Reporting Excess Shipping on eBay

[bowspearer]

Bought a MISB Classic Tracks from johnb79.2008.

Actual postage costs: $7.60
Cost of Bx2 mailer: $2.40

Total shipping costs: $10

Shipping charge listed (which I presumed was him covering himself with an broad estimate): $45 - 450% of the actual shipping costs (a $35 "handling fee").

In addition to seller's poor attitude and terrible customer service, they are being incredibly difficult in terms of doing the ethical thing and refunding the excess - giving me the choice between either 50% of the shipping costs or returning the figure.

Then again, I shouldn't be surprised - even the eBay representative I spoke to over the phone on the matter, commented on his terrible attitude after seeing the sellers messages to me.

In fact, I think the most recent message says it all.

UPDATE:

When I raised the issue with him, he tried to weasel his way out of it over the course of 5 messages - at first trying to hide behind the listed shipping costs (as if they negate his contract with eBay when he listed the item - rather than his contract negating the charges), then insisting on either the return or only giving back 50% of the shipping costs (still a $12 "handling" fee), and even playing the victim at one point. I then drew a line in the sand- asking for the fourth and final time:

Are you going to refund the excess $35 which you charged in direct breach of eBay terms of use,or are you refusing to?

As I was tired of his weaselling BS, I added:

Just so we're clear, any response other than you agreeing to do the ethical thing here and refund the excess shipping, I will consider to be a refusal to do so.

I got a weaselling response back, so I responded saying that in light of my last message to him and his response to me, I was reasonably considering his most recent response to me to be a refusal to honour eBay TOU and would be taking further action.

This was his last message to me:

I tell u what I'll do: I'll offer u a 50% discount OR you may, at your cost return the item to me (eBay's rules, not mine) AND I will not invoice you an additional $60 for the time of mine you have taken.

(bolding emphasis mine)

I'm not even going to dignify it with a response.

Update 2:

Well it seems he wasn't too happy with my negative feedback - a comment of:

Contemptous attitude, terrible customer service, charged $35 "handling fee".

I'm basing assessment of his reaction on the following message I received from him:

Can't believe u left negative feedback - what a dirty keyboard warrior u really are. A snivelling grubby coward. Typical scum Aussie