Royal Mail says insufficient postage despite buying postage through eBay
Summary: bidderlad sought advice after a buyer was notified of insufficient postage on an item sent through eBay, despite using eBay's recommended postage service. Various participants, including tommystrezures and sml192, discussed the differences between eBay's Simple Delivery and Custom Postage options, noting that discrepancies in size and weight can lead to surcharges. bidderlad learned that Royal Mail may return the item, potentially requiring additional payment. Other participants explained that eBay's system sometimes causes confusion with postage options, and technthread recommended avoiding Custom Postage unless necessary, due to potential complications.
Hello,
I'm looking for some advice on where I stand in this situation.
I sold an item for less than £10 and purchased the postage through eBay. eBay suggested the postage option, and I paid £2.85. I later called eBay, and they told me sellers can choose the postage service, but I honestly don't remember being given any alternative options. I simply selected what was presented during the listing/postage process. On the item itself it currently states "Royal Mail 2nd Class Letter"
When the parcel reached the buyer's local delivery office, Royal Mail left them a card saying there was insufficient postage and that they needed to pay an additional £3.50 before the item would be delivered.
I told the buyer that I didn't think it was reasonable for me to pay £3.50 extra on an item worth less than £10. I asked if they could tell the Post Office to return the parcel to me instead. The buyer said they would contact eBay for their refund.
I'm now unsure what happens next.
Will Royal Mail automatically return the parcel to me if I don't pay the surcharge, or does the buyer need to request this?
If the item is returned, can I simply relist it?
If the buyer receives a refund through eBay, where do I stand as the seller?
Is there any protection from eBay in a situation like this, given that I used the postage option suggested through eBay?
Has anyone experienced something similar or knows how eBay usually handles cases like this?
Many thanks.
bidderlad
OP3 weeks agoHey everyone, I have partially refunded the buyer and I and the buyer have settled this. The item has reached buyer and I have been paid after partial refund.
Thank you all for your help/suggestions.
Much appreciated.
cheekychippy210
·3 weeks ago · EditedI often relist a sold item just to double check the postage option I did select. Its only a check, not a relist!
" I simply selected what was presented during the listing/postage process." Baffled, I thought if the pickies were presented then the AI aspect kicks in and suggests posting band.
bidderlad
OP3 weeks agoAgree and Duh! but I believe eBay is yet to catch-up with it.
bidderlad
OP3 weeks ago@cheekychippy210 As suggested I tried relisting the item to check what postage eBay recommends!!!
sml192
·3 weeks agoEbay's recommended size isn't always correct so you do need to check. If you list with Simple Delivery using the recommended size and it ends up being different then there won't be any surcharges as eBay accepts responsibility under those circumstances. However, if you use Custom Postage then you are responsible for any weight/size discrepancies.
bidderlad
OP3 weeks agoLesson learned @sml192
cheekychippy210
·3 weeks agoCurious. your page is showing what i see when I list a dvd under £10. Baffled as to how some listings on here offer 2nd class at £1.85 when there is no way, at the listing stage, to choose!
sml192
·3 weeks agoIf it was the water filter then that was listed with Custom Postage (2nd class Letter @ 91p), not Simple Delivery, so you won't be protected by eBay. With Custom Postage you are responsible for ensuring that the correct postage is selected although the eBay system will suggest a postage method/price based on the package size selected. Royal Mail will return the item to you but they may still ask you to pay the surcharge before releasing it to you so you would be better off just paying the surcharge now and getting it delivered to the buyer.
cheekychippy210
·3 weeks agoCustom postage, baffled!!!! where is this option? Not offered when I list an item, I get letter 1kg, small parcel, medium and oversized. Perhaps a screen shot of what you are getting at listing stage. Is it not the case that all private sellers are in SD? Can you opt out? Of the op, I had an incident at the outset of SD and purchase label, the preset was 100g letter which I did not see, so printed. It was at that stage I noted the error, had to cancel label and get a new one selecting the right parcel option. It was a damn stupid set up and never encountered again as all that is now chosen at listing stage.
cheekychippy210
·3 weeks agoWHERE DOES ONE FIND THE "Custom Postage" in private seller listing an item posting options. screen shot would be good.
technthread
·3 weeks ago · Editedcheekychippy210
·3 weeks ago · Editedtechnthread
is that from a business account?
the custom postage is not an option in my private seller account and this i feel is where some on here are giving false information to those who genuinely seek help.
technthread
·3 weeks agoOf course it’s from a private account. Business accounts don’t even have access to simple delivery so there isn’t the option to choose between the 2.
That screenshot I gave doesn’t exist on a business account, I had to login to my private account to show it.
cheekychippy210
·3 weeks ago"Of course it’s from a private account." Thanks but custom postage is not a service available to me, a private seller on here for over 20 yrs. If it is available to you as a private seller then perhaps ebay are selective or, only to those on smartphones as all those in my family dont have it on our pcs!
technthread
·3 weeks ago · EditedIt is strange. Genuinely I have never read another private seller say they don’t have access to custom postage on eligible listings completely across the board.
I checked on desktop from my private account and custom is still there. It’s definitely not an app / smartphone only thing in my experience.
Can anybody help here? Is there an account setting on a private account to turn custom postage off completely? Are any sellers for any reason prevented from using custom postage by eBay? Is there a known glitch anyone knows of?
technthread
·3 weeks ago*following on from the other topic where we got into this subject, I’d say don’t touch custom postage with a bargepole unless you really have to. eBay will override it haphazardly and create a mess.
Simple delivery protections are excellent for a private seller and protect against mistakes with parcel sizes etc, there wouldn’t have been a surcharge in this case.
cheekychippy210
·3 weeks agothere are many on here stating options that only apply to business accounts, which I dare say causes the op to question themself or wast time looking for something that does NOT apply. Custom postage is not available to private sellers. The op is a private seller.
papso22
·3 weeks agoCustom postage is available to private sellers for anything that is exempt from simple delivery.
cheekychippy210
·3 weeks agoI tried listing single dvds, under £10 and 64g, and according to stated ebay terms they qualified for custom postage. the only service offered was simply delivery, large letter 1kg. that is a fixed price not custom which implies a choice.
tommystrezures
·3 weeks agoWas it a simple delivery label or a label you purchased via eBay? This is critical. Did the label you post state Marketplace seller?
cheekychippy210
·3 weeks agoIs it not the case that all private sellers are in SD? Can you opt out?
bidderlad
OP3 weeks agoNot impossible but difficult
cheekychippy210
·3 weeks agoDid you not see the stated size thickness of 2.5cm?
bidderlad
OP3 weeks agoHere's the label.
Unsure how with below dimensions, the label generated by eBay and emailed to me could be Large Letter?
sml192
·3 weeks agoThose dimensions are correct for Royal Mail Tracked Large Letter. Royal Mail Tracked goes up to 1Kg for Large Letter whereas Royal Mail Standard Tariff only goes up to 750g.
tommystrezures
·3 weeks agoSo going back to your original post, this is not a simple delivery label, and thus you and or the buyer would be liable for additional postage costs. You and or the buyer can pay the supplement.
In general items are held at sorting offices for 18 days before being returned, however last year Royal Mail started trialling (I don't think its still running, but be warned!!) that if there was a surcharge they would then charge you before deliverying to your home address.
If the seller opens an item not received, then tracking should state that the item is at the sorting office. In theory they will win and you will have to refund.