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Ebay Question

KarisKaris Posts: 6,380
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in Advice #1
Am I within my rights to refuse to sell to the highest bidder on an item when they bid on it and expect to get it for minimum postage when the sale clearly asked for all non UK bidders to get in touch to confirm shipping costs?

I'm annoyed that they're complaining the shipping costs are too high on an item I specifically asked them to get in touch before bidding.

Comments

  • embyemby Posts: 7,837
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    #2
    Nobody can force you to send an item anywhere BUT the buyer is well within THEIR rights to complain to Ebay if you don't follow through with the sale. If you wanted only UK bidders you should have altered your seller preferences to allow only those registered within the UK to bid, small print on a listing won't make any difference.

    If you really don't want to complete the sale, just try and be as 'nice' as possible as they have the option of leaving negative feedback and filing a non performing seller claim with Ebay.

    EDIT: I've noticied you didn't state you only wanted to dispatch to UK addresses, so in that case you should have added the different postage costs to the listing.
  • KarisKaris Posts: 6,380
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    #3
    emby wrote: »
    Nobody can force you to send an item anywhere BUT the buyer is well within THEIR rights to complain to Ebay if you don't follow through with the sale. If you wanted only UK bidders you should have altered your seller preferences to allow only those registered within the UK to bid, small print on a listing won't make any difference.

    If you really don't want to complete the sale, just try and be as 'nice' as possible as they have the option of leaving negative feedback and filing a non performing seller claim with Ebay.

    EDIT: I've noticied you didn't state you only wanted to dispatch to UK addresses, so in that case you should have added the different postage costs to the listing.

    It's not the dispatching to Europe, it's just I know how expensive this item is to send, and he only wanted to pay the UK rate...

    He's demanded I use another service, which is just as expensive... So I'm going to get negative feedback whatever I do.

    Thanks for the response :)
  • davidmcndavidmcn Posts: 12,108
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    #4
    If it's "postage to be agreed after the auction ends", and the buyer and seller can't agree on what the postage ought to be, I don't think either has a right to complain about the other not going ahead with the sale. (if it was "you must check what the postage will be with me before you bid", I can see why you would be justified in complaining).

    If I'm willing to sell overseas I always add the postage amounts to the listing.
  • KarisKaris Posts: 6,380
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    #5
    davidmcn wrote: »
    If it's "postage to be agreed after the auction ends", and the buyer and seller can't agree on what the postage ought to be, I don't think either has a right to complain about the other not going ahead with the sale.

    If I'm willing to sell overseas I always add the postage amounts to the listing.

    Thanks, David. They're all so very different in this case as the item is so large and heavy... Even Germany and, say, Holland have quite different rates.
  • embyemby Posts: 7,837
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    #6
    Karis wrote: »
    It's not the dispatching to Europe, it's just I know how expensive this item is to send, and he only wanted to pay the UK rate...

    He's demanded I use another service, which is just as expensive... So I'm going to get negative feedback whatever I do.

    Thanks for the response :)

    You could see if he would be willing to pay for surface mail. However that does take about 5 years to arrive :eek:, and if he's demanding a specific service, that might not wash with him. Have you looked into courier services? They're sometimes cheaper than standard Royal Mail deliveries.

    Keep him sweet, if he threatens negative feedback retain the messages as there is a possibility you could get any bad feedback removed on the grounds of feedback extortion.

    If that fails and he does leave a neg, just reply to the feedback in a calm mannered fashion with a factual comment and anyone buying from you in the future should see you tried your best.
  • KarisKaris Posts: 6,380
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    #7
    emby wrote: »
    You could see if he would be willing to pay for surface mail. However that does take about 5 years to arrive :eek:, and if he's demanding a specific service, that might not wash with him. Have you looked into courier services? They're sometimes cheaper than standard Royal Mail deliveries.

    Keep him sweet, if he threatens negative feedback retain the messages as there is a possibility you could get any bad feedback removed on the grounds of feedback extortion.

    If that fails and he does leave a neg, just reply to the feedback in a calm mannered fashion with a factual comment and anyone buying from you in the future should see you tried your best.

    Absolutely. He's already told me I'm being unreasonable: I just can't get why people can't do as requested and get in touch to confirm shipping!

    GAH! :)
  • SigurdSigurd Posts: 26,610
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    #8
    A non-UK buyer who expects to pay the same for shipping as a UK one is just being unreasonable. I'd try to cancel the transaction. See:

    http://pages.ebay.co.uk/help/sell/cancel-transaction-process.html
  • embyemby Posts: 7,837
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    #9
    Karis wrote: »
    Absolutely. He's already told me I'm being unreasonable: I just can't get why people can't do as requested and get in touch to confirm shipping!

    GAH! :)

    Where is he based by the way?

    I always find, in the few instances where i've had problems with buyers from countries where English is not their first language, if you attempt to speak their language they seem to be a lot more cooperative. :D

    Google translate helps a lot in situations like this. But if he's already being a pain in the bum, doubt it would help much. However if his first language isn't English, his 'demanding' nature might just be a case of translation issues.
  • c4rvc4rv Posts: 29,591
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    #10
    Sigurd wrote: »
    A non-UK buyer who expects to pay the same for shipping as a UK one is just being unreasonable. I'd try to cancel the transaction. See:

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

    totally agree,

    Does the buyer realise that postage rate for europe is not the same as UK ?
  • StigStig Posts: 12,446
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    #11
    Karis wrote: »
    Am I within my rights to refuse to sell to the highest bidder on an item when they bid on it and expect to get it for minimum postage when the sale clearly asked for all non UK bidders to get in touch to confirm shipping costs?

    I'm annoyed that they're complaining the shipping costs are too high on an item I specifically asked them to get in touch before bidding.
    You are in the right. If they complain, open a dispute within eBay.
  • embyemby Posts: 7,837
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    #12
    Stig wrote: »
    You are in the right. If they complain, open a dispute within eBay.

    Not sure if that would work as all the buyer need do in the case of a dispute is send a payment and then the onus is on the seller again.
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