Seller changed postage charge after accepting Best Offer.

[anhonourmouse]

Hello, lovelies.

I purchased an item which had $60.93 shipping. This item was coming from Canada to the UK. I made my best offer, taking into consideration the fact that I will also have import costs to pay; of which I do not know the costs until it lands in the UK.

The seller accepted my offer and invoiced me immediately, which I found a little unusual. As I went to pay, I noticed that the shipping had increased from $60.93 to $130.72! 

I contacted the seller saying, 'Hello. You accepted my offer, but then you changed the postage charge - more than doubling it. My offer included shipping of $60.93 as you had advertised...'

The seller replied, 'The shipping calculator was incorrect. It often is for overseas orders. I can reduce the cost by using Canada Post insted of a courier, but it will take forever to get to you. Let me know, we can cancel the order if you want.'

I have sent the seller a response asking for cancellation, as it seems to me that the instant invoice was an intential way to buffer the best price back up closer to the original price.

I'll point out that I am an experienced Powerseller on eBay, on my other account, so I'm very familair with selling, and I know that you cannot just change the postage costs after a sale, except for combined shipping or express delivery, and that you should message the buyer first for agreement. The seller had chosen three postage price options (none of which was this one). The most expensive one was $83.35 for International Tracked Canada Post, which estimates 8-12 working days, which would've been fine, if they bothered to message me. Instead, the shipping had changed to FedEx International Economy, at $130.72, which wasn't listed in the postage options.

My issue is that, as a buyer, I should be able to cancel the order myself on the basis that the seller changed the postage cost AFTER the sale was agreed. Why do I have to request and wait for a seller that doesn't abide by eBay policy, before I can have my order cancelled and purchase another one elsewhere?

If I call eBay (it's currently out of working hours), will they cancel it for me, if the seller hasn't cancelled it already by the morning? I need to buy another one from another seller.

[papso22]

If this hadn't been a best offer situation then presumably you would have done buy it now and chosen the delivery method (and price) that you wanted, given that there were options.

It does seem wrong that you don't get that choice with best offer and that the seller can add another one that is more expensive and wasn't on the original listing at all.

However, if you can't bypass the invoice,  and won't pay it, then you can only do as advised and ask the seller to cancel. You don't have to wait before buying another one though.