just the Canucks doing it. All buyers want free shipping and if it is not free, watch your DSR's carefully. I have been hit a few times already. I even tried to include shipping in item costs and due to cheaper items people who bought multiples still hit the DSR's as they knew they paid more for combined and free ship[ping than if they would have paid so much and then discounted after that. Overseas is even worse now with increased postage costs and due to being in Canada our DSR's count globally.

I quit selling outside Canada and the US and have to change a lot of things as the problems with buyers just seem to continue. It is getting tougher and tougher to sell cheaper items as that is where the DSR's take the worst punishment.,

I wish you luck with your present problem as you are in a no win situation. If you give in, you are setting a precedent and if he or she tells all their friends, then what. No matter what you do, you can still get negged as well these days. To sell to satisfy buyers and not make any money for yourself is not the answer either

[pierrelebel]

"He's going to be getting 90% of his items for $2.00 each!"

" I don't charge EXACT shipping on my combined deals"

" he's going to have Canada Post give him the exact quote."

OK - I understand your combined shipping and/or combined shipping discount as shown in your listings. Possibly the new buyer does not have the same understanding or did not bother to read it all.  Many assume (we all know the meaning of the word) "combined" means all items will be shipped together and whatever it actually costs will be charged to the buyer.

How much shipping did you charge him and what was your actual out-of-pocket postage cost?

[007steveb16]

i sent him this exact message:

"-I DO CANADIAN COMBINED SHIPPING DISCOUNTS ON ANY ORDER OF 6 OR MORE. THE FIRST 4 ITEMS AT THE REGULAR SHIPPING COST ($2.70 EACH), THEN ANY ITEM AFTER 4 WILL BE $1.00 SHIPPING EACH. SHIPPED BY EXPEDITED PARCEL."

I'm even honoring my old shipping deal which it was when he first started bidding. He kept bidding away on 14 more items after getting that message. Your telling me that message is confusing?

[pierrelebel]

For a new buyer on eBay everything is confusing.

How much did you charge him overall? 

How much was your actual out-of-pocket shipping charge?

It is easier to suggest a solution knowing the facts.  I do not like guessing.

[i*m-still-here]

 I sell hundreds of combined deals a year and have never had anyone do this. 

What would you guys do in this situation?

Personally, I think that's you answer right there.

He is one of many many buyers.

Do what you have to do to make it go smoothly, and maybe this one bad cookie will make the others that much sweeter.

[mr.elmwood]

I don't know how you function in the nickel and dime world. My average sale is around $40. Way less effort. Way less headaches. Way less everything. You "low ball" sellers impress me with yer determination. That and clothing sellers.

[art-in-the-making]

I agree with Elm. This stuff is a way easier to pack than what I sell but I can see how the pricing is dealing with the buyers can be tricky.

Did you ever try offering free shipping with a certain number of purchases?

[dipmicro]

How much did you charge him overall? 

He's now at 20 items. 4 x $2.70 + 16 x $1.00 = $26.80

007steveb16, if you buy Expedited Parcel from PayPal, buyer will not know how much you paid.

If he pays, you are going to get dinged no matter what unless you bend over, so don't reward bullying. Remove "old" shipping discount and do your "new" (4 x $3.00 + $16 x $1.50 = $36). Save invoice. File UID. If he starts moaning about it, tell him that was old deal before he became a PITA. All negs and DSR will count all as one. Most likely Mr Cheapo won't pay at all and he won't be able leave feedback on UID items. Block.

[bb_cool_stuff]

Every three months Steve, you run into these clowns.

 Is a target on your back ?

Must be frustrating.

[007steveb16]

Will the newest sent invoice always eliminate any others already sent?

[westernstargifts]

I find that my biggest headaches are with the buyers who buy the cheapest things that I have. 

I would rather live with the low ratings or negs than give in to this type of buyer.

[007steveb16]

Need an answer to my invoice question so I can proceed with this.

[bb_cool_stuff]

It just seems to happen to Steve & Brande so often.

Must be a combination of the product & the category.

Wonder if volume sellers like them experience the same thing.

[bb_cool_stuff]

I think the new invoice eliminates the previous ones, but i am not positive.

[007steveb16]

Oh come now BB...it's because my prices are so ridiculously high 😉

[dipmicro]

Will the newest sent invoice always eliminate any others already sent?

Yes, ebay does not keep history of invoices sent, the latest revision is the only one available.

[bb_cool_stuff]

We know you are a Die Hard Capitalist Steve.

You will have to stop gouging the sellers & maybe start you auctions at five dollars.;-)

[007steveb16]

I have taken dipmicro's advice.

I thought I would get 20 negs out of this and If I get one I don't care.

This buyer is a PITA and I'm too lenient.

He knew what my discounted combined shipping deal was, end of story. His communication was brutal and the fact that he hasn't paid in a week since his last auction won is unacceptable. Had sent him multiple messages and invoices.

It is what is it and I'm satisfied with whatever outcome. If he pays will send Expedited Parcel through PayPal as I usually do but with signature confirmation. I really hope he doesn't pay and gets the strikes. I'm also more than happy to answer his potential negative feedback.

"Sigh".....I really need to stop being so greedy!

[dipmicro]

Now take bb_cool_stuff advice and try it for a week, see what happens.

If you want to reward multi-item buyers, start at $2.99 with $2 shipping/each combined capped at $12. Give free shipping on orders over $100 (or whatever you comfortable with).

It will cost $0.15/auction more