Crosland Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 If you list items with free postage, and a bidder wins more than one auction, how would you respond to a request to "combine the postage"? I am tempted by the reply used in the Arkell v Pressdram case. Am I being unfairly harsh? Andrew Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kintbury jon Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 For me it would depend whether the second item has increased the postage or not. If it hasn't then i'd offer a little back. I have always been pleased when someone wins more than one item as it then means that I have less parcels to wrap and post. But as the postage is offered free you are entitled to keep the money. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allegheny1600 Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 Hi Andrew, "Free P&P" = £0.00 0 + 0 = 0 I rest my case! (I've never heard of the case you quote, maybe it's the same?) Cheers, John E. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Metr0Land Posted July 20, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 20, 2015 Allegheny beat me to it. Alternately you could offer a 25pct discount. 0 + 0 = 0. Less 25pct discount = err now let me see........ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonny777 Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 If you have active bids on many items, and you win multiple bids with different sellers it is quite possible to just go through the process of asking for a combined postage total without even looking at the myriad of varying postal charges. I have probably done it in the past without thinking. People do make mistakes. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady_Ava_Hay Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 If you list items with free postage, and a bidder wins more than one auction, how would you respond to a request to "combine the postage"? I am tempted by the reply used in the Arkell v Pressdram case. Am I being unfairly harsh? Andrew It is a valid request. A lot of items on EBay are listed at a price that could be considered to include postage costs and thus offer free postage. If one buys two items from the same seller that could legitimately be combined in one parcel then some discount could be applied on that basis. On the same basis you are under no obligation to offer any discount unless you have stated so on the listing. That decision will rest solely on the price paid IMHO but I have had similar requests from buyers in the past and even one cancellation when I refused to parley about a 99p for two items with £4 postage. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold chris p bacon Posted July 20, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 20, 2015 If you list items with free postage, and a bidder wins more than one auction, how would you respond to a request to "combine the postage"? I am tempted by the reply used in the Arkell v Pressdram case. Am I being unfairly harsh? Andrew I'd give the same reply I've given to the 2 kn*bheads who keep emailing this morning about a BIN price on an auction. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trains4U Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 Just reply saying you've offered a 100% refund on the postage paid. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brack Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 tell them you're charging triple the usual postage in order to cover the time taken to read their request. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crosland Posted July 26, 2015 Author Share Posted July 26, 2015 In the end I gave a discount for the sake of good Ebay karma I had a figure in mind for individual items but was pleasantly surprised at what a bargain 2nd class post can be, even cheaper than Hermes and way less than what I had accounted for had they been sold individually. Andrew Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium polybear Posted July 26, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 26, 2015 I recently sold a couple of items to the same seller, and returned the excess postage amount to the buyer without having been asked if I would "combine postage". The result? Now't. No acknowledgement whatsoever. Thanks? Nope. Not even a bo***x. Wish I hadn't bothered now.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Wintle Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 If you list items with free postage, and a bidder wins more than one auction, how would you respond to a request to "combine the postage"? I am tempted by the reply used in the Arkell v Pressdram case. Am I being unfairly harsh? Andrew Is it just boilerplate from clicking the button that asks for a combined total (if you win multiple items in a short period) or was it a separate direct request? Adrian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crosland Posted July 27, 2015 Author Share Posted July 27, 2015 Is it just boilerplate from clicking the button that asks for a combined total (if you win multiple items in a short period) or was it a separate direct request? Adrian Both actually, they sent a request for the total, the normal way, but also sent an explicit message asking if I wiuld combine postage. As above, I decided to do so in the end as it cost a lot less (and was less hassle) than posting 6 individual items. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Metr0Land Posted July 27, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 27, 2015 Depending on how you feel about this buyer in hindsight, you can always choose (or not) to put them on your blocked bidders list. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 I'm always open to combining postage on two or more items, although I was caught out at least once when the package only just fell into the higher weight category at the post office...... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BG John Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 I bought two O gauge wagons from the same seller, and asked if he'd combine postage. His reply was that they were heavy and he'd already taken that into account. So I accepted his explanation. When they arrived, the postage on the package was less than the postage charge for one, which did annoy me a bit. However, Karma struck, as both axles of one wagon had been bent in the post, and it was going to cost almost what I paid for it to repair. He sent a refund for the full price and postage of the damaged one. I got my wagon for the agreed price, although it was spent on new wheels and underframe bits, and he got nothing! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sleeper Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 A lot of items on EBay are listed at a price that could be considered to include postage costs and thus offer free postage.. Living in France, the free postage doesn't apply but the added cost to cover the 'free postage' is still there. Upon adding the postage to Europe cost it makes it a very dear item, yet sellers can't reduce the list price for overseas buyers to compensate. Another example of ebay's inflexible system. I avoid buying from there now, I've found it much cheaper buying directly from model shops etc. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady_Ava_Hay Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 Living in France, the free postage doesn't apply but the added cost to cover the 'free postage' is still there. Upon adding the postage to Europe cost it makes it a very dear item, yet sellers can't reduce the list price for overseas buyers to compensate. Another example of ebay's inflexible system. I avoid buying from there now, I've found it much cheaper buying directly from model shops etc. This is EBay's latest ruse to convince us sellers that it is now safe to send goods abroad. As I understand it the seller adds postage at their normal UK rate and the overseas buyer sees how much he or she has to pay to buy the same item with the extra postage. The seller does not see this because he now posts to a shipping agent in the UK. All the protections about goods not delivered etc are with the shipping agent apparently. The biggest single complaint from sellers was the unreliability of foreign postal services. I have had bad experience in France personally although the goods were delivered eventually. I quickly learnt that using 'sign for' services rarely worked abroad and frequently delayed everything for days if not weeks. Biggest upside of the change is that Hermes and the like are more than happy to deliver to these shipping agents at standard cost. I would take this post mildly to task as to why a price reduction 'to compensate' should be considered. You are bidding transparently knowing how much it will cost to post it to you. If the item is available at local model shops for less, why are you bidding on it at all? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crosland Posted September 1, 2015 Author Share Posted September 1, 2015 sellers can't reduce the list price for overseas buyers to compensate. Sellers can apply discounts (or increases) for *any* buyer when sending the invoice. Some of my buyers have paid more than they needed to because they paid before I had chance to send an invoice with an adjusted postal amount. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hayfield Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 Andrew Playing the devils advocate, there is no such thing as free postage, as the cost of postage is built into the starting price, unless that is the seller decides to sell at a loss. Now I would not have the neck to ask for a multiple purchase discount based on postage, when postage is in built. perhaps a request prior to bidding asking if there is a volume discount might have been better I do offer reduced postage for multibuys, and in the past refunded part of the postage charged when lower than expected. On one occasion I sent an extra payment as the seller spent twice the amount in postage than charged, he never asked for it but the item was so cheap and I was so pleased with it it was the least I could do Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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