Bought and paid for a stem last week- £5 postage (Parcelforce 24h) which I knew was high, and bid accordingly. Still happy with overall price and the item.

However, item was sent second class- not a major issue but its not what was advertised. Have emailed the seller to challenge this before leaving feedback, but no response. Seller has previous feedback (all positive) with a few mentioning postage costs- ie. £8 for a £2.50 postage label.

Neutral feedback to be left? Or negative? Don't like being unreasonable, but a reply to my question wouldn't be difficult.

in terms of cost, it's entirely up to the seller as some factor in packing, handling etc. Fine. But if promised Parcelfarce and not done that, then aye, you should have grounds for a bit of neutral.

excess postal charges are against ebay policy so he should be reported. It obviously means ebay gets less profit than it should from the sale.

Plus a discretionary level of customer service should be provided by the seller which is not happening with this guy.

Neutral him if he's already given you feedback, I wouldn't even think twice about neg.

Personally I think this is fine unless its excessive and I dont think £5 is too bad.

With all the ebay/paypal fees, people put the postage to make it worthwhile.

You did nt say how much the stem cost ? I mean if you only paid like £2.50 for then without this fee then it might have been easier for the seller just to chuck it in the bin.

The thing is the higher your start price the more the listing fee and the higher your final price the larger the final fee. You can get round this by charging more postage.

scu98rkr- you miss the point. Yes, not impressed by the inflated postage- but I would have accepted it if I'd had the postal service that was paid for and advertised.

Also you dont mention the start price if it was a 99p start the seller was just covering himself.

If I going to go to the effort of listing something on ebay I want to make sure I actually make some money.

If I was only make like 50p I'd have rather just put the item on Freecycle and get someone to come round and pick it up.

I see what your saying but like you originally said its kinda to be expected.

I know its annoying but the item got there presumably in good condition.

Regardless of what the auction was for and whether it was a bargain, if it stated Parcelforce 24hour it should have been that and, if he's not responding to emails, neutral feedback it should be.

I'm with OP on this; it was supposed to be sent in a specified manner and it was sent in a different, cheaper and less secure way. That's wrong. given that it arrived and it's ok I'd leave a neutral.

Neutral or negative. Realistically speaking you paid for an advertised service which he did not follow through. Alls well and good if he hasn't made much money but thats his gamble if he's auctioning his stuff. I've lossed out or broke even many times by stuff going mega cheap but I don't fret it or expect the buyer to make up the shortfall.

Personally I wouldn't leave him postive feedback. Send him an email explaining your concern and that you will leave him neutral feedback unless he can justify it and tell him if he doesn't respond within 7 days you'll leave him negative feedback. That way your being completly fair even though he's taken advantage and if he doesn't want negative feedback then the balls in his court.

Scu98rkr… is it really to be expected? If I bought an item I knew I was expecting to receive in 3 days (48hr post) and it turned up in a lot later I wouldn't be happy. Maybe I wanted it for a weekend ride for example.

as above – email stating asking for refund of the difference with 'please reply within 5 working days' otherwise negative feedback left.

certainly not positive.

woffle – Member

as above – email stating asking for refund of the difference with 'please reply within 5 working days' otherwise negative feedback left.

certainly not positive

Don't do this Ebay get funny about refund extorsion via 'or I'll negative feedback you' threats.

Ask for a refund due to differences to advertised but keep any feedback threats out of it .
Then negative the fecker!!!!

You agreed the fee, you received the item. You should be happy.

Neutral at worst, if the seller risked sending it out unsigned for or just didn't change the advertised method of posting by mistake then it's hardly crime of the century is it – you still got what you wanted & at the advertised price. From what I can see parcel force next day delivery is from £15.50 & 48 hours is from £10.50, so it looks like they made a fairly genuine error when listing

BigJohn – Member

You agreed the fee, you received the item. You should be happy.

I agreed the fee for a service I didn't receive. I would have been happy with first class recorded to be honest for my £5.

They are a shop seller and all the listings carry the same postage charge/service.

Report him to Paypal saying you never received your parcel. He won't have a leg to stand on as he hasn't got proof he sent it Parcelforce 24h.

He'll soon start sending stuff out with the advertised postage method then 🙂

Bought an item that stated RMSD, but came recorded delivery

Left neutral for that

I once challenged a guy who advertised the item as special delevery (£5) but posted normal 1st class (£1.30) he returned the difference with no questions, however i think its difficult to leave negative feedback if you recieved the item as he may give you negative back. If hes not responding i would probably leave positive feedback and forget about it.

I didn't think sellers could leave neg feedback anymore?

you agree to his terms mate just by bidding , you could have asked him a question about said p/p post, packing, poss drive to post office, seems fair to me mate.

…which I knew was high, and bid accordingly. Still happy with overall price and the item.

If you're happy with the item and allowed for the rip-off P&P charges when bidding then leave positive feedback. On the detailed seller ratings you can mark the seller down for poor comms & dispatch time etc.

If it says ParcelForce 24 hour and it's sent second class then it's blindingly obvious that you've been ripped off. Leave a neutral feedback, you're immune from nasty responses from him anyway.

I accidently sent out an item with a different postage to advertised – might have been without insurance which he'd paid for. The buyer contacted me and I apologised and refunded the difference – but my postal charges are at cost and not inflated, packaging is 90% recycled so not factored in.

In this instance I'd contact him, wait for him to offer an appropriate refund and then neutral if not received depending on how I feel in a few days time.

If the item was sent out in less than a week and got to you in the condition you describe then leave +ve feedback. Its a stem for gods sake, not an Ibis Titanium frame.
Sounds like you have already made your mind up to leave negative.

Ebay charges are extortionate, people try to save small amounts on them. For low value items occaisonal sellers probably don't know the best way of sending until they get to the post office and ask.

Jeez get over yourselves!

Actually the one "counter" to high postage charges is the "risk" that someone 5 miles away might win your item and say "cool, when can I collect and pay cash". This sort of limits how much ridiculous postage can be charged.

convenience could also be a factor
for me post is morning delivery
parcelforce late pm
tnt 1pm ish
ups 11am ish
home delivery 2.30ish

so will sometimes pick based on the delivery co used – if i'm expecting a delivery saves me a lot of hassle having to go collect / reschedule

I wouldn't care less if it was me. You got the item.
Its postage and packing so they can charge for the materials/time taken to package if they like.

Ignoring your emails is less acceptable.

But you obviously care more than I would so do what you will.

Dickyboy – Member
From what I can see parcel force next day delivery is from £15.50 & 48 hours is from £10.50, so it looks like they made a fairly genuine error when listing.

Exactly what I thought when I read the OP. I've made similar errors in listings.

My only other point is that 'Postage' also includes packing. I pack my stuff properly so that it arrives in the condition it leaves me so price accordingly.

IMO, If you're happy with the item, paid less [overall] than you were wanting/expecting too then you've got no grounds for complaint or to leave 'bad' feedback.

Actually the one "counter" to high postage charges is the "risk" that someone 5 miles away might win your item and say "cool, when can I collect and pay cash"

If a seller is close I always ask before if I can collect to save on postage; some say no and they're always the ones with sill postage costs. S I don't bid and they maybe lose out as I'm willing to pay more than some if I don't have postage costs so can push up the price in the bidding.

I emailed a seller about collecting an item and they said that 'due to work commitments' they couldn't be around to collect. I thought, 'Well, how are you going to be around to post it off?'

A friend of mine will only collect items as they don't want people having their address. I haven't had the heart to tell them that e-Bay forward the winning buyers details to the seller automatically.

I thought, 'Well, how are you going to be around to post it off?'

Erm, ever thought he works miles away from his house, but very close to a Post Office next door to his/her office?

That's why I always just put 'standard sellers rate' instead of Parcelforce etc., to stop pedants pulling me up on postage, not that I over charge.

Sounds like a genuine mistake, if it's a shop they'll be selling loads of stuff so somethings are going to slip through the net.

Report him to Paypal saying you never received your parcel. He won't have a leg to stand on as he hasn't got proof he sent it Parcelforce 24h.

He'll soon start sending stuff out with the advertised postage method then
Well lets hope he doesn't read STW, otherwise eBay might take a very dim view of that proposed action…

And besides, if he's got proof of purchase from the post office they'd be covered for their costs anyway so it'll not make him/her think at all.

leave NEGATIVE!!
thats what its there for, let other people know they will be ripped off.
People seem so reluctant to leave negative even though doing so would give others a fairer idea of the seller.

If the seller does not reply-negative!
If the seller replies- neutral/postive

If the postage charged is more than whats been paid for postage, remember this also includes packing/fuel to get to post office/time etc.
However if the seller does not use the service they specify and therefore put your item at risk it is there failure, and you should pick them up on this.

Its not like a negative will shut down someone's ability to sell on ebay, and if they care that much there are ways to retract feedback.

thats what its there for, let other people know they will be ripped off.
he's not been ripped off.

he has…
he paid for a service he didnt receive?

agreed though he does sound happy with the item

He HAS been ripped off, he paid for first class (or better) postage and didn't receive it via that method.

All in all I'd personally bite that bullet but it's a farce that is making ebay a pain in the arse to deal with and spreading spite and anger. A reasonable additional cost for packing and handling, fine. Claiming one postage and getting another – not fair. Before now I've sent out items that cost me more in postage than they finally sold for. I didn't send them by cheaper postage to save some cash, I promised a service and they got it.

ah maybe i was having a grumpy moment when i replied…
at the end of the day if you are happy with the item and the price you paid….chillaz and smile 😀

coffeeking – Member
He HAS been ripped off, he paid for first class (or better) postage and didn't receive it via that method.

No, he hasn't paid for First Class. You should read the OP.

The text of the offered delivery method was 'Parcelforce 24'. The amount was £5. That isn't correct, as pointed out by Dickyboy.

I just had a similar experience when buying something from an eBay shop in the US (I live in Canada).
They advertise all their items with expedited shipping which means the shipping costs they charge should include any brokerage fees for customs clearance (and that I should receive the item in 3 working days).
Turns out they only used standard postage which meant I was faced with paying UPS brokerage fees on top of their shipping. I told UPS to hold off delivery until I sorted it out with the shop but no amount of e-mailing got a satisfactory response. Luckily, I was able to trace a phone number for the shop and finally 'persuaded' them to refund me what UPS were going to charge me otherwise I would have left -ve feedback.

I blame ebay fees.
If your itemis worth about a tenner you will pay half as much in fees if it sells for £6 with £5p&p as if it sold for the £10 with £1p&p.
Hope that makes sense, if more of the price is in p&p the final value fee is lower for the same overall amount. And the fees are getting sill-high now.