Weird winner Stories...

[surcerouche]

Hi,
I've been off forum, ebay and amazon for a while. I decided to come back about two weeks ago and start selling small on ebay, (stealth account), anyway, I sold an item then got an email from the winner that she wanted me to use a cheaper method of delivery and wanted me to refund her the difference either by paypal refund or to stick the cash in the item she purchased.
It is only a dollar and something difference, but I do not want to cause a stir, nor do I want to set a precedence. I'm thinking about puttting a disclaimer on of my future auctions about such a thing. Anyone else have weird winner stories like that, and would you/should I refund the difference????

[rsot]

Sure do - but very rarely. Anyhow with that kind of request, I refund a buck or two if it keeps her/him/it happy.

I don't put disclaimers - I lose enough on shipping as it is at times.

[rcdrivertim]

Refund it and chalk it up to business expenses...When you are Stealth eating it sometimes is the only way to go unnoticed...

[lostsub]

Got a phone call from a buyer one Sunday morning who had requested my contact info from Ebay. I'd never heard from him before by email, and was still half asleep. He was a typical dunce, i.e. a person who would try to plug a USB cable into a headphone jack for instance.
Well I was able to clear up everything finally by being very kind and patient, and went about my normal Sunday routine; watching football ;-).
When I turned on computer in the evening to take care of my ebay business, I found that the idiot had left me a negative before he even called me. I don't think I better repeat what I emailed to that buyer, although I worded it so carefully that he felt so bad he began begging for forgiveness (by email), and thankfully for me that particular neg is gone.

[mememe1972]

you can't cure an ass

[jeffweico]

I highly recommend using Endicia to print your postage. There is an option that does NOT print the amount paid on the label. It is probably in the barcode somewhere, but your buyers can't see it.

This will definitely relieve some stress and save you from some negative feedbacks.

The problem is, some buyers will feel that you cheated them if they see $2.77 printed on the label, but you charged $3 for postage. They never take into account costs for packaging, labels, ink, tape, etc.

The added benefit is that adding a tracking number costs 19 cents, as opposed to 80 cents. And they also have cheap insurance for those times when you need to insure a package. I don't know how good or bad that is, since I've never actually had to make a claim, but the savings seem worth it.

Not to mention, you never have to stand in line at the Post Office. You can just leave the packages on the counter.

[surcerouche]

Thanks to all the replies thus far. I am taking all advice to heart.
I decided to eat the buck forty and mailed off the package today.
No disclaimer and I am checking into Endicia. Thanks again.

[holymoly]

Kind of weird to hear someone ask this!

[FandangoKango]

Originally Posted by jeffweico

I highly recommend using Endicia to print your postage. There is an option that does NOT print the amount paid on the label. It is probably in the barcode somewhere, but your buyers can't see it.

This will definitely relieve some stress and save you from some negative feedbacks.

The problem is, some buyers will feel that you cheated them if they see $2.77 printed on the label, but you charged $3 for postage. They never take into account costs for packaging, labels, ink, tape, etc.

The added benefit is that adding a tracking number costs 19 cents, as opposed to 80 cents. And they also have cheap insurance for those times when you need to insure a package. I don't know how good or bad that is, since I've never actually had to make a claim, but the savings seem worth it.

Not to mention, you never have to stand in line at the Post Office. You can just leave the packages on the counter.

tracking number cost 19 cents? my post office ones say 60-80 cents or does it depend on how much postage is?

[newtools]

.19 if you pay for postage online. .80 if you buy postage at the post office

[DevilBay]

Originally Posted by jeffweico

I highly recommend using Endicia to print your postage. There is an option that does NOT print the amount paid on the label. It is probably in the barcode somewhere, but your buyers can't see it.

This will definitely relieve some stress and save you from some negative feedbacks.

The problem is, some buyers will feel that you cheated them if they see $2.77 printed on the label, but you charged $3 for postage. They never take into account costs for packaging, labels, ink, tape, etc.

The added benefit is that adding a tracking number costs 19 cents, as opposed to 80 cents. And they also have cheap insurance for those times when you need to insure a package. I don't know how good or bad that is, since I've never actually had to make a claim, but the savings seem worth it.

Not to mention, you never have to stand in line at the Post Office. You can just leave the packages on the counter.

You could print through ebay itself and uncheck display postage. Also If you have an ebay account you could use stamps.com for free for ebay shipments only though.

[needhelpplease]

Maybe reading some of these posts got me in a bad mood, but that is part and the majority of the problem....sellers giving in to these thieving buyers requests and for what reason? In hopes to not get a neg or low DSRs do you fear that this rare occasional thieve of a buyer will bring your entire account down? Remeber, on ebay when they bid there is a thing that comes up before they confirm their bid stating that "shipping fees are non-negotiable"......just saying I hate thieves and giving into them is not a solution but a part of the problem.....

[lostsub]

That's why I (almost) always have free shipping in my listings (Yes I know this causes my final value fee to be slightly higher). Of course shipping isn't REALLY free but apparently buyers don't think that way. I do charge for upgraded shipping but to the buyer it shows less than actual cost. For instance I charge $3.85 for Flat Rate Priority. Even though the cost is really $4.75 I don't lose $.90. I actually make a little profit because the "Free" 1st Class Mail would have cost me 2 to 3 dollars anyway.
Larger more valuable items I usually try to average best case and worst case shipping cost and use that in my listings. In other words sometimes I win and sometimes I lose a little on shipping. But to me it all comes out the same. I haven't had anyone complain about shipping costs for years doing it this way, and therefore no headaches....at least on that ONE issue.