Ebay dilemma
By MsTickle
@MsTickle (25180)
Australia
November 11, 2007 10:36pm CST
It's really a gripe but I didn't want to put that in the heading.
On Saturday, one of the ads here caught my eye. I jumped in and put a bid on a beautiful pair of earrings.
It's not the first time I've done this. I had to log in but that was normal. After bidding on that item I noticed something else from the same seller so I bid on that too.
Now I know this is my own fault for not being cautious but I hope you get the point I'm trying to make.
I was bidding on EBAY.com.UK. My account is with Ebay.com.AU.
I entered my highest bid on both items as $5. It was in fact 5 pounds I was bidding...so of course, my bid won both items. The postage was l;isted as 5 pounds for International postage anywhere in the world except China or Canada.
Here's the weird part. The item/s are in Australia!!!. I'm resigned to having to pay nearly $25 postage on these two very small items but I think it just plain wrong that sellers are allowed to charge so much for postage and handling.
I've been emailing the seller since day one but I'm just getting automated replies. I'm asking for an invoice total combining the two items and I'm not getting an answer. One automated reply said I would get a postage discount of one pound if I bought 2 items but they won't tell me the price in Australian dollars.
I just don't know what to do. I'm pretty fed up with the whole thing. If they don't understand I'm an Australian bidding from Australia, how can I be certain that I'll receive my goods?
4 people like this
18 responses
@cutepenguin (6431)
• Canada
12 Nov 07
How frustrating. I can't see how it could possibly cost that much to send something within your own country - I've sent earring sized things to France for less than $6 CAD.
I would try emailing again, asking specifically for them to confirm the amount and your location, so that you can be certain that you are dealing with someone who will at least send your package to the right place. And if it is that high of shipping, I might complain to eBay - there should be a policy about shipping and handling costs.
1 person likes this
@elemental69 (1561)
• Ireland
12 Nov 07
Hi cutepenguin, there is an ebay policy about shipping costs. Sellers are only supposed to charge for the cost of packaging, handling and postage of their items but a lot of ebayers go way overboard. I have bought items from the U.K and have been charged maybe 5-6 pounds for a stamp costing only 1.25. I dont know how a lot of them get away with it....
@subha12 (18441)
• India
12 Nov 07
Its very much the case with me two.
few months back I tried to buy few items with my paypal amount.
i chose an item. it was of 6 $. but can you guess what was the postage and handling?
it was 20$!
I was amazed to see taht and after that i mailed the sailor and cancelled this item.
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
13 Nov 07
If it was me I would contact the ebay people and inform them that I have been trying to contact the seller for information and getting no where. Maybe they can help you out?? I seriously would have been floored if I had to pay that much for shipping. That is way to much. I have noticed that they are getting higher and higher on the shipping lately I guess that might be due to the charges going up for the seller to post the items. But $25 for earrings to be shipped? that is just to outrageous. As I said before I would contact ebay get their 2 cents worth in on it and see what they think. Hope things turn out okay..I'll cross everything that can be crossed..(HUGS)
@GnosticGoddess (5626)
• United States
16 Nov 07
Humm...that is a lot of money for shipping!! Even outside of the country.
Is it going to have insurance with it??
Sellers do this to get the money they want out of an item without being charged so much in fees from both ebay and paypal.
Check there feedback and see how good it is and what kind of service they're giving. That should give an idea of if you'll get your goods. If not file a complaint with ebay and paypal (if you paid through them) after a couple of weeks not hearing anything from them.
@bonbon664 (3466)
• Canada
13 Nov 07
I have purchased tons of stuff on EBAY with no problems. Unfortunately, there are some unscrupulous sellers on there who make all their money on shipping and handling. They are allowed to charge what they like. You can lodge a complaint with ebay, but before that, I would continue to try to get hold of the seller, and try to work something out first. Good Luck, and make sure you read all of the listing before bidding.
@mwala1287 (284)
• Canada
13 Nov 07
Im a regular ebay user. Im actually a seller though not a buyer. actually, go to the homepage of the ebay site and there should be a contact representative thing somewhere on it. email the support emailing provided and within 24 hours you will receive an extremely well written and detailed response and you will be sure to have our problem fixed!
@gabs8513 (48686)
• United Kingdom
12 Nov 07
I hope you have not paid for them yet because you can write to Ebay and make a complaint specially as the Seller is not getting back to you as such
So contact Ebay and let them know what is going on there and it would not cost $25 to send Earings from here to Australia I know that for a fact
Also if you put $5 then that is how it should have showed up and not at £5 that is so stupid
@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
12 Nov 07
thats just awful and no telling if you will get teh items so sorry.
but I do say this postage is getting way out of hand as I di dand on line order and paid as much fo rpostage as I did for the item and the item didnt even weigh a half of a pound. Hope you hear from them soon. I would turn it into to ebay and see if they can find out what is going on.
@raydene (9871)
• United States
12 Nov 07
You must complain to Ebay..
They will help you..
I have done this myself but have learned my lesson..
The best way to get your buyer's attention is to send messages through the ebay site not email( they can say they didn't get it) so ebay can have a record and then do not pay until you hear back from them..
If they want their money they will get back to you.
Good luck
xooxxo
@missbdoll (1165)
• Australia
13 Nov 07
This is realy not right, many years ago I bought a large Teddy Bear, the postage quoted was for overseas, It was in Australia and so am I .After quite a bit of hassling they emailed me with local postage.In this finnish even with there reduction, I was stilled paying way over the real cost of postage.
Its reallanoying when sellers on Ebay wonn't comunicate.
@lovemoneymaking (145)
• India
12 Nov 07
Oh , oh is it so ? I haven't tried ebay till now . Well hows the working of ebay ? Do we contact with ebay or we contact directly with the sellers ? I am planning to buy an mp4 , i will take your experience as a lesson . Thanks for sharing dude !
@elemental69 (1561)
• Ireland
12 Nov 07
I think a lot of ebayers charge rediculous ammounts for postage. I have come across this often. The only thing that I can say to you is email ebay and tell them the situation and that you have had no communication from the seller, and that you have not been told how much that you actually owe. Also tell them about the ammount of the shipping costs, that they are five times the ammount stated in the listing. Hopefully they might go in your favour and cancel the transaction. I am an ebay seller too, but a lot of my items are very small and only cost no more than 78c to post so I dont even bother to charge for postage. :-) I hope you get a good result from ebay about your problem...
@AzraelValley (677)
• Philippines
13 Nov 07
I haven't anything from ebay.
Whenever I came accross some ebay products one thing that's bugling in my mind. Why does the postage fee is much higher than the product.
Pretty weird, huh!!!
@ecoventure (13)
• Canada
12 Nov 07
That is alsoo my biggest problem with shopping on ebay. Ironically enough my professor was just doign a survey on ebay and I completed it and surprise surprise what was my problem and what can be done about it was shipping.
I honestly thing that alot of people need to make complains and as such get ebay to regulate the shipping rates in the form of ranges for countries.
If iti weighs this much you can charge this much if ure in canada, particular for other countries and so on.
We should all start notifying ebay about these outrageous rates, see what cn be done
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
12 Nov 07
The cost of postage is astronomical on most everything these days, Ms Tickle, but I would think that since your items are to be sent right in your country they would be willing to lower the S&H fees. If I were you I would try again to contact them regarding the matter. Good luck.
@faith210 (11224)
• Philippines
12 Nov 07
Hi Ms Tickle! That is a dilemna alright. I just hope that the seller would give you some kind of consideration due to the fact that she or he won't mailing the items you have purchased overseas but just within the country. I hope things will work out somehow in your favor. Take care and have a nice day.
@BayleighGray (4334)
• United States
12 Nov 07
Hi Tickle,
I dont mess with ebay. So many people that I know do, and love it! But Im just too skeptical about it. I guess I just dont get the whole ebay thing. Seems like a online yardsale or something. Dont mean to offend anyone in anyway. Some people find yardsales offensive.
But anyway, I sure hope that you get this sorted out. I hope this buyer is trustworthy and will actual look into what your email is requesting.
Let me ask you, since you put a bid on it and won, wont you have to supply the payment information first? OR does this automatically happen from your ebay account? If you dont get a response will you just be able to cancel the bid?
School me Tickle! hehe
Bay Lay Gray xx
@suehan1 (4344)
• Australia
12 Nov 07
i hate that.the biggest problem is getting the automated e-mails and no-one real contacts you.i hate e-bay for that reason,when there is a problem you do not get to speak to anyone.you can not be sure that you will recieve that item.i would e-mail them or e-bay and state that you want the seller to contact you to discuss postage and report the high cost of postage,and if they do not contact you,say you will not make payment untill they do.that might get them to answer you.since you are a fellow aussie,have you tried oztion.they have forums and other members can advise you on situations like this,give it a try
