Combined postage

[sr.signalman]

Hello,

I purchased 4 pin badges from a seller with each item costing £2.99 postage. There was no option to request a total in the basket, so I made a full purchase with £11.96 postage paid and an immediate message sent to the seller to request combined postage, this was on 31st March. Another message was sent the next day (1st April) and received a notification of dispatch. I recieved the items in a single small padded envolope by Royal Mail tracked 48, small parcel, up to 2Kg on 3rd April. I have not received any messages from the seller at all, competely ignored and no postage discount/refund has been received. As a seller myself, this is completely unacceptable behaviour on the part of the seller, I have many times fascilitated a postage discount/refund when buyers have bought multiple items from me, often voluntarily as a given.

I sent a final request on 3rd April and have given them until today to respond, which they haven't, so I left negative feedback on all 4 items and have opened a request with Ebay, which is primarily concerned with items not arriving, but this is the only mechanism available to me. What else can I do please?

[tressygirl]

There has been an ongoing major technical issue with sellers not being able to make a combine postage invoice for many weeks / months now.

The workaround eBay suggest,  is for a buyer like you did,  to buy all the items,  and the seller to make a partial refund.  This though cannot be enforced , and eBay do not get involved in postage disputes.

The seller will have one tracking number, sorry still not 100% sure if it can be added to multiple items sent together , as some say it can.  If tracking cannot be proved on 3 of the items , you will receive a full refund on the 3, and you escalate on day 4,  if not refunded beforehand.

The seller in my humble opinion,  is being very silly not refunding postage , as they could potentially be faced with 3 full refunds.

@sr.signalman 

[jckl1957]

I can't see the items you bought so I don't know if the seller stated that they would combine postage - in my view, this is something that should be discussed and agreed before you purchase.

The correct action by the seller would have been to send separate packages if they had no intention of refunding you. 

At the moment, sellers are not able to send invoices combining postage - an ongoing issue that has lasted for months.

A lot of members, and I include myself - are not able to respond to messages from other members, or send new messages even by going to the other person's feedback page and using 'contact member' so it is perfectly feasible that the seller simply could not contact you. 

I think you are right to pursue a refund and I can see why you are doing so.

However, the cases for 'item not delivered' you have opened are false and I do think you should close the cases - especially as you have now stated in a public forum that you have done this.

[sr.signalman]

Thank you for your reply.

I'm unable to agree with the advice regarding being unable to send messages, as an active seller myself, i have had no difficulty sending or receiving messages with buyers, I can only take your word that some for whatever reason alledgedly have difficulties, that's just too convenient I'm afraid.

When opening a case, it only states "open a case". It's not until afterwards that it specifically defines as an item not received case, so since this is the only medium to do anything (seeing as the Seller is not responding to messages, or identifying themselves that a very significant overcharge on postage has taken place), this is the only way to progress the matter with Ebay. SInce it is their system failures that are partially complicit in this matter, I have every intention of atleast bringing this matter to their attention for them to close or ignore as they see fit. I certainly will not close the case just because it's not 100% proper to purpose, I am being conned out of £9 and intend to see that rectified with the limited resource at my disposal.

Thanks again for response.

[sr.signalman]

Thanks for your reply,

That's an interesting point you make about 1 tracking number. I have myself processed an order with multiple tracking numbers, this was due to a label being voided after purchase due to an incorrect weight being specified and a second one processed, resulting in 2 tracking numbers on the order. Presumebly it is therefore possible to have several ligitimate tracking numbers on an order. As an honest buyer, I have of course sent a photograph of all 4 items with the single padded envelope as evidence towards my claim with the seller.

If Ebay are actually suggesting this method as an alternative to the failed normal processes of combining postage, then Ebay should take some responsibility to their advice when Sellers become dis-honest, especially now that buyers are being charged for so called "buyer protection", which should surely cover all matters within Ebays control.

Thanks again.

[jckl1957]

I know that some sellers can't reply to or send messages.  I have that problem and have no reason to lie.  I left a buyer a message in feedback a few days ago to say I had seen their message to me but could not reply!

Being overcharged postage is simply not a legitimate reason for opening a case.  I do stand by what I said:  I understand that you want a refund but you are going about it in a way that to me seems unacceptable.

The only way the seller can deal with this through the cases you have opened is to refund you in full, cost of item and postage paid, for each item you have opened a case for.  To me, that is simply wrong.

[sr.signalman]

Thanks again. But what am i supposed to do? Just ignore it?

They can have the items back if they wish to be this way out of sheer principle, they are very clearly not refunding anything voluntarily like they're supposed to and just sitting on it. I don't accept that I'm supposed to just accept this as is and leave it, which is effectively what you are suggesting as there is literally no other way of dealing with this.

I have noted that the Seller in question is able to respond to feedback as they have done so very recently, if they are genuinely disadvantaged in the manner you describe then they will seek contact through that means. I appreciate your advice is ordinarily quite correct, but I am quite sure I am dealing with a dis-honest Seller and a system that is bordering on being unfit for purpose.