General Forum

So this justhappened. I consider myself an experienced eBayer and found a seller with several cards I liked eventhough bids started at $2 and not the standard $1. I bid on about a dozen or so cards at the minimum bid of $2 after looking over his info, shipping, etc. No warning lights or anything and said $3.50 Canada Post to ship. Without "asking" in advance I bid on the cards assuming no extras per card since nothing said so. Today after five wins, I bid on one more to make six more to win I get a message saying. Because you didnt ask, its another $1 per card shipping. HUH?! I replied quite quickly saying thanks for the heads up I will stop bidding asap and deal with the concequences of the shipping fees but understand I will not be buying fromk you again. It got tense and he tried to use the excuse of penny sleeves, toploaders, and having to pay tax for the reason to add the $1 per card. I simply stated that others charge onlt 25 to 50 cents for such fees and they put it in the description tab. He told me if he was to only make a dollar per card he wouldnt even bother so I replied that maybe $3 BINs would be the better way to go. He said if I was so upset he would cancel all my orders, I thanked him and said yes please as if I had to leave ratings and feedback it would only harm us both. I have just recieved another message and will check it out ..................... so he just played the well it doesnt say that $3.50 shipping covers everything so you shouldnt assume so. Go figure, my fault!! I keep telling him that another seller in Ontario sent me 22 cards in a bubble mailer for $3.12 cents and he seems to just ignore that part. He cancelled the purchases and went on his merry way.

I know you fairly well, so that question is kind of a gimme.

ummmmmmmmmmmmmmm .......................... lol

I've made over 2000 purchases on eBay. If the description doesn't mention a combined shipping policy, I always ask.  It works to phrase it something like "If i win multiple items from you, would you give me a combined shipping discount? That way I can bid more on your auctions." If you don't want to do that, then just assume there is no shipping savings. I think the onus is on the buyer to know what they're getting into. Sorry 😶

Fair statement but I have over 2000 purchases too and this is the first time for me. Just think as the seller it makes more sense to list, I told him that this is likely why he never sells many cards. LOL Anyhoo we have all had a bad experience and I' sure the vote would end 50/50 haha .......... or at least hope so. I guess with him being a Canadian I assumed he was a just being super nice. If it were nor for Chuck, vrooomed or avsbruins I would have a lot less cards. Trust me the US rate to Canada can magically get stupid too!! LOL

So, $3.50 plus $1.00 for each additional card?

Yes chuck, from Ontario to Saskatchwewan.

I'd have to agree with EP. If the listing doesn't specifically outline combined shipping terms, then as a buyer I'd clarify it first and foremost. To bid on a few items with your own assumptions about what you think the seller should charge for shipping just opens the door to the type of interaction that took place.

Sorry Darrell, but it's really on you, as the buyer, to find out before bidding on several items what the multiple win "discount" (if any) is. And yes, I have been on both sides of the table on this, and I learned the hard way when the seller wouldn't back down from full shipping on each. (Thankfully, it was only 2 items, and not 5 or 6.) I've also been the seller, but I note in my listings that I combine shipping (now), which means people don't have to ask, but it's okay if they do. As a seller, I would much rather have someone ask beforehand what the "discount" will be than have them assume what the discount will be andhave something like this happen if they feel the "discount" isn't enough or they just aren't happy with it.

Technically, you bid on items at $2 plus $3.50 shipping. Each item was that price. By bidding, you entered into a contract for that. The seller did offer quite the discount by dropping the additional items to $1 each. Now, I don't know how the seller packages the cards (if each is in one of those magnetic holders, they get heavy fast), but there are ways to send cards in smaller quantities in less expensive ways so that $1 each additional item would still be excessive (I'll usually jump at ones where they add each at $.25 or so). But honestly, if their auctions did not state anything about combined shipping, yet you won (or bought if BINs) at those prices, you should have been help to paying that. If I was the seller, I'd be really upset with you. Thankfully, I wasn't, so I still think you're a great guy. :) But, if you're asking for opinions, well, you have mine now.

99% of conflict is caused by mismatched expectations.

i.e.  you know what happens when you assume.....