eBay P&P (Barrack Room Lawyer)

[Enough!Participant @enough]

Posted by Roger Provins 2 on 12/12/2016 19:00:39:

Sellers cannot leave negative or neutral feedback. For several years they can only leave positive or none at all.

You're right, of course, Roger. I'd forgotten they changed that. Second thing to go you know …

[Anthony KendallParticipant @anthonykendall53479]

As a seller, I try to be fair and try not to overcharge for postage – mostly saying how much it will actually cost for transportation – sometimes losing out because I get it wrong. Any issues and I refund the buyer all his cash – it is not life-changing and I can't be ar*ed with it.

As a buyer I mostly opt for first class post if I can and often avoid sellers who do not offer it. I give feedback to acknowledge this. Unfortunately it is becoming trendy to offer free postage at second class, often with no first class option. A trip to Argos is not attractive to me to get "free" delivery (or for any other reason) when someone can poke it through my door.

Outside of ebay I buy from those sellers who post it first class tonight, if I can. Some of the big names in ME supplies have the attitude "we might put it in the post by the end of the week" so I only buy if I cannot get elsewhere. Some sellers are realising price is not always king and some of us want service even if it costs more, or both.

[Old CrockParticipant @oldcrock]

I dare to be controversial but post and packing are probably the best bargain on eBay!

I have just sold a small book for £8 with free post and packing. Ebay fee is £0.80, Paypal fee is £0.47, Postage (Royal Mail second class signed for) £2.64.

So far my net gain is £4.09. I forgot the cost of printing a label but I did use a second hand jiffy bag! Then there is the 9 mile round trip to my nearest Post Office where I queued for 25 minutes because I promised next day dispatch.

If time is money I am well out of pocket so forgive me if the next time it goes for recycling.

As a buyer If I find something on eBay from a trader I try and find their own website and buy off that. So I lose Nectar points but what the heck!

[Martin King 2Participant @martinking2]

Anthony K:

Interesting comments, we send 99% of our stuff in the UK 2nd Class, either normal or recorded and do not offer 1st Class. We have never had a single comment about not offering 1st and we generally find that stuff arrives either next day or day after at latest. We are always amazed at this! Our most recieved pos feedback comment is about how quickly people get our stuff. It helps that we are a 1 minute walk from our village PO and today have been 3 times, once for just one item.

We never use Argos.

When we have problems we always refund in full and often let the buyers keep the item if return is uneconomic and when the item owes us very little.

For damaged items we insist on photos of the damage before refunding; for 'lost in post' we insist on a reasonable wait and ask for buyers local PO details. Amazing how often the item 'arrives' the next day…..

Still works for us from a way of getting rid of stuff in our attic has turned into a respectable small business after my retirement from the film industry.

Cheers, Martin

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