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Shipping VASTLY different than the auction stated


eightbit

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Has this happened to anyone before? I won something (a vintage PC) on ebay and the auction calculated $28.90 shipping to my zipcode. The won auction still says that if I visit the page. But when I go to check out the shipping is $54.99! I contacted the seller and am waiting for a response. What gives? Do you guys think the seller changed it?

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From what I remember, the seller would have had to change it. When you set up an auction, you give Ebay the shipping options, weight, box size, etc. It has a direct line to the shippers so it can calculate exactly how much it's going to cost for the given options.

 

Once something's sold, the seller can go in and change certain things like weight and box size (sometimes the initial info might have been an estimate, so they give that option). That's what must have happened.

 

IMO Ebay should allow sellers to change the options (because otherwise the shipper might not even accept the package) but the price charged to the buyer shouldn't change - the seller should have to eat the difference if it costs more.

 

I've had something similar happen as well... I won a big, heavy guitar amp a while back and the shipping on the auction page was listed as $95, which was a lot but I know it's a massive amp that weighs 80 pounds. After I won, the seller tried to charge me $240! I'm a pretty reasonable guy when it comes to stuff like this but I told him no way. Turned out he was quoting me the price of just taking the amp to a UPS store and having them pack and ship it, rather than him doing it (which is what Ebay's shipping calculations are based on). So he was charging me for blankets, other packing material, the labor costs UPS builds into that, plus the extra profit they make on that. I told him I wasn't paying for any of that. I did my own calculations on the UPS site knowing the weight and size of the amp, added a little extra for packaging for him to do it himself and ended up sending him like an extra $30. He still ended up just taking it to the UPS store and having them pack it, and he was really pissed off about the loss he took. He blamed me for it. Some sellers just don't get it. You can't charge buyers more for shipping after they win an auction than you originally quote them (and you definitely can't charge them what amounts to a "seller convenience fee"). The auction contract is supposed to go both ways.

 

Anyway, unless there's a really good reason for it, I'd tell that seller to F off about that shipping increase. I'd probably demand to pay what you were originally quoted or tell him the deal's off and he's getting at best neutral feedback, if not neg.

Edited by spacecadet
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He provided the dimensions and the weight and I checked myself and the shipping he is *now* charging is correct, so he isn't trying to make a few extra bucks. But still, I factored in the original shipping cost with the purchase price and that was what I was expecting to pay. I guess I'll continue through with the purchase as I really wanted this thing, but I still think it is BS. There have been many times where I misquoted a shipping price and I had to eat the remainder.

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Is the seller out of the country?

If he uses the GSP=Global shipping program, Ebay adds to the shipping total to cover thier costs, which could account for the difference.

 

 

No, he is in TX. What probably happened is that he did not put the exact weight and dimensions in the auction prior to listing it.

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Some sellers add a handling fee. Was that the case here?

 

I would think twice before even listing a big heavy thing like an old PC.

 

It sounds like you were in contact with the seller. If it were me, I'd offer to split halfway -- an extra $13 isn't going to kill anyone at the end of the day.

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Some sellers add a handling fee. Was that the case here?

 

I would think twice before even listing a big heavy thing like an old PC.

 

It sounds like you were in contact with the seller. If it were me, I'd offer to split halfway -- an extra $13 isn't going to kill anyone at the end of the day.

 

Those "handling charges" are hogwash. I use plenty of bubble wraps and packing materials, and each box that I ship is mummified in enough heavy gauge tape to survive the bottom of a live volcano. I'd never think of charging my buyers/trade partners a 'handling fee'. Utterly classless.

 

Kind of like peeking at the dinner check when treating someone and/or the old 'if you have to ask, you probably can't really afford it' adage. ;)

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Those "handling charges" are hogwash. I use plenty of bubble wraps and packing materials, and each box that I ship is mummified in enough heavy gauge tape to survive the bottom of a live volcano. I'd never think of charging my buyers/trade partners a 'handling fee'. Utterly classless.

 

Kind of like peeking at the dinner check when treating someone and/or the old 'if you have to ask, you probably can't really afford it' adage. ;)

 

I think the handling charge should be reasonable because I do believe in recouping some materials cost, especially for those people who do not have a large volume business who can get their packing materials for cheap. It adds up after a while if you are a large volume seller...

 

To the OP, I definitely think it was a miscalculation by the seller and they should rectify it for you. If they don't open a case with ebay. Problem is they may get pissed off and damage your product. LOL

Edited by jce3000gt
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It adds up after a while if you are a large volume seller...

 

 

I eat these expenses myself, saving a bit by acquiring my bubble wrap, boxes, rolls of tape, etc. in bulk. It's worked very well for me for decades. All part of being a decent seller/trade partner.

 

Everyone has their preferred method(s) at the end of the day.

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I sold a gateway desktop 486 earlier this year and with UPS ground going half way cross the country it was only like 28 bucks and change shipping it in a dell tower pc box. Dunno if that helps or not but dang 55 bucks for shipping ... to NJ? from where?

Edited by Osgeld
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I've had a similar but opposite situation as a seller that infuriated the hell out of me and it has happened for years. I've had it probably happen once or twice a year (which is like 1% of the time) and it sucks.

 

I'll not use flat rate shipping but have it calculate for the buyer based on box size and weight, and what happens is ebay will misquote the value to the person and then charge them a lower rate. I'll end up selling like a 1-2lb box of something and it(ebay) will charge the buyer let's say $4 shipping, but when I go to actually do the PP printing label stuff it tells me it wants me to eat like a $10 charge. Each time I've had to call ebay, complain about it, and if the dumb out of country tool doesn't fix it demand a supervisor and explain it yet again and I get instantly refunded.

 

I know there's glitches in their system, so it wouldn't surprise me if it went both ways and the dumb system told you a lower rate, but the dude just sent the invoice on what he saw on his side of the screen. eBay shipping calculator sucks and screws up.

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