How do I charge a buyer for upgraded postal service (after buyer has paid)?

[irt303]

Hi, I've sold an item listed as Buy It Now, with RM 2nd class postage included. The buyer has asked me if I can send it 1st class (as they want it by Easter), and has offered to pay me the difference, but I don't know how to charge them for the extra postage. Am I allowed to give them my PayPal email within eBay messages?

It's not an expensive item, so I don't want to absorb the added cost of 1st class, but I don't want to disappoint the buyer, either.

I do wish that the buyer made this request when they purchased the item (yesterday), or even better, asked me before paying. This would have given me more time to seek an answer here. They only made the request in reply to a message I sent them earlier this evening, thanking them for their purchase.

Thanks for any help you can offer.

[Sorry if 'Postage rates' is the wrong label for this post, but it was the nearest match from the options available.] 

[**peaseblossom**]

It would have to be something like Paypal.   You can try sending your details.  eBay will block if they won't allow it but maybe it'll be OK as they've paid.    The alternative would be to cancel the transaction (refund would be issued automatically) and relist with the higher postage for the buyer to buy and pay again.

[stamp_hammer · Accepted solution]

Hi.

As a payment has already been made the eBay messaging system will now allow you to share email address/telephone number/home address. Feel free to get the customer to pay you the extra through your paypal account.

[m25jet]

Although it won't make much difference in relation to this transaction, perhaps going forward you could do what I used to do before I gave up selling on eBay.  What I used to do was to offer a tracked Royal Mail Second Class postal option as standard, with the option for the buyer to upgrade to the First Class equivalent if they needed the item sooner than they would have received it had it been posted out via Second Class.  I also used to include an International postage option on my listings, although you only need to include that if you're willing to sell items to buyers who live outside of the British Isles.

[afloofdev]

In normal circumstances I'd suggest to cancel the order and offer 1st class postage on the listing.

This might be a bit awkward as timing is crucial in your scenario, so not sure if it will go smoothly as the buyer might not re-order the item early enough to make a difference.

In general you can add an extra postage option for 1st class in your listings, so it's automatically there for users that want it.

[irt303]

Thanks, everyone!

The buyer was happy to pay the extra into my PayPal account. It was 'only' 30p more, which isn't much, I know, but in the context of a £10.99 sale it's a bit more of a chunk.

I was in two minds about the whole thing. Part of me felt like politely declining the request, as the item was listed (and purchased) on the basis that it would be sent 2nd class. I was also a bit miffed that the buyer didn't ask before buying, or at least at the time of purchase. As mentioned in my OP, they only asked in response to a message I sent thanking them for the purchase and letting them know when I'd post the item, which I don't have to do, but like to do as a courtesy to buyers. Would they have even asked had I not sent that message?

On the other hand, the buyer seemed friendly, and I figured that they might not know the eBay system too well, including etiquette (in this case, messaging the seller before committing to a purchase). I also feared possible adverse consequences post-receipt of the item if I'd dug my heels in about the postage.

@m25jet and/or @afloofdev - I list my items as BIN with 'free' postage, which I obviously factor in to the asking price, so I don't know if/how I can add additional postage options, as I'd imagine you can only have one BIN price per listed item. I've considered adding additional postage options, but I assume that, to do this, I would have to list the options outside of the item price, whereas I prefer the simplicity of including postage in the BIN price, which also means I automatically get 5 stars for postage costs.

It's a tug-of-war between giving potential buyers more options (and potentially appealing to a wider buyer base) and keeping things simple for myself. Maybe a compromise would be to offer 1st class postage instead of 2nd, but I'd have to increase my asking prices, and, from what I've read, Royal Mail rarely give 1st class mail much priority over 2nd anyway.

I'm thinking aloud again! But thanks to all for the helpful replies, and if I'm wrong about not being able to include additional postage options on a BIN item with postage included, then please do let me know.

[afloofdev]

@irt303Using business policies, you can make a postage policy that is free by default (so you factor in the price) and gives an uptional upgrade for a certain amount of money.

That way you can keep your item with free postage, but a buyer can optionally pay to have the item arrive faster. You can set the price for postage upgrade, so you don't lose money on it.

I think that way buyers have more options, which is always good.

[irt303]

@afloofdev - Thank you for that info. You mention "business policies", does that mean I'd have to be a business seller in order to do this? I'm a private seller. Thanks.

[afloofdev]

@irt303I'm a private seller too and I'm able to make business policies. You can find them in the seller hub under `Listings` -> `Settings` -> `Business Policies`.

They are ways to group postage, return policies and payments for items, the idea being when you change something about your postage, it will affect all items that are using that postage policy (so you won't have to edit all listings individually).

It's a convenient tool that you can experiment with it before you actually apply it. I'd definitely recommend it.

[irt303]

@afloofdev - Cheers for that, I'll look into it!