A strange Ebay situation

[Letsbgoofy]

I bid on charms Mickey charms from 2 different sellers. When I won them and looked through their payment and shipping information, I realized that both sellers have the same email address to send payment to. I sent them an email asking if I could combine the 4 charms to save on shipping ($3 for first, $100 for others from one seller, $2 for first and $1 for others from other seller). I never heard anything back, so I paid each seller separately.

The charms came today from both sellers in one envelope. Can one seller have 2 separate ebay accounts? It seems like a scam to collect more shipping charges to me (the postage said $1.04, I paid $7). If you have to pay separately and get charged shipping by 2 people, how can they ship in just one envelope?

I don't know that much about Ebay, so I need to know if I should report this. I would like to leave negative feedback on these sellers, but I don't know if what they did is wrong. Either way I am not happy that I didn't get a response to my email.

Any input is welcome.

 

[swilshire]

There is nothing really wrong with not being willing to combine shipping. I always do and like sellers better who do, but they aren't violating any rules as long as they charged you what they said they were going to. As for having two different eBay IDs, that might be a violation. You should be able to figure that out by looking through the eBay rules.

Sheila

 

[DisneyKeith]

I completely understand your frstration with this. It is perfectly fine for an eBay seller to have more than one eBay udername. The fact that they did not reply to your e-mail about the shipping is very bad "business sense" in my opinion. AND to end up shipping them in one envelope is adding insult to injury. Have you tried e-mailing them now and asking for a refund on the shipping based on the fact that the items were shipped together and cost a fraction of what you paid? I'd try that! Since the items were delivered and the listed terms of the auction were met (you received the charms and the cost of shipping listed in each auction is what you paid) I would personally have a hard time leaving negative feedback even though I would WANT to. I've had similar things happen on eBay and it is very frustraing. I'm hoping that the seller will refund you some of the shipping so that the transaction will be a pleasant one. Good luck! BTW, How was their feedback?

 

[MickeySP]

I would think this is very bad business. Whether they are willing to combine or not is up to them but to except separate payments and then combine for their savings, would piss me off.

I sell as well as buy, I do combine always. I even refund postage if someone pays to quickly and doesn't wait for combined invoice, to me that is good business.

I would avoid the seller in the future.

 

[quadaunt]

This is one of those eBay "gray" areas that I hate. There is no eBay rule against having two selling id.s, but I'm surprised eBay let them set it up with the same e-mail address. The eBay rule used to be that if you wanted a second i.d. you had to have a separate e-mail address backing it up. Perhaps that has changed, but it could be that the seller found a way around the rule. I would contact eBay and ask them.

I hate to do business with this type of seller. There was no way for you to ask before you bid whether the seller would agree to combine shipping if you won multiple auctions because you didn't know it was the same seller. What type of feedback does this seller(s) have? If I'm interested in several of a seller's auctions, and they don't state it in their auction description, I will ask if they combine shipping for multiple auction wins. If they say no, then I don't bid. You didn't have that option as you had no way of knowing it was the same seller. If this was a scrupulous seller they would either have agreed to let you combine shipping for the items or, if they refused to combine shipping, they would have sent the items in separate envelopes. Clearly, they are looking for ways to line their pockets a little more on their eBay sales. By charging you separate shipping for the two auctions under different selling i.d.s, and then shipping the items together instead of separately, they are making additional profit without having to pay the eBay fees on it.

Not sure what eBay will do about the situation but at least you now know that you will never do business with this seller(s) again. Their loss. You can give this seller negative feedback, but expect retaliatory feedback in return. However, at least you will know that you've done your part by alerting other potential bidders of this seller's unscrupulous practices.

Do you ever post on the eBay discussion boards? You may want to post on one of them as well to get their input.

 

[Letsbgoofy]

Thank you all so much for the suggestions. I am going to contact the seller and ask for a refund of some of the shipping since the items were shipped together.

I did hesitate to leave negative feedback because I don't want them to do the same to me, even though there is no reason for them to.

They had a feedback rating of over 95%.

 

[starwood]

Instead of leaving negative feedback you may want to leave neutral feedback. You received the items as advertised in a timely manner but were no happy with customer service (by not answering your e-mails) and shipping costs.

 

[poohj80]

You can report the seller(s) to ebay as ebay does have a policy regarding overcharging for shipping and handling. I can't imagine "handling" costing 6x the actual shipping costs.

 

[disneysteve]

Instead of leaving negative feedback you may want to leave neutral feedback. You received the items as advertised in a timely manner but were no happy with customer service (by not answering your e-mails) and shipping costs.

I agree this is a good option. The transaction really doesn't warrant negative feedback because they did everything promised and charged exactly what they stated they would charge.

Leave a neutral that says item was fine but didn't answer e-mail and grossly overcharged for postage.

 

[Pamlur]

Before you leave any kind of feedback, you might want to check both ID's "feedback left" list. Some people are quick to leave nasty negative feedback, whether it's deserved or not.

 

[disneysteve]

Before you leave any kind of feedback, you might want to check both ID's "feedback left" list. Some people are quick to leave nasty negative feedback, whether it's deserved or not.

Why is the past feedback important? It wouldn't change what feedback this user will leave.

 

[Pamlur]

I didn't mention "past feedback". I told the OP she might want to look at "feedback LEFT" by the sellers. As in, if they (the sellers) leave flaming negative feedback for perceived ills. The OP might leave a nicely worded neutral and then be shocked if she gets a negative in return. It happens.

 

[disneysteve]

I didn't mention "past feedback". I told the OP she might want to look at "feedback LEFT" by the sellers. As in, if they (the sellers) leave flaming negative feedback for perceived ills. The OP might leave a nicely worded neutral and then be shocked if she gets a negative in return. It happens.

Oops. I misread that. Sorry. I thought you were saying to check feedback left FOR the seller, not BY the seller.

You're right about this, though its a shame that we have to think that way. If people are afraid to leave neutral or negative feedback because they don't want to get a negative in return, then the system won't work because all we'll ever see is the positives. Too bad there isn't some way to prevent this.

 

[DMRick]

I did hesitate to leave negative feedback because I don't want them to do the same to me, even though there is no reason for them to.
*******

Although I think it would have been nice for her to respond to your email, perhaps she is away..or just doesn't respond. Not nice, but doesn't deserve a neg imo, or even a neutral. I didn't read each post closely, but if you bid knowing what the shipping was, and were satisfied, if the item came timely, and was what you expected. I would leave a posi and just state, wouldn't combine shipping, if that bothered you. You say there was no reason for you to get a neg, but if you leave her a neg for (IMO) no reason, I wouldn't be surprised to see you get one too. I save neg's for serious infractions.

 

[quadaunt]

The transaction really doesn't warrant negative feedback because they did everything promised and charged exactly what they stated they would charge.

I never advocate leaving negative feedback until all avenues of resolving the dispute are exhausted. That being said, though, this seller did not charge exactly what they stated they would charge. They put up two different auctions, under two different i.ds, with two separate postage amounts. The buyer bid on and won two separate auctions and paid two separate postage amounts. The seller(s) then took it upon himself/herself to combine the items in one package and pocket the change for the second auction's postage. As I mentioned before, that's fee avoidance under eBay's rules and it is just ethically wrong any way you look at it. If the seller refused to combine shipping (which is what his/her lack of response seems to indicate) then he had a duty to ship the items separately.

 

[DMRick]

The seller(s) then took it upon himself/herself to combine the items in one package and pocket the change for the second auction's postage.
****

I don't see where that is against eBay's rules. eBay is very lenient with shipping costs, and it's very hard to get them to agree that it is fee avoidance, unless you are talking about an obvious difference in money..way over the costs of the actual shipping, as well as what eBay considers reasonable handling (gas to go to the PO, materials, paying someone to Pack). While I agree if the seller wasn't going to combine s/h, they should then be shipped seperately, I don't see anything in eBay's rules that say someone must either combine, or ship in two packages. It stinks, but IMO, still doesn't warrant a neg, just because the s/h wasn't combined, and the items were shipped together. I just can't find where that is against ebay's rules. I wouldn't do it, unless I asked first (I only combine shipping costs, if items are paid together at the same time..although I will ask if they want me to refund Paypal so they can repay together), but I can't find anything that says it's a reportable offense.

 

[kilee]

I have to say I'd be alittle aggrivated. If a seller doesn't want to combine shipping charges, that's fine. However, don't refuse to combine the charges then turn around and ship together anyhow. If I can't combine shipping then I don't ever combine the items.

Personally, I would leave a negative feedback for that.

 

[welovedis]

Personally, I would leave a negative feedback for that.

And then the OP would probably end up getting negged back. Negative FB should be left for people who are making egregious mistakes in their eBay dealings, not with someone who shipped what the buyer purchased and received.

OP-I would try to contact the seller again and bring up the fact that you paid for separate shipping and didn't receive it. Then I would ask that they refund you the amount that will satisfy you. If they don't, then decide what you are willing to do next. Has the seller left you FB already or not?

 

[DMRick]

And then the OP would probably end up getting negged back. Negative FB should be left for people who are making egregious mistakes in their eBay dealings, not with someone who shipped what the buyer purchased and received.
*****
I totally agree. I sure do think this seller shouldn't have done it, but that just makes her a not so accomodating seller. Not deserving a neg. I think the OP should prepare herself for a return neg, if she negs or gives a neutral. I'd take my negs like a man (well, a woman) if I deserved it and wouldn't return it, but first I have to deserve it (bad merchandise, not sending in a reasonable time, etc).

 

[CajunDixie]

How is it fee avoidance for the seller to ship in one package? Sellers don't pay fees on their shipping/handling cost to Ebay. Granted it wasn't a nice of her to combine the items into one package with no shipping discount but she didn't break any rules. Basically, the seller found a loophole by selling the same items under 2 different names and combining shipping when possible. Ebay needs to know this is happening so as to close this loophole and help it's buyers. Now if the seller had sold her one item in an auction then saw the OP bidding on another charm she carries and offered her that charm in an email and the OP bought it then that is fee avoidance. The seller still had to pay listing charges and selling charges on both charms the OP bought.
IMO her actions do not warrant a neg. Maybe give a neutral and explain that the seller has 2 IDs to sell identical items. And state the 2nd ID so other buyers can avoid buying from both IDs at the same time. I'd try emailing the seller first asking for a partial shipping refund first.