Sending Offers and Combined Postage

[ashley*and*ollie]

Hello

I often send offers to watchers.

I also have postage settings set so that the max postage that is charged for any number of items purchased is £3.85

Some buyers accept offers and receive combined postage, no issues.  I just see an order as normal

Other buyers seem to be unable to receive combined postage if they accept offers.  I had one last night telling me that postage was increasing to over £17 if they accepted the offers.  They asked me to do something - but as they're not purchased - I can't send an invoice?  I offer to refund postage but that sounds a bit dodgy (apparently I was told last night)

It seems to happen a fair amount.

So - is there something I should be doing?  Is there something I should be advising the buyers to do?  It is costing sales and a general faff!

The fact that some can and some can't makes me assume that it's user error somewhere along the lines, but I just need to be able to explain what to do.

Thanks

[beddaustamps]

eBay BANNED combined shipping on multiple "Send Offer" items about 2 months ago.  When buyers now accept an offer they are forced to pay immediately (they used to be able to close the window and move on to the next offer and then checkout with one payment).

I have chased this up with eBay on numerous occasions as we have lost lots of our regular multiple purchase buyers (who accuse us of trying to rip them off).

Apparently, it's an eBay "Improvement" that is not going to change.  As eBay put it to me, "if a buyer has 5 TVs on their Watch list and receive an offer on one, then they're not going to buy the other 4 TVs". So, a great improvement if you sell high value items, but another nail in the coffin of sellers who sell lots of low value items. 

[vinylscot]

My buyers aren't being made to pay immediately, but aren't able to ask for combined shipping on items on "offer".

I've managed to convince a couple that I will refund the overpayment, but I have also lost a couple of orders. Buyers assume it's my fault, as eBay couldn't be so stupid. Could they?

[ashley*and*ollie]

thank you - and apologies for being so long in coming back.  I understand now, though as you say it really doesn't work for those of us who  sell low value items, especially those that people will accept a load of offers for.

[the-best-uk-deals]

They did have a setting in your account settings that you could turn off instant payment for offers. did they remove that setting? 

[pj_bb1]

I've lost 3 customers this way, this week alone.

I was trying to find the solution. Ended up here, as I couldn't find anything anywhere.

I'm screwed now. I used  to sell up to 20 items a week via "multi item order".

That's ebay. Fix minor issue, while making something else way worse.