Buyer selected a different (more expensive!) shipping options

[blunakat2]

I sold a very inexpensive item. I set the shipping option.

They buyer paid the tiny bid amount and the shipping option I selected. But they were able to select a DIFFERENT shipping option which costs more -- so now if I ship I'm actually out of pocket 2 quid?!

Can they do that? Is that an option -- the buyer can change the shipping method and eBay doesn't add it to the price??? I am seriously FUMING

[emmaushampshire]

Thanks. I must take another look at my postage options

Catherine Harris
Trustee and eBay coordinator
Emmaus Hampshire

[colonial_clive]

Well that not true as I listed post at a certain price to cover packing and buyer change it to a cheaper option this has happened to me now on 4 occasions!

[krlor75]

This has happened to me as well, and it’s been multiple times! I don’t think it’s fair either, as in these cases, I’ve had to bear the loss myself.

[marcela105]

It happened to me twice ... I have chosen standard Evri and they have chosen more expensive option, however they have been charged only what I have asked for. At first I thought that i have done mistake when listing the item... so I made sure it will not happen again and it did 😞

I am so disappointed as i am losing money - first time postage costed more that the actual item !!! 

[myriad*seller]

marco@ebay another one for you 

[trace-ken]

Same here, and I always select Yodel as my postage but the buyer changed it not only to Evri but to double the cost. It will cost me in transport to get it to the drop off but also the higher postage cost and is a solitary item (as the other 3 purchases haven’t paid yet, but that’s a different matter) I’m not sure why, when the buyer selects a higher postage, that they are not told they need to pay the extra. Seems very wrong.

[jhothersall2003]

I was shocked to see "buyer selected" postage next to my sale, which nearly doubled my postage, giving me a grand net profit of £1.50 instead of the still very modest £3.99 I was expecting. I went into the postal choices on the print a label section, and changed it to a different company with the same tracking/insurance etc, and a day quicker too. Then I went back to my site to try to see what happened. Turned out to be a buyer in Belfast, and she'd just agreed the postage company I'd chosen (evri), but turns out evri charge extra to get to N.Ireland. Yodel don't charge extra but still track and insure. Hope this info helps you next time? So you can change it back after the buyer selects...

[emmaushampshire]

Thank you for your reply. Yes I continue to post with my choice of courier. It's crazy otherwise, not fair on the seller.

[bluebellfressia]

I had this exact thing happen to me today.  But fortunately  I realised before paying the £5.46 and changed it to RM for £3.39.  So I am only 45p out of pocket.

I have now excluded N. Ireland in my settings, which is a shame.   

Would this happen with the Scottish Highlands & Scottish Islands too? 

[emmaushampshire]

Yes postage to Scottish Highlands and Islands is much more than mainland. I have been stung before.

[bluebellfressia]

Thank you for your reply. 

So another two to exclude,  such a shame.   

[pollyhen]

Just Happened to me with Royal Mail within England 10 miles from where I live. I’m fuming too.

[trace-ken]

I cancelled the order. The buyer can see the postage charge when they purchase the item and they can also see which postage they are selecting. The buyer also surely knows if they live in a part of the U.K. that costs more postage because they are remote. I’m sure they will be aware of why it is cancelled due to this but especially of very low price items, the seller should not be penalised.

[trace-ken]

Sorry, I meant to say that I have gone into my postal settings and changed them but those changes are limited. I wanted to make Yodel my preferred delivery and only offer that service but eBay must have a deal going with Evri and the post office because it will only let you select one of the two.

When you make a listing and you go into the postage section, I found it best to ignore their  *easy postage* and click on the drop down box for the postage weights. Scroll down to below the postage weights list and there is a tab which you can select for making your custom postage. Click on that button and you decide which postal service you are offering. *Be careful, if your item relists then eBay will revert it to their recommended smart option so you will need to check the postage again and change it back so you are in control again.

[oliviaowen77]

hi, I’ve never come on this part before, but I googled the question and it came up on here as I’ve been on the phone to eBay for most of the day. My seller rating has taken an awful hit from what’s going on and they still haven’t provided me with an answer so I sold an item for £2.99 and I’d recently changed all of my postage from Royal mail as the post office is miles away and it’s over a pound dearer than yodel store door Which I can just scan the QR code at my local shop as they do not print the labels. I done 1  the other day absolutely fine so I go on postage Custom and choose 16 x 35 x 45 cm, which is shoebox size and 1 kg in weight. This is £2.69 and then you just scan your barcode so the lady purchased the item and it said exactly what I’ve just said until I clicked on get the QR code and it then proceeded to charge me £6.19 and tell me that the buyer had paid £2.69 and I couldn’t figure it out. As a result, I had to void that QR code, so you have to wait two weeks for that to be refunded and you can no longer choose the option to get the barcode on that item, so I refunded the item relisted it double check the postage she purchased again and it done exactly the same again so I didn’t press to get the code. However it does offer an edit option when you look on the sales information so I clicked on that and again I put shoebox size 1 kg and it’s charging me for up to 10 kg and a much larger parcel despite me selecting the smaller one and in between that are yet have printed yet another QR code on another item and it’s been absolutely fine. The guy spoke to you today couldn’t really tell me other than escalate it. I told me to ask the buyer to wait a bit longer, and I explained that I’d be out of days and my seller rating would be hit next  As it wouldn’t be in the right time span to be posted, and also I’ve cancelled and refunded the item at least twice And I still can’t send her the parcel, because obviously she doesn’t want to pay more and do Royal Mail - my shop doesn’t print yodel labels it just does QR codes nowhere local to me does labels I don’t have a printer and I don’t want one because they cost a lot of money to do all that. So my idea of going cheaper than Royal mail has worked twice but failed miserably this time like I say my ratings taken a terrible hit to it. The man didn’t re correct it just suggested I ask her to wait longer and that he would escalate the problem but in order for me to get a QR code, it wants me to authorise the bankcard yet again, and the fact that it takes two weeks is bad enough, but I don’t wanna keep doing it as I have no funds left. I don’t have any give the woman the item for free if she lives local to me, but she doesn’t so why should I have to be out of pocket or out-of-pocket to send it for free? I was absolutely fuming as I don’t have the time to be on the phone to eBay all the time and I wanted to know whether I was gonna have to change all my listings back, and you really didn’t give me an answer to be fair but it does say that the seller has chosen it I went through this and she’s been very helpful and she told me that it categorically didn’t give her a choice and her end. It says 269 and I can see it does until I go to buy it and then it ranks up to £6.19. If I hadn’t noticed this, I’ve been doing this left right and centre  does anyone know what on earth is going on here