So if you bought something via a catalog or online from Amazon or Harriet
Carter or Neiman Marcus, and they later sent you a note that said "We
made a mistake. The shipping we quoted you was $28 too little. Please
send the money." you'd just send it? I find that hard to believe. And,
frankly, no business would make that request.
It is -- legally and practically -- up to the business, the seller,
to make sure
their prices and fees are correct.
If there's a change in charges from the shipping company between the
time the item is priced and the time it is shipped, that's one thing and it
seems reasonable to request -- in advance -- that the buyer pay extra (and
your story of asking to split the additional fees shows greatly in
your favor).
But, frankly, there is little in the way of "a community" on
eBay. Maybe there
once was (hey, I've only been on it for 10 years or so) but for most sellers
today, it's strictly a business (either full time or just selling off
"accumulated
crap"). And buyers are looking for a bargain. That's pretty much part and
parcel of being a buyer, especially on a site where the trustworthiness of
the seller can be questionable. (As can be that of the buyer; but the seller
has the advantage of holding the merchandise until s/he receives the
money.)
Are there buyers who are assholes? Sure. And sellers, too.
I've been in the entertainment industry for over thirty years now. Back when
I was a studio publicity & marketing consultant, the attitude we'd see from
theater owners (exhibitors) was one I used to describe as preferring to
have people walk by the door of the theater and throw money inside as they
passed by. They had no interest in dealing with them, in providing anything
to them, and certainly not in making sure they had a good experience.
Even NATO (the National Association of Theater Owners, not the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization) used to admonish its members to treat their
customers better and take better care of their physical plants, their
theaters. Lots of theaters were failing in the 1970s and, eventually, the
exhibitors realized that people would drive past a poorly upkept theater to
go to one that had more respect for its clientele.
I see a lot of sellers on eBay, including a few who occasionally comment
on MOPO, who think it's a shame they actually have to deal with buyers.
My God, actually wanting care to be taken in packing. Actually wanting
shipping charges to be fair and reasonable. They should just be sending
everything in their checking accounts and be glad anything gets shipped to
them at all.
Just read the messages here anytime eBay does anything to the benefit
of buyers. Some of the things they do are stupid, no question. But it
seems anything and everything that doesn't benefit the sellers is treated
here on MOPO as a heresy that shouldn't be tolerated. eBay should be
operated with an eye to fairness to all who make use of its serves, on both
sides of the transaction. It isn't only for the buyers. It isn't
only for the
sellers.
Craig.
At 11:31 PM 6/12/2008, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
To the two less than zeroes who simply find it intolerable to pay
additional shipping fees if a seller honestly errs in not
anticipating the shipping foibles that have muddled shipping fees
that can change weekly of late, perhaps a walk in seller's shoes
might enlighten.
The idea that a seller should have to pack up irregular sized or
weighted items prior to listing on Ebay, to the farthest zip code in
Maine is outlandish. First lets address the abiding spirit that
used to exist on Ebay. A sense of community used to prevail and
communication and mutual understanding between buyers and sellers
were on the whole neighborly. To the Moper declaration of "Wrong!"
I am sorry that's the the same as giving the bird.
When it comes to determining shipping so many obstacles have tripped
up sellers of late that errors are bound to
happen. First, UPS's inauguration of dimensional weight. Sure a
seller can go and determine fairly closely what shipping will cost
on line. But this issue of dimensional weight pops up. That's the
size of the box shipped. UPS's computers are programmed to
instantly compare standard weight versus an internal scale of
costs regarding dimensional weight and which ever is HIGHER is the
fee charged. Dimensional weight cannot be determined
on line. Add those fuel surcharges which can go up
willy-nill another variable I have yet to figure out how that is
determined. Further insurance is a factor of where the item closes
at during auction and can't really be predicted sometimes. Granted
not a large dollar amount but these loose charges do add up.
Ebay has now a flagging system which notifies seller that by their
estimation charges for shipping are too high. So far, save for a
notification, nothing worse than that has been levied by them. So
it does become for a seller a determination that hopefully is
close, I shoot for within ten dollars and feel lucky to be within
that range. However once I sold a miniature prop one of a city
street at Warner Brothers for SUPERMAN. I was $80 off due to the
newly enacted dimensional weight and fuel surcharge assessment. I
emailed buyer and asked upon the safe delivery of prop, would he be
willing to split the difference explaining why so far off on
estimate as miniature was only slightly heavy, more
unyieldly than anything but when I set about packing it well to
arrive in perfect condition,( a near two hour undertaking,) it
turned out to be a carton almost 5 feet long and about 16 X 16
deep. I charged $55 for ground and it came to a shocking $135 with
insurance. In no uncertain terms a flat screw you was the
answer. The extra care in packing to arrive safely 2000 miles away
was met with zip concern or understanding.
This same person purchased another item later which I had not
connected to the months earlier purchase. Whatever the prop or
costume was I charged $25 shipping and it came to $21. Upon its
delivery he demanded a $4 refund on shipping when he viewed the
shipping fee sticker. That's when I noticed his email which rang
familiar. I emailed back that I would be pleased to refund but I
reminded him that when I asked for a similar request months earlier
regarding the SUPERMAN miniature he was less than fair. I
received back an email that went something like "f*ck you If I am
not sent by Paypal $4 in 24 hours you will receive a negative."
Believe me his user ID is now blocked. It has also made me much
more careful about setting shipping rates. But how frequently I
get emails regarding my supposed high costs and I have to answer by
sharing past experience and promising if over will
refund................every question every time. And still with
fuel sky rocketing I am off more frequently than I prefer. But its
rare if more than $20 and I eat the loss.
But its the lack of understanding by some buyers that catches one
off guard. The first to bellyache at overcharge but under
charge and its the bird. The issue here is it takes so little
effort to play nice.
freeman
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