Reporting Excess Shipping on eBay

[Penetrator]

I have the same gripe about overcharging postage with Robotkingdom who charge me US international shipping when my home is only 10 km away from their warehouse as they aren't geared up to deal with local sales and won't budge on that stance (for me anyways).

Hey Bladestorm,

since you reside in HK, you might as well just go there to a local store and buy it. Not to mention the fun with haggling your price down. im sure you can at least get $20 hkd down :P

Its part of the fun when shopping in HK. Although its not quite the same story now as it use to be due to the flux in tourism and super-rich people from mainland china buying out everything without asking for any discounts.

[Bladestorm]

I do buy 95% of my items at local stores Penetrator, but some items never make it onto the streets here and local store pre-orders sell out fast so desperation leads to Robot Kingdom... For example the latest Asia re-issue MP-10 was impossible to buy on the street here and I was too late to pre-order it from local stores as they'd already sold out their pre-order quotas.

Unfortunately most stores selling the real licensed Transformers products won't haggle their prices these days. Be wary of stores that do and ALWAYS check they are selling the real thing. Not to say it doesn't happen but better to be safe than sorry if you're pedantic like I am.
(Sorry for hijacking the thread).

Hey Bladestorm,

since you reside in HK, you might as well just go there to a local store and buy it. Not to mention the fun with haggling your price down. im sure you can at least get $20 hkd down :P

Its part of the fun when shopping in HK. Although its not quite the same story now as it use to be due to the flux in tourism and super-rich people from mainland china buying out everything without asking for any discounts.

[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

[TAAUBlaster]

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.

*Snipped the rest of the quote to keep my reply short*

That sucks man. The "threat" of an invoice for an additional $60 makes me laugh. You should report him to Ebay for that, and especially for his reply to your negative feedback. That's not acceptable at all.

I had a run in with him too a while ago. I enquired about one of his auctions, and he resorted to name calling and pettiness without any provocation after I raised a few legitimate questions with him.
Honestly, I can't understand how he has had so many successful transactions as a seller. His attitude is just appalling. Even though he has had a few things I've been interested in, no way I will ever deal with him.

[bowspearer]

That sucks man. The "threat" of an invoice for an additional $60 makes me laugh. You should report him to Ebay for that, and especially for his reply to your negative feedback. That's not acceptable at all.

I had a run in with him too a while ago. I enquired about one of his auctions, and he resorted to name calling and pettiness without any provocation after I raised a few legitimate questions with him.
Honestly, I can't understand how he has had so many successful transactions as a seller. His attitude is just appalling. Even though he has had a few things I've been interested in, no way I will ever deal with him.

Oh it's been like the Jerry Springer Show in some ways. I didn't respond to his last message directly. I did however respond indirectly by both reporting him for excess shipping charges and for his abusive and racist message to me on eBay.

Seems he must've been informed about it by eBay and wasn't too happy about it, judging by the message he left me of:

U prick.

As an aside, I wonder what he did with the few seconds he saved by writing "U" instead of "You".

He also left the following feedback for me:

This guy is a total prat. I'd go so far as to say he's definitely a virgin.

What I find hilarious about all of this is that he's sent another abusive message which goes against eBay TOU that I can report him on and it's also against eBay TOU to leave negative comments in positive feedback - meaning I can report him for that too. It's honestly starting to be bad comedy. Imagine if he finds out that I've disclosed what happened publicly here lol.

[BigTransformerTrev]

' Typical Scum Aussie' !?!?


Report him for racism! Doesn't matter if he is based here or not, doesn't mean he himself is Australian

[Megatran]

Rude behaviour from Buyer &/or Seller is never acceptable.

What I'm not clear on:
+ Was the shipping price listed at $45 at time of transaction?
+ Was the shipping price increased at anytime during or just before the transaction?
+ Prior to the transaction, was there any written agreement between the parties involved to repay any handling fees?
+ What was the outcome of the dispute when the matter was raised with ebay? i.e. the decision was in who's favour?